Arcade Fire Responds To Steve Stoute
And so the saga continues. Days after Steve Stoute questioned Arcade Fire’s big win at the Grammys, the band’s manager Scott Rodger, fired back at “The Commissioner”.
“Arcade Fire deserved the win this year. They made the best album. If the award was names ‘Album Sales Of The Year’ award, there would be no discussion. Stoute’s letter was nice piece of self publicity. Did he see Kanye’s tweets when we won and the praise he gave us?? He needs to tune in. Eminem made a big selling album but it was far from being his best work. Katy Perry made a big pop record that simply didn’t have weight or credibility. Gaga’s repackage, great album but it was a repackage of the main release. I think everyone felt it was going to be Lady Antebellum’s moment having won 5 out of 6 awards to that point. We all felt that way too.
“I’m proud of this band and what they have achieved,” he continues. “We didn’t lobby any organization for this nor did the band play the game. We paid our own overhead to do the event, thus the lack of on stage gimmicks. No label picked up the tab.
“Arcade Fire are now one of the biggest live acts in the world. It’s not all about record sales. It’s about making great records and it’s about building a loyal fan base. The band make great albums, they’re not a radio driven singles band. On top of that, they own their own masters and copyrights and are in complete control of their own destiny. Things couldn’t be better.”
He made fair points. But the grammy’s aren’t fair. If they were, eminem would’ve beat steely dan. Kanye would have been whoever beat him out, herbie hancock was it? By their analysis, lady antebellum should have won. and honestly? they’re probably right.
Recovery wasn’t eminems best. But. It made a huge splash this year and was his comeback. The grammys love a comeback and obviously – as with steely dan – like to give lifetime achievement awards in the form of album of the year to artists they snubbed in the past. This should have been eminem’s year. If Lady antebellum didnt win, it shouldn’t have been Arcade Fire.
PREACH!!!
If that’s the case no need to “fire” back. And that’s the artist place to say.. Not his.
Was Stoutes letter truthful… Yes.. Was it for publicity.. I’m sure. But it doesn’t make it less valid.
Sounds like a Lil guilt to me.. And isn’t it ironic.. The Manager realseing a statement to the media calling some one else a media whore. Stoutes issue was with Academy not you.. Quit looking for shot
THANK YOU!!!!! FINALLY
so their one of the biggest live acts in the world eh? to bad no one could sit through their performance at the end of the show. lets face it. they sound like every other group in their genre. nothin special. i hope steve slams this guy
Arcade Fire’s management are known to respond to things like this way more often than the band itself responds… just some background information.
Award shows are goofy. Grammy Committee are some goofy fucks. Eh.
Only a loser has to justify a victory. Just saying.
i don’t even know who this band is. you’re no bodys to..
i respect the opinion of arcade fire. steve stoute is an industry asshole that doesn’t want to speak about how artists in hip hop need to be more serious in their genre, yet he wants to complain and bitch about how artists aren’t treated fairly in the grammy’s. its the freakin grammys! why are people suprised about them? maybe if the genre worried less about taylor swift and autotune and more about substance in their music than maybe we would be more recognized by them. Why did he pay 40k to put his crap in the ny times and did not put it on this blog? because people take the ny times more seriously and assume wshh and this blog speaks about crap and nothing of substance. and thats the outlook on how people look at hip hop and the culture still today
Arcade fire makes better music than anything on this site!
Like c’mon man, there has been a bunch of execs who have said they totally disagree with Stoute. If you guys ventured further beyond hipHop blog sites, u’d know that. Just because the popular artist didn’t win the awards, Stoute got all up set. And then the same ppl screaming its not about awards dont’ matter, its about the music, get mad when their favorite artist doesn’t win against a genre they dont even listen to
Arcade Fire won because they were the better choice. Not because of record sells, popularity or chart toppers. Thats what y’all preach about right. Isnt that what HipHop stands for. If you havent heard the Arcade Fire album then you can’t even sit and say they shoulda lost. Same for the other side who hasn’t heard Eminem’s album. You can’t properly state your opinion if you don’t listen to all the albums in that category
I’m glad someone finally responded that actually got on this website cus there has been tons of responses. Hip Hop needs to stop crying and acting like the world is out to get them. Hip Hop is respected in the mainstream. And has come a long way in the pass 30yrs. But its not Mainstream America that’s holding Hip Hop back. Its the fans
Who have built years of homophobia, degrading women, bashing other genre’s and cultures but wanna scream accept us and respect us. You have to show respect to get it. This is the only website that i know of a few that bash other cultures and genres like this
If you go on the pop websites i visit sometime. They show Hip Hop soooo much love. I know i’m bout to get bashed and called every name in the book and someone is gonna take my username but i said what i needed to say. I’m out. Open your minds people. PLEASE.
this is a rap site donn. so get the fuck off here..
