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Industry plant is a pejorative used to describe musicians who ostensibly become popular through their connections to the music industry yet present themselves as
independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s
* Independ ...
and self-made. Artists described as industry plants are also often alleged to have their public images manufactured for them by record executives. The term originated in the early 2010s on
hip hop-focused message boards to describe various rappers before being used against
indie rock
Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...
and
pop musicians, such as
Clairo
Claire Elizabeth Cottrill (born August 18, 1998), known professionally as Clairo, is an American singer-songwriter. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, and raised in Carlisle, Massachusetts, she began posting music on the internet at age 13.
Clairo rose ...
and
Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell ( ; born December 18, 2001) is an American singer-songwriter. She first gained public attention in 2015 with her debut single " Ocean Eyes", written and produced by her brother Finneas O'Connell, with whom ...
, in the late 2010s. It has been called a
conspiracy theory
A conspiracy theory is an explanation for an event or situation that invokes a conspiracy by sinister and powerful groups, often political in motivation, when other explanations are more probable.Additional sources:
*
*
*
* The term has a nega ...
by critics and criticized in the media and by artists for being disproprotionately used against female artists and a form of
misogyny
Misogyny () is hatred of, contempt for, or prejudice against women. It is a form of sexism that is used to keep women at a lower social status than men, thus maintaining the societal roles of patriarchy. Misogyny has been widely practiced fo ...
, for placing scrutiny on individual musicians rather than the music industry as a whole, and for its variable meaning, or lack thereof, depending on who is using it.
Usage
The term "industry plant" commonly refers to musicians who quickly find success, regardless of skill or merit, and purportedly describe themselves as self-made and
independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s
* Independ ...
despite being heavily supported by a
record label
A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produ ...
or having other resources and connections to the music industry that they intentionally hide, while also being more focused on business than on artistic expression.
It is typically used as a pejorative by music fans, largely of
Generation Z
Generation Z (or more commonly Gen Z for short), colloquially known as zoomers, is the Western world, Western demography, demographic Cohort (statistics), cohort succeeding Millennials and preceding Generation Alpha. Researchers and popular me ...
, against artists who they believe to be undeserving of their fame or success.
For ''
Gigwise
''Gigwise'' is a British online music news site that features music news, photos, album reviews, music festivals, concert tickets and video content. Founded in June 2001, the site is based in London, England.
History
Gigwise was launched in 2001 ...
'', Adam England wrote, "If you're young, talented and — all too often — female, you'll probably have the usual 'industry plant' allegations levelled at you." Artists who are called industry plants are sometimes alleged to have had their personas manufactured by marketing executives before being marketed to the public.
It has been compared to the idea of "
selling out
"Selling out", or "sold out" in the past tense, is a common expression for the compromising of a person's integrity, morality, authenticity, or principles by forgoing the long-term benefits of the collective or group in exchange for personal gai ...
".
Josh Terry of ''
Vice
A vice is a practice, behaviour, or habit generally considered immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character tra ...
'' wrote that the term had "no adequate definition" and that there was "no consensus at all on what an 'industry plant' actually is".
History
The term "industry plant" is believed to have originated on
hip hop message boards in the early 2010s, gaining popularity after being used in a thread on the discussion forum KanyeToThe in 2012, in which rappers such as
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman (rapper), ...
,
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...
, and
Waka Flocka Flame
Juaquin James Malphurs (born May 31, 1986), known professionally as Waka Flocka Flame, is an American rapper. Signing to 1017 Brick Squad and Warner Bros. Records in 2009, he became a mainstream artist with the release of his singles "O Let's ...
were alleged by users to be industry plants.
American singer
Lana Del Rey
Elizabeth Woolridge Grant (born June 21, 1985), known professionally as Lana Del Rey, is an American singer-songwriter. Her music is noted for its cinematic quality and exploration of tragic romance, glamour, and melancholia, with frequent ...
has retroactively been described as an early example of being accused of being an industry plant when, in 2012, upon the release of her debut studio album ''
Born to Die
''Born to Die'' is the second studio album and major-label debut by American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey. It was released on January 27, 2012, through Interscope Records and Polydor Records. The album was reissued on November 9, 2012, as an e ...
