A while back, Caleb Followill (the frontman of king's of leon) visited The Iron Chef and was quoted as saying the following:
I hate fucking hipsters. Everyone talks about indie this and indie that, but would you really want to be one of those indie bands that makes two albums and disappears? That’s just sad … When we signed on with our manager, we all said we wanted to have a box-set career. We’ll gladly be the next generation of bands that aren’t going anywhere.
I've been meaning to respond to this for a while now and will try to do it in the most constructive way, rather than as a means to hate on a band that I don't like.
Other than being a broad statement that tries to blanket decades of popular vs. indie music, the main thing I find distasteful about what he said was that it does a disservice to upcoming musicians for many reasons.
1. I haven't seen any evidence that being signed to a major label makes one's shelf-life or album releasing career last any longer. In fact, most major label bands seem to fade out just as fast as the indie's do. Most bands that attain any kind of mass popularity, whether it is on a major-level or an indie-level, do so on a current music style or whatever is happening at the moment. So, they release an album that may not be particularly engaging, but creates some kind of hype because it is new and fresh. Maybe they have one interesting single, but the rest of the album is just an exercise in their particular style. Most of these bands either refuse or are incapable of growing or changing with the ever-changing public interest, so when they go to release their second album which is of the same style and just as unengaging it falls flat on the music listening public who have moved on. This scenario goes for both indie and major label bands. To an extent, that explains the two album concept.
2. What does the real disservice is that it disguises what it really takes to keep a project going for more than two albums or if all projects were meant to last for more than two albums. Sometimes a television series was only meant to last a couple of seasons, but because of money and familiarity, continues into the six season being very stale just as many bands do into their sixth album. But, bands or musicians who do carry on and remain relevant are usually the one's who are mainly focused on songwriting and less on style, though David Bowie's ability to stay hip on what was going on from album to album up until the eighties kept him popular to an extent, if it wasn't for his amazing songwriting abilities his audience wouldn't have stayed with him and he probably would have been dropped from his label.
Regardless of what helps a band attain quick notoriety, staying power and gaining an interested audience who will stick with you for more than an album takes time and a focus on what gets people to listen to an album in the privacy of their own homes over and over again.
