#whatever you do dont think about how some members truly thought hiatus was going to be 18 months

[fytaem]

How have the nomination rules changed since PYN? Is it usually harder for solo artists to get nominated than groups? I guess I dont understand because I thought SHINee had a pretty big and loyal fandom.

Uh...... okay...... let’s take it step by step.

1) Nomination rules haven’t changed since PYN at all. The only things that have changed have been: 1) Instiz Chart changing the sites that count the most in the score distribution (x), 2) Music Core bringing back again the winning system. The 1st one actually hasn’t affected Taemin at all because shawols do work a lot in the same sites as in PYN (Melon, Genie and Bugs) but this time thanks to the free streaming in Naver Music it has become also a new focus of streaming. PYN wasn’t digitally doing well in Melon as it’s happening with MOVE, and yet MOVE has reached #1 in Genie, #1 in Naver and made it to the top10 of Bugs. 

Melon is the most important and popular music site in Korea, because it’s used both by general public and fandoms. So, this means the competition is so high right there due to the competition between fandoms but also the music that the general public listens to, that could be from these idol groups or other artists, but they get truly influenced by TV shows (this is why survival music shows or anything that involves music competition on TV always reach high positions in the charts, because people get attracted by the TV entertainment). Also songs that go viral on the internet or in TV, or between idols, can also reach high positions in charts (for example, Sunmi’s Gashina won’t leave the top100 from charts because people love the song like crazy). So as I said this makes Melon a crazy and difficult chart.

2) No, it’s not harder for solo artists to get nominated. Both Jonghyun and Taemin have been nominated many times. But as I’m repeating again and again these days: the competition is crazy nowadays. People who are underestimating groups like BTOB and NU’EST W have no idea how their popularity has increased in the general public + their own fandoms going harder due to these groups situations (I don’t know if you might know already, but NU’EST for example has suffered a very complicated time due to member Minhyuk being on hiatus from the group because of joining Wanna One, and I think this has increased even more their popularity). In the case of BTOB they are considered idols but idols that many, many people get to know about and that means they get more chances to people to feel interested in their music. Different is the case of EPIK HIGH because they always reach very good numbers in charts, every single time. So no, Taemin doesn’t have low numbers in charts because nobody’s listening to his music, but instead more people are listening to these other groups and in a more potential way. And talking about the success of a solo artist in the charts is, for example, IU, who is extremely loved in Korea and overseas. So, numbers are only numbers of a specific moment from an artist and will be of course conditioned by the moment that other artists are living. Right now the groups I’ve mentioned or even others are living an incredible moment of popularity that, tbh, they deserve because they’ve actually faced terrible situations and they’re getting what they deserve after their hard work. So welp, those who are underappreciating these other groups only because they can’t understand how crazy is the music industry and how many sacrifices groups do to get to the top... Taemin might not be getting music wins but he’s at the top100 of almost all charts, being a 10 years senior and whatever is his results in the music shows he has already a stable career, same as SHINee. Other groups can’t speak the same, so let them enjoy their best moments, because the fact they’re at the top and Taemin’s not doesn’t mean all the world has a bad music taste, but the fact that some fandoms and general public feel attracted to some trends right now, that in the end will end up changing again and again because that’s how the industry works.

3)“SHINee had a pretty big and loyal fandom”. Jesus... okay. As I’ve mentioned, SHINee is a 10 year senior. Back in 2008 when they’ve debuted, they already got noonas (adult women) who followed them like crazy and they increased their popularity between young people with time. Of course there’s still noonas and both adult and young people who love SHINee, but... we’re all living a life. People study, people work, people get married, people get children, etc. Many decisions that leave behind the activities of being a hard fan to become more a quiet fan: to buy CDs and to attend concerts, for example. But, the life of streaming 24/7 music videos and digital charts, the life of purchasing hundreds of copies, the life of being able to wait for hours out for recordings... that’s not something everybody can do, but only young people who can be free in some specific moments and of course people who have money (their own money or money from their parents, that’s it). So no, the activity of SHINee’s fandom isn’t as low as you can imagine? I keep seeing people doing groups and projects, to stream all day, to purchase also copies like crazy, but many of them are also adults that have to control their fan life and their personal life. Young people that belong to newer groups have more time and more access to support their groups, but us, SHINee World, we don’t follow the same rhythm. Does that mean shawols are lazy? There might be people who might be, but sincerely I’ve seen many, many people doing real efforts to support Taemin this time. Does that mean shawols aren’t loyal? Wtf... SHINee has probably one of the most solid fanbases since their debut in 2008. There’s still many people who are staying since 2008 and more people who came later but still are staying for so long. SHINee still gets to get full venues in Korea and overseas, and their tour in the United States is a big example of how even after waiting for so long yet many shawols got to fulfill their dream of seeing SHINee live. So no, SHINee World isn’t a bad fandom only for not behaving in the same way than other actual fandoms. Generations are different and so are fans. Actual young fans will have also to leave some of their fandom activities to pay attention to their responsabilities in a future. 

Also, the fact that SHINee is a group whose concept is to be a “contemporary band” and that means to keep creating new trends and not to follow the trends that others do (important: following a trend doesn’t mean the music is bad, it just follows popular trends because in the end what groups search for is to be popular and to be stable in the music industry). This is a very risky concept and YET SHINee are still known in the Kpop industry. People keep believing rookies just talk about SHINee as a way to show respect but nope, SHINee do actually create a big influence between younger artists, they do know about their music, about their new concepts, dancing, etc. SHINee is that kind of group that might not call the attention of everybody in a first glance, but they already do what other groups might be doing in a near future. SHINee does this and yet they’re into their 10th year as a group, as Jonghyun and Taemin have developed their solo careers but they’ve also this in common with SHINee: to develope music that doesn’t follow trends, but that follows only the personal interests of Jonghyun and Taemin to develope their own and personal color, their own music. And this is amazing, so amazing. Their solo albums, same as SHINee albums, have different sensations and colors and yet you can say it’s their work.

So welp... SHINee World might not be great in front of your eyes when you compare it to other fandoms, as SHINee might not be great in front of many people when comparing with other groups, but SHINee has become already a group that has nothing to prove to the industry, they only are interested in doing their own thing, their music. The fact that Taemin has been talking these days about ignoring gender rules to do the music that he wants, that makes him the artist he is. The fact that Jonghyun does also ignore gender rules, but also trends and general topics to do music from deep inside his soul, even bringing issues as mental health, that makes him the artist he is. SHINee is a 10 year senior with an incredible stability after their different changes in concepts because with each one they’ve developed incredible music, and we all (even with the many differences we have between each other as a fandom) love SHINee’s colors and SHINee’s efforts to bring us fresh and different music, because that’s how SHINee is. And SHINee is fine the way they are, they don’t have to change at all only to get to the top of the charts. 

#ask #Anonymous