Black Eyed Peas: Sellouts in Post-Sellout World

It is still possible for a musician to “sell out” in this hyper-commercialized world, says Seth Stevenson, who hangs on to the concept partly because of the pain he feels when a favorite song is co-opted—it’s like finding out a smart, cute girl “spends her weekends turning tricks.” But mostly, he writes for Slate, it’s because “we as a culture must reserve our right to shower disdain on the Black Eyed Peas.”

The Peas aren’t an unknown band eager to “gain national exposure quickly,” Stevenson writes. And their songs are already played heavily on radio and in clubs. For Stevenson, a new Target commercial crosses the line. “These insatiable revenue-bots are just raking in more coin.” Stevenson admits that “when the music’s this bad it’s sort of beyond the point,” but still. “Ponder the fact that will.i.am has a giant Target logo on his hat.” (More Black Eyed Peas stories.)