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Attaching a popularity contest to any hobby can make it soul-crushing.

It's worse in music.

Are you speaking from personal experience? Care to share some details?

Doesn't your popularity in music largely determine whether you're able to do something as a job or not?

Sure, but I was interested about that "soul-crushing" aspect.

Many bands have spoke about the disappointment they feel at concerts where they try to play new material, but the crowd mostly want to hear the hits.

True!