Advertisement
  • Follow That Grape Juice TV
  • That Grape Juice Facebook
  • That Grape Juice Twitter
  • That Grape Juice YouTube
  • That Grape Juice RSS
Friday, December 14th 2012

Trey Songz Weighs In On R&B Stars Making Pop Music

0d8cc2ab3a580ad453fe8bb2d43f22c3 Trey Songz Weighs In On R&B Stars Making Pop Music

Say what you will about his personality, but there’s no denying Trey Songz’ contributions to R&B’s current revival.

Sure, while numbers boasted by Usher‘s ‘Confessions’ may make Songz’ feats look like child’s play, this year saw the sex symbol surpass all expectations when his ‘Chapter V’ debuted at #1 with 135,000 units. A figure, unfortunately unattainable by most (if not all) of his direct competition.

Shifting those numbers without the benefit of what some might call a ‘Pop smash’, he has now weighed in on those of his contemporaries he feels have strayed from the genre, only to enjoy lack luster sales once they do.

His words below…

Speaking to Billboard.Com, he explained:

“People were in need of real R&B and really appreciated this body of work from me when there aren’t a lot of your favorite R&B artists giving you R&B albums. It’s not even that it’s real R&B or fake R&B; it’s that you have a lot of your favorite R&B singers making pop music right now. And in this time it was very important for me to stay true to myself and stay true to the music that’s gotten me to the point where I am right now.”

Hmm.

As unfortunate as it may be to admit, we can’t say we disagree with him. For, perhaps as a way to guarantee favorable radio play, many of today’s R&B staples have indeed used Pop singles to shift ‘urban’ albums.

The only problem is, that only a select few of these artists succeed in pushing the urban material- leaving the consumer no choice but to purchase what they hear on the radio but dismiss what they haven’t been given the chance to enjoy on the album.

What’s worse, is that while the R&B/Hip Hop songs tally should be a safe haven for any who don’t fare as well on the Hot 100, the industry’s assumption that Black=R&B means that the likes of Rihanna continue to block real R&B entries from scoring chart glory, despite the fact that she does not make R&B music.

In saying that, the consumer will buy what the consumer likes and if the genre is to reclaim its mass appeal, it’s high time its writers and producers put down their ideas on what they feel the genre should sound like and get with the chart program. This, the way we see it, means crafting cuts that serve vocals, ‘catchy’ hooks and melodies as strong as the two found below….

Your thoughts?

Posted By:

126 Comments

126 COMMENTS

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment +16
    KDreamer (Miguel Hit It)

    December 14, 2012 at 6:46 am

    Neyo baby…. DONT LET HIM SHADE YOU LIKE ZAT!

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment +16
    HeatzDay

    December 14, 2012 at 6:59 am

    I don’t like trey at all… However he is telling the truth. Also @sam spot on Diamonds is about as R&B as Push by Madonna lol..actually I think push might be more. No hate intended I love riri and Madonna. I however love my R&B. Its just the genre is in a rut. The ones that should be the hard hitters are never the ones who do. The males only sing about sex. There is more to life than sex,parties,clubs etc. Even if the lyrics sound like a long continuous song. R&B singers are normally the better singers. In the last decade or two its become watered down and people who can’t sing sing R&B now…it sucks. I’d hate for R&B to become like jazz,rock and classical…

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment -8
    BABY T

    December 14, 2012 at 7:05 am

    Ewww Rihanna was NEVER an R&B artist! I’m sick of the Navy comparing her and Beyonce. Rihanna is a POP ARTIST and Beyonce is an R&B ARTIST! Beyonce is still that #1 female in R&B while the other R&B females are all flops!

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment +1
    Pop Royalty

    December 14, 2012 at 7:44 am

    ok , now what ?

