Originally Posted by: suicidalmoose
I kinda like the fact that pop music exists to be honest, makes me feel like instead of just playing guitar to be like the rest of the music industry i'm playing guitar to spite the rest of the music industry (yes i noe its lame and seeing as most of the music industry is dominated by guitar based rock n roll it's not really a true statement - but the **** the system mentality still entertains me).

That's partly why I've started listening to, and playing, a lot more pop lately. It seems to me that the F***-The-System, Rebellious Individual Rock and Roll Band is nothing but a construct of the major record companies looking to snare a supposedly discerning audience. Look at Jet - they're supposedly "taking back rock and roll", and they're selling their songs for TV shows and commercials, and have basically become part of the same scene as disposable commercial bands. Even progressive and alternative rock is slowly being taken over by the record companies.

So perhaps it's better to play mainstream pop, and play it well, infusing your own personality and innovations, than to play "real" rock and be used as a vehicle for the record companies to expand their audience. I'm not saying that I'm going to throw out all my Led Zeppelin albums in favour of Jack Johnson ones! It's just a thought - and a rather long-winded one, I realise! Sorry about that. :o