For the longest time, I tried not to become one of those people who went constantly digging into their stack of old records, or in this case CDs. But, as fate would have it, several years ago, music shifted from being very melodic to being overly rhythmic, and a good song that stayed on my mind could only mostly be found amongst my oldies.
So, what do you do when your favorite band or artist has fallen from the mainstream market place. Brick and mortar, mostly your mom and pop (if there are any left) have always been a good source for new releases from independents and lesser know acts, as well as releases from big name artists whose sound no longer fits into the mainstream.
Of, course the internet has become an almost invaluable resource for finding just about anything that's ever been recorded. In fact, I recently discovered while online, that one of my favorite bands, Earth Wind & Fire released a new single called, Guiding Lights from their soon to be released album "Now, Then, and Forever." The album is a single disc retrospective that features selections by some of the bands more famous fans.
They've been making music for about 40 years and are just one example of what can be found that is no longer considered as "mainstream." There are many artists who release new music from time to time and haven't been on a major label for some time. The question is why. Why can't those artist get the attention of a major label anymore? What is it about the mainstream? Why does it change? Why can't there be a place for everyone with a viable product?
I'm sure I've said this or something like this before, and I could say this till I'm blue in the face, but I think that it's worth repeating. Popular music is marketed to a specific demographic. That demographic is age 14 to 24 years and possibly female. The idea is that this segment of the population has a lot of what is known as disposable cash. This is said to be money that a family has after everything has been taken care of. For the target market demographic, this could be money from their allowances, savings, babysitting or grass cutting jobs, maybe even snow shoveling and/or car washing jobs. Any money that's not needed to take care of necessities. That, I think would also include working part time at McDonald's.
That takes care of the money part. The other part, is appealing to those who are between the ages of 14 to 24. Style and appearance are right at the top, right along with anything that is already a trend. And, if there isn't a trend, then one is created. Sometimes a touch of androgyny is used, not to blur any lines, but to create a subtle or almost subliminal or psychological appeal. People in this demographic, especially at the younger end, are believed to be more impressionable and susceptible to sexually suggestive images.
Add to that the need to appear, or be perceived as hip or cool, and an artist coming on the scene with the right combination of the above, coupled with a lot of major label promotion muscle, and "ta dow," you've got yourself an overnight sensation. If you've noticed, I didn't say very much about the music.
It's just my opinion, but it would seem that music is or has become the last and least important part of the whole equation. Music, in my opinion, has become something that, maybe only someone who is 25 and over would care about. And, after you've fallen from the market demographic, the majors aren't selling to you anymore.
So it would seem, that at some point, the majors stop selling to you, and what you hear on the radio is not what you want to hear. Then, sooner or later, you find yourself digging through that sack of old CDs or Mp3s, trying to find that certain something that the mainstream sound just doesn't seem to offer. But, if that happens to you, don't worry. It doesn't mean that you're getting old or that you're becoming your parents. You're just longing for the good times.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
When Will It Be?
The world is still waiting for it's first internet music superstar. The only question is, when will it ever happen?
The internet, while being created in the early 1960s, only gave birth to the World Wide Web a mere twenty years ago. While the technology continues to grow at a very rapid pace, the more traditional communications mediums, such a Radio and Television have been around for far longer and still hold sway with consumers in the mainstream market place.
The first band to post a million downloads was the band, Fisher back in 2000. This got the attention of a major label and landed the band a record deal. However, the success that they had online didn't translate to brick and mortar, as the size of there fan base came from a wide and varied, global audience.
While 2011 was indeed the year that digital music began to make an impact, still the artist whose music contributed to it's greater success launched their careers through the use of those more traditional forms of media. In fact all major artists enjoy the promotion power that signing with a major label can bring.
The success of Adele and Lady Gaga, as well as last year's first million selling album by Lady Antebellum was the product of major label promotional muscle. It is true, if you are an independent artist able to travel the world touring, that it is possible to build huge fan base. But, by so doing, your audience will have been built from thousands of miles of travel and countless numbers of live performances, and not by anything more than maybe a few days of advance notice either from Radio, Television, or the Internet. And, while you may gain a great deal of notoriety, stardom or super stardom may not necessarily come along for the ride.
Maybe, the concept of star, or super star actually negates ones efforts as a musician, or singer/songwriter and plays host to something that is obviously more fleeting, like fame. Most music legends endured a certain amount of struggle on their journey to the top, while most of today's stars seemed to come forth, ready made, complete with their own image and fan base already in place.
The internet gives all artist a greater chance at a larger audience. But, most Web surfers tend to do just that. They roam the internet in search of something that they have yet to experience or maybe have been wondering about. And how important is it to become a star on the internet anyway? What most independent artist long for is the freedom to create what they envision. Maybe all any artist hopes to do on the internet is build a following that really and truly enjoys their music. Sure, as an independent, you're always hoping that you can reach a level of attention that can earn you enough money so that can do just music for a living. Having said that, then maybe it is also true that no one coming onto the internet that isn't already famous or a star, is looking to actually become one. But, if such a thing should happen, I could see how no artist would be able to turn away from it, including yours truly.
All in all, for most independent artists at least, the internet is about getting the word out to those who love music, that you have music for sale. If we as a species survives long enough, I could see the day when good music triumphs over all, even if only in my dreams.
