It has always been about money for the labels, but they at least used to take risks, and find new talented bands, develop them, and promote them. But it’s riskier and takes a lot more work. An artist needs a minimum of about 10,000 hours of experience before they’re studio ready, and the whole band needs to be at that level. If they find someone new and unique at that level, they still need to develop them as performers, and get them prepared to play big gigs, tour, work together in a studio, etc… It’s much easier for them to find someone attractive who knows some dance moves, and have them perform studio written songs based on proven profitable beats.
I always was about the money. Nirvana even named one of their songs Radio Friendly Unit Shifter.
If all the kids wanted to listen to death metal, there would be death metal on the radio.
It has always been about money for the labels, but they at least used to take risks, and find new talented bands, develop them, and promote them. But it’s riskier and takes a lot more work. An artist needs a minimum of about 10,000 hours of experience before they’re studio ready, and the whole band needs to be at that level. If they find someone new and unique at that level, they still need to develop them as performers, and get them prepared to play big gigs, tour, work together in a studio, etc… It’s much easier for them to find someone attractive who knows some dance moves, and have them perform studio written songs based on proven profitable beats.