    R&B is still not as Popular as it used to be , when was the last time a R&B album sold +15 Millions WW ?

    oh , i will wait …..

    that because of 2 things :

    1. QUALITY of R&B songs on the radio is not ‘IT’ for most of the consumers.
    2.People Do Not Support R&B anymore.

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment +6
    RICHANDBLACK11(JUST LIKE OBAMA AND BEY)

    December 14, 2012 at 7:44 am

    yass you better throw that shade at your sister Ms Neyo gurl

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment +4
    NAVI

    December 14, 2012 at 7:44 am

    lol Rihanna is not even an r&B artist, oh well trey does have a point but i feel as though r&B music hasn’t really made any progress since the 90′s most of the “R&B artist” are not innovative with their sound … unlike frank,miguel and weeknd. if i was in mmiguel position i would explore a more alternative (indie) sound as a sub genre mix with a cinematic feel and 50′s soul music (nat king cole)

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment +6
    KP

    December 14, 2012 at 7:50 am

    erm.. aint nothing RNB about Simply Amazing.. its pop/ballad/lovesong

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment -9
    JJFan1814

    December 14, 2012 at 7:52 am

    DIAMONDS WAS #1 ON THE R&B CHARTS. KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII.

    DIAMONDS WAS #1 FOR 3 WEEKS ON THE BB HOT 100, SAM HAS YET TO POST ABOUT THAT TOO. KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII.

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment +2
    jacon

    December 14, 2012 at 7:59 am

    Fine sexyass motherfucker. My ass is ready.

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment +2
    dee

    December 14, 2012 at 8:02 am

    While I love R&B music and despise most dance/pop records, an artist needs to change with the times to remain relevant. Many artist including Michael Jackson, Diana Ross and others had to change their sound to Disco to stay currrent. The problem with Trey is that he stays in the same lane. Therefore, his music remains boring and his sales are subpar compared to Neyo, Chris Brown, and Usher.

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • December 14, 2012 at 8:05 am

    To me, it doesn’t matter if it’s Pop or R&B. If it’s synthetic, it’s synthetic! One is just as bad as the other. Trey has no room to open his R. Kelly queen lips. The music he makes holds no substance and he recycles music like a global warning extremist. When has he not just talked about SEX or MONEY? Boy boo.

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment +14
    the real xoxo

    December 14, 2012 at 8:22 am

    Trey Songz “2 reasons” represents everything wrong with r&b music today.

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment +22
    CzarM

    December 14, 2012 at 8:22 am

    I take evil solace in seeing how every black artist who sold out to pop saw their album flop at the same time. Usher and Neyo’s current sales are far below their 100% R&B albums CONFESSIONS and IN MY OWN WORDS that they damn near need a ladder to come back to the surface. These desperate-to-be-trendy ass singers seem to think that they can put out an album that’s half what their core fan base have come to expect from them and half what’s “hot” right now and that they will keep all of their long time fans, while gaining brand new followers on top of that. Doesn’t work like that. When you sell out your core fan base to be trendy, you’re just about guaranteed to sell worse than you ever did before. Usher’s and Neyo’s “pop” music is going to age disgracefully and in another 5 years will be looked back on as very low points in both of their careers that doesn’t at all measure up to the “You Make Me Wanna’s”…the “U Got It Bad’s”…the “So Sicks’s” and the “Sexy Love’s”.

    Real talk: no one wants to buy a whole album of dance/pop music, because that shit is corny, shallow/depth-less, obnoxious, repetitive and basically just a bunch of overproduced noise — which is why all of these so-called “It” people can’t sell past platinum, and take forever to get there (Rihanna). It wasn’t but 5-6 years ago when hit albums were moving 3,4,5,6 million units in the U.S. alone and 10 million+ WW. Now stans of certain “singers” wanna act like their favs are “slaying” because they did a million US and 3 million WW. Get the fuck outta here with that remedial bullshit. You serious?

    It’s no coincidence that when pop music came back, album sales went in the toilet and singles took over. It’s also no coincidence that Adele’s non-pop ass went Diamond, while every other currently “hot” acts is relegated to being a singles acts.