@donn i completely agree wit u homie. people not real enough to see hip hop need to grow up and be more substantial in the people’s lives. i dont care how much records you sold. there’s no meaning to it if 10 years from now i can’t go back to it and relate to it. no one cares about rappers new chains or young LA’s tattoo. pay more attention to the people that are making quality music, and people will take the genre more seriously.
and if you gotta problem with people in your genre not winning a stupid ass award you need to get a life seriously. that shit shouldnt stop you from buying an album. grammy’s dont make you. cut that ignorant shit out.
I was mainly pissed cuz Jay didn’t win record of the year for “Empire State of Mind’
There’s something you don’t see everyday. A manager sticking up for their client.
Personally I think Aracade Fire won because there were too many good artists in the same category. So by default, they split up the vote causing Aracade Fire to win. Oh well, they’ll be a distant memory. And really I doubt Em is questioning himself do to his loss. If anything, it’s validating him because still has been accepted 100% by the establishment. And the fact that people are upset by the loss means that he has a fan base that still wants him around.
Yeah, Arcade Fire are soooooooooooooooo good. I’ve heard their shit (literally SHIT) on the radio, it sounds so fuckin 1) boring 2) repetitive 3) generic 4) shit. Hate my opinion!
PREACHHH!! eminems album was not even close to being album of the year i can name easy 20 better albums from the year justin beiber? nigger please his music sucks its bullshit his just marketed to death and you think that he deserves a grammy jus cos they print his name everywhere its not a popularity contest its about the music and drake missing out that chick who won is was more talented than him musically it is still about music right and thank me later was 60% trash young money bullshit
[…] Rap Radar Leave a Comment Cancel Reply […]
rap is a novelty genre for the most part or maybe a party genre i guess. i mean of course there are “serious” artists/albums out there but it’s never gonna be taken beyond that. kinda like pop bullshit. anyway the love the grammys have given to em over the years i have no idea how u can complain about that. its also funny hearing about steely dan winning over em back in 2001 when anyone not hanging out on rap blogs all day know KID A got the shaft not em
@Donn….it wasn’t a popularity contest, I agree. You gotta expect people (myself included) to NOT understand the rationale of the winner. If you have millions of people who support and listen to guys that were up for the award, and on the other end you have someone like Arcade Fire who most didn’t even know. Excuse me if they are known all over, but I have never heard of them. I had to google who the hell they were and I have never heard anything they have ever done. Still to this day I have never heard any of it. You turn around and you tell everyone watching that THIS unknown product is better than everything that you have heard all year!!! Well….okay. I guess….I don’t really care because it’s all opinion, but for those who DO care– expect a little confusion. You don’t think so?
*sigh* it’s all a matter of preference so I’m done with it. Rap fans are just as insolently proud as rock fans or pop fans or whatever. No matter what blog site you go to they’re going to defend their music the same way. All I know is that this band will not be talked about in 3 to 4 years….period. I speak the truth. lol Good day sir!
@ Donn…for you to say that Arcade Fire makes better music than anything on this sight, that’s your opinion. Because I think that the Roots make better music than anyone….period. When it comes to MUSIC.
you guys are straight ignorant. I heard the actual album a while back and it’s dope. I know stans are furious right now, but if nearly every magazine and critic didn’t give Recovery that big of a rating why would you expect the academy to?? Recovery was alright… As far as his raps, some of the best verses ever, but it takes more than some of the best rapping. A lot of us don’t actually look at the competition. I actually feel like other than esperanza this year’s televised awards were pretty fair…
the only reason I don’t think Esperanza was fair is because she was LITERALLY nobody, I know best friends of shitty club promoters that had more twitter followers than her, and I know small wannabe youtube celebrities with more views than her… at least before she got a grammy. When competing with Drake and justin fucking Bieber you gotta set a limit of who can enter this category, Esperanza needs a bigger fan base.
If you think Arcade Fire is generic, and like “everyone else in their genre” I’m sorry, you’re wrong and I don’t think you know enough about the genre. I could say Chip tha Ripper is generic. Shit i could say eminem is generic and like everyone else in the genre. Sure they’re similar cause its the same genre but Arcade Fire has their own niche, just like Eminem and all his Alex Da Kidd generic instrumentals has his own niche with the way he approaches the generic beats.
The manager had a right to fire back at Stoute because Stoute implied that Arcade Fire is the Academy and the industry’s bitch and it was all a set up.
THE GRAMMYS SUCKED DICK THIS YEAR! PLAIN AND SIMPLE.
