In 1992, Pearl Jam refused to make music videos or give interviews despite massive fame, embodying the 90s anti-commercial ethos. The concept of 'selling out' was deeply stigmatized—artists were expected to maintain distance from mainstream success and corporate partnerships. This anti-consumerist sentiment permeated culture, from Super Size Me to anti-WTO protests.

Today, that zeitgeist has vanished. Meghan Thee Stallion franchises Popeyes, Drake promotes online gambling, and Lady Gaga sells Chromatica-themed Oreos. Even punk icons like Iggy Pop now sell insurance. The stigma around commercial partnerships has completely eroded.

Author W. David Marx blames poptimism—the idea that all popular art is equally meritorious—for this shift. Critics embraced pop music not just for its artistic merit but as political penance, abandoning their role as cultural gatekeepers. Once art criticism became democratized through the internet, professional tastemakers lost influence to casual consumers who prioritize pleasure over artistic integrity.

The result is hyper-commercialism that thrives because audiences now celebrate rather than shame these collaborations. What was once considered cringe-worthy has become normalized, marking a fundamental shift in how we value art versus commerce.