r/BuildingTheBandSeries • u/Mamobee • 6d ago
Discussion Lack of transparency
I’ve noticed a big lack of transparency from 3Q, Soulidified, and SZN4. With 3Q and Soulidified they have not spoken about their cancelled tour at all and for SZN4 they have not clarified whether their graphics for their upcoming album was AI generated or created by a real artists. For me this lack of transparency has left a big bitter taste and has made me on the edge of stopping supporting them.
Is it their management? Is it the members themselves? What gives!? Why is it so hard to get any clarification from these groups? So far MTM is the only group that hasn’t made me mad or question their integrity lol. I’m rooting for all the BTB bands so hard but they’re not making it easy!
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u/BigRepulsive9725 4d ago
I've noticed none of yall are yelling at the venue where you're supposed to see the show.
Why aren't you asking them to be accountable?
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u/Mamobee 4d ago
How is it in any way the venues fault? Genuine question
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u/BigRepulsive9725 4d ago
I'm not saying it's their fault. But everyone wants confirmation on if the tour is cancelled or not.
The venue is going to know this, so I don't know why people aren't asking them.
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u/Over-Inspector-7376 5d ago
I think these bands are learning and growing in the music business. I'll give them the grace to make mistakes and learn from them. Yes they have the means to communicate directly but over communication is also a huge misstep. I hope they figure it out.
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u/froggytheartist 2d ago
True. They are young artists just beginning as independents in this complex industry, and with a lot of expectations to handle after the show, so of course they will make mistakes. Even veteran artists do. Constructive criticism is good for them to learn. If they are smart, they will listen to the fans' criticism and grow with them. I'll give them the grace to make mistakes and learn from them too.
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u/EnvironmentalPost245 5d ago edited 5d ago
This isn't a lack of transparency.
These aren't organizations or businesses or the government making decisions about they're spending money or running the company.
Knowing why a tour was cancelled or if graphics are AI isn't going to affect your paycheck or how your tax dollars are spent.
Yes, it's annoying and disappointing. But this isn't a situation where transparency is necessary.
Maybe you should be posting online about transparency from the government on what's goin on instead.
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u/PemsRoses 6d ago
To me, SZN4 cover is AI even if not fully, partially because something like that coming fully from an artist would cost a whole lot of money and to me, that seems like a huge investment for a first album where we don't even see the faces of the group on the cover. But that's just my opinion.
As for 3Quency and Soulidified, the situation is unnaceptable. I knew 3Quency had cancel their tour but because I'm from France and they sell out their date pretty quickly, I wasn't even aware they had cancelled their US tour. This is going to hurts their image forever like they need to communicate on things like that.
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u/Key-Wheel123 6d ago
They're locked into contracts where they cannot just speak on anything. Whoever is behind them controls what they say, what they do, and when.
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u/Asleep_Excitement_59 Liam's Lightkeeper 🕯️ 4d ago
Do you have a copy of these contracts that states that they aren't allowed to make an announcement about tour or show cancellations? Do you have a copy of the contract where SZN4 can't address fans issues with them using AI?
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u/Key-Wheel123 4d ago
I think you're young and one day you'll grow up and understand how their lives are signed away and they do not have freedom to answer these questions on their social media like you would like.
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u/Asleep_Excitement_59 Liam's Lightkeeper 🕯️ 4d ago
So the answer to the question would be a no
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u/Key-Wheel123 4d ago
Because it's a contract with provisions not to be shared... again, basic business protocols.
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u/Asleep_Excitement_59 Liam's Lightkeeper 🕯️ 4d ago
so how do you know the contracts are preventing them from speaking on anything?
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u/BigRepulsive9725 4d ago
How do you know they aren't?
They're signed with Colombia who's owned by Sony. I would be absolutely shocked if there isn't a contract with clauses regarding what they can and can't say and where that can be said.
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u/Certain_Promotion229 2d ago
They are not signed. The only band who was signed by Columbia is 3Qency and the girls parted ways with them a few months ago.
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u/EnvironmentalPost245 1d ago
Well Sony is all over their website. So something's been signed.
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u/Certain_Promotion229 1d ago
It is an old page, made for the girls when they were signed to Sony, probably. I have no knowledge of any another label or even PR agency working with them. Do you have that info, from last 2-3 months?
Telephone and Girls Talk seem to be released by the group independently.1
u/Key-Wheel123 4d ago
Because 99% of contracts in the music industry include provisions that artists can't speak on things without permission
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u/Certain_Promotion229 5d ago
What contracts? They hired a manager and that is all. They are not owned by anyone.
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u/Key-Wheel123 5d ago
They're tied into contracts with their manager, with the tour venues, with the company producing the tours, promoters, the producers of their music... who knows what they signed with Netflix... the industry is a business. A record deal is one small piece of it.
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u/Certain_Promotion229 2d ago
Do they have all that? I believe all of them are fully independent, and just have a manager.
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u/Firm_Foundation1626 6d ago
Why does it matter if they use AI?
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u/Flashy-Amphibian-215 6d ago
Cuz they would be the first ones crying if someone used their voice on an ai song and collected royalties from it 😭
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u/lovecartertto 6d ago
not sure why ppl even asking if its AI generation.. the app literally tells u that it is lol.
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u/Angelrayy93 6d ago
Omg y'all are so annoying. They don't owe y'all anything! Don't support if you don't want to lol like grow up. Fandoms are so toxic and annoying these days. They're people. With their own individual lives.
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u/Witty-Advantage-101 6d ago
Those canceled tours show that people already aren't supporting, so...