-JIMMY IS THE ILLEST
@king jugganott.. do you even google any new artists to see if they have talent? or are you like everyone else that excepts whats in front of them? that’s the complicated problem witb music PERIOD. in hip hop you have to freakin scrounge for substance and talent. or deal with the bullshit on tv.. that’s why i respect arcade fire..theyre showing that independent music does make some difference. fuck if its hip hop or not. fuck if i never heard it. if you love MUSIC. be open minded and listen to em.
@King Jugganott
I do agree with you there. But instead of saying ok let me go check out who these ppl are who won and see why they won. People didn’t do that, at least on the Hip Hop blogs, they just immediately went bashing the artist because they didnt’ know them. Perfect example. If Currensy was up for best Rap album and won over Eminem, and other ppl who didn’t know who Currensy was started bashing him because he won over their favorite artist, it would be ignorant. Last year a few artist i didn’t know won over some of my favorite choices but i didn’t get mad and rant about it, i said let me check out who these artists are and next thing you know i have new artist and albums in my iPod.
Ppl just act so ignorant on these blogs and dont take the time to be mature enough to say, ok who are these guys and let me check them out. Maybe they were the better choice. And if u say this isn’t my kind of music, but to each it’s own. That’s a mature way of thinking.
JEFF RABHAN said it the best…
“There’s that age-old joke about the Grammys: that they’re a total sham and completely unrepresentative of the modern world, unless I win, in which case it’s the most important award there is.”
“Who have built years of homophobia, degrading women, bashing other genre’s and cultures but wanna scream accept us and respect us”…Why is that hiphop is always called out for this like its the ONLY genre of music that does this? So Rock n Roll, alternative, Pop, Blues,and Reggae..just to name a few doesn’t do the same? It annoys the hell out of me every time there is an issue w hiphop and someone has to critique the pro’s and con’s of it’s background as if HipHop was the first to do it.
In regards to both letters, they both make valid points but I feel the majority of frustration comes from lack of knowledge and familiarity w the winning recipients. Its a known fact, the winners are voted in by the committee which includes their musical peers, maybe folks need to pay attention and like other things..participate and vote..if u don’t..why cry and complain when U could have made a difference in the outcome.
@ Realness….no, i don’t google random artist to see if they have talent. I’m open minded..usually if a friend talks about it they shoot me a link or give me the music to listen to. Mogwai was the lastest group one of my friends wanted me to listen to…meh.
THE EMINEM STANS ARE ABOUT TO SHIT THEMSELVES RIGHT ABOUT NOW…….! HA !
EMINEM BEEN GARBAGE SINCE PROOF DIED….!
WE PPL TRIED TO TELL YALL BUT YALL DIDN’T LISTEN….!
SO WHAT DID YALL DO…. YALL WENT AND BOUGHT THE RELAPSE ALBUM….. AND THAT ALBUM WAS STRAIGHT SHIT PLUS EMINEM SAID THAT WAS IZ WROST ALBUM AND YALL STILL BOUGHT IT ? DUMBASSES…. THEN HE GAVE US RECOVERY…. THAT’S WAS FUCKING POP ALBUM….AND ALL THAT GOT DAMN SINGING HAAAAAAAA!
EVEN THE WHITE BOY SAYING EMINEM ALBUM WAS SHIT AND THAT’S COMING FROM A WHITE PERSON …….WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW……!
HA !
and they wouldn’t have asked me to listen to Mogwai if I WASN’T Open minded. Jus’ sayin’.
First of eminems recovery aint shit compare 2 the eminem show and MM LP, so people need 2 chill. And second hip hop may be at its high point right now, but it aint as politically driven nor socialy conscience 2 society as before. The only two hip hop albums have won that award; lauren hill and outkast, and they both deserved it cause it.
And just because hip hop journalist rate greatness by sales numbers now, doesn’t mean everyone has stick 2 that format.
Therefore Hip Hop albums that deserved album of the year award:
ATCQ Low end theory
Public enemy ITANTHUB
Jay-Z Blueprint
Tupac MATW
Biggie RTD
@nia ….ask yourself a question.. is hip hop the most powerful genre on earth? and be very unbiased about your answer. yes you are right other genres talk about degrading women, pimping etc. but these freakin rappers speak about it in first person point of view. you cant act like they do not. and the problem with this culture is that they hide behind the excuse that everyone else does it. its freakin retarded and its getting more ignorant daily. also ask yourself… when you look at the other genres.. rock, r&b, pop etc… do you see pimps, hoes, hustlers, and bafoonery on the frontline? no… you see it on wshh though.. hip hop never expresses the other issues that are important in a main stream manner.. i am hip hop to the core and i know this.. im not gonna sit there and defend that coonery ignorant bullshit .. straight up..
