electro-music.com   Dedicated to experimental electro-acoustic
and electronic music
 
    Front Page  |  Radio
 |  Media  |  Forum  |  Wiki  |  Links
Forum with support of Syndicator RSS
 FAQFAQ   CalendarCalendar   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   LinksLinks
 RegisterRegister   ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in  Chat RoomChat Room 
go to the radio page Live at electro-music.com radio 1 Please visit the chat
poster
 Forum index » Reviews, Editorials and Commentary » Commentary and Editorials
What's Wrong With American Idol?
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Page 1 of 1 [15 Posts]
View unread posts
View new posts in the last week
Mark the topic unread :: View previous topic :: View next topic
Author Message
seraph
Editor
Editor


Joined: Jun 21, 2003
Posts: 12398
Location: Firenze, Italy
Audio files: 33
G2 patch files: 2

PostPosted: Fri Mar 19, 2004 10:14 am    Post subject: What's Wrong With American Idol? Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Myth #1
Industry talent scouts actively look for singers and musicians to develop.
Myth #2
Most aspiring musicians lack talent and are delusional, struggling and starving.
Myth #3
You need the approval of industry insiders to make it in music.
Myth #4
Landing a major recording contract is the ultimate sign of success.
Myth #5
Without widespread nationwide exposure, you're doomed to failure.

http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=63051

_________________
homepage - blog - forum - youtube

Quote:
Don't die with your music still in you - Wayne Dyer
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
elektro80
Site Admin


Joined: Mar 25, 2003
Posts: 21959
Location: Norway
Audio files: 14

PostPosted: Sat Mar 20, 2004 12:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

I hope you are not about to announce that the Easter Bunny is a figment of my imagination..?
_________________
A Charity Pantomime in aid of Paranoid Schizophrenics descended into chaos yesterday when someone shouted, "He's behind you!"

MySpace
SoundCloud
Flickr
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
seraph
Editor
Editor


Joined: Jun 21, 2003
Posts: 12398
Location: Firenze, Italy
Audio files: 33
G2 patch files: 2

PostPosted: Sun Mar 21, 2004 3:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

there is a very interesting article on a related matter (not Easter Bunny but American Idol) on the Spring 2004 issue of Berklee Today:

Saving the Music Business
By Richard Niles '75
There's a magic and power in music just waiting for those with vision to discover it. However, we find ourselves in a world where record companies and, more lamentably, artists seem interested only in a quick buck.

Record producer Arif Mardin says, "We don't have a lot of creative record executives. In the old days, it was more for the music than the money. Record companies were run by music lovers who appreciated great voices. Today we have bean counters. So the whole business is in decline, and there will have to be some regrouping."

"Artists have less interest in making original sounds today," according to Ann Dudley. "They spend less time in the studio and more time doing photo sessions and practicing dance routines."

Bill Wyman says, "Many talented young people don't have a chance. Now it's completely closed to all but two or three kinds of music. If you don't play those, you don't get signed or played on the radio. The Stones would never make it now."

"The business has made itself so repugnant to me," said Joni Mitchell. "The willingness to do anything to stay in the news-that's the formula now. But no real artist has the stomach for that."

Is the jazz world any different? Jazz radio programming has become so rigid that any deviation from the "smooth" formula is not tolerated. And most artists have literally played along. Branford Marsalis '80 once told me, "When I was growing up, all musicians were directly exposed to great jazz in some way. Now they have no interest in going back to the source. When the greats started out, they had no idea how much money they were going to make. They wanted to play, and maybe they could get chicks. But kids today know about the money, and that's what attracts them: the money, the fame, and the limos; and the music is actually secondary from the get-go. No experimentation or love of music."

As a result, there are talented performers but few groundbreaking original emerging artists. Record companies have led us into a world of music without insight, without heart, without frailty or the spark of human individuality.

Most importantly, the very best commercial efforts of the finest A&R and marketing minds have led the business into the worst financial crisis it's ever seen. Worldwide record sales have plummeted approximately 10 percent annually since 1999, a 48 percent drop in five years. In 2002, singles sales in America fell 60.75 percent, and only 8.4 million units were shipped. That's down 92.8 percent from 117 million five years ago!

