I don't think that the NME was blowing anything out of proportion. They simply reported what Morrissey said, which as Noel Gallagher pointed out, is idiotic.
This idea that a band must resist opportunities and keep itself muted because it might get too popular, too soon, is just dumb. What does Morrissey expect, that they hide from everyone? If you make it, you make it. It's not slave labor. You don't have to prove anything. You offer music, and if people want to come and see you, then they will come and see you. If you become desired, then be thankful.
Music careers are predominantly short-lived anyhow, so you better grab it when you can. Very few artists have any longeveity, and even if they do, their quality begins to wane.
Morrissey is a perfect example of this. Popularity does not always equal quality, nor does it always mean that an artist is lazy, and well, shit.