I’m familiar with Arcade Fires work I own there latest album, to be honest I always thought they were a little over rated but whatever, whether or not they in particular deserved to win is a matter of taste. I think Steve Stoute point about the Grammys was more about the big picture. To them it’s all about the ratings of the actual show, they call up Lady GaGa or Kanye or Justin Bieber to perform and they also nominate them because they know that will get them to show up but at the end of the day they usually have very little interest in handing them awards because the people who vote for the winners tend not to like those artist. This is practice is not exclusive to the Grammys though, a few years ago a lot of people were pissed “The Dark Knight” wasn’t nominated for a best picture Oscar so in response the Oscars expanded the number of best picture nominations from 5 to 10. See they expanded the nominations but it’s still the same exact people voting so movies that wouldn’t have even been nominated 3 years ago all of a sudden look like they have a chance at winning even though they don’t. Now this Sunday movies like “Toy Story 3” and “Inception” are nominated for best picture Oscar’s but anybody who follows the film awards closely knows those movies have zero chance at winning. The only reason they’re nominated is because a lot of people saw them and the Oscars knows that helps the ratings of the show which in turns makes them more money.
Steve Stoute point is, if it’s all about the Grammy voters taste in music then why invite Justin Bieber or Lady GaGa why even nominate them? The answer of course is because they have have large main stream audience but if your admitting that their fanbase does matter then why not give them the big awards. You can’t pretend and say fanbase and record sells don’t matter then turn around and exploit those same things to boost you ratings and expect people not to get pissed.
It’s true… A majority of hip hop listeners are very closed minded and don’t give anything else a chance. This always upsets me because instead of at least considering anything else they just bash it. Even within hip hop, you see it on this blog. People hate on whoever they don’t like, or bash on people that might like something.. It just isn’t necessary. I’m a huge fan of all genres of music and I agree Arcade Fire deserved it. Esperanza Spalding won best new artist… I’d never heard of her but I like jazz. I gave her album a listen, and you know what?? It’s an excellent jazz album. Do I agree with the decision… no, but I can respect it because she’s talented and what she put out is good. People need to be more open to other things. And if you do and it’s not for you… okay, but no need to bash someone else or a committee. We all have our opinions and they can coexist. If you want to bash me go ahead but like Drizzy Drake said: Diss me and you’ll never hear a reply for it.
Donn please shut thee fuck up
People Need To Stop Being Ignorant Theres Way Much Better Music Then Just Rap Music With That Said Arcade Fire Album Was The Second Best. I Felt Nas & Damian Album Was Better And They Wasnt Even Mention At All SMH
Who the fuck is this FUCKA talkin about King Mathers???? kill yourself already fag
SHADY 2011!!!! we dont need grammys..we just like to get ’em! TAKEOVER has begun…
WOW. Shocking to see so many traitors agreeing with Arcade Fire’s clear diss to Hip Hop especially Eminem. Would be interesting to know B.Dot or YN’s take on this whole thing. Or have I missed it?
we all know that the grammy awards are basically for the over paid executives to circle jerk each other for making so much money for doing absolutely nothing. but if what he said is true that they paid there own overhead for there performance and asked NOTHING from the music label monopoly slave master.
then they are to be respected. they own there masters and have not signed a 360 deal slave contract and will truly benefit from there grammy performance. these are forward thinking smart individuals. please tell me (1) one, pop or rap artist that mr. stoute does deals for can say they are in the same position of TRUE power and control of there careers this this group. Arcade Fire are the future of the music industry, steve stoute and his friends represent the pitiful past. off with there heads. GLORIOUS!!
god
If Arcade Fire owned their own masters, as the manager claims, then why are they connected with Virgin-EMI/UMG for distribution of their album?
@god chamillionaire
arcade fire are homos, they music is wack as hell!!
Fuck the Grammys, fuck the Grammy committee, and FUCK Arcade Fire AND their manager.
first of all @Donn – Dumb*- … WHO THE FUCK IS YOU
according to loser – AKA Scott fucker – “Eminem made a big selling album but it was far from being his best work ” :
DUH ! … You’re tellin me recovery ain’t his best work !!!! yeah for sure …. But it’s far better than fuckin piss of shit that your lousy band made … no … You can compare that shittiest record to RECOVERY
Ironically, if it wasn’t about sales, Kanye should have won 5 grammys for album of the year. idiots
I like arcade fire cuz all the dudes put it in my ass
Arcade fire manager is the true definition of stupid.Recovery album may not be eminem,s best work,but we all know even eminem at his worst is better than most and u know it,talkless of recovery that was very good.The message on d album is very inspiring compared 2 d crap on Arcade fire album.Fans are nt fools.There is a reason why 3.6 million would pay so much to buy an album than 30 old men sitting on a table and deciding who is d better man to win an award.Fk arcade fire,Up eminem
Arcade Fire said eminem didn’t win album of the year because recovery isn’t his best work, If that is true then how cone Marshall Mathers LP didnt win album of the in 2001 Grammys????? MMLP also lost to “NO NAME” rock band…..obviously Grammys have beef
With eminem because gay
People hate eminem and they protested him. Fuck a Grammy
Some of you sound so ignorant, have you ever picked up another cd from another genre? Do you relize hiphop is the only genre that gives its music away cor free therefor takes away the value of the artform. Ems album was mediocre dope verse horrible beat selection. You get mad at taylor swift she sells a million her first week everytime she drops an album even before kanye. All that to say this other genres dont sit around and tear apart their culture they stand behind it an support it they all have more FANS then artists they dont have their versions of wakas an solja boys killing them they actually know how to play instruments an sing at the same time.
