If you ever stop to sit down and think about celebrity culture, you might come away feeling a little strange about it. It’s easy to go about our days without questioning the normalcy of idolizing people beyond the appreciation of their talent. But when we take a moment to reflect, it is odd how much power and influence a person can have for the sole reason that they are famous. Bryan Cooper takes a look at this phenomenon in his song “Heroes Let You Down,” a track that seems to be partly inspired by the idea that you should never meet your heroes.
Lyrics like “have you figured it out, heroes let you down” and “take your posters off the walls, you don’t need them anymore” suggest that this song is written for the people who have only recently found out that their idols are not always what they think. At the end of the day, celebrities are just people, but it can be hard to reconcile an inspirational figure with a regular person who makes mistakes.
Quick guitar riffs and retro chords make Cooper’s talent clear, and the intense style mirrors the feeling of getting hit with reality. “Heroes Let You Down” is both a cautionary tale and a word of advice- be careful who you’re idolizing (or perhaps don’t idolize any celebrity at all). Building up someone in your head will only result in them letting you down.
Written by Emily Cushing
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