when has a band "sold out" ?

[youtalkfunny]

Before I tell this story, a history lesson is in order for the younger readers:

Quiet Riot hit the scene with their "Metal Health" album. The heavy-metal kids loved it.




It took almost a year before the pop stations started to play the hits from that album, "Bang Your Head (Metal Health)", and "Cum on Feel the Noize".

So I'm in my car, riding with a friend, and one of those songs comes on the radio. I turn it up. My friend turns up his nose. "I don't like them any more. They sold out."

"What do you mean?", I ask.

"Now they're a pop band. I don't like pop music, I like heavy metal."

"But this is the same song you loved last year! They released the album; you liked it; and now that it's drawing a larger audience, the band has somehow wronged you?"

"They sold out," he maintained, without elaboration.

[RivaLiva]

To me selling out is when a band goes against it's roots and makes records that the record companies want them to make instead of what they want to make. It's smart on there side because they get paid and probably more popular but they also are considered sell out to the hardcore fans.