Songwriter, that's a great question--
I think that the key is in balance- define the elements and messages in your music that are most important to you.
If you want those messages to reach the masses, you can allow a producer to modify parts of your music, while keeping those core elements. Understand what elements the producers are changing or modifying and why, and as long as you know what the point of your music is, and how you want it to affect people, then you can allow it to be translated in order to be channeled to the masses.
I am a strong believer in the Kantian principle of 'greatest light to the greatest number of people'. I can identify the most important parts of my work, and understand that during production, certain parts of my work are modified in order to be transmitted to a greater number of people, but am always certain that the core message is still there.
Yours is a classic dilemma of artists who appreciate the value and message of their work more than mass appeal; if you want to be an indie artist and preserve it completely, that's fine, but if you want your music to reach more people, understand what your message is and make it a point to preserve that while allowing your message to be channeled to a greater number of people. You're never 'selling out' as long as you understand what your most important principles are, and always preserve those in your work.  |