Why? Record companies usually bleat, "Digital piracy!" But this is a misleading excuse for two reasons. In its rush to capitalize on the lucrative "new" medium of CDs, the industry ignored repeated warnings of the dangers of selling digitally encoded music without the technology firmly in place to prohibit copying. Impatience is not a virtue, and record companies most certainly brought this problem on themselves. Furthermore, illegal copying was going on well before the CD was a shiny gleam in the inventor's eye. People used to copy vinyl albums onto reel-to-reel tape, and when cheap recordable cassettes and recorders hit the market, copying was universal. But consumers still bought records because they were items of value documenting unique artists and meaningful songs. Despite universal copying of videos, people are still buying popcorn and going out to the movies because directors are still making thought-provoking and entertaining films that the public wants to see.

Instead, the pop world offers attractive dancers who are indistinguishable from one another. The jazz world offers clones of David Sanborn, George Benson, or Kenny G. Black music and even the sacred cow of hip-hop is as bland as Wonder Bread. With such generic "product," the public is reacting to this onslaught of innocuousness with an avalanche of apathy.

A second reason for this apathy is the relatively new concept in marketing called American Idol (devised in Britain as Pop Idol). This "reality" rainbow provides an overflowing pot of gold to its makers by having the public pay for the privilege of phoning in its vote. What's the problem? American Idol and other similar shows degrade the position of the artist in the public mind. Singers are not only criticized but also subjected to humiliating insults. This adds a perverse kink to what purports to be a talent contest. Instead of presenting singers as serious artists with important ideas, popular media present them as amateurs who it is altogether fitting to treat as such because they are amateurs. Can you imagine a Sinatra or Dylan or Lennon or Springsteen on one of these shows?

As one A&R man told me, "I can't sign a new act based on talent, or a commercial song or production. I need to know if they are from an already successful act. Are they on a reality TV show or a "soap"? Is there any scandal attached to them? Unless I get a yes answer to these questions, I can't sign it because I can't sell it. We're developing fewer artists than 10 years ago, and we drop anyone who doesn't get a hit with their first record."

TV friendliness demands attractive dancers, not singers. No problem. Auto-Tune is a computer program that can make even my tone-deaf mother sing in tune. With Vocal Line, I can record a funky session singer and then bring my mother's vocal into line with the groove of the pro. With another bit of digital wizardry I can sample the timbre of Aretha Franklin's voice and "inject" varying amounts of it into my mother's voice. Clever, but my mom still can't sing! When I bought a record by the Stones, the Beatles, or Hendrix as a kid, I was getting their real voices-warts and all. The public subconsciously feels it is being ripped off whether they know these tricks are being used or not. Is there a solution? I have a few suggestions.

Record companies must return to hiring A&R staff who are successful artists, songwriters, arrangers, or producers. People who have talent recognize talent. Quincy Jones, George Martin, Arif Mardin, Jerry Wexler, and Glen Ballard discovered and developed artists because they knew how to work with music. A&R people from other backgrounds (marketing or management for example) keep their jobs by signing unoriginal, unimaginative artists and hiring a handful of producers to make cookie-cutter records. You wouldn't appoint an ambassador to Italy who didn't speak Italian and recognize a good pesto, would you?
Revive the single. The first step most of us take in climbing the ladder of music collecting is currently a dying format. Lower pricing is essential. They say no one ever made money by overestimating the intelligence of their audience, but what sane kids will buy a single when, for a little more, they can get an album? They know how cheap CDs are to manufacture when they see them offered for free with cereal or fan mags. Next we can be really brave and stop chart "hyping," a concept that has to enter the minds of kids who can't fail to wonder how a record by an act no one has ever heard of appears on the chart at number four! Without this type of "promotion," imagine all the money that record labels would be able to put back into artist development!