    Again, I take vindictive pleasure out of seeing all of the albums that these mega hit pop songs are cut from flop compared to what hit albums were doing all the way up to around 2008…when Gaga/Katy/Kesha/Bieber/Flo Rida/Rihanna/LMFAO & Co. took over. Heh. The industry has actually lost its shirt catering to dance and pop music over these past few years and it serves them right. How many more major labels will have to merge or be bought and absorbed into their competitors before they get the message that this ain’t working? The dance-pop/VEVO wave of 2008-2012 has damn near killed the music business.

    At least I can look back at the 80s, 90s and mid 00s…when R&B music was a dominate force…and appreciate the overflow of real album/CD sales that were being generated at the time. What has this pop crap done for today’s artists by comparison? There will never be a latter day equivalent to the Beatles, to MJ, to Prince, to Madonna, to Whitney, to Janet, to TLC, to Guns N Roses, to Nirvana, to Mariah, to Celine, to Boyz II Men, to Toni, to Backstreet Boys, to 2Pac, to Biggie, etc., etc. at this rate. These cartoon pop singers of today whose music is made for ring tones and background music for episodes of Jersey Shore get to be “digital sellers” of singles. Yeah, congrats.

    But I digress.

    Getting back to the topic: when looking at the bigger picture, if I were an R&B artist, I wouldn’t be at all tempted to go pop.

    Report this comment

    Reply

    • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment
      dee

      December 14, 2012 at 9:32 am

      I grew up in listening to 80′s and 90′s music as well. However, you have to realize that music changes and artists have to change with the times to remain relevant. You can’t knock Usher and others for going pop nor can you knock many artist in the past including Michael who changed their sound to appeal to the masses. Although, you and I may not like this crappy pop music, apparently others love it. Therefore, let them be artist and evolve.

      Report this comment

      Reply

      • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment
        BitchICan'tEvenSpellWelfare

        December 14, 2012 at 10:12 am

        @dee, let’s take Usher for example. I LOVE pop music but only when it’s done well. Usher does not do pop music well imo. Taking a generic beat and stacking your voice on top of it does not equal “evolution.” Same goes for present day Ne-Yo. His pop sound on “Closer” is an example of good pop. Now? Not so much.

        But if others enjoy it, have at it.

        Report this comment

      • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment
        CzarM

        December 14, 2012 at 4:03 pm

        Usher doing “Scream” and “Numb” today isn’t an evolution from “Nice and Slow” and “You Remind Me.” The music hasn’t evolved at all, it’s devolved. That goes for everyone in general. Few — if any — artists who’ve been around for a decade and are still having hits today have seen their music actually evolved. Usher, Pink, Train, Maroon 5, Kelly Clarkson, Neyo. All of their music has been dumbed down for 14 year old girls in the suburbs and reduced to sounding like cheap, same-y, cardio music for aerobics classes (or video game music) compared to what they were doing when they rose to fame.

        Report this comment

    • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment
      BitchICan'tEvenSpellWelfare

      December 14, 2012 at 10:04 am

      @Czarm, you know I love it when you get on here and PREACH! Yes!

      Report this comment

      Reply

    • December 14, 2012 at 11:30 am

      Pop needs to take a back seat and let real r&b artist shine. that means no rihanna no neyo and usher and no adele i want to see jill or marsha or amel larriex jazmine sullivan to sell 10 million albums js

      Report this comment

      Reply

      • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment
        BitchICan'tEvenSpellWelfare

        December 14, 2012 at 11:40 am

        @The Whole World Love Rihanna!!!, you know I love you for mentioning Amel Larriex! “Infinite Possibilities” still gets much play from me.

        & don’t get me started on Jill, Marsha, and Jazmine–love them. Brilliant voices. They DESERVE so much more success.

        Report this comment

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment -3
    Likica

    December 14, 2012 at 8:29 am

    You had to mention Rihanna as if it’s her fault R&B don’t sell anymore. She is an R&B artist as well, generally pop but has some R&B songs, her first 3 albums are generally r&b. Beyonce fans always call Rihanna’s music generic, but what’s deep about Single Ladies, Check on it, Crazy in love, Deja Vu, Baby boy? They are generic crap with repetitive lyrics. They call Diamonds generic, simple, repetitive. Don’t tell me Irreplaceable is deep when it’s more generic than Diamonds plus it has more generic beat. Their music is pretty equal when it comes to quality. Russian Roulette, Unfaithful, Fire Bomb, Cold Case Love, The Last Song, Stay, Cry are amazing records like Halo, Dangerously In Love, Best Thing I never had, Broken Hearted Girl. They are both good artists and made a huge impact on music.

