Rock Star Sam Fender Says the Music Industry Is Rigged – Here’s Why

Brit Awards 2025 nominee Sam Fender called out the music industry in a recent interview with The Sunday Times.

The rock star argues that most musicians from his background can’t actually make it in the industry because they don’t have enough money to afford touring, for example.

“The music industry is 80 percent, 90 percent kids who are privately educated,” Fender said.

Fender has a point. We need to acknowledge that many of our idols, despite being incredibly talented, come from wealth.

A good example is Gracie Abrams, whose dad is Star Wars director J.J. Abrams. His films have earned over $4 billion globally, making him the tenth highest-grossing director in history.

Fender adds, “My drug addict friends who are posh go to rehab, but my mates with issues up there just die.”

While talent that emerges from privilege isn’t necessarily fake, the odds of a working-class kid reaching big stages and living a lavish life are slim.

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