'', her wealthy parents and her previous musical career as Lizzy Grant led to questions about her authenticity as an artist. After American rapper
Raury
Raury Deshawn Tullis (born June 10, 1996) is an American singer-songwriter and rapper from Atlanta, Georgia. He is known for his eclectic sound mixing soul, hip hop and folk. He was born and raised in Stone Mountain, Georgia. He was also a member ...
released his mixtape, ''Indigo Child'', in 2014, was quickly signed to
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
, and received coverage from ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' for the music video for his song "God's Whisper", he was frequently called an industry plant online in 2015.
He appeared on the cover of ''
XXL'' for their annual Freshman Class list of up-and-coming artists in 2015, where he wore a shirt reading "industry plant" in response to the accusations.
Christina Lee of ''
Vice
A vice is a practice, behaviour, or habit generally considered immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character tra ...
'' wrote in 2015 that "recent talk of Raury being an industry plant" was "silly" but "makes some sense", while Chris Thomas of ''
Out
Out may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Films
* ''Out'' (1957 film), a documentary short about the Hungarian Revolution of 1956
* ''Out'' (1982 film), an American film directed by Eli Hollander
* ''Out'' (2002 film), a Japanese film ba ...
'' called Raury "a popular target of industry plant conspiracy theorists" in 2017.
Chance the Rapper
Chancelor Johnathan Bennett (born April 16, 1993), known professionally as Chance the Rapper, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, and record producer. Born and raised in Chicago, Bennett released his debut mixtape '' 10 Day'' in 2012. He ...
faced similar accusations of being an industry plant on music forums by 2015 due to his sudden success after independently releasing several mixtapes.
In 2017, Rawiya Kameir of ''
The Outline
''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...
'' wrote, "An 'industry plant' is one of the worst things you can call an artist nowadays."
The term "industry plant" later became popular among "
Extremely Online"
indie-rock
Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the music they produce ...
fans and was often levelled against female musicians. The increase in industry plant rumors in the late 2010s has been attributed by critics to the rise of
music streaming
A music streaming service is a type of streaming media service that focuses primarily on music, and sometimes other forms of digital audio content such as podcasts. These services are usually subscription-based services allowing users to stream d ...
.
Clairo
Claire Elizabeth Cottrill (born August 18, 1998), known professionally as Clairo, is an American singer-songwriter. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, and raised in Carlisle, Massachusetts, she began posting music on the internet at age 13.
Clairo rose ...
, who quickly rose to fame after her song "Pretty Girl" went viral online in 2017, was described by Leor Galil of the ''
Chicago Reader
The ''Chicago Reader'', or ''Reader'' (stylized as ЯEADER), is an American alternative weekly newspaper in Chicago, Illinois, noted for its literary style of journalism and coverage of the arts, particularly film and theater. It was founded by a ...
'' as "a magnet for 'industry plant' insults" since 2017, when
Reddit
Reddit (; stylized in all lowercase as reddit) is an American social news aggregation, content rating, and discussion website. Registered users (commonly referred to as "Redditors") submit content to the site such as links, text posts, images ...
threads about her father working as the chief marketing officer of
Converse
Converse may refer to:
Mathematics and logic
* Converse (logic), the result of reversing the two parts of a definite or implicational statement
** Converse implication, the converse of a material implication
** Converse nonimplication, a logical c ...
and co-founding its Rubber Tracks recording studio before she became popular led to accusations of her being an industry plant.
Other users alleged that her "homespun" image was also created by her father and his associates, and the usage of the term to describe her led to the term gaining more widespread usage.
After gaining fame from her song "
Bury a Friend
"Bury a Friend" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish and the third single from her debut studio album, ''When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?'' (2019). It was released on January 30, 2019, and serviced to US alternative radi ...
