Hozier: a compromise between mainstream music and, well, everything else.
Even as a singer-songwriter from Ireland, he has broad market appeal within the United States.
“Take Me To Church” has been listened to over 300 million times on Spotify.
As it were, it seems to be the case that disappointment inevitably reigns after Little 500 ?concert announcements.
Who is ScHoolboy Q? Tell me again why we ?invited him?
Why couldn’t they have gotten someone else?
And, this year, there are not strong emotions either way. There’s a collective sense of ‘eh.’
Big Sean’s not so big here.
Hozier will be a study in diversification. How many years straight have rappers headlined the Little ?500 concert?
At least three, in my immediate experience, but most definitely many more. It is time for change, shake the solid grip of rap over ?Little 500 entertainment.
Given, as an inherently energetic genre, rap fits with the Little 500 environment and the innumerable number of parties. But let’s add some variety.
And it’s not like Hozier is a marginal artist, listened to only by hipsters and those aspiring to be hipsters. No, he was nominated for a Grammy for “Take Me to Church,” which climbed as high as No. 2 on The ?Billboard Hot 100.
He appeals to a broad spectrum of people.
Jazz aficionados can appreciate the blues elements. Partakers of Top-40 songs can appreciate the fact it was in the Top 40.
Fans of alternative music already listen to him. Who else could be better?
He isn’t a one-hit wonder. His self-titled album “Hozier” is filled with great, compellingly listenable music. “Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene” and “Take Me to Church” would create an alive and memorable atmosphere and would fit quite nicely with the entire theme of Little 500.
And he is already a desirable choice with an entire year awaiting him to release new songs.
Though artists have the tendency to release underwhelming second albums, the creativity of Hozier’s style makes disappointment seem unlikely.
Given, we probably would not get him even if we invited him.
The relative innocuousness of Little 500 over events and concerts elsewhere tends to inhibit us from hosting more famous performers, but we should not let that stop us.
We should not settle for mediocrity without ?trying first.
allenjo@indiana.edu
