Selling Out

This blog isn't about any artist in particular. It's more so about the idea of what a lot of bands do that a lot of people tend not to like; "selling out".
Bands sell out; it happens. But I feel that people often throw this term around without fully understanding what it means. To me, selling out means that you're just putting out garbage to appeal to the mainstream and to the record companies, ergo: you're only doing it for money; financial success. I think that's a fair definition.
I think the best examples is comparing Green Day and Metallica. A lot of people would say that Green Day sold out when they made American Idiot. I would have to strongly disagree because American Idiot was described as, "The most personal album they've worked on." With that in mind, it has the perfect kind of songwriting; attitude and passion with just the right amount of pop. Never on this album does it become too poppy. My point is, there's a difference between selling out and growing as an artist. Yes, they had more financial success, and yes they're a Hot Topic band, but they had the intention of just wanting to create something beautiful and they did, and that's why I love it. If Green Day sold out, they weren't trying to. They were just a bunch of kids just trying to have fun, and then they grew up.
When Metallica made the Black Album, they had the intention of just selling a buttload of records. And then when they made Load and Reload, they didn't stop. Black album is a bit forgivable for a having a handful of good songs, but nothing on Load and Reload is at all memorable or worth mentioning. Fuel and King Nothing. I BARELY like those songs. Fuel is just catchy and King Nothing's bassline is sweet. That's. It. And to be honest, I can't tell you which album(s) those songs are off of. Neither can Jason Newsted, actually. He said so in a relatively recent interview, it was quite hilarious.
Yeah, Metallica's tried to get back to their roots with Stanger, but a major problem they had I think was Bob Rock. The problem being he was still there. If anyone wants to blame anyone for Metallica losing their edge and respectfulness, fingers tend to be pointed at Bob freaking Rock. I kind of agree. Point is, him being their means he was still taking place as producer, which is what they should get away from to get back to their roots. Then when Death Magnetic happened, they fired him and got the producer for Slayer. And while that album had the intention of getting back to their roots...again, it kind of worked, but not really. To me the album is like Metallica trying to be as heavy as they were and as proggy as AJFA. "Trying" is the key word. The album isn't really creative or interesting, and the mixing sucks. And that's the problem. No creativity. I feel that Metallica will never be able to grow artistically.