The Blame Game, and Why Journalists Always Seem to Lose It
a.k.a. Many of the music industry's most influential figures operate relatively free of public scrutiny.
“PR is quite possibly the most vilified sector of the entire music industry.”
That’s how I opened the introduction to last week’s First Floor interview with publicist Chanel Kadir, and while the statement still holds true, I’ve realized in recent days that it does leave out a key piece of context. Although PR is routinely described as a sinister enterprise, one that encapsulates the ethical rot at the core of the music industry, it’s telling that so few of the individuals who make their living as publicists ever face much public scrutiny. Why?
Because most people have no idea who they are.
That’s by design of course. Publicists know how the media works, and will use that knowledge to try and tip the spotlight toward their clients, but they themselves are largely meant to stay in the background. Most music fans can’t even name a single publicity agency, let alone individual publicists, and aside from rare occasions (e.g. my interview last week with Kadir), PR professionals largely exist as phantoms, receiving no credits, bylines or public plaudits, even as their efforts help artists find levels of success and recognition that might not have been possible otherwise.
They aren’t alone. Artist managers, booking agents, festival bookers, A&R reps, playlist curators, corporate promoters… that’s just a partial list, but all of these folks operate largely behind the scenes and collectively wield enormous influence. Although their efforts are subject to some level of public criticism—complaints about companies like Spotify, Live Nation and Universal are commonplace, as are non-specific grievances about the practices of certain professional cohorts (e.g. “booking agents suck because…” or “festival bookers always do…”)—that criticism is rarely aimed at individuals. Why? Because aside from the occasional CEO who finds (or forces) their way into the public sphere (e.g. Daniel Ek), the identities of most people in these roles are largely unknown, particularly to the listening public, but even to many who actually work in the music industry.
Music journalists, on the other hand, can only survive by putting their name front and center. Their bylines are everything, particularly in an era when quality permanent staff jobs are hard to come by. When it comes to promoting themselves, writers aren’t all that different from artists at this point, in the sense that they essentially have to function as independent brands, building their reputations not just by publishing actual work, but by developing a likable (or at least marketable) public persona, primarily via social media. Many are no longer just music journalists; they’re “personalities,” and though that perhaps allows audiences to forge a deeper sense of connection with those writers whose work they appreciate, it’s also opened the door to unprecedented levels of public scrutiny.