I made a comment in the Wayne thread about The Fix being one of the worst projects I’ve ever heard, and it got me thinking: How is bad music able to be released?

Sure, artists have yes men, but it ultimately has to be approved by the label. Is quality control still a thing?

I don’t understand how a label, or someone from an artist’s team can hear trash and still say, “Yeah, that’s the one.”

This isn’t specific to Wayne, but for any artist that puts out music that isn’t sonically pleasing.

labels release music to make money, hope this helps

But if it doesn’t sound good, how do they expect to make money? Or build an artist for the long term to make even more money?

there are many ways to make money in the music industry. at the end of the day if the label can make more than they spent on production and promotion they don't care how it sounds. short term profit will always be the name of the game because what is hot and what isn't is the game itself.

if youre asking why people consume bad music, well, thats a different question entirely.

Different standards

I don’t even think people consume it. It’s released and people will tell you if it’s trash.

Sure, some things are subjective. Like if Drake puts something out, it won’t necessarily be “trash”, it just might not be what people want from him.

But take Wayne - The Fix for example (and I hate to keep using him as an example, but it’s the easiest one). How does something like that get released? When the label is listening to it, nobody is saying, “Ummmmm….”

its not about the quality my guy. lil wayne is simply a profitable enterprise at this point and anything he puts out is gonna line somebody's pocket. the ball is in Wayne's court to produce good music since the label's job is simply to sell it. label mediation only happens if they think they'll lose money.

I hear you.

So basically, the label doesn’t care about quality anymore.

Wayne specifically has had terrible management for an incredibly long time. even as far back as Carter 3 the album was nowhere near as good as the leaks

"better" music generally makes more money and labels don't intentionally release "bad" music (unless that type of "bad" music happens to be popular)

I mean this is also one step away from labels removing all creative freedom from artists under the pretense of "quality"

the label cares about quality when caring about quality makes them money

HiStory cost $10 million bc MJ convinced somebody at Sony that thats how much it would cost to make a profitable album. they could've told him to stick it up his ass but instead they knew that s*** would go platinum 8 times and spawn one of the biggest world tours ever.

Ask ye

It was a mixtape of throwaways from the jump. It's not that deep.

They do which is why it's been 5 years since his last solo album.

Nah fam.

There’s never an excuse for putting out an unlistenable project.

because i allowed it

It's not good but you exaggerating how bad it is. I do think it should not have dropped same with TFB.

TFB?

Trust Fund Babies 😭