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Music reality shows provide a platform to people who have talent and gives them visibility and exposure. It is a win-win situation for participants.

But MTV relishes its vestigial role as a star maker, so every year it puts all its clout into making the VMAs the biggest, splashiest, loudest show-biz extravaganza of the year, honoring all this music for existing, after a year of paying barely any attention to it.

That's absolutely one of my main goals, to have a number one on Billboard. That's a big thing for me. That means people are buying and listening to your music.

There's a tremendous amount to be gained from being a performer, and being an artist, and being an actor.

If you give a good performance, something that gets some feeling across to people, that's such a rare gift. It's underestimated at this point in history, when the music biz is inevitably turning into a kind of politics.

I'm not a big fan of the thought that you can become a star by winning a contest. I'm sort of old-fashioned. I think people need to get out there and they need to work and they need to do their music because they love it. If they become successful, then great, and if they are not, whatever.

I don't live for the accolades. I'm more so about the music. Making it, and putting it out. Those are the two best feelings.

If there is a good musical reason, I think it might draw more attention and sell, though it is not guaranteed. To make a record without a musical reason, you have to either be a pop star who sells automatically or just be lucky.

So there was a way for you to get promoted and survive as an artist without worrying about AM radio hits.

To have someone to relate to and hopefully enjoy the music and get a positive message out of it, to make the best music that we possibly could, those were the goals.