The internet, while being created in the early 1960s, only gave birth to the World Wide Web a mere twenty years ago. While the technology continues to grow at a very rapid pace, the more traditional communications mediums, such a Radio and Television have been around for far longer and still hold sway with consumers in the mainstream market place.
The first band to post a million downloads was the band, Fisher back in 2000. This got the attention of a major label and landed the band a record deal. However, the success that they had online didn't translate to brick and mortar, as the size of there fan base came from a wide and varied, global audience.
While 2011 was indeed the year that digital music began to make an impact, still the artist whose music contributed to it's greater success launched their careers through the use of those more traditional forms of media. In fact all major artists enjoy the promotion power that signing with a major label can bring.
The success of Adele and Lady Gaga, as well as last year's first million selling album by Lady Antebellum was the product of major label promotional muscle. It is true, if you are an independent artist able to travel the world touring, that it is possible to build huge fan base. But, by so doing, your audience will have been built from thousands of miles of travel and countless numbers of live performances, and not by anything more than maybe a few days of advance notice either from Radio, Television, or the Internet. And, while you may gain a great deal of notoriety, stardom or super stardom may not necessarily come along for the ride.
Maybe, the concept of star, or super star actually negates ones efforts as a musician, or singer/songwriter and plays host to something that is obviously more fleeting, like fame. Most music legends endured a certain amount of struggle on their journey to the top, while most of today's stars seemed to come forth, ready made, complete with their own image and fan base already in place.
The internet gives all artist a greater chance at a larger audience. But, most Web surfers tend to do just that. They roam the internet in search of something that they have yet to experience or maybe have been wondering about. And how important is it to become a star on the internet anyway? What most independent artist long for is the freedom to create what they envision. Maybe all any artist hopes to do on the internet is build a following that really and truly enjoys their music. Sure, as an independent, you're always hoping that you can reach a level of attention that can earn you enough money so that can do just music for a living. Having said that, then maybe it is also true that no one coming onto the internet that isn't already famous or a star, is looking to actually become one. But, if such a thing should happen, I could see how no artist would be able to turn away from it, including yours truly.
All in all, for most independent artists at least, the internet is about getting the word out to those who love music, that you have music for sale. If we as a species survives long enough, I could see the day when good music triumphs over all, even if only in my dreams.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
A Fine Mess
I was listening to the radio again. Got a couple of nice surprises too. The first one was the return of the region's only smooth Jazz station. It's format changed about two or so years ago, but now it's back with a new twist. It's playing some of today's pop radio hit makers. While this is not the worst that could happen to the station, I personally am hoping that this won't be a permanent change, as this has been done at a cost to a wealth of music that would better fit within the format.
The other surprise came as I was listening to a few of the Rock stations in my area. Wow. The music was really tight. Gone was much of that weepy, dreary sound that had begun to take over the genre. In fact, I actually spent as much or more time listening to the Rock stations then I did any of the others.
The local R&B station still has very little to draw from, since R&B has given itself over to Rap and Hip Hop. There's the quiet storm in the evenings, which features a lot of Romantic oldies sprinkled with today's lifeless imitation of the real thing. Through day however, there isn't much that is new that is uptempo unless it's Rap or Hip Hop, or something from the past. The rhythms of the new stuff are usually tight but the melodies, in my opinion, are still lacking and the lyrics are usually less than imaginative.
As I roamed around the dial, I found that the oldies station was now playing, "everything that was good." Which I might add, was very good actually. It takes a bit of skill to do it, but they played a set list that weaved music from every genre and time period into a seamless progression of some of the most popular music ever to air on the radio. I guess that's a third surprise.
What's most intriguing about my experience is that none of these stations that I listened to are considered as top 40 stations. And, from the sounds of it, I think that none of them care. Alright! I don't know what this means or if it means anything, but it was refreshing.
I think that it's too soon to tell though. Something's got to happen with R&B before I could say personally that, maybe real music is making a come back. But, I think that it's definitely worth keeping an eye on.
The other surprise came as I was listening to a few of the Rock stations in my area. Wow. The music was really tight. Gone was much of that weepy, dreary sound that had begun to take over the genre. In fact, I actually spent as much or more time listening to the Rock stations then I did any of the others.
The local R&B station still has very little to draw from, since R&B has given itself over to Rap and Hip Hop. There's the quiet storm in the evenings, which features a lot of Romantic oldies sprinkled with today's lifeless imitation of the real thing. Through day however, there isn't much that is new that is uptempo unless it's Rap or Hip Hop, or something from the past. The rhythms of the new stuff are usually tight but the melodies, in my opinion, are still lacking and the lyrics are usually less than imaginative.
As I roamed around the dial, I found that the oldies station was now playing, "everything that was good." Which I might add, was very good actually. It takes a bit of skill to do it, but they played a set list that weaved music from every genre and time period into a seamless progression of some of the most popular music ever to air on the radio. I guess that's a third surprise.
What's most intriguing about my experience is that none of these stations that I listened to are considered as top 40 stations. And, from the sounds of it, I think that none of them care. Alright! I don't know what this means or if it means anything, but it was refreshing.
I think that it's too soon to tell though. Something's got to happen with R&B before I could say personally that, maybe real music is making a come back. But, I think that it's definitely worth keeping an eye on.
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