" in 2018, American singer
Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell ( ; born December 18, 2001) is an American singer-songwriter. She first gained public attention in 2015 with her debut single " Ocean Eyes", written and produced by her brother Finneas O'Connell, with whom ...
was also frequently called an industry plant online on YouTube and Reddit, where users similarly made threads about her personality being manufactured.
A video by the
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
channel Progress about the singer Baby Goth, who had performed
pop music under the name Bria Bueno until being signed to
Republic Records
Republic Records is a New York City–based American record label owned by Universal Music Group (UMG). It was founded by Avery Lipman and Monte Lipman as an independent label in 1995, and was acquired by UMG in 2000. Republic was initially an ...
, being an industry plant went viral after being uploaded in January 2019. Puerto Rican rapper
Iann Dior
Michael Ian Olmo (born March 25, 1999), known professionally as Iann Dior (stylized in all lowercase), is a Puerto Rican rapper and singer based in Texas. He is most notably well-known for his 2020 hit single " Mood", a collaboration with 24kGo ...
named his debut studio album, ''Industry Plant'' (2020), after his being called an industry plant due to his quick rise to fame. Also in 2020, American singer-songwriter
Phoebe Bridgers
Phoebe Lucille Bridgers (born August 17, 1994) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She has released two solo albums, ''Stranger in the Alps'' (2017) and ''Punisher'' (2020), both of which received critical acclaim ...
responded to accusations that she was an industry plant, including a music critic who tweeted that they were "on team 'Phoebe Bridgers is an industry plant'", by stating that
The Strokes
The Strokes are an American rock band from New York City. Formed in 1998, the band is composed of lead singer and songwriter Julian Casablancas, guitarists Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr., bassist Nikolai Fraiture, and drummer Fabrizio More ...
and "every white boy who is mediocre" were industry plants as well and calling it "such an insane fucking
double standard
A double standard is the application of different sets of principles for situations that are, in principle, the same. It is often used to describe treatment whereby one group is given more latitude than another. A double standard arises when two ...
".
Elle Palmer of ''
Far Out'' wrote that the term "snowballed in popularity" by the early 2020s and had become "rampant" by 2023.
The American
pop punk
Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti-suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other pu ...
band
Tramp Stamps were widely criticized by social media users as industry plants in April 2021, particularly on
TikTok
TikTok, known in China as Douyin (), is a short-form video hosting service owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. It hosts user-submitted videos, which can range in duration from 15 seconds to 10 minutes.
TikTok is an international version ...
, due to their previous solo careers as
pop singers and how their image had changed and become "calculated" and "polished" upon starting the band.
Reddit users also found that the band's guitarist, Caroline Baker, was signed to record producer
Dr. Luke
Lukasz Sebastian Gottwald (born September 26, 1973), known professionally as Dr. Luke, Tyson Trax, and Made in China, is an American record producer and songwriter. His professional music career began in the late-night television sketch comedy ...
's publishing house Prescription Songs, which furthered the accusations.
In response, Rebecca Jennings of ''
Vox'' wrote that "being an 'industry plant' is about the worst thing you can be accused of on
TikTok
TikTok, known in China as Douyin (), is a short-form video hosting service owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. It hosts user-submitted videos, which can range in duration from 15 seconds to 10 minutes.
TikTok is an international version ...
".
In June 2021, American singer
H.E.R.
Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson (born June 27, 1997), known professionally as H.E.R. (pronounced "her", an acronym for "Having Everything Revealed"), is an American singer, songwriter, musician and actress.
She has received several awards includin ...
responded to claims that she was an industry plant on
Instagram
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
. Following the international success of American singer
Olivia Rodrigo
Olivia Isabel Rodrigo (born February 20, 2003) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She gained recognition in the late 2010s with her lead roles on the Disney television programs ''Bizaardvark'' and '' High School Musical: The Music ...