HIP HOP FANS ARE THE REASON HIP HOP GETS ABSOLUTELY NO RESPECT…THEY ARE TOO DAMN IGNORANT TO APPRECIATE THEIR VETERANS AND THEY WORRY MORE ABOUT AN ARTIST’S PERSONAL FINANCES AND BUSINESS VENTURES THAN THEY DO THE ARTIST’S QUALITY/BODY OF MUSIC! NO OTHER GENRE OF MUSIC FANS ARGUE OVER AN ARTIST’S MONEY, NO OTHER GENRE FANS ARGUE OVER AN ARTIST”S AGE AND NO OTHER GENRE FANS WORRY ABOUT WHAT BUSINESSES THEIR ARTISTS’ OWN! HIP HOP FANS ARE YOUNG MINDED AND TO CLOSE MINDED TO EVEN HAVE RESPECT FOR HIP HOP MUSIC/CULTURE SO WHY EXPECT THE GRAMMYS TO HAVE RESPECT FOR IT? STOP WORRYING ABOUT ARTISTS’ PERSONAL BUSINESS AND CONCENTRATE ON THE MUSIC OR ARE THE FANS TOO IMMATURE TO DO SO?
^Nova
If you don’t think other genres have their wakas and soulja boys you’re def mistaken. Creed, Nickelback, any super generic “alternative/grunge” bands fall into that category. I never listen to country, but if you tune into a country radio station, most the songs are so overly simplistic, it’s like crank dat but about redneck shit
Em shouldn’t have one, because Recovery sucked ass. God you Em stands are annoying. How can you stand to listen to his trash now when he use to release real classics? Are you all closet Emos who like to slit your wrists or some shit?
Props to Arcade Fire, I’m not a fan…but I don’t follow current rock at all, cause for the most part its even cheaper than mainstream hiphop now.
YO MANAGER of Arcade Fire….Steve never said u didnt deserve the award SMH
Meh, Arcade Fire mos-def should have won album of the year, hell of a record. And the Roots should have won, rap album of the year.
The real travisity was Eminem winning over the roots.
i completely agree with arcade fire’s manager, stoute’s heart is in the right place, but his examples were terrible and laughable.
Shady doesnt give a damn about a grammy. He is the biggest musical act in the world I think he’ll be ok.
Only “acts” that don’t sell records say that “sales” don’t matter… cuz if they did 5 mil all of a sudden their tune would change.
The Grammy’s think they are being hip by awarding these under the radar of mainstream acts with awards every year. I don’t agree with everything Steve said but you have to atleast admit
the awards miss the mark a lot.
Who made a bigger impact in music as a new artist then Justin Bieber? Got his own movie, millions in sales and concerts, got hip hop on his nuts as well.. most followed on twitter and facebook I believe. I don’t like his music.. BUT if all that isn’t enough for BEST NEW ARTIST.. then the award doesn’t mean shit.
Who gets to decide what is good and what is bad? If millions of people like something.. WHY is it the job of a few voters to tell them they are wrong.
Its a bad PR move to.. to neglect a whole segment of the population (mainly blacks) by not televising R&B and most Rap awards.. AS well as the ARTISTS they sell the show marketing don’t win..
Funny.. Arcade is soooooooooooo BIG.. that they didn’t mention them once in commercials leading up to the awards. All you heard was Bieber.. Eminem.. Bruno Mars etc.. so gtfoh.
steve stoute made a pathetic move. all about PR.
arcade fire are dope!
best album? I think theres better bands in that genre (check Arctic Monkeys !) but they still deserve it over any hip hop album out there.
as fas as Esperanza, she is CRAZY and should’ve won best album too. u people are too narrow minded. I knew her before the grammys and she is SOOOOO talented.
