Does the conduct of a musician / singer put you off listening to their music?

[Iwanttoliveinagardencentre]

The other day I was listening to a compilation on apple music and a Michael Jackson song started playing.

I love his music, there is no denying his talent.

I do believe he abused children (and the point of this thread is not whether he did or didn’t) however I hadn’t expected the visceral reaction I had to hearing a song I had previously loved. I had to turn it off because all I could see was those little boys.

There are others who have been found guilty of abuse - R Kelly for example.
I had never liked his music anyway but wonder if those who did have found themselves equally unable to listen to it anymore.

That’s true 🤩
And Johnny is still A Good Egg.

Johnny Marr is legend

If the crime is abusing women and children then no I would boycott. Other stuff would take a view on. Sadly it usually is abusing women and children 😢. Whats wrong with Lily Allen?

An artist’s wrongs don’t negate the value of their art for me.

i think it’s because I have grown up in a family where abuse spans generations. It’s not particularly relevant, but many of those abusers were also artists. When it is family, you have time to learn to see the person inside the monster. You get an up close and personal understanding of the ways they are broken.

I’m not excusing the behavior, just understanding that even the worst people have multiple dimensions to their character.

Same for me.

I’ve also gone off the actor Toby Jones since he implied that women assaulted by the likes of Harvey Weinstein only had themselves to blame, as they shouldn't have put themselves in a vulnerable situation.

Apart from Rick'n'Roll Part 2 - I can't think of a good one.

John Lennon hasn't tainted The Beatles for me because The Beatles were so much more than the sum of their parts, and their music for me just stands above everything else. But solo Lennon, absolutely not. The hypocrisy irritates me, and also I don't know if it was the drugs he was taking or the lack of double tracking or what, but his solo music makes it clear that his voice was really quite weak and whiny. If I had to rank Beatle voices in order of preference tbh it would be Paul, George, Ringo, John.

Where did he say that please? I can’t find anything about it.

Michael Jackson seems to be immune from a lot of the backlash other stars get. Same with the likes of The Rolling Stones.

Ian Watkins from Lost Prophets made sure their music was never played on the radio by is vile behaviour. Same with Gary Glitter.

Dave Grohl is cheating arsehole but his music is still played and he is still treated like a saint.

Not really. I never liked MJ anyway.

No

And Marilyn Manson was cleared

going to see him in Wembley next month

Yes but only at the extremes where it’s criminal like Jackson, or R Kelly, or Chris Brown.

Not if I think they’re just a bit of a twat in interviews or something.

I saw that Michael Jackson show being advertised on tv the other day and thought who the fuck would pay West End prices to go and watch that? Can't listen to his music anymore either. He was fucking gross and weird and even if he didn't abuse those boys (which I'm pretty sure he did) there is still no rational or innocuous explanation in this world why a grown man was sniffing around little boys in that fashion.

What was Marilyn Manson accused of?

Domestic violence, as well as sexual assault. I believe the sexual assault accusations came from several women. He wasn’t charged.

ETA - I think for some accusations, there was a statute of limitations issue.

Morrissey has always been a prick so I’m more shocked this came as a surprise to anyone! I still love The Smiths and also some of his solo stuff, his politics really don’t put me off this. Same for Kanye, he has lots of questionable views obviously but I love his music all the same.

I can’t listen to convicted paedophiles so Lost Prophets was a big one for me having been a big fan as a teen. Never really listened to Gary Glitter but I wouldn’t. I’d dodge R Kelly and P Diddy. MJ is a weird one because he obviously wasn’t convicted and some celebs who he befriended as children have said he was innocent like Macaulay Culkin.

John Lennon. I idolised him in my early teens. Had a poster of him on my bedroom wall...

But later I found out how he'd treated his first wife, Cynthia and his son, Julian. The selfishness and cruelty of giving his album with Yoko the title 'Two Virgins', as if his first marriage and fatherhood meant absolutely nothing.

Then writing "Imagine no possessions" when at the time him and Yoko had a special chilled room in which to keep their furs...

Man was a fucking hypocrite and a lousy father. Left nothing to his older son, though eventually Julian came to a settlement with Yoko.

He wasn't a monster. He just wasn't a nice man. Paul is a truly lovely man.

With all the allegations about him, I’m always surprised that MJ is played so much, and there’s even a West End musical about him. I do appreciate that his songs, music and videos were superb and original, but his way of life just wouldn’t be tolerated today so do inwardly wince when he’s played.