's debut single "
Drivers License
A driver's license is a legal authorization, or the official document confirming such an authorization, for a specific individual to operate one or more types of motorized vehicles—such as motorcycles, cars, trucks, or buses—on a public r ...
" in 2021, music journalists and critics debated on whether or not she was an industry plant.
Podcaster
DJ Akademiks
Livingston Allen (born May 17, 1991), more commonly known as DJ Akademiks or simply Akademiks, is a Jamaican-American podcaster, media personality and YouTuber. DJ Akademiks rose to fame for his YouTube channel which covers the latest news in t ...
has frequently discussed the concept of industry plants, including his calling American rapper
Megan Thee Stallion
Megan Jovon Ruth Pete (born February 15, 1995), known professionally as Megan Thee Stallion (pronounced "Megan the Stallion"), is an American rapper and songwriter. Originally from Houston, Texas, she first garnered attention when videos of her ...
one in June 2021 and claiming that her success in the music industry was due to
her being shot by rapper
Tory Lanez
Daystar Shemuel Shua Peterson (born July 27, 1992), known professionally as Tory Lanez, is a Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter, and convicted felon. He received initial recognition from the mixtape ''Conflicts of My Soul: The 416 Story'', rel ...
the year before.
The British indie rock duo
Wet Leg
Wet Leg are a British indie rock band from the Isle of Wight, founded in 2019 by Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers. They debuted with the single "Chaise Longue (song), Chaise Longue" in 2021. Their Wet Leg (album), self-titled debut album deb ...
became frequent targets of industry plant accusations after their rise to prominence in 2021, which they described as "just misogyny".
American singer
Gayle
Gayle or Gayl may refer to:
People
* Gayle (given name), people with the given name
* Gayle (surname), people with the surname
* Gayle (singer) (born 2004), American singer-songwriter
Places
* Gayle, North Yorkshire, England
* Gayle, Jamaica, a ...
's song "
ABCDEFU
"ABCDEFU" (stylized in all lowercase, also known by its radio edited title "ABC") is the major-label debut single by American singer Gayle, released on August 13, 2021, through Atlantic and Arthouse Records. It was co-written by Gayle with Sara ...
" became internationally successful by early 2022 after initially finding success on
TikTok
TikTok, known in China as Douyin (), is a short-form video hosting service owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. It hosts user-submitted videos, which can range in duration from 15 seconds to 10 minutes.
TikTok is an international version ...
, where she premiered the song in response to a commenter asking her to "write a breakup song using the alphabet". Commenters on the platform alleged that she was an industry plant upon discovering that the comment prompting the song was left by an
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...
marketing manager. After the success of their debut single, "Nothing Matters", in April 2023, the British indie rock band
The Last Dinner Party were widely accused by social media users, including on
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
, of being industry plants due to their being signed to
Island Records
Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in 1959 by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in Jamaica, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, anoth ...
and opening for
the Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...
, among other things. The group responded to the accusations on Twitter, calling them "just a nasty lie". In June 2023, the indie rock band
Picture Parlour released their debut single "Norwegian Wood" and were featured on the cover of ''
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'', leading to users on Twitter widely accusing them of being industry plants. The band's singer, Katherine Parlour, said in response to the accusations that they "seem
dlike lazy journalism" and that there was "a predominant history of male-fronted bands... who have happened to gain a large buzz pretty quickly" and not "one that has been questioned". After his song "
Rich Men North of Richmond
"Rich Men North of Richmond" is a song by American country-folk singer Oliver Anthony (credited under the name "Oliver Anthony Music") that was released in August 2023. The song became an overnight viral hit after gaining traction on social m ...
" went viral and became popular among
American conservatives
Conservatism in the United States is a Political philosophy, political and social philosophy based on a belief in limited government, individualism, Tradition, traditionalism, Republicanism in the United States, republicanism, and limited ...
in August 2023, American singer
Oliver Anthony was suspected of being an industry plant by
American progressives
Progressivism in the United States is a political philosophy and reform movement in the United States advocating for policies that are generally considered left-wing, left-wing populist, libertarian socialist, social democratic, and environmentalis ...
