I was having this discussion with someone last night and thought I would bring it here. I can only think of one or two performers who are less attractive who have been successful in recent years (Macy Grey comes to mind although she does have a certain style that is attractive). There doesn't seem to be anyone who isn't just about perfect, male and female. You never see anyone who is overweight or just not that attractive.

I am speaking of new artists, not people like Steven Tyler who were already established before the "beautiful people" took over. It isn't new I guess since groups like C & C Music Factory wouldn't put the acutal singers on their records in the video due to their appearance.

I wonder what talented people we are missing out on because they don't look good enough next to Carson Daly?

Depends on how you define commercial success. I love Phish, the String Cheese Incident and moe. Many of the members of these bands are downright ugly by many people's standards. However, they're among the most successful touring musicians today and probably make as much, if not more, money than your NSync's and Britney's. That being said, with the state of the music industry the way it is today, it seems like it'd be damn hard to break into MTV if a band doesn't have a photogenic lead singer. It's sad but true and one of the reasons why I don't listen to the radio much or watch MTV at all anymore. There's better music elsewhere (no matter what genre of music you like), and it's definitely worth seeking out.

If you put on enough makeup or have hair long enough to cover your face!

The String Cheese Incident makes as much money as Britney Spears?

Jay-Z is the biggest goon I've ever seen and (unfortunately enough), he's quite popular.

Lyle Lovett is a goon too, BTW.

It depends on who you are marketing to. The MTV crowd is clearly image driven, so I think for that market looks are very important. Unless your ugliness is somehow used as a marketing ploy. But even in that market, some grossly overweight rappers have had success.

If other markets, image has much less impact on the music. Someone above mentioned 'String Cheese Incident'. I agree that thier market could probably care less about image.

Mark

For example... Marylin Manson:

Ever notice how so many rappers can be grotesquely obese and get away with it? Why is that?

You'll never see a six hundred pound butt-rock singer performing in anything bigger than a honky-tonk.

That's the thing.

Britney would be working as a telemarketer if she were fat and pimply.

The String Cheese Incident makes much more money than people think. They own their record label, a ticketing agency, their merchandising company, a travel agency, and a management company. All of these companies handle business for SCI and for a number of other bands and DJs. They routinely sell out venues that hold between 5 and 15 thousand people. Until last year, they were selling out these venues without any help from Ticketmaster. People don't realize it because they fly quite a bit under the radar of popular culture, but they're quite possibly the biggest DIY success story of the past decade.

*cough, cough* riding on the coat-tails of the Phish hiatus *cough, cough*

I'm kidding. I'm kidding.

You may be kidding, but you're not entirely wrong either.

I would not be surprised if String Cheese Incident are making very large sums of money.

Few people understand the economics of the music biz. It's very possible for an artist to be more profitable then another who is selling 10 times the amount of albums. If you don't write your own material, there goes the mechanical royalties, which can be very lucrative. Merchandise can be profitable, but not if you signed a 5% profit deal with a merchandise company. Also, how is the money being spent - I've seen poor shopping for plane tickets cost a low budget artist $5,000 for one show.

Mark

Actually, he is probably entirely right. The first time I saw SCI was 5 years ago in Dallas, at the Tree. There were probably about 60 of us in the venue that can hold FAR more than that. I think it's just been in the past few years that SCI, Widespread Panic, Moe, and whatnot have really really blasted off.

John Popper?

Yeah, but even he's slimmed down to about half his former self.

Damn that Britney and her peer pressure.

We'll see after American Idol's over. All those people are discustingly ugly.

Thom Yorke of Radiohead is quite homely yet they've had some big success.

The Indigo Girls do alright for themselves and neither are attractive. Jack Black is about as ugly as they come and he's quite successful.

Radiohead had success prior to the new world of music. I doubt they would have made it far in the states if it was by today's standards.

Now a days, it is hard to get into music if you aren't made up by corporate suits who will pay to get your songs played on the radio on regular basis, have the looks to be plastured on MTV as much as possible or have sex appeal.

I doubt an Unattractive performer could be commercially successful now a days, as sad as it sounds. but it's true, unless it's your gimmick in the case of manson and the other "freaks" that go on shock appeal alone.

so your either scaring the world and riding on shock appeal or going on looks and sex for your sell.

very sad indeed

Well, Phish pretty much fits in with the topic too, they're definitely some goofy looking guys.

Paula Cole, anyone?

Woof.

the artist known as poe isnt that attractive either

I actually think she's pretty damned attractive. Certainly wouldn't call her unattractive anyway.

Les CLaypool is pretty funny looking, and his singing voice licks sack. He's one hell ofa bass player though