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Underground music is, in the easiest way to describe it, music by bands and artists that have yet to get famous and break into the mainstream. To most younger people, it’s considered cool to listen to only underground bands, and anything that plays on the radio is lame.

What most young people don’t understand is that most underground music has so much commercial backing now, that they are actually feeding the mainstream culture they are trying to avoid. All the major record labels have subsidiary labels that sponsor and fund “underground” bands. Now you can go into the mall and buy t-shirts from underground bands, and they are usually more readily available than a Godsmack or a Nickleback shirt. Selling and promoting “Underground” music is a GIGANTIC business. Isn’t the core ethics behind Underground D.I.Y. music about avoiding all the commercialism? I’m not saying that I don’t support this kind of music or these bands, because to me, I really like most of it. What I’m saying is that all these people need to wake up and realize that they are not being “punk” or “keeping it real”, because they’re not… Dawg.

If you break it down, there are four different kinds of music that young people listen to. They are Rap, Rock, Country, and Techno. Country and Techno suck, so let’s forget about them. That leaves the two major genres… rock and rap.

Rock bands’ songs are usually about how hard life is or about a girl they can’t have. To be famous in this genre, it’s important to be as good looking as possible. Look at Fallout Boy. I was once in a taco bell and overheard a fourteen or so year old girl say “When Pete (their bassist) came onstage, my vagina exploded”. It doesn’t matter what you wear. As long as your looking good wearing it. How many fat rock stars do you see on TV? Once your band makes it famous, your core audience will drop you because you’re a sell out.

Rap artists’ songs are usually about how easy life is or about having too many girls. To be famous in this genre, your personal looks are not important. Look at Ludicris. He’s about 90 pounds and most of it is his ears. Or Fat Joe..  It’s all about what you wear. Once you become famous, your core audience will still love you, and you will finally get the respect you deserve. Another perk about being a rapper, is that even after you die, you can still continue to release records from beyond the grave for years to come.

So, you have to decide for yourself, which is more important to me? An artist you can like now, and hope that they don’t get famous because you’ll have to listen to someone else, or an artist who is ugly but you can like forever?