. Also in August 2023, the
hardcore punk
Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk ...
band
Scowl
A frown (also known as a scowl) is a facial expression in which the eyebrows are brought together, and the forehead is wrinkled, usually indicating displeasure, sadness or worry, or less often confusion or concentration.
The appearance of a fro ...
were alleged by fans to be industry plants, which prompted frontwoman Kat Moss to release a statement on
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
denying and decrying the claims. American rapper
Ice Spice
Isis Gaston (born January1, 2000), known professionally as Ice Spice, is an American rapper. She grew up in the Bronx, New York City, and began her career in 2021 after meeting record producer RiotUSA while attending State University of New Yo ...
was accused of being an industry plant after she shot to stardom following the release of her song "
Munch (Feelin' U)
"Munch (Feelin' U)" is a song by American rapper Ice Spice, released on August 10, 2022. A music video accompanied. The song trended on TikTok.
Composition
"Munch (Feelin' U)" is a drill song. Lyrically, Ice Spice expresses her disgust toward a d ...
", which went viral on
TikTok
TikTok, known in China as Douyin (), is a short-form video hosting service owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. It hosts user-submitted videos, which can range in duration from 15 seconds to 10 minutes.
TikTok is an international version ...
, in 2022.
She stated in response to the accusations that she would "let people believe whatever they want to believe" in an interview with ''
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' in September 2023.
The term has also been used online and by critics to describe artists such as
Greta Van Fleet
Greta Van Fleet is an American rock band from Frankenmuth, Michigan, formed in 2012. It consists of Kiszka brothers Josh (vocals), Jake (guitar) and Sam (bass guitar, keyboards); and Danny Wagner (drums). They were signed to Lava Records in M ...
,
Raury
Raury Deshawn Tullis (born June 10, 1996) is an American singer-songwriter and rapper from Atlanta, Georgia. He is known for his eclectic sound mixing soul, hip hop and folk. He was born and raised in Stone Mountain, Georgia. He was also a member ...
,
Dominic Fike
Dominic David Fike (born December 30, 1995) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. Fike first received recognition after releasing several popular songs to the website SoundCloud. Following the release of his debut extended play, '' Don't ...
,
Jean Dawson
Jean Dawson (born December 22, 1995) is a Mexican-American experimental pop musician. Since 2018, he has released three albums and over a dozen singles via his own record label P+, and toured across the US and Europe with artists such as Brockha ...
,
CJ,
Bebe Rexha
Bleta Rexha (; born August 30, 1989), known professionally as Bebe Rexha ( ), is an American pop singer and songwriter. After signing with Warner Records in 2013, Rexha received songwriting credits on Eminem's single " The Monster" (which later ...
,
Boy Pablo
Boy Pablo (stylized as boy pablo) is the indie pop music project of Chilean–Norwegian singer songwriter Nicolas Muñoz. In the recording studio, Muñoz writes, records, performs, and produces all of the project's music. As a touring act, Boy Pa ...
,
RMR,
Bella Poarch
Denarie Taylor (born February 9, 1997), known professionally as Bella Poarch ( ), is a Filipino-born American singer and Internet celebrity, social media personality. On August 17, 2020, she created List of most-liked TikTok videos, the most li ...
,
The Kid Laroi
Charlton Kenneth Jeffrey Howard (born 17 August 2003), known professionally as the Kid Laroi (stylised as the Kid LAROI), is an Australian rapper, singer and songwriter. He originally gained recognition from his association and friendship with A ...
,
Skip Marley
Skip Marley Minto (born 4 June 1996) is a Jamaican singer. He is the son of Cedella Marley and David Minto, and grandson of Bob Marley. He has received two Grammy Award nominations and an MTV Video Music Award nomination.
Life and career
Mar ...
