Why recognize artists who are already getting millions of plays every week? Who does that benefit?

I’m not hopping on a bandwagon. I have dissed the Grammys for a long time. Why recognize artists who are already getting millions of plays every week? All it does is mainstream what’s already cool so it becomes “accepted” by the older generation.

That’s great and all, but not for music, and not for musicians.

The Grammys have become an ass-kissing session for the upper echelon of music society.

It’s become so toxic that all the coolness has drained away, to reveal the skeleton in a dress that is eating our society. That skeleton is a music distribution system that’s clearly failed us. While saviors have shown up (Reddit, Bandcamp, Youtube suggestions,) the Grammys have not changed, they have gotten epically worse. We deserve better.

What I did about it

I started a music awards show that digs deep into the underground to pull up the best music I can find. It’s called the Wavvys, and we’ve just put out our 18th awards show.

Here’s a glimpse

A Music Awards Show that Doesn’t Suck

I look for fresh music with under 100k plays. Our criteria isn’t how many records you sold (actually, too many will disqualify you) it’s one thing: creative authenticity. Because that’s what music is about! Being a human being and expressing that into a microphone, a saxophone, across strings, and into a DAW. That’s dope. That’s real. That’s what we want to hear.

I want to say this: I’m not bashing music that wins Grammys. It’s good music. It just doesn’t need an awards show for us to know it’s good music. We all know Taylor Swift can sing (even though Beyonce DID have one of the greatest videos of all time). We all know Dave Chappelle is funny.

But have you ever heard the serenades of Thunder Jackson? Deciphered the intricate rhymes of Deca? Seen a one-shot music video by Trent Park? Chances are, you haven’t. And guaranteed, you would love it.

That’s why I started the Wavvys. That’s why I built cXc Music. I know there’s so much incredible music out there, all we have to do is shed the blinders put on us by corporate America. We owe it to each other to make, share, and listen to the music that moves us, so that we can be more, well, human.

I’ll leave you with this: Music is one of the most pure expressions of the soul we have on this Earth. It’s more exciting than politics, it’s more important than oil. Now that we have the tools to change how music moves, let’s do it. Not just for listeners, not just for musicians, but for everyone.

We’ll all be dancing together in the end.

About Me

Besides hosting the Wavvys, I’m a teacher, rap-poet, programmer, graphic artist, and nomad. I enjoy plants, freestyle skiing, clean water, fresh air, and communicating with ETs. I built the music dApp cXc Music (cxc.world), and the online school of consciousness Aquarius.Academy.
I dance weird. I carry a staff of eucalyptus.