i have so many thoughts. wouldn’t it be amazing if these feminist billionaires started sharing their wealth in RADICAL ways? equalizing the playing field? creating limits for their re-sold tickets so that WE the working class AREN’T exploited? To allow all people fair access to these concerts rather than allowing SCUM FOLKS to control the market? also just like, the part about their grand children already being RICH rich & struggling over here to save money for retirement so my kids don’t feel responsible for me LET ALONE saving money to pass wealth (that i do not have) onto them. no house to my name at 32, and a savings account that is rapidly decreasing in value due to inflation, our rental home increasing rent $200, canceling our health insurance because it more than doubled and would have cost us the money that is our “cushion” and our “savings” each month to keep it, going to free food markets every week to help the rising cost of feeding our family, and then being upside down in a car loan from a vehicle that no longer serves us which we were forced to purchase when the market was INSANE. It’s all so fucked. I count myself pretty privileged in my life & yet - I am farrrrr from financially secure. Then there’s these billionaires making music that we use to escape from our realities - getting wealthier as the gap between us and them continues to grow wider.
I’ve never been someone who has glorified musicians or celebrities at large because I’ve always seen them as a business of sorts more than as an artist. Individually they may be incredibly talented, but they also have a team of people behind the scenes making things happen. The artist themself is like a product that is curated so carefully to appeal to us as consumers. The artist only goes as far as the machine behind it can propel it. It’s a game and a business. These billionaire artists and their teams have figured out how to play the game so strategically to their advantage. And as you’re saying in this article, the more we can wake up to the fact that we are a part of that game, the more we can make conscious choices about what we consume and why.
Wooooow love this so much! I have been saying this about T Swift (the private jets, her complete lack of empathy for the working class, etc) and am always met with a staunch retort - can you elaborate on this part specifically in a future article “While her work ethic is a force to be reckoned with, becoming a billionaire always — let me repeat, always — requires the oppression of others, particularly underpaying or taking advantage of those with less”
What an understanding bestie 😆. This title worried me for a second! Do I agree with you? Yes. Will I be signing up for every presale fan club list to get tickets for the next tour to enjoy that powerful nostalgia millennials live for? Also yes.
So well said, and something I have thought about with Beyonce — and T. Swift. It's also a great lens to consider non-art billionaires from such as Kim Kardashian, whom I pride myself on never keeping up with nor a slave to her shape wear et al. As @Mariah Grimes said so eloquently, I also consider myself incredibly privileged and a hard worker, but my net worth is not reliant on keeping those with so little down.
All of this!! I have always struggled with separating the musical from the music, but recently as I’ve looked harder at the businesses I support, I’ve looked at the music I’m listening to (and second hand my boys listen to) and it has me taking a lot out of our family playlist. Thanks for putting it so eloquently!!
I think this is sort of related: I just finished listening to Taylor’s new album. There had been rumors that something would be happening at 2 am. And it was true, it’s a double album, the second released just now. I’m sitting here typing this at 2:14 am instead of listening to the 2nd album because when I rushed to see what was on the 2nd album, how many songs, what the titles were, what do they sound like, I deflated so fast when I saw that the songs from the 1st album were also on this one. Meaning this: I bought the CD on her website when she announced the album months ago, I bought the album on my phone today because the CD hasn’t arrived yet and I want to listen to the songs now because I love her and her art, and now I impulsively and in shock bought this 2nd album too? I paid 3 times for the same 16 songs and once for 15 new ones? I know I can have self control and not spend money like this. But it’s only after seeing that the 1st album is basically my $14 wasted and her wealth unnecessarily increased because the same songs are also a part of the 2nd album for a dollar more, that I’m feeling a little sick about this. I know SO many other people did the same thing I did. That’s so much money. I was immediately reminded of this newsletter I read a week ago. I’m so annoyed that my first time listening experience of the album (which I LOVE and was having a great time listening to until the 2nd dropped) is ruined because I was paying such attention to the art and praising Taylor wildly for how beautiful the lyrics were and how much I love her and am glad she exists and now the whole thing is sort of covered in dollar signs. So weird how fast that happened. It’s only 2:27.
It's so funny.. you've just completed a half thought I had recently. When I saw her new country style music come out, I immediately thought that this was a move to stay 'on trend'. With the whole cowboy/country aesthetic being verrry popular right now in music and fashion, I see it as money making tactic rather than something that is authentically Beyonce (whatever that actually means).