oh i forgot you only listen to ‘hip hop’ lol…
you can say whatever you want about recovery and eminem. the bottom is when recovery came out he was #1 in album sales, #1 on the radio, #1 itunes downloads, #1 you tube, #1 video. No artists has ever been #1 on all those and he held it for like 6-8 weeks. he did not get the #1 spot on those without people voting and requesting his songs. Whats funny is i listen to other music other than rap and i never even heard of arcade fire. i am not saying that they are not good however you got to go with the overall best album for that year. even if you take out the fact that eminem outsold everyone this year his album was top notch. i just dont understand how they can not give him album of the year. if you asked 10 people before the grammy’s if they ever heard of arcade fire i bet 7 of them would say no. i know its not a popularity contest but dont people have to actually know the musician and listen to the album for it to be the album of the year? only one thing left to say here “I’ll probably never get the props I feel I ever deserve
But I’ll never be served my spot is forever reserved
If I ever leave earth that would be the death of me first” eminem
I was more shocked they won Album of the Year when they LOST Best Alternative Album to the Black Keys. How did you not have the best album in YOUR GENRE but you had the best album of the year? And the manager really only further illuminated the problem with the Grammys. He, in so many words, acknowledged that none of these albums really deserved to be nominated for album of the year and his group won by default basically.
Plus, I don’t think dude really sees Steve Stoute’s point. It’s more the fact that the Grammys basically use the hip hop, pop, and R&B artists to draw viewership by giving them crazy nominations and performances (hence Em’s 10 noms) but then 1) give out all the hip hop, pop, and R&B awards during the pre telecast and 2) shut out said genres in the major categories. How does Em get 10 noms but leave with 2 statues only. Meanwhile, Lady Antebellum got 5 out of 6? By the manager of Arcade Fire trying to discredit everyone else’s album (which, if you read the letter, Stoute never did) he made the Grammys look even worse because it shows their picks were weak and AF was able to slip through the cracks.
BTW, dude needs to get off his own tip too. Just because your band own their own masters and all that doesn’t make them a shoe in for album of the year. Put Janelle Monae, Black Keys, and Big Boi (three artists who were snubbed yet dropped albums more critically acclaimed than ALL the noms for AOY) and Arcade Fire stands no chance.
And sorry, Esperanza Spalding’s dope, but NO WAY she should have won best new artist. ANY of those artist nominated should have took it over her.
honestly, if u wanna make this a popularity contest, then country music would win every award.
the grammys and the oscars are whack and biased but maybe this will push people in hiphop to make better albums.. regardless of the getting snubed sometimes hiphop needs to make better albums point blank.. kayne cant carry the whole game…
These Grammy topics bring out the funniest comments from people here, holy shit. I can’t even jump in, i’m so in awe of it. Keep going!
“MMLP also lost to “NO NAME” rock band…..”
—
HAHAHAHA hilarious! That hugely popular band Steely Dan is officially a “NO NAME” rock band now!
“When competing with Drake and justin fucking Bieber you gotta set a limit of who can enter this category, Esperanza needs a bigger fan base.”
—
The Grammy committee NEEDS to fire everyone and hire all the clear-headed geniuses here. No sarcasms
it’s spelled “organization”
i gotta listen to dat some day
GET LAID OR WATCH HOT EBONIES…FREE MEMBERSHIPS…THEPORNSPACE.NET
The biggest point Stoute makes in his letter is why do we allow the Grammy’s to showcase the most popular artists, only to let them leave empty handed.
Well use the same analogy in sports.
The Yankees are the most popular team in baseball. They bring revenue to smaller market teams by going over the luxury tax every season and every time the Yanks are in town that team sees a spike in attendance.
Just because the Yankees exist, teams like Tampa Bay and Kansas City make more money.
On Grammy night alot or Eminem, Katy Perry and Gaga fans found out who or what is Arcade Fire.
But if we played by Stoute’s rule and letter, the Yankees should be allowed to win the World Series every year because they are the most “culturally relevant” , and bring more money and interest into the game.
At the end of the day the Grammy’s just needs more hip hop voters.
Hate the playa not the game.
Arcade Fire deserved album of the year, so I’m happy for them. But I disagree with how the guy in the band said that MMLP deserved to be topped by Steely Dan back in the day. Two Against Nature was a great Steely Dan album, but MMLP easily tops it…..The Grammys got it right with Arcade Fire, but the Grammys are completely wack for the most part most of the time. That’s how I see it.
I listened to the live performance of this band before the winner was announced, and it was horrible. It was the worst thing I’ve ever heard. On top of that no one’s even heard of them. I agree that it’s not all about sales, but damn at least be a good band. That win was a bunch a shit, lost respect for the grammys.
The Black Keys should have had Arcade Fire’s spot.
