Comment on the state of the music industry - 2003

Originally published http://www.spot.no/38854.html

Is the music industry about the music anymore?

What’s good music? Do we listen to music anymore, or do we watch it? Has the video become more important than the song itself? Is a stripped down Beyonce preferred to a fully dressed Elton John?

”When you shake your ass, they notice fast...”

Look at the videos, for example. The video shouldn’t be all that important for the song, but in these MTV times the video is as important – if not even more so – than the song itself. You don’t listen to a song anymore, you watch it. In most of these r’n’b videos there’s a guy in the ’slightly unattractive’ category that raps his way through a chorus of ’baby’ and ’bitch’ in equal measure, while a female in the ’abnormally gorgeous’ – preferrably wearing a bikini that covers as much as dental floss – lies at home in a bed, waiting for him.

At concerts we have female singers running around in a miniskirt that looks like more a broad belt and previously mentioned dentalfloss top, while shaking their bootie – as close to previously mentioned male’s genetalia with what message? ”Take me from behind – now?” Or possibly ”Hopefully this will distract you from the fact that I’m talentless”. The latter isn’t just a phenomenon in r’n’b.

Popidol, Fame academy, popstars etc

The Norwegian Idol is Kurt Nilsen, while the British Idols were Will Young and Gareth Gates. Nobody outside Norway have heard of Kurt, and only a few outside England have heard of Will or Gareth. Hopefully. Most people were in awe of Kurt with the massive voice, his album was branded ”mainstream” and then what?

In England Will Young won. Maybe mostly because he left judge Simon Cowell gawking in his chair as he gave him a piece of his mind in one of the final rounds. Gareth Gates came in second, after he won the nation’s sympathy when he took about half a minute to introduce himself. The judges were impressed with the combination of stammering, Madonna-like space between his teeth and flat singing voice. He sold over a million copies of his version of ”Unchained Melody”. After Will Young murdered ”Bohemian Rhapsody” nobody’s heard much from him, while 18-year-old Gareth is out with album number two – a double album – that not unlike the first contains a series of songs almost good enough to enter the Eurovision Sound Contest.

Popstars in Norway managed to create ”Cape” that stuck together a full 18 months, and the result of the first edition of Popstars in England were ”Hear’Say” that stayed together nearly as long. Now the ex-members try making it solo. Just about as many are interested in this part of their career as after the first two weeks in the group. Meaning, nobody. I can’t even remember what the winner of Fame Academy is called. Was she blonde?

Oldies goldies...

I find myself listening to Aretha Franklin. Listening to her singing note by note, without overdoing it like a certain Mariah ”why sing one note when I can sing 27?” Carey, with full control that can give anyone goosebumps. Besides, we have one of the best entertainers the world has seen, Sammy Davis Jr. Those who have anything negative to mouth about Sammy have most likely not seen or heard him live. He was, maybe in Norway in particular, known as the unknown third wheel in the Rat Pack together with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, but he really was the one with the most life, humour and voice. They don’t make’em like that anymore.

I’ve seen Elton John live twice in Oslo, something that still is one of the best musical experiences I’ve had. Elton, fully dressed, in front of his piano singing, entertaining and talking to the audience. He’s done this for over 30 years, and is still popular amongst music lovers of all ages, and he and songwriter Bernie Taupin spit out hit after hit, year after year. Who’ll remember Geri Halliwell in 30 years – for her music?

George Michael is an artist that’s evolved through the past 20 years, and even though the averafe 20-year-old don’t pay much attention to him, he’s highly respected amongst fellow musicians. When I met a smiling George a couple of times over the summer, he could tell me that he’s releasing a new album for Christmas, and I had the privilegue of listening to a ballad, ”Through”, that sounds like a cross between ”One More Try” from the ”Faith” album and ”Jesus To A Child?” from ”Older”. Vocally it’s one of his best performances so far, and those who have bothered listening to a song or two from previous recordings, know they should look forward to hearing the result.

New...

After reading this I fear I’ll be looked upon as some old granny, but even though I criticise what’s regarded as ’hip’ right now, I still listen to some chart music, including Robbie Williams, Mary J Blige, Dido and Coldplay. To take an example in Robbie, I admit I had certain restrictions against him for a long time. ”Escapology” opened my eyes/ears. He has the x-factor, an edge. I just didn’t notice it before – maybe I was too occupied with the oldies to notice...