Selling out is such a stupid concept. It only works if when you started doing whatever it is that you’re doing you were openly against the idea of being a commercial success. “Selling out” inherently implies hypocrisy, otherwise it’s not selling out. Like a wise man once said “how can I betray someone to whom I never swore loyalty?”
Alex Chilton was the ultimate sell-in—going from having a #1 hit with the Box Tops in the 60s to becoming a cult hero with Big Star in the 70s. RIP, dude.
Screw it, man. Put on a mask, rake in some cash and do your own thing. At the end of the day, who gives a damn if you “sell out”. At least you can eat.
I agree that selling out is lame. But I also think that people play the “sell out” card waaaaay too much.
Did C&C Music Factory sell out when they changed the lyrics of their song in order to sell Kraft macaroni? I guess so. But “Everybody Dance Now” wasn’t exactly a work of high art to begin with.
May 23, 2009
ironically, selling in is pretty much exactly what radiohead did. (girl wouldn’t know.) trent reznor, too.
June 30, 2009
devendra banhart is becoming a sell in
January 15, 2010
Selling out is such a stupid concept. It only works if when you started doing whatever it is that you’re doing you were openly against the idea of being a commercial success. “Selling out” inherently implies hypocrisy, otherwise it’s not selling out. Like a wise man once said “how can I betray someone to whom I never swore loyalty?”
March 5, 2010
Selling out means that you change ideology, your art, image etc in order to please and, as the term put it so rightly, sell..
May 3, 2010
Alex Chilton was the ultimate sell-in—going from having a #1 hit with the Box Tops in the 60s to becoming a cult hero with Big Star in the 70s. RIP, dude.
June 3, 2010
Screw it, man. Put on a mask, rake in some cash and do your own thing. At the end of the day, who gives a damn if you “sell out”. At least you can eat.
August 5, 2011
Uh, no. There are tons of things more important than money. And selling out is the opposite of doing your own thing.
February 14, 2017
I agree that selling out is lame. But I also think that people play the “sell out” card waaaaay too much.
Did C&C Music Factory sell out when they changed the lyrics of their song in order to sell Kraft macaroni? I guess so. But “Everybody Dance Now” wasn’t exactly a work of high art to begin with.
February 14, 2017
Oops, my bad. “Everybody Dance Now” was used to sell Clairol conditioner. The Kraft Macaroni song was “Things That Make You Go Mmmm.”