The Liz Phair Dilemma

1993 was a time for exploration within music. Bands such as Radiohead and REM could be spotted across the charts all year long. Angsty teenagers cranked Nirvana and flocked to concerts in a way only seen during Beatlemania thirty years prior. In the sea of punk dudes and grunge artists arose Connecticut-born indie-rocker, Liz Phair. The release of her 1993 album Exile in Guyville earned her the title of an indie darling among critics. But as indie was quickly becoming the unified sound of the 90s generation, the release of her second album Whip-Smart produced hits, a Rolling Stones cover, and a slew of new fans.

Then Phair released Liz Phair. The album was a new sound for Phair as the distorted guitars were replaced with bright guitars and catchy melodies. From the very moment the album came out, critics slammed it calling her a “sell-out.” Phair continued to make more music after the release of Liz Phair, but without critical backing, her career rapidly fell to pieces.  

In 2021 the music industry has adapted to the new rules presented by the pandemic, and New-Zealand born New-Zealand-singer-songwriter Lorde has just released her newest album, Solar Power. While Lorde’s previous album Melodrama was hailed as one of the most defining albums of the 2010s, Solar Power has been received with less vigor and borderline hatred from audiences. Across social media, fans mourned the loss of their indie savoir and bashed the bright new tone from her.

The music industry has a long history of men grossly outnumbering women in most major categories. Dr. Stacy L. Smith’s, the "Inclusion in the Recording Studio" report has found that from 2012-2018 the percentage of female artists on the Billboard top 100 is, 21.7%, 12.3% for songwriters, and only 2.1% for producers. The music industry is a male-dominated field. Many women enjoy pop music because it makes them feel good about themselves. It is seen as a “feminine” form of music, so when female indie artists make the transition to pop music, it’s deemed critical suicide; however, the difference now is the audience itself gets to be the critic. Social media has allowed the audience to give their immediate thoughts to the world, and that’s a lot of thoughts. Suddenly, you know what to think based on others’ opinions before you even listen to the song. One interesting aspect about Liz Phair is her greatest hit is featured on that album. Regardless of critical reviews, immediate success was not blocked from Phair. No one knew how they were “supposed to feel” until time had passed from the album’s release. When Lorde’s first single from Solar Power was released, the online reaction was immediate, polarized, and loud.

Liz Phair and Solar Power are not bad albums. They are simply just a representation of a happier artist. Enjoy pop music without hesitation. Dance to it and let yourself be happy. Go give Solar Power another listen and blink three times when you feel it kicking in.