,
Your Old Droog
Dmitry Kutsenko, better known as Your Old Droog, is a Ukrainian-born American rapper and producer from Brooklyn, New York. He first gained public attention in June 2014 when online rumors were circulated that his self-published debut EP was act ...
,
Post Malone
Austin Richard Post (born July 4, 1995), known professionally as Post Malone, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Known for his variegated vocals, Malone has gained acclaim for blending genres and subgenres of hip ...
, and
Lizzo
Melissa Viviane Jefferson (born April 27, 1988), known professionally as Lizzo, is an American singer, rapper, and flutist. Born in Detroit, Michigan, she moved to Houston, Houston, Texas with her family when she was 10 years old. After col ...
.
Criticism
Claims of artists being industry plants have been described as a form of
conspiracy theory
A conspiracy theory is an explanation for an event or situation that invokes a conspiracy by sinister and powerful groups, often political in motivation, when other explanations are more probable.Additional sources:
*
*
*
* The term has a nega ...
by critics.
In 2023, ''
Complex
Complex commonly refers to:
* Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe
** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...
''s Trace William Cowen called industry plant accusations "among the dumbest quasi-theories some listeners like to throw around whenever a new artist breaks through" and "not usually worth a response".
For ''
'', Hazel Cills wrote that "the term often means nearly whatever the critic in question wants it to mean", that it "emphasiz
da narrative that suggests popular artists are either authentic or totally fake, working without any outside help or label puppets, when in reality the lines are depressingly blurrier", and that it was especially used to deride women artists.
Josh Terry of ''Vice'' criticized the term "industry plant" as meaningless and wrote that it was "disproportionately directed at non-white, non-male-identifying artists" and "blam
dartists for the machinations of a system beyond their control".
Kyann-Sian Williams of ''
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' also stated that it was "often assigned to non-white, non-male success stories", while ''Far Out''s Elle Palmer wrote that it "seems to be disproportionately thrown at successful young women starting out in the industry, and often with very little research to back up the damaging label" and was "an easy way to dismiss the talent of young women".
''
Under the Radar''s Andy Von Pip wrote that the term was "a crass and often deeply misogynistic attempt to undermine
hecredibility and creativity" of female artists.
For ''
Vox'', Rebecca Jennings wrote that the term could be used to describe "pretty much everyone that has gotten famous from TikTok", adding that the criticism of Tramp Stamps in 2021 as industry plants became "a complete dogpile on three individual women rather than corporatized capitalization on progressive politics".
NPR's Hazel Cills stated that industry plants "don't really exist" and that the term "keeps getting thrown around by younger audiences" because of changes in the music industry and "a kind of skepticism when a young person sees an artist and they're not already inundated with their body of work".
Nick Ruskell of ''
The Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally.
It was fo ...
'' wrote that the music industry was "far more to blame" for artists with less connections not finding success "than individual artists trying to play the game".
Aimee Cliff of ''
Dazed
''Dazed'' (''Dazed & Confused'' until February 2014) is a bi-monthly British style magazine founded in 1991. It covers music, fashion, film, art, and literature. Dazed is published by Dazed Media, an independent media group known for producing ...
'' wrote that the industry plant accusations against Clairo in 2018 were based on "the strange assumption that a middle-aged man could better engineer a viral success than a teenage girl". For ''
Clash'', Robin Murray wrote that the term was "hopelessly vague, and more a criticism of opaque marketing, and a general, undefinable sense of inauthenticity, than any actual intersection with the music" and compared it to "old
rockist
Rockism and poptimism are two ideological arguments about popular music prevalent in mainstream music journalism. Rockism is the belief that rock music is dependent on values such as authenticity in art, authenticity and high art, artfulness, ...
thinking".
See also
*
Nepo baby
*
Astroturfing
Astroturfing is the practice of masking the sponsors of a message or organization (e.g., political, advertising, religious or public relations) to make it appear as though it originates from and is supported by grassroots participants. It is a p ...
References
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Pejorative terms for people
2010s neologisms
2020s neologisms
Internet slang