10 Classic Songs About How The Music Industry Sucks

Elvis Costello was born in the rock scene that welcomed anarchy. While Costello may not have looked the part of a punk, he understood the ethos of tearing everything down and paving the way for something new. The new era of rock and roll wasn’t going to come from the radio though, and Costello let us know what the corporate side of rock and roll really looked like.

When you first listen to Radio Radio though, it actually feels like a celebration of the art form, with Costello mentioning staying up late at night to hear the songs that would make him weep as a kid. As the years go by, Costello is starting to see the more shady of radio, as labels bribe their way into featuring certain artists and leaving most of the up and coming acts in the dust. Once you get to the chorus, the radio that we know today is almost an Orwellian concept, as we plug into the machine for the day to get exactly what the labels want us to see.

While radio initially loved the single, some stations started to pull it off the airwaves once they heard the lyrics. Costello held true to his beliefs and let it show on his appearance on SNL, where he was asked not to play his new song but stopped his performance midway through to play Radio Radio instead. Costello might look like the least likely person to become a punk, but behind those horn rimmed glasses was a kid who wasn’t satisfied with playing by the rules.