It’s kind of an understatement to say that I am a little outraged by Lady Gaga’s tweet about “bloggers” above.
As a music blogger who has supported her from the very beginning, I feel that she has heavily discounted “bloggers” in her recent tweets and that isn’t something that should be taken lightly when it comes to discussing the success of Lady Gaga. Many are arguing that Lady Gaga is just having a dig at Perez Hilton because they recently have stopped being friends or some bullshit like that and if that’s the case, then she should really just grow a pair and say so – after all, she supposedly has a dick, right?
So, in the spirit of blogging and voicing my opinion as a lowly blogger, might I present ten mother-fuckin reasons I have a problem with Lady Gaga’s anti “blogger” tweets.
1. Lady Gaga owes early success to bloggers.
Yes, I do believe this. Back in 2008 when “Just Dance” was released, there wasn’t a day that didn’t go by when bloggers didn’t receive about 5 different press releases per day from various PR companies and record labels all asking you to write about something Lady Gaga did. Exhibit A, I had to create my a category on my blog just for Lady Gaga posts, because it seems from 2008 to 2012, I had written 53 of them! And, I was just one blogger. Can you imagine if no bloggers had written about Lady Gaga. Do you think she would be where she is at today without the passion and determination of bloggers worldwide in helping elevate her to superstardom?
2. Bloggers are not critics? Huh?
Hmmm, yes we all know that not all bloggers are in fact, real critics, but some bloggers are VERY influential and then there are some that get zero hits a year. But, if Lady Gaga is saying that bloggers are not critics, then why the fuck is her team so adamant in pitching every little move she makes to the influential bloggers? Lady Gaga farts, let’s send a press release out. Lady Gaga goes to the hospital, let’s see how many column inches we can generate. Lady Gaga took some photos, let’s see how many brand opportunities we can create…If bloggers are not in fact critics, then stop fucking talking to us.
3. Bloggers aren’t allowed to criticize?
Since when did Lady Gaga not have an opinion? It’s like the good old saying goes, Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one. If in fact Lady Gaga is telling us that we shouldn’t listen to Perez Hilton, then just come out and fucking say it. Don’t discount the entire world of bloggers because you and your famous blogger friend got into a tiff. And if the only way your fucked-up world of celebrity knows how to deal a friendship gone sour is to passive aggressively broadcast it on Twitter and discounts millions of bloggers, then Houston, you have a problem.
4. The word “blogger” is not a bad word.
Traditionally bloggers have a bad reputation as being the bottom of the journalism chain. Whilst the world of print media continues to slowly go down the drain, more and more bloggers are creating a new form of relevant independent media. Even though bloggers rarely get paid for what they write, they do it out of love and a sheer passion for the subject matter. Very few bloggers actually can make a real living out of blogging and creating brand identity to keep numbers up in the ever-so-fast changing world of digital media is even harder. As an established music blogger, I can tell you that I literally spend hundreds of hours writing blog posts, reviewing music sent to me, interviewing artists, managing and educating my “volunteer” staff, answering emails, troubleshooting web development and community issues, designing graphics, reading trade publications and developing opportunities for my blog brand. Blog advertising revenue is a complete joke and insult these days and no one is paying for my hosting, domain names, travel or my time, yet somehow it’s ok for Lady Gaga to imply that “bloggers” aren’t important. Generalising bloggers the way Lady Gaga has with her 39 million followers has seriously put a dent in the reputation of respected bloggers and that really isn’t what the world populace of bloggers needed yesterday.
5. Fans are the best critics? Really?
Lady Gaga, I’m really sorry, but a small, yet, very vocal group of your fans are complete fucking nut jobs. Despite all your efforts to teach love, light, acceptance and tolerance, some of your fans are some of the worst bullies I’ve ever seen on the Internet. Yet, these people are the best critics because they are so deluded that they probably would jump in front of bus for you? Your fans are the best critics because they know you so very intimately that you have invited them around for tea and crumpets on the special “fan get-togethers” you hold at your house every fortnight. No, fans wouldn’t be biased at all when writing a review now wouldn’t they. Fuck off.
6. Music scholars are the best critics? Again, really?
Oh, so music scholars who have a degree in music or have studied music in some way, shape or form are the best critics then. I’m sorry, but I know a ton musicians that can’t even string together a sentence, let alone write a compelling piece of prose. Writing a song sure as hell does not equate to writing a four page spread in Rolling Stone does it? Oh and I’m sorry to report that having a keyboard player review a concert or CD would probably only result in an essay as to the boring technical differences a Moog has versus a Roland in an arena setting. Fuck off.
7. Lady Gaga has been a producer/songwriter/musician for over 10 years…so obviously she’s right. Right?
Just because you’ve been doing what you’ve been doing for over a decade doesn’t mean that you are right. There are other musicians that have been doing it a lot longer than you and you don’t see them spreading the message that bloggers are to be discounted. Part of your job is to be able to take criticism on the chin. No matter if that criticism comes from your manager, your fans, your friends, your family, your team and even from bloggers and journalists. You’re nobody if no one is talking about you, so don’t play the card of “experience” with us honey. As fast as the public built you up, the public can tear you down. That’s not a threat, it’s just a simple fact of life. You owe your career to the public, so just imagine if not one single bloggers wrote about you in the first place. Would you even have the same career you have today if it wasn’t for the bloggers who supported you early on? Chew on that.
8. #FreeTheArtist #StopTheDramaStartTheMusic
#theonlydramaiseehereisyourownstrangleycompetivitethingywithkatyperry
9. I respect all fanbases 4 their passion #BeTheChange
But you don’t respect bloggers. Do you even realize that there are some bloggers that just blog exclusively about you Lady Gaga? Yet, you don’t want the world to listen or focus on them? Did a bunch of Lady Gaga bloggers lose their Little Monsters cards today because you woke up on the wrong side of the bed and decided that in your ten years of experience, bloggers don’t matter anymore?
10. Practice what you preach Lady Gaga.
Nuff said.
Despite the above, I still am quite looking forward to hearing the full, proper version of “Applause” when it drops shortly. I will have an opinion about it and I’ll probably blog, tweet and Facebook about it too. I’ll still buy “Artpop” when it drops as well and without any drama, I’ll buy Katy Perry’s “Prism” as well.
I really do love Lady Gaga and I’m not so insecure to think that her intention was to target me, my blog or my brand. This really is an instance of “tweeting before thinking”. But regardless, Lady Gaga has made a rash generalisation here and she’s just as human as everyone else is. I do think she does owe bloggers an apology though, but something tells me we are not going to get it and hey, I can live with it.
I just hope Lady Gaga realizes that not everyone who was as offended as I was will take to their blogs and protest, but as a blogger, I felt compelled to stick up for the other bloggers who do what they do out of love, passion and dedication who rarely even get a thank you for all the hard work and passion they put into their blogs. Even though Lady Gaga feels she can discount bloggers, we’ll still keep blogging for the love it and we’ll still have our opinions.
In our own heart of hearts, us bloggers know how relevant and important we are in the ecosphere of digital media. Especially when it comes to music.