This post comes to you from HTMH listener and should totally be a famous blogger, Rachel. You can also follow her on Twitter at @seewhatyoumeme
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So today I was finally able to listen to Episode 8 of Hey! That’s My Hummus.
Ok, so I’m a little behind. I’ll blame it on the apocalypse.
The third segment of the podcast inspired some thoughts on pop music. Faiqa and Shiny pondered whether Rebecca Black as Internet sensation was “the future of pop music.”
Here are my thoughts:
I’m an admitted music snob. My tastes are eclectic and run the gamut from well known acts like Dave Matthews, The Black Eyed Peas, and Allison Krauss to lesser known musicians like Vinx, Nickel Creek, and Sonos. Never heard of those last three artists? Check ‘em out! You won’t be sorry.
Pop music is here to stay. Popular songs have been a part of the American landscape since Stephen Foster raged onto the scene in the 1800s with Camptown Races, Oh! Susanna, and Swannee River. Remember those rockin’ tunes? Through the decades, popular music comes and goes. So do pop artists.
Admittedly, the Internet has made pop stardom more accessible for the amateur musician with superstar aspirations but I think that pop stars can be classified into one of four categories:
Exhibit A: The Average Joe/Jane One-Hit Wonder: These are the musicians who catch their big break thanks to the viral video or an opportunity to appear on a reality show. They hit the airwaves and catch their 15 minutes of fame but 6 months..2 years…5 years from now, we’ll see them on Where Are They Now? Examples: Rebecca Black, Susan Boyle, Taylor Hicks
Exhibit B: The Average Joe/Jane With Staying Power: Like the previous example, these musicians find success with a lucky break but thanks to a convergence of just the right elements: good connections, a marketing plan, and (oh yeah) talent, they’re not only getting top 10 hits but winning awards, expanding their career, and making a living as a musician. Kudos! Examples: Jennifer Hudson, LeAnn Rimes, Carrie Underwood
Exhibit C: The Traditional Pop Star Trajectory: Then there are the “signed” artists. These are the musicians who are discovered and contracted by the increasingly irrelevant music labels (more on that in a minute). Supposedly, these folks are vetted by the record execs for talent, poise, and star power. They rise to the scene with varying degrees of success and their staying power is just as volatile. You’d think their chances of success (monetary and otherwise) would be a sure thing but that doesn’t seem to be the case. A few who stand the test of time: Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, and Queen Latifah.
Exhibit D: The Grassroots Internet Sensation: Finally, there are musicians who find success and rise out of their relative obscurity thanks, in large part, to the world-wide-web. These days, technology allows any schlub with a video camera and some recording equipment the opportunity to market and sell their music on the Internet (either through iTunes or their own websites). Unsigned artists finally have a way to rise from the status of Wedding Singer to Rock Star with just a few clicks. My favorite example of this is Jonathan Coulton who left his job as an IT professional to make it as a musician. He’s sold and marketed his music through his website and social media word-of-mouth. His take-home pay last year? Almost $500,000! Other examples include Ani DiFranco and Pomplamoose (now finding success with Hyundai Commericals).
Pop Stars: One Hit Wonders, Viral Video Flameouts, Reality Stars, and Bonafide Overnight Success Stories.
There’s room for everyone thanks to the World-Wide-Web. If you’re lucky enough, you might be next!
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Nice job, Dear.
Do you think that the big music labels are on their way out? I feel like they are unless they step up the idea of merchandising something besides the music. And that makes me sad for other reasons. I LOVE Justin Timberlake, but your post makes me wonder if he would be as famous if he had been forced to rely on YouTube to propagate his work. I like to think he would have.
So, if I read this right, the Internet is The deciding factor? I would have to disagree about 1hit wonder artists. The reasons some of them became that way are Far & away more varied that you might think. The example I’ll use is Bill Withers. If you call up YouTube & search for still bill, you will find a documentary about bill that explains why he only had a few hits & why he quit the game (for the mst part)
Then there are the Thieves. Billy Ray Cyrus springs to mind.(miley’s dad) his big hit Achy Breaky heart he Pirated off the demo take of a group, was sued & had to pay up!
Lastly, there are the True stars. Sting, Willie Nelson, Madonna, David Bowie, the list is long and they are folks with true talent!
Great post. 🙂
I don’t think record labels are necessarily on their way out, but they certainly have to change their game and partner with other sources of media to ensure profitability.
Case study: John Cougar Mellencamp. He was certainly a posterboy for the record industry when he became famous in the late 1970s and early 1980s. And the record companies loved him. He was able to use his fame to propel certain causes, like Farm Aid. But once the musical landscape started changing, he wasn’t seen as profitable. By the beginning of this century, he had been dropped by Columbia Records after only three of his four contracted albums.
He released another album in 2007 — one that debuted at #5 on the Billboard charts. How did this happen? His song “Our Country” was sold to Chevrolet to sell trucks. This was a NEW song that came out that was now getting more airplay as a commercial than it would have on the radio. Familiarity kicked in — and he gained momentum.
And that’s where it’s at — familiarity and momentum. If a song happens to be in the background of the latest viral video, you can bet that people will get used to it and want to listen to it. Honestly, Warner Music Group is absolutely stupid to ban their music from YouTube videos for this very reason. Music labels need to expose the public to music as much as possible in new ways.
This was a tad rambly – sorry about that. 🙂
Thanks for the comments! I agree that the Internet is now “where it’s at” but I think the traditional record companies will probably still exist. The thing is, most of the major labels are just subsidiaries of major entertainment conglomerates like NBC/Universal, Time Warner, and Disney. They cross-promote the he** out of their artists through TV, internet, and other media distribution. That’s where their advantage lies. The independent artist, on the other hand, has to do more leg-work but gets more creative freedom and a bigger piece of the monetary pie in return.
Yknot, you cite some good examples and I have seen the excellent Bill Withers doc but he was not a part of the “Internet Age”. Many of the true stars you cite have maintained their staying power because they have adapted with the culture (Sting and Madonna are great examples). Actually, Sting is a great example of a musician who does whatever he wants without regard for commercial success. Who else could have convinced a major label to produce a 21st century album of medieval tunes on the LUTE?
The Internet is not the deciding factor but it certainly is a huge game-changer. Thanks again for the opportunity to post.