I love seeing your name pop up in my inbox, Alex! Always providing a fresh perspective and giving me something to think about. Thank you :)
I was nervous to read this but WOW do I agree!! It follows the “no one can be a billionaire without the exploitation of others” and dingdingding this rings true for mega stars as well. It’s a mental jungle gym out there but never should we be OK with blindly following someone. It is so important to be critical of people we have enjoyed. 10/10 post.
i have so many thoughts. wouldn’t it be amazing if these feminist billionaires started sharing their wealth in RADICAL ways? equalizing the playing field? creating limits for their re-sold tickets so that WE the working class AREN’T exploited? To allow all people fair access to these concerts rather than allowing SCUM FOLKS to control the market? also just like, the part about their grand children already being RICH rich & struggling over here to save money for retirement so my kids don’t feel responsible for me LET ALONE saving money to pass wealth (that i do not have) onto them. no house to my name at 32, and a savings account that is rapidly decreasing in value due to inflation, our rental home increasing rent $200, canceling our health insurance because it more than doubled and would have cost us the money that is our “cushion” and our “savings” each month to keep it, going to free food markets every week to help the rising cost of feeding our family, and then being upside down in a car loan from a vehicle that no longer serves us which we were forced to purchase when the market was INSANE. It’s all so fucked. I count myself pretty privileged in my life & yet - I am farrrrr from financially secure. Then there’s these billionaires making music that we use to escape from our realities - getting wealthier as the gap between us and them continues to grow wider.
Very well written. You have a great way of putting into words what many are thinking 🤍
I’ve never been someone who has glorified musicians or celebrities at large because I’ve always seen them as a business of sorts more than as an artist. Individually they may be incredibly talented, but they also have a team of people behind the scenes making things happen. The artist themself is like a product that is curated so carefully to appeal to us as consumers. The artist only goes as far as the machine behind it can propel it. It’s a game and a business. These billionaire artists and their teams have figured out how to play the game so strategically to their advantage. And as you’re saying in this article, the more we can wake up to the fact that we are a part of that game, the more we can make conscious choices about what we consume and why.
Wooooow love this so much! I have been saying this about T Swift (the private jets, her complete lack of empathy for the working class, etc) and am always met with a staunch retort - can you elaborate on this part specifically in a future article “While her work ethic is a force to be reckoned with, becoming a billionaire always — let me repeat, always — requires the oppression of others, particularly underpaying or taking advantage of those with less”
What an understanding bestie 😆. This title worried me for a second! Do I agree with you? Yes. Will I be signing up for every presale fan club list to get tickets for the next tour to enjoy that powerful nostalgia millennials live for? Also yes.
Ohhhh girl. Thank you for putting into words what has been on my mind for a whiiiiiile now 💛😘
So well said, and something I have thought about with Beyonce — and T. Swift. It's also a great lens to consider non-art billionaires from such as Kim Kardashian, whom I pride myself on never keeping up with nor a slave to her shape wear et al. As @Mariah Grimes said so eloquently, I also consider myself incredibly privileged and a hard worker, but my net worth is not reliant on keeping those with so little down.
wowowowow really love this and am so glad someone said it publicly
All of this!! I have always struggled with separating the musical from the music, but recently as I’ve looked harder at the businesses I support, I’ve looked at the music I’m listening to (and second hand my boys listen to) and it has me taking a lot out of our family playlist. Thanks for putting it so eloquently!!
I think this is sort of related: I just finished listening to Taylor’s new album. There had been rumors that something would be happening at 2 am. And it was true, it’s a double album, the second released just now. I’m sitting here typing this at 2:14 am instead of listening to the 2nd album because when I rushed to see what was on the 2nd album, how many songs, what the titles were, what do they sound like, I deflated so fast when I saw that the songs from the 1st album were also on this one. Meaning this: I bought the CD on her website when she announced the album months ago, I bought the album on my phone today because the CD hasn’t arrived yet and I want to listen to the songs now because I love her and her art, and now I impulsively and in shock bought this 2nd album too? I paid 3 times for the same 16 songs and once for 15 new ones? I know I can have self control and not spend money like this. But it’s only after seeing that the 1st album is basically my $14 wasted and her wealth unnecessarily increased because the same songs are also a part of the 2nd album for a dollar more, that I’m feeling a little sick about this. I know SO many other people did the same thing I did. That’s so much money. I was immediately reminded of this newsletter I read a week ago. I’m so annoyed that my first time listening experience of the album (which I LOVE and was having a great time listening to until the 2nd dropped) is ruined because I was paying such attention to the art and praising Taylor wildly for how beautiful the lyrics were and how much I love her and am glad she exists and now the whole thing is sort of covered in dollar signs. So weird how fast that happened. It’s only 2:27.
It's so funny.. you've just completed a half thought I had recently. When I saw her new country style music come out, I immediately thought that this was a move to stay 'on trend'. With the whole cowboy/country aesthetic being verrry popular right now in music and fashion, I see it as money making tactic rather than something that is authentically Beyonce (whatever that actually means).
I love seeing your name pop up in my inbox, Alex! Always providing a fresh perspective and giving me something to think about. Thank you :)
I was nervous to read this but WOW do I agree!! It follows the “no one can be a billionaire without the exploitation of others” and dingdingding this rings true for mega stars as well. It’s a mental jungle gym out there but never should we be OK with blindly following someone. It is so important to be critical of people we have enjoyed. 10/10 post.