As a jazz broadcaster, I also strongly support the use of the single in jazz, which needs any promotional tool it can get. The jazz single would give radio-friendly tracks to programmers and include some bonus tracks for fans.
A major asset lies is in the technology that the industry blames for its problems. Legal downloads such as Apple's iTunes, Pressplay, Roxio, Listen/Rhapsody, and Liquid Audio allow the consumer to buy individual tunes for around 99 cents. We must have a download chart and downloads must be factored into the official charts. Retailers are not against this providing there are promotional burning booths in stores. The Internet can give significant exposure to creative, innovative, unsigned acts (and independent labels) without major management or record-company hype behind them. Once again, fans would have the excitement of discovering an artist for themselves instead of being force-fed by the major label marketing machines.
The press and broadcasters must seek out and support innovative talent instead of just promoting the CDs they get free, and they should be inspired by Robert Shelton's reviews in the New York Times which broke the careers of many new artists including Bob Dylan.
Musicians have to fight the system. Don't play along, play to win. Go for passion, not fashion. Become proactive. Insist on making your music and find a way to be heard. Use the power of the Internet and the press. Create websites that have to be visited and stories journalists will beg to tell. Create gigs where there are none. Target local, independent, and college radio stations. By all means, believe in yourself enough to be yourself.
Richard Niles is a producer, composer, arranger, songwriter and guitarist based in London. He writes and broadcasts music documentaries for BBC Radio 2 including his series New Jazz Standards. Visit richardniles.com.
http://www.berklee.edu/bt/153/coda.html

_________________
homepage - blog - forum - youtube

Quote:
Don't die with your music still in you - Wayne Dyer
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
7/4



Joined: Jan 19, 2004
Posts: 161
Location: ...next stop Mars!

PostPosted: Sun Mar 21, 2004 6:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

I try not to care about this sh*t. Wink
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
mosc
Site Admin


Joined: Jan 31, 2003
Posts: 18195
Location: Durham, NC
Audio files: 211
G2 patch files: 60

PostPosted: Sun Mar 21, 2004 8:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Richard Niles wrote:
Musicians have to fight the system. Don't play along, play to win. Go for passion, not fashion. Become proactive. Insist on making your music and find a way to be heard. Use the power of the Internet and the press. Create websites that have to be visited and stories journalists will beg to tell. Create gigs where there are none. Target local, independent, and college radio stations. By all means, believe in yourself enough to be yourself.

Hey, what do you think we are doing?

Seriously, I think this is a good article. Good points, well written, and worthy of consideration. I sent him a letter telling him about our site and community. Maybe he can join us or something.

Last edited by mosc on Sun Mar 21, 2004 8:32 am; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website AIM Address
themoors



Joined: Dec 15, 2003
Posts: 148
Location: northern england

PostPosted: Sun Mar 21, 2004 8:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

im with you 7/4.. it all go's over my head...

Im sure its been sugested before...but what about an electro-idol?
I'd be a pefect candidate with my beard and total inability to hold a normal tune...
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
elektro80
Site Admin


Joined: Mar 25, 2003
Posts: 21959
Location: Norway
Audio files: 14

PostPosted: Sun Mar 21, 2004 8:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

That article by Niles is excellent. I notice he rather blames the industry for the current sales slump than focusing just on piracy.. this is basically what I have been proposing myself for quite some time now.

I guess you guys have noticed that the norwegian Kurt Nilsen won the international Idol contest? This is a guy who has years of practice performing with his little rock band all over Norway, he has a very decent voice. There is hope still. World peace next?

_________________
A Charity Pantomime in aid of Paranoid Schizophrenics descended into chaos yesterday when someone shouted, "He's behind you!"

MySpace
SoundCloud
Flickr
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
mosc
Site Admin


Joined: Jan 31, 2003
Posts: 18195
Location: Durham, NC
Audio files: 211
G2 patch files: 60

PostPosted: Sun Mar 21, 2004 8:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

themoors wrote:
what about an electro-idol?
I'd be a pefect candidate with my beard and total inability to hold a normal tune...



Hey with your picture, you just have a shot at it. We already have an electro-diva, Amy X Neuburg.

electro-idol - hmmm. That has some real possibilities. I guess I need to watch the American Idol TV show to see what this is all about. Maybe we can have a parody event here somehow. That might be difficult because I understand that there is a lot of cruelty and insensitivity on that show. This is certainly not what we are into. That's why I won't waste my time watching it. Hmmm....
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website AIM Address
paul e.



