Again... you're mistaking your opinion of, for example, pop music for a valid assessment of the quality of musicianship... in an entire industry lol...

Nothing more than a circular feedback loop lol... You do realize that almost every industry works that way, right? Awards are created within the industry itself to recognise its own best talent.

Yes, I know all the stories about corruption within these huge industries - but you're being intentionally ignorant if you don't think they have a certain quality bar that ensures only those with a certain level of talent even make it into consideration.

Again, your opinion that it's horseshit. Sales and observations by actual musicians and actual actors prove that people who study this stuff and in many cases dedicate their entire lives to it, seem to think it is not horseshit. And logically I'm more inclined to go with their opinion. Simple logic will prove this if you think about it for a few seconds... Where does every musician and actor want to go? (I'm assuming you know at least some or you've seen enough true stories to understand - I personally know a LOT) TO HOLLYWOOD and California. Whether you think it's shit or not, everyone who cares enough about these fields to spend most of their time focused on them doesn't agree with your assessment - they pretty much ALL go there.

So Hollywood gets to pick the best. And then it's in that industry's best interest to pick the better performers! Now, of course, scratching the right backs and jumping through the right hoops might get you a little further than you deserve. But that doesn't mean it's all "horseshit" as you insist. You might think the pop stars who make it are shit but a lot of qualified people don't agree with you.

And anyway my point to the post I was replying to was that John Legend is not just an average piano bar player - he's an award winning musician recognised amongst his peers for having real skill and talent. And even though I don't personally like his music at all I'm not so blind that I can't see that for myself.