[…] Previously: Arcade Fire Responds To Steve Stoute […]
[…] Previously: Arcade Fire Responds To Steve Stoute […]
“Hip Hop needs to stop crying and acting like the world is out to get them. Hip Hop is respected in the mainstream. And has come a long way in the pass 30yrs. But its not Mainstream America that’s holding Hip Hop back. Its the fans who have built years of homophobia, degrading women, bashing other genre’s and cultures but wanna scream accept us and respect us. You have to show respect to get it.” – Donn
“people not real enough to see hip hop need to grow up and be more substantial in the people’s lives. i dont care how much records you sold. there’s no meaning to it if 10 years from now i can’t go back to it and relate to it. no one cares about rappers new chains or young LA’s tattoo. pay more attention to the people that are making quality music, and people will take the genre more seriously.” – realness718
@Donn & realness 718: These are some of the smartest comments I’ve ever read on a rap website. I’m glad cats like you exist to *hopefully* talk some sense into narrow minded hip-hop fans (sadly, which most hip-hop fans are). Keep fighting the good fight!
What I love is that people responded to your intelligent points with:
“arcade fire are homos, they music is wack as hell!!”
“kill yourself already fag SHADY 2011!!!! we dont need grammys..we just like to get ‘em! TAKEOVER has begun…”
“first of all @Donn – Dumb*- … WHO THE FUCK IS YOU”
“according to loser – AKA Scott fucker – “Eminem made a big selling album but it was far from being his best work ” : yeah for sure …. But it’s far better than fuckin piss of shit that your lousy band made … no … You can compare that shittiest record to RECOVERY”
Thanks for EASILY proving how ignorant and simple minded many hip-hop fans can be.
who r these queers they dont perform rap elliot get these fuckn faggots the fuk off this site
The letter was never about them.. It was about the Academy.. So if you “fuck anything that’s not hip hop” Dudes and “I’m such a musical connoisseur, and you’re just stupid” Dudes .. Would read the content and context, it might help.
@RealTalk
I could NOT have said it better (not in all caps though…LOL, no shots)!
But seriously, hiphop fans are ignorant, closed minded and truthfully speaking don’t even really understand music/musicality and how it works. The avg hiphop head couldn’t even tell you about 4,8,12 and 16 bars, a stanza, etc. And not to totally bash the ‘heads’…but what the manager of Arcade Fire said is TRUE. Gaga’s album was a repackage of throw away song from her first release, Katy made a GREAT pop album (i love Teenage Dream track), Eminem mad a good album (track for track with his old work Recovery is not better the MM or ES). And Lady Antebellum made a breakthrough crossover country/pop album. Arcade Fire had the best complete album. And the irony is that their last album “Neon Bible” is WAY better than this album.
This was the grammys attempt to be relevant and tapped in to the youth/indie culture. With their best new artist grammy and album of the year winner’s.
Im out..im at work! lol
Well said. While I hate awards shows, it’s nice that true artists like Arcade Fire won.
As an Eminem fan, I haven’t heard a great album from him in years. Just because someone doesn’t like the music doesn’t mean that artist doesn’t deserve to win. By no means am I an Arcade Fire fan but it’s pretty clear that critics and fans love these guys.
@ Menzo You mean like every rap song on the radio now?
idk… I listened to the Suburbs (a few months ago, then again after the Grammys just to see if I missed something) and I really wasnt impressed, and I like a lot of indie rock. I mean the standout track (Sprawl II) was a blatant ripoff of Sleepyhead by Passion Pit, so that should kinda tell u something. Personal opinion, but Im never gonna listen to these guys again, they were a pseudo-rock band from their genesis anyway.
^My bad, not Passion Pit. “Time to Pretend” by MGMT.
Thank You!!! Hip Hop fans have turned into a bunch of bitch ass “Yes Men”…I’m fucking tired of it… 2010 literally had 0 Classic albums(Kanye’s album is not a classic) it got boring after 2-3 weeks of listening to it…it is a good album though…Ghostface & Roc Marciano both had better albums than Ye’s…So did Rick Ross for that matter. But NOTHING was classic! Eminem’s album is ehhh decent, nothing great! It’s time for all these so called Entrepreneur’s, DJ’s, Producers, Artists, Radio Personalities to wake the fuck up to reality! Is Rap Music improving…yeah it’s getting better, but it’s still got a longgggggggggggggg way to go! Rap music has become boring as shit…b/c nobody is pushing the envelope anymore…When was the last time any MC made an album with beats so fire that it put chills down your back? Every rhyme was hard, honest & thought provoking? It’s been a long time people…stop frontin! Make these artists know, they need to stop being lazy and give the fans what they want
^
Cosign
Hip-Hop pulls their samples from all other genres of music…they’re piecing other sounds together to create their own music, whereas you have a band like Arcade Fire who is creating their own music from scratch, with instruments. I am not a fan whatsoever of Arcade Fire, but honestly how can you not see that a band like them is more musically talented than most rap artists. The Grammy’s are awarding the most talented musicians, not the most popular ones. Stoute is upset because Arcade Fire just laid the template for a band that doesn’t have to sell out to the industry to be successful. In this sense they have created the future of artist-label relations. That is poor publicity for Stoute because when that day comes, he will be out of a job. Hip-Hope fans need to start learning the workings of the industry. All these young gun rap prodigy’s so eager to make money that they’ll give it all to the label. They make superficial money while the label makes ten fold that from them. Not to mention they also get percentages of creative control over everything that artist does. Sounds pretty fucking stupid to me
HEY ARCADE FIRE!!? FUCK YOU FAGS
I really wish you guys would read the letter and stop being devisive regarding this.. The letter was about the Acaadmey.. Not them specifically.
