artist of year
Opinion

Alternative Press’ ‘Artist of the Year’ Stirs Controversy

How does someone who has been arrested twice in the past four months for domestic assault and injuring his fans deserve an award as prestigious as Alternative Press’ Artist of the Year?

Rock Magazine, Alternative Press, announced that Falling in Reverse, a post-hardcore band, was their Artist of the Year. To a point, music should be just about the music, but when it comes to giving awards, kids are going to start to look up to the band. Lead singer Ronnie Radke is no role model.

The reason this is causing controversy is because Radke has not been a model citizen. Let’s take Radke’s past year step- by- step. In August, Radke was arrested for domestic assault on his girlfriend. In September, during FestEVIL at the Jackson, NJ Six Flags, Radke threw four microphone stands into the crowd at the end of the band’s performance.

There were at least two fans that were hurt with alleged head injuries. Radke was then arrested.

This fall, while touring with Falling in Reverse, an opening band, I See Stars, was arrested for possession of drugs. Radke, a recovering addict, kicked them off of the tour.

The band then begged Radke to stay on tour and offered him their pay. Radke agreed after making them sign a contract of secrecy but then ended up kicking them off the tour again.

Fans of I See Stars had already bought tickets for that night and were assuming they would be there. A group of fans started to chant “I See Stars.” Radke kicked the fans out of the show while maliciously shouting at them.

I See Stars’ record label, Sumerian Records, said, “Just because you no longer do drugs doesn’t mean you are no longer a horrible human being. Ronnie now abuses people instead of substances.”

We have to realize Radke alone isn’t Falling in Reverse. There are four other members, but as a front man you take the responsibility as the face of the band.

Are we trying to show kids that you can be a horrible person, but as long as you are in a cool band people won’t care?

Nobody is perfect, but with someone as far away from perfect like Radke, they don’t need to be rewarded in the year where incident after incident kept happening. The timing is all wrong. Radke needs time to prove that he can be a respectful human being.

Radke in the past has been arrested for drugs at least six times and even went to prison for two- and- a- half years after violating his parole due to his involvement in a group fight that resulted in a death.

In the Artist of the Year article, Radke announces that he is going to be a father. This is a scary thought because he has no respect for people and seems like a rotten soul. We can only hope that this baby is a miracle child and can change Radke.

Falling in Reverse fans will probably argue the fact that Radke’s personal life has nothing to do with the band and that they deserve this award, but it’s the principle.

By Alternative Press picking them, it puts them on a pedestal where they certainly don’t belong.

Surely Radke isn’t the first rock and roller to get arrested,  but it’s time that we stop being enablers of this behavior.

Of course Falling in Reverse fans aren’t phased by this, but most music fans are irritated. Every year, tons of artists hit the scene that are talented, excited, and loyal to fans, so why was this bitter, drama-filled band chosen as Artist of the Year? That is something we may never know.

There is a certain image that comes with being in a rock and roll band. It’s all about partying and being bad, but when you start to disrespect and harm others, it is taken to a whole other level.

I believe Radke’s unacceptable behavior and his lack of sympathy for those he’s hurt should be evidence enough that Falling in Reverse isn’t Artist of the Year material yet