What is the U.S. really interested in?

In terms of music and artists, it is difficult to say what the American public is really looking for. Are we looking for genuine talent or are we looking for something to take up our time and keep us entertained? Are artists famous for what they do or for what they show? The reason I ask this is because we see a sort of parallel with artists and their legacies. The Beatles are still popular today, but not so much the stones. Why is that? Is it because The Beatles were accepted by all social groups, or was it because they were tragic (John Lennon's Death for example). Phil Spector is a great example because he was such a huge part of the music business, but now people just remember him as the crazy producer who shot a woman not too long ago. A current artist that applies to this as well is Michael Jackson. He created all this amazing music but then his music took a backseat while he was all over television for his trials. Once he died his music was all over the place. So what is American interested in, the trials and tragedy, or the music itself? Does their "entertaining" life help them leave a legacy?