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment -8
    Mrs Robyn Brown (Beyonce's Weave)

    December 14, 2012 at 8:32 am

    Sorry Trey, people are tired of RnB because RnB artists have not innovated over the past few years. RnB today sounds EXACTLY like it did in the 90s and follows the same “he cheated on me blah blah blah” baby momma music formula. Rihanna is in a different league because Rihanna never makes the same album twice, she did RnB with Good Girl Gone Bad and moved on, she’s never doing another RnB album again.

    If RnB artists want to get their past glory back (which they had in the 90s), they need to come up with something new and innovative, and not sound like they did in the 90s. As it stands, RnB music does not fit the climate, it is old, dated and sounds the same as it did in the 90s. Trey Songz hasn’t even reached Gold so even he knows people did not want an RnB album, they’re not into it.

    Rihanna is not blocking anyone, Rihanna is simply encouraging RnB artists to innovative and come up with a sound that is groundbreaking. You want to score the high chart on the RnB charts, make music that is different, new and groundbreaking, otherwise stop bitching.

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment +11
    Tough L

    December 14, 2012 at 8:35 am

    @CZARM You made perfect sense and than they wanna call all those act you just names irrelevant but the truth of the matter they achieved what today artists struggle to do/have not yet reach. Lmao at them dumb stans.

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment +1
    Arie

    December 14, 2012 at 8:48 am

    There’s nothing wrong with experimenting with ones sound to fit the times. Trey has unfortunately not mastered that, Neyo on the other hand went all the way which he has suffered for. The only people who have managed to strike the right balance are Chris and Usher. Record label have not been marketing urban artists that is all, females have turned themselves into objects and they lack substance in their music. It has become a contest to see who can show us their ass the most without us seeing their butt holes and Beyonce is the leader in that.

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment -7
    HOTSTUFF

    December 14, 2012 at 9:25 am

    Those n*****s wanna be #1 on the rnb chart with more or less than 10 000 sold ??? LMAO…..

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment +1
    Sierra

    December 14, 2012 at 9:55 am

    I miss real R&B. Trey songs can go some were. Were is the Carl thomases to the Joes type artist smh sigh..

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment +10
    BitchICan'tEvenSpellWelfare

    December 14, 2012 at 9:58 am

    Are some of you actually using the term “innovative” and “pop” in the same sentence??? What is innovative about MAINSTREAM pop? I’ll tell you–nothing.

    Innovative pop music = Grimes, Purity Ring, Bat For Lashes, Jessie Ware, Solange, and Beach House are examples of innovative pop.

    & please stop saying that R & B is not innovative. Just because you haven’t heard of it does not mean it’s not there.

    Innovative R & B (besides Frank, Miguel, and The Weeknd) = Dawn Richard, Rochelle Jordan, I/O, Rahsaan Patterson, Lalah Hathaway, Maques Toliver, Jhene Aiko and Jesse Boykins III are examples.

    Just because mainstream pop is selling does not make it innovative. There WAS a time when mainstream pop was both innovative and sold very well i.e. Pet Shop Boys, Prince, Depeche Mode, The Smiths, Kate Bush, Janet, Madonna, Whitney, etc….

    And, remember, innovative R & B is not selling either: “channel Orange”- 390,000
    “Kaleidoscope Dream”- 180, 900. This is NOT about quality or innovation, it’s about many other factors.

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • December 14, 2012 at 10:07 am

    Is he being serious a lot of thing he has done of late hatthve been very pop like Simply Amazing he should take his own advice sometimes when people comment on other people and what their doing they are referring to themselves he should take his own advice

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment +1
    Casual

    December 14, 2012 at 10:14 am

    Trey Songz had at least a couple pop cuts on his current album – Heart Attack and Simply Amazing immediately coming to mind. Having said that, his opening numbers were excellent for an r&b artist w/o major a pop hit.

