Creativity vs. Commerce

It never ceases to amaze me how music critics and reporters seem to attach such significance to quantity of sales and staggering monetary figures of “artists” while completely overlooking artistic integrity and creativity.

A prime example is the ‘N Sync worship exhibited in the Calendar section on Dec. 29 (“Encore for ‘N Sync,” by Geoff Boucher). What about the movers and shakers of 2001 who refused to sell out--artists like Cake, who put out a groundbreaking video (“Short Skirt/Long Jacket”) on a shoestring budget.

The point I’m trying to make is that The Times would do a great service to its readers by noticing art and directing a few plaudits in the direction of creative achievement instead of simply worshiping commercial success.

BRUCE L. THIESSEN

Sacramento