At one point, in the UK at least, it seemed that style mattered far more than substance for successful bands and artists.
But in 2021, in the online age, I wonder whether it's still true.
It was a BBC article about a band from Wigan with a chart-topping album that prompted my question. Now, there was a time when someone like this--without a carefully contrived, fashion-friendly 'image'--would have stood little chance in the charts.
Any thoughts?
The Lathums: Wigan indie band score debut number one album - BBC News
The Brits had this thing called "twee" that scooped up many. Is twee a relevant category anymore? In the US, there was grunge and in the UK, there was shoe gaze and also dream pop. It all seemed related to me because of My Bloody Valentine. Have all those categorisations been now digested and absorbed to the point of them just being part of pop culture at last?