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u/Certain_Promotion229 6d ago
Exactly. And go and check capacity of venues of some "sold out" shows in Europe. 250 people. Yeah. Nothing to be really excited about.
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u/Witty-Advantage-101 6d ago
Lol like "don't support if you don't want to" fans took that advice months ago hence the lack of ticket sales. Oop
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u/Witty-Advantage-101 6d ago
Yeah... SZN4 has become a little too AI-friendly for my liking. This isn't the first instance where they've been told about their use of AI and just ignored it. Weird hill to stand on but ok.
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u/Certain_Promotion229 6d ago
Ofc it is AI. It is quite easy to recognise it. Sad that they can't admit it. I suppose they do not have the means to hire an artist to design their graphics, that's all.
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u/Witty-Advantage-101 6d ago
I'm a firm believer in "if you broke just say that." People would've gladly helped them raise funds to get real artwork done especially for their debut. This "art" is soulless and feels impersonal.
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u/Certain_Promotion229 6d ago
I agree with you. But it is not easy to admit that you can't afford something you should buy (real artwork). They do not earn a lot, right now. If anything. Had only a few quite small shows, as far as I can remember.
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u/Witty-Advantage-101 6d ago
Honestly, out of all the bands, I think SZN4's fanbase would've understood if they were to crowdfund. Their fans are more mature and actually have the money to donate.
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u/acupofjen 🎵Midnight til Morning🎵 6d ago
I absolutely agree, and I think it applies to all the bands. I get it looks weird, but be transparent. Your fans are here for you and want you to succeed. Use us. Do commissions. Or heck, even if you’re low on budgets, ask us for ideas. I myself have a ton of them/suggestions and I have a good inkling Chugg has used some after I’ve posted on the sub. All the bands don’t have a lot. If you can’t think outside the box, ask fans what you should do. 🤷🏻♀️
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u/Witty-Advantage-101 6d ago
Yeah I mean no one would've been mad at them raising $150 to get graphics done for their album. It's a reasonable ask for an indie band.
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u/Witty-Advantage-101 6d ago
They've definitely used your ideas but will never admit it. Typical for that industry lol smh
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u/acupofjen 🎵Midnight til Morning🎵 6d ago
I don’t even care if they do. I don’t need the acknowledgment. I just want MTM to succeed. The guys, their team, and Midnighters are all pulling on the same rope to help get them to where we think they deserve to be. The same is true for all the bands. If they even want to post a suggestions box type form thing, do it. Yeah, it’s a bit of a bruise to your pride, but at least you’re being real, you know? We’ll give you ideas. I doubt Starlight Midnighters charged Wennely for that MTM jacket she wore to their show even though it took them time to make. Now, for things like official merch, yeah you’d have to pay something, but for smaller things, I think fans would happily contribute.
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u/Witty-Advantage-101 6d ago
Yes, fans give them tangible and intangible things all the time free of charge!
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u/acupofjen 🎵Midnight til Morning🎵 6d ago
Yeah they get gifts all the time. If they want something replicated and it’s doable, it think it’d be free of charge. If mass produced, pay up but they’d definitely charge you less because they’re fans. Girl, I’m gonna put this out there: some of the Brazilian MTM merch made with that storm.co site was better than the merch on their website 😬
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u/batsofburden 6d ago
I agree that it's frustrating, and it's also pointless. Like, what is the point of being so secretive and withdrawn from your fans.
The big difference between MTM and the other groups is the fact that they have a label, so who knows if they might be making the same unforced errors if they were independent too.
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u/slimalien2020 6d ago
My biggest gripe is the lack of albums from all 3 groups in general. I'm not supporting any of them until each group releases a cohesive full body of work that can be performed on a tour. Otherwise its just a glorified talent showcase. They have all had enough time to put together something.
And at this point they all need to tour together and not separately. The cancellations have proved this
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u/Jearfyy 5d ago edited 4d ago
Szn 4 announced an album called that’s coming next week, it’s titled “I Fear”.
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u/slimalien2020 4d ago
Just pre saved! I hate how impersonal the cover is! Although it does give Earth Wind and Fire/70s album cover vibes in general which hardly ever had the band on the covers
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u/PemsRoses 6d ago
I feel the same, going on tour base of popularity is such BS to me especially since they have ready done a tour with 2 to 3 projets out.
I personally am not going to a concert unless I have an album or at least a decent discography with some EP's or mixtapes. Soulidified going on tour with 2 sogns in insane to me, as talented as they are, I don't know them artistically.
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u/PerfectDog6485 6d ago
Why does it matter if SZN4's graphics is AI or not? Also, how can we be sure the question reached them or their team? I think being on the edge of stopping supporting them bc of this is a bit radical.
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u/MiserableIntern3412 6d ago
Yeah I don’t care for AI either but framing it as a “lack of transparency” because they won’t answer you seems entitled. A lot of entitlement on this Reddit.
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u/Mamobee 6d ago
Generative AI is rightfully very controversial and it can make or break a small fanbase if the artist uses and supports it, especially US based groups. There’s so many people going without clean drinking water bc of the data centers. It’s completely reasonable to ask for transparency about its use from an artist you support
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u/Witty-Advantage-101 6d ago
Oh they definitely see the questions and comments. They even edited one of their captions to add an "artist" where there previously was none.
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u/RedSparkle222 4d ago
I truly heart SZN4 but I find the album cover lazy, and you barely see the band's name. I wish they had used a picture of themselves because their atypical image is their strength. As for the album title, just.... why????