The end of the year and the decade are insight, and I know because I’ve got 20/20 vision (cue groans from live studio audience). So, in the spirit of a Nue season approaching, I’m focusing on dropping labels. And no, I don’t mean record labels.
It’s hard to put anybody in a box these days. Subcultures and cross-genres are where it’s at. Take Post Malone. What do you call a track with rock, rap, and pop heavy hitters on it? I don’t think there’s a name for that.
This begs the question: are genres dead? And, more importantly, by categorizing our music for playlists, awards, and festivals, are we holding artists back? Are we stunting the culture instead of letting the culture stunt?
Speaking of cultures, I have to say that “cancel culture” is getting a little out of control. I’m ready to see cancel culture get canceled. Sure, we should be held accountable for our words and actions. But the Internet is so hyperbolic and so lacking in nuance. The social mediarati can’t be the arbiters of who deserves to be relevant and who’s worthy of having a voice. Careers shouldn’t end in a day. This is a much larger conversation, though. One that deserves more ink and discussion moving forward.
I’m excited to see what Q4 brings and where things turn in 2020. Who’s got next?