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment +1
    IDK

    December 14, 2012 at 10:19 am

    Ima trey fan and I’ll give him some props on what he said but his latest album chap 5 i bought was not that quality of R&B as he thought. I was disappointed. I dont even listen to it anymore. His EP was EPIC. IDK what happen on the album but please dont do it on the next. I guess everybody has a not so good album or 2. So I’m still on his team.

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment -2
    zzzzzg

    December 14, 2012 at 10:26 am

    Lol Just couldn’t keep Rihanna out of this now could you. Diamonds is the only R&B song that spent the most weeks at #1 on the R&B charts and it’s killing them. Lets talk about R&B. Real R&B such as Joe, Faith Evans, Kelly Price, Jodeci, Dru Hill, Mint Condition… These are real R&B artist. What Trey Songz does it not real R&B. B***tcez and Drinks?? Ok. Real R&B is dead. Drake, Trey Songz, CB, Neyo, are nothing compared to the R&B artist of the 90s. R&B is gone dead because they allowed that hip hopmusic to interfere. It has nothing to do with pop music or Rihanna. Blame rap music! Rap destroyed R&B.

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment -6
    Monstarebel

    December 14, 2012 at 10:58 am

    It’s all about Urban pop Euro dance Pop & Indie…..Flop&B is played out…get over it

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment -7
    Monstarebel

    December 14, 2012 at 11:00 am

    BTW DIAMONDS WILL PROBABLY STAY NUMBER 1 ON THE FLOP & B CHARTS FOR ANOTHER 3 MONTHS KIII NO OTHER BLACK ARTISTS IS SELLING AS GOOD AS QUEEN RIH

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment -1
    zzzzzg

    December 14, 2012 at 11:03 am

    R&B artist have been predictable for the past years. Bringing some dirty rapper in their videos. What happened when R&B artists use to stand alone. Every min I see some rapper pop up on some stupid remix. And they bring up the same concept. People are tired of it. Rihanna is doesn’t do the same thing. She changes her music and makes it fun and catchy (shut up and drive, Good Girl Gone Bad, Umbrella, Cheers) Nobody wants to hear about your baby daddy problems or I should have cheated.

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment +5
    ƸӜƷ MC ƸӜƷ

    December 14, 2012 at 11:05 am

    1. R&B isn’t hot right now.
    2. Album sales have declined for the most part.
    3. R&B acts like Ne-Yo, Trey Sonz, etc have deduced their music to just about love & sex and not as “adventurous” for the most part.
    4. Media pays them dust.
    5. Younger generations are talking over……etc

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment
    Monstarebel

    December 14, 2012 at 11:20 am

    Disco was hot once Rock was hot once R&B was hot once……You blacks are so ignorant to one sound if it’s not r&b you automatically call it garbage…Smh not everyone wants to be an R&B artist esp when they ain’t making lots of money out of it

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment -6
    Monstarebel

    December 14, 2012 at 11:21 am

    Starships were ment to FLLLLLLY!!!

    HANDS UP & TOUCH ZE SKYYYYY!!

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment -4
    LittleJohnny

    December 14, 2012 at 11:49 am

    People, Rihanna is definitely R and B. She is just as Rand B as Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, Beyonca. R & B stands for Rhythm and Blues. Most of today’s music is more watered down contemporary version of RandB including Trey Songz, Brandy, Tank, R Kelly, Keyshia Cole etc, all of which would probably be considered ‘real’ R&B artists. The truth of the matter is that none of those artist (with the exception of R Kelly’s latest material) makes songs that sound anything like the ORIGINal form of R and B: think Stevie Wonder, Wilson Picket, Billy Preston, and Motown. SO most of 90s music as I grew up on is NOT the original form of Rand B but a contemporary version. R and B has always had rhythm. It’s funny how they hesitate to call Adele an R&B artist when she’s nothing but. From the voice to the music. But in all honesty when it comes to comparing music of the last 20 years to original form of R and B ,Rihanna is just as R and B as Trey Songs, Brandy, Beyonce, Jennifer Hudson and most of mainstream R and B artists.

