You make it sound like writing a hit song is that simple. It's a real fine line to walk between artistic integrity and making a living playing music.
And what should music be ? I've been a music hipster my whole life and the niche things you and I probably like just don't have mass appeal and marketability and if they did they would lose what makes them special. Normies need jams too. And we need those normie jams too so that we can feel smug superior and elite.
It's almost beyond my ability to comprehend...but nickelback is as special to someone out there as the skolars are to me. And I don't know if I should have contempt for them or rejoice in the fact that we both found joy and expression in music.
Nickelback has begrudgingly earned my respect. They don't care how much people with better taste hate them. They keep doing their thing and being quite successful at it. Lot of folks in bands we like wish they could be nickelback and have a song/album land as a huge hit and set them up for life. Touring in a broken van gets less fun with every year past like age 23. But you know ....it’s what music is supposed to be and all that