You can’t control what people like, or how good others are at doing the thing people like.
It’s less “controlling what people like” (which, I’d argue, billions in marketing suggests you absolutely can do) and more “controlling who gets paid for the work” (which, I’d argue, labor unions and labor laws suggest you can also absolutely do).
People like things that are exceptional
People like things that are accessible and mass media allows large numbers of people to access a handful of cartelized venues. But go and watch the various American Idol knock-offs, and you’ll find plenty of untalented people on the stage. Half the show is about the heels and how far they can get by schmoozing and scheming before they’re knocked out by more mainstream talent. But its as much about the spectacle as it is about any actual talent.
Meanwhile, local musicians can and do command large audiences and full venues, particularly in cities known for cultivating talent. The trick is in having these venues to perform at and running them efficiently. When small venues get starved for revenue during downturns or crises (COVID, the '08 crash, Hurricane Katrina, etc), that’s what kills a community scene. When rents skyrocket and drive community venues out of business, that’s what costs a town its local venues. It isn’t locals suddenly all forgetting how to perform year to year.
![Money Maker [Mr. Lovenstein]](https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/9b77a9c8-f770-448a-bdda-fa9266606768.png){kind=link}
It’s less “controlling what people like” (which, I’d argue, billions in marketing suggests you absolutely can do) and more “controlling who gets paid for the work” (which, I’d argue, labor unions and labor laws suggest you can also absolutely do).
People like things that are accessible and mass media allows large numbers of people to access a handful of cartelized venues. But go and watch the various American Idol knock-offs, and you’ll find plenty of untalented people on the stage. Half the show is about the heels and how far they can get by schmoozing and scheming before they’re knocked out by more mainstream talent. But its as much about the spectacle as it is about any actual talent.
Meanwhile, local musicians can and do command large audiences and full venues, particularly in cities known for cultivating talent. The trick is in having these venues to perform at and running them efficiently. When small venues get starved for revenue during downturns or crises (COVID, the '08 crash, Hurricane Katrina, etc), that’s what kills a community scene. When rents skyrocket and drive community venues out of business, that’s what costs a town its local venues. It isn’t locals suddenly all forgetting how to perform year to year.