Is there any actual way to prove an artist is objectively good?

Neuromancer

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You can buy streams and spins and everything else. I guess crowds can be a good indicator but I can't in good faith say that Taylor Swift is good just because she has a lot of people at her shows.


Is there any way to actually confirm that an artist is good objectively or is it all subjective making all debates about what is good and what is not moot?
 

verhonggen

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There is, but you need a vast musical knowledge for that.
Because music quality isn't subjective, but most people ain't qualified to discuss that.
 

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I don't think so. I think having skill is objective but a piece of art will always be subjective
 

Corndog

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I don't think so. I think having skill is objective but a piece of art will always be subjective
This. Skill can be objectively evaluated, but it's no guarantee of a great, or even good, piece of art.
Sometimes over-fetishizing skill is actually an impediment to creating great art.
 
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Piff Perkins

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Skill can be measured objectively, and you can make definitive statements on it. For instance if you say Nas was an elite rapper on Illmatic, or Miles Davis was an amazing trumpet player. But the existence of skill does not make the music "good." Elite rappers have bad songs, Miles Davis has songs that aren't great, etc.

I think it would be a fair statement to argue Taylor Swift isn't a particular good musician or songwriter. She also has some music that is pretty good or catchy thanks to the producers and musicians she surrounds herself with. At the same time she has some pretty meh music too. Would I judge someone who loves Taylor Swift? No...unless that's the only music you love. Like...go listen to some Fleetwood Mac and then compare the songwriting lol.
 
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there is no actual way to prove an artist is good

dont let these bozo ass kendrick bots tell you otherwise

“Bu bu but objectively according to actual musicians…”

shyt is hella lame
and makes actual kendrick fans like me look like weirdos

it also makes some of yall look like morons for actually engaging them
 
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