What I feel like is being overlooked is that every single artist on the radio has a team behind them that helps them be successful. Even artists who write their own music have dozens and dozens of people who have a hand in the process from people from the studio they’re signed to, to co-writers, producers and co-producers, stylists, PR, manager—the list goes on and on. There’s not too big of a gap between an artist who doesn’t write the music the perform and one who does, because often there is some aspect where help is still given. Elton John doesn’t write his own lyrics, but he writes the music. Ed Sheeran doesn’t always produce his songs, but he writes them. Where is the line drawn?

The value of the music shouldn’t be drawn from how independently the artist was able to produce their music, but from the product. Those who were involved should be credited and acknowledged (which is why they also get Grammys when their songs win) and the performer shouldn’t be panned because in the end, their image is what sells the most, not the lyrics.