Stouts point was about a popular artist being used as tools to get ad dollars while ultimately being shut out of the awards. And this about an accmulation of this taking place, this Grammy’s just happen to be the straw that broke the camels back..
If the Academy want to honor who they fell are great, not takeing public opinion or cultural impact into consideration, cool.. Be transparent in your voting and don’t use artist you don’t feel are worthy to perform.. Why didn’t Esperanza get the stage instead of Rihanna & Drake? Because the Academey is hypocritical..
And to the “Hip Hop Heads” don’t know music, you don’t need to know the ins and outs of song structure to like or not like music.
TO EVERYONE ON THIS POST WHO UNDERSTOOD MY POINT THANK YOU. FOR THE FIRST TIME I FEEL LIKE I’M NOT BEING BASHED FOR MY OPINION
THANK YOU TO THE MATURE COMMENTERS, EVEN IF U DIDN’T AGREE WITH ME.
DONN
your right, chamillionaire is most definitely a very smart artist. but in my statement, i said which artist represented by mr. stoute, has that kind of control. but to your point, chamillionaire is truly in control of his career, and a talented mc.
how did arcade fire win best album of the year if they couldn’t even win best album in there genre? am i the only one that confused about that?
[…] to The Hollywood Reporter & RapRadar […]
people need to relax
@yup faggot..
Haha, oh brother. He sound like a lil pussy five year old!! “They made the best album.” WHo talks like that? And I highly doubt ANY of these fuckers listen to Em.
They make valid points. I haven’t heard their music, so I can’t judge whether they’re wack or not; however, as I’m sure other people have pointed out, it makes no sense that they won. I say this, not because their music is a$$ or because other artists nominated for album of the year are better, but rather because they lost to “The Black Keys” in their own genre – Best Alternative Music Album. So, how the fuck do you get nominated over “The Black Keys” for Album of the Year AND win on top of that? It’s completely illogical!
im glad that this stupid article about steve stoute and his industry opinion has turned into a discussion for REAL hip hop heads to talk about. keep it going, hopefully rap radar can start putting substantial music up here..
and btw don’t need to toot my own horn but beep! i started this convo with my opinions.. ha! lol
[…] Fire manager Scott Rodger responded to Stoute’s letter in a defensive statement yesterday, successfully adding another huge PR win for the band. Rodger rebuttals the claims that […]
Arcade fire deserved It, Eminem lost what made him great. his past 2 albums sucked in comparison to his best work, he deserved best album? really? Lady Antebellum only made one good song. Arcade fire has a couple amazing songs on their album, my favorite is “The Suburbs” do your HW hip-hop heads…
Arcade Fire’s own success is no diss on hip hop, and insisting you’ve never heard of them shows the kind of pride in ignorance that cripples musical evolution in every genre.
Should hip hop be better represented at the Grammys? No doubt. But there’s better stuff out there than Eminem, even if you don’t like Arcade Fire you’ve gotta recognise that. You guys, Recovery just wasn’t that good. And FYI, The Suburbs knocked it off the #1 last year, so if you were really that invested in Eminem, youda known who Arcade Fire were since then.
The Suburbs is by no means Arcade Fire’s best record either, but it was definitely the best nominee in it’s category, and they are an outstanding band who deserve recognition – go see those guys play live, or listen to Funeral with the volume all the way up, and tell me they weren’t worth your time. You bet your ass those guys listen to everything they hear with an open mind, too.
Stoute’s entire argument is based on fear that the marketing machine he’s used to doesn’t work any more. Good. Fuck that machine. If you’re good enough, you’ll kick your own way in, which is what Arcade Fire did. The Grammys mean fuck all right now, sure, but Arcade Fire’s win might mean that’s changing. It’s a good thing, y’all – they earned their place at the table the hard way, and that means everybody else can too. Don’t you get that? Wouldn’t it be amazing to see OFWGKTA on the same stage as Barbra goddamn Streisand?
Also, gotta laugh my ass off at how right after some guys say that hip hop isn’t homophobic, you’ve got a guy calling Arcade Fire homos…
Chubb Rock dissed the Grammy’s long ago, making them irrelevant to HipHop as of the 1980’s. True Heads know this. F steve stoute! Like Freddy Foxxx said.
an open letter to the ny times the day after was fucked up…fuck steve stout