    Report this comment

    Reply

    • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment
      BitchICan'tEvenSpellWelfare

      December 14, 2012 at 12:04 pm

      If you believe that Adele is doing R & B music, why do you think people hesitate to call her a R & B artist?

      Report this comment

      Reply

      • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment
        LittleJohnny

        December 14, 2012 at 12:23 pm

        Well for one it’ the race factor. The truth of the matter is that Rand B is not doing the numbers that it once was. If blacks and trying to shy away from the {almost taboo} term RandB , then what do you think the whites will do? It’s easier for the whites to get away from the Rand B term due to the fact that they’re white. If you’re black and can sing, you are generally and most likely termed RandB. If the ‘numbers’ took a turn in favor of Rand B music and RandB artists started ruiling sales and the charts (like Adele), then you guessed it. All of these artists (white and black) will quickly readopt the RandB affiliation. So to basically answer your question, it’s a marketing strategy {record labels use} for the simple minded buying public who affix RandB as black people from the ‘hood’ with attitudes talking about sex and speaking in ebonics.

        Report this comment

    • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment
      BitchICan'tEvenSpellWelfare

      December 14, 2012 at 12:36 pm

      @LittleJohnny, all I can is absolutely. Bravo.

      These, folks, are called facts.

      Report this comment

      Reply

    • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment
      BitchICan'tEvenSpellWelfare

      December 14, 2012 at 1:18 pm

      @LittleJohnny, when listening to “He Won’t Go”(my fav from the album), I can really see why you would describe her as “neo-soul.” Very interesting. :)

      Report this comment

      Reply

    • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment
      yooooooooo

      December 15, 2012 at 1:32 am

      WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! have you even heard keyshia cole’s or brandy’s albums? Because i can tell YOU FOR SURE THAT THEY ARE REAL R&B ARTISTS AND RIHANNA ISN’T.

      Report this comment

      Reply

      • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment
        LittleJohnny

        December 15, 2012 at 10:30 am

        Yes, I have heard their albums. I am one of the biggest Brandy fans, and I love Keyshia Cole’s voice. I have All of their albums and love them, especially Brandy’s albums. But they are nowhere near the true form of RandB. Brandy has always switched her style for each album and I love them all. Keyshia Cole’s material can be pretty predictable but I still love her voice. I am a huge RandB fan but people my age seem to think that music of the 90s defined the genre when it does not. Rihanna is just as RandB as Brandy. Ofcourse, she’s nowhere near Brandy’s vocal level, but still.

        Report this comment

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment +6
    TruthTeller

    December 14, 2012 at 12:02 pm

    LMAO

    EVERY POSTS LEADS TO RIHANNA.

    BEYONCE R&B ???? get out of here

    We all know how: Irrepleaceble, BabyBoy, If I Was A Boy, Halo, Sweat Dreams… are just sooooo r&b.

    Get real, she’s a sellout like everybody else.

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment
    Mario

    December 14, 2012 at 12:45 pm

    Trey Songz should not say anything because R&B artist like Usher, Chris Brown and Ne-Yo who are now doing Pop is just as bad as him making generic R&B with his redundant sexual themes, never advancing vocals, repetitiveness production and little to no artistic growth.I think R&B artist need to find a way to keep true to the genre but also find a way to have that crossover appeal without going Pop. Because when someone sticks to R&B and does not do well commercially we are the first to stay flop but criticize them when they do pop to gain commercial success.

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment -5
    boopboop

    December 14, 2012 at 1:01 pm

    what is he appeal???????? he look so DIRTY and NASTY to me! like if you have sex with him you betta wear FULL BODY CONDOMS and at least TWO OR THREE to protect yourself from his diseases!