Joined: Sep 22, 2003
Posts: 1567
Location: toronto, canada
Audio files: 2

PostPosted: Sun Mar 21, 2004 11:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

seraph wrote:
there is a very interesting article on a related matter (not Easter Bunny but American Idol) on the Spring 2004 issue of Berklee Today:

l



odd , most of these ideas are coming from those who are on their way out of the business - producers, engineers

'in the good old days' etc

they just don;'t get how technology has reduced the roles of producer and engineer and are threatened

and like someone who says 'kids today just aren't as good as we were when we were kids' , it rings hollow and sounds like resentment toward youth

_________________
Spiral Recordings
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
paul e.



Joined: Sep 22, 2003
Posts: 1567
Location: toronto, canada
Audio files: 2

PostPosted: Sun Mar 21, 2004 11:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Quote:
Quincy Jones, George Martin, Arif Mardin, Jerry Wexler, and Glen Ballard discovered and developed artists because they knew how to work with music. A&R people from other backgrounds (marketing or management for example) keep their jobs by signing unoriginal, unimaginative artists and hiring a handful of producers to make cookie-cutter records.



these guys have had their time...former 'power brokers' - former standard bearers....

and i can think of about 1 million 'unoriginal, unimaginative artists' who nmade 'cookie-cutter' records from the 1940's on...hell, since 78rpm

the parttridge family comes to mind.....or maybe that wanker frank sinatra

or maybe the monkees..i cold go on and on and on

this is just the typical 'generation gap' and makes me think these guys are not handling their stage in life very well....

_________________
Spiral Recordings
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
elektro80
Site Admin


Joined: Mar 25, 2003
Posts: 21959
Location: Norway
Audio files: 14

PostPosted: Sun Mar 21, 2004 11:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

http://www.airwindows.com/analysis/Evergreens.html

read his analysis.. it is kinda relevant

_________________
A Charity Pantomime in aid of Paranoid Schizophrenics descended into chaos yesterday when someone shouted, "He's behind you!"

MySpace
SoundCloud
Flickr
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
paul e.



Joined: Sep 22, 2003
Posts: 1567
Location: toronto, canada
Audio files: 2

PostPosted: Sun Mar 21, 2004 11:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

i would suggest it WAS relevant, but no longer

he is applying an old school anlaysis to a new-school industry and this completely misses the target

_________________
Spiral Recordings
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
seraph
Editor
Editor


Joined: Jun 21, 2003
Posts: 12398
Location: Firenze, Italy
Audio files: 33
G2 patch files: 2

PostPosted: Sun Mar 21, 2004 2:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

sudden wrote:
this is just the typical 'generation gap' and makes me think these guys are not handling their stage in life very well....

tell us the truth: you want to be the next Canadian Idol Shocked Very Happy

_________________
homepage - blog - forum - youtube

Quote:
Don't die with your music still in you - Wayne Dyer
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
paul e.



Joined: Sep 22, 2003
Posts: 1567
Location: toronto, canada
Audio files: 2

PostPosted: Sun Mar 21, 2004 3:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

i confess.. seraph you are very observant...hehe
_________________
Spiral Recordings
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
mosc
Site Admin


Joined: Jan 31, 2003
Posts: 18195
Location: Durham, NC
Audio files: 211
G2 patch files: 60

PostPosted: Tue Mar 23, 2004 2:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Got this back from Richard Niles - the fellow who wrote the article several posts back up in this thread.

Richard Niles wrote:
Thanks for your email. I saw your site, and anything that promotes musicians discussion, listening, interest, controversy and hopefully making a living is positive.
Good luck,
Richard

Richard Niles
website: richardniles.com
Niles Productions - Nucool Studio
email: r.niles@richardniles.com
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website AIM Address
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Page 1 of 1 [15 Posts]
View unread posts
View new posts in the last week
Mark the topic unread :: View previous topic :: View next topic
 Forum index » Reviews, Editorials and Commentary » Commentary and Editorials
Jump to:  

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum


Forum with support of Syndicator RSS
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group
Copyright © 2003 through 2009 by electro-music.com - Conditions Of Use