The plight of the indie fan

January 5, 10:49 AMIndie Rock ExaminerAlli Sands

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Picture Courtesy of Vestal Designs

There is something kind of heartbreaking when your favorite indie artist’s song starts making the rounds on the radio. Or when that incredible underground band you’ve been listening to for years starts playing bigger, less personal venues.

This past Friday, Jonathan Mahler, writer for The New York Times magazine, published a feature story about Andrew Bird, an insanely talented musician who has been making his way through the music industry for the past 15 years. With seven albums and numerous EPs under his belt, Bird’s individual sound is awe-inspiring and Mahler does a fabulous job of capturing the uniqueness of his work.

However, with the upcoming January 20th release of Bird’s newest album, Noble Beast, Mahler details the expectations being placed on the LP, “Bird’s label, Fat Possum, is expecting ‘Noble Beast’ to be his breakthrough album, to transform him from cult phenomenon to pop star.” Of everything Mahler said in his lengthy article, this caught my attention the most because as much as I want to see the artists I love succeed by doing what they do best, I can’t help but worry about them becoming some popular sensation.

When I think of male singer/songwriters who have become pop stars, my mind goes to the obnoxious James Blunt, the overrated Coldplay, and the kitschy dull Jason Mraz. What if Andew Bird’s road to popularity is paved in corporate intentions to make him more appealing to the teenyboppers who idolize the Jonas Brothers and John Mayer?

Bird is one of those artists I can go back to time and time again and still discover some lyric or rhythm that I hadn’t acknowledged before. His work is anything but boring and it’s why he’s such an amazing indie musician. But the music that the general public demands isn’t anywhere near as complex and bold as Bird’s work. Therefore, if Bird is to become the “pop star” that Mahler talks about, would his music have to change to fit the whims of the masses?

It boils down to the plain-and-simple fact that I take the music I love very personally. It’s a part of who I am, and as silly or shallow as that might sound, I know I am not alone in this sentiment. So when something as deeply important to me as the music I love is altered to appeal to the masses, I can’t help but feel betrayed. On the other hand, I wish all the best to the artists I adore and hope that they find success with their music.

Damned if you do; damned if you don’t. Maybe you have to sell your soul to the devil so that you have the ability to reach a wider audience with your art. After all, Radiohead has achieved extraordinary popularity and success while remaining true to who they are. Perhaps it is possible to become a pop legend while retaining your individuality. Probably not in most cases but all we can do as fans is continue to support our favorites artists and hope for the best, whatever that may be.