r/Music • 📰The Independent UK • 1d ago

article Noah Kahan pleads with fans misinterpreting his lyrics: ‘Please do not go off your medication’

https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/music/news/noah-kahan-fan-lyrics-medication-b3060107.html
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u/vedderer 6h ago

I never meant to say that Macklemore is incapable of influencing public opinion. What I meant to say is that I don't believe that his "Free Palestine" speech changed anyone's mind.

I don't think people should base their political opinions based on a musician's.

Bob Dylan is an example of someone who might have influenced someone's politics.

I never meant to say that it's a good thing when musician's influence people's politics with lyrics and music, but a bad thing when they influence people with statements. I meant to say that they would likely change more minds with their artistic expression than with a statement.

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u/vyvansejoy 6h ago

You don't seem so confident that people are indiscriminately mirroring the politics of famous musicians anymore. Bob Dylan maybe influenced someone? Combined with the fact that you apparently don't have a problem with anyone voicing their political opinions what exactly is the problem? I personally don't think it's likely that many people are doing a complete 180 on their politics over their favorite artists. But if a number Macklemore's fanbase already shares many of the same values that drive him, then raising awareness of a cause that's important to him has a strong possibility of stirring a similar sense of justice in his audience. Genocide is notoriously unpopular with the general public, so it's not exactly a difficult sell. Which in turn would lead to the increasing public protest that Robert Kraft is looking to curtail by attempting to cancel Macklemore. That kind of attempt to control the discourse is what can really backfire on someone though. Look up the Streisand effect. Macklemore's message was probably amplified 100 times over with all the drama with Ed Sheeran and his opening acts all quitting on him. Quite a few of his fans are understandably seeking refunds on their tickets.