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment +1
    CHUDDS

    December 14, 2012 at 1:56 pm

    I was thinking the other day….in the early 2000′s (I’ll say up to 2006ish), R&B and Hip Hop RULED the charts. You rarely saw any pop/techno/dance in the top 10. Literally 6/7 of the top 10 spots were filled by urban artists. All of that changed when they started to incorporate iTunes……

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment +1
    Caramelboi

    December 14, 2012 at 2:46 pm

    Y’all shady ass bitchesss and mofos r gonna stop coming for my man trey bcuz he sold more than ne yo,usher,miguel and etc. He stayed true to who he is as an r&b artist,but he does need to evolve and I’m not talking about going pop either when I say evolve. He can shade ne yo need to come out the closet already now ass bcuz ne yo shaded him and lady gaga and others. @CzarM u betta say dat. Couldn’t have said it any better.

    Report this comment

    Reply

    • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment
      Mark

      December 14, 2012 at 5:08 pm

      OOOHHH, a few hundred copies in the first week. He need to shut up, as I remember Chris Brown and Neyo left this clown in the dust in 05, he never took off until the other guys switched over. If they were still doing real( as he calls it) he would still be flopping.

      Report this comment

      Reply

  • December 14, 2012 at 3:31 pm

    The Diva needs to know that R&B is only big in the US, has always been like that, the world belongs to Pop and Dance music, hell even Disco back in the 70′s.

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment
    Mark

    December 14, 2012 at 5:02 pm

    Those R&B dudes that sing pop music has a bigger fan base then you R. Kelly, I mean Trey! Ever wonder if MJ had of stayed in R&B, all the classic we would’ve missed out on. Those other dudes are taking risk, Trey can’t sing out of R.Kelly style and he can’t dance, so he have no choice but to do the same lame sex this and that songs. R&B does not have one sound, it’s rhythm and blues, as long as there’s rhythm in it, it’s R&B or urban pop.

    Report this comment

    Reply

    • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment
      EJR43

      December 14, 2012 at 5:42 pm

      How do you figure “R&B dudes that sing pop music” have bigger fan bases than Trey? Trey is selling evenly with them w/o selling out. Doing pop winds up helping R&B guys very little, if at all. They still don’t sell well and wind up losing respect from their real fans.

      Don’t bring MJ into your flawed reasoning. Most of his music was R&B or Pop-tinged R&B. Besides a few one-off hits here & there, the R&B influence over even his poppiest music was ever present and never hidden. The difference between MJ and these latest R&B guys that you’re hailing is that MJ didn’t conform to pop for accessibility and NEVER threw his R&B/Soul fans under the bus. Instead he made pop music come around to him and look at what happened! His sales outshone EVERYBODY’S. They all claim to love MJ and laughably try to be him, but they over look basic but essential elements of his template.

      I don’t like Trey Songz and think he’s bland w/ no personality, but in this case he’s 100% correct. These black/urban/R&B acts selling their souls to pop and getting next to nothing in return should be ashamed. How do they even get up on stage without feeling like frauds? After a while I’d think they’d start hating what they’re doing because none of it’s real.

      Report this comment

      Reply

      • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment
        CHUDDS

        December 14, 2012 at 5:47 pm

        They’re damned if they do and damned if they don’t. “Staying true to R&B” won’t sell albums and neither will “selling out to pop”. If you are not a cute white boy with blonde hair and blue eyes, the pop crowd will NOT buy your album! Single, yes….album, no. Just look at Chris Brown, Ne-Yo and Usher…struggling in the album sales department! Trey Songz hasn’t even sold 300k of his latest album….

        Report this comment

      • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment
        yooooooooo

        December 15, 2012 at 1:29 am

        SO TRUE!!!! MJ was very R&B influenced even in most of hid pop songs. Usher, Chris Brown and Ne-yo cannot use MJ as an excuse to sing pointless up beat electro dance pop tracks :L and tbh R.Kelly is much more like MJ than any of the artists listed above

        Report this comment

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment +1
    barryk

    December 14, 2012 at 6:48 pm

    hmmm i agree and disagree at the same time …..music evolves and changes so it up to the artist ……R&B is much alive , Miguel, Luke James, Frank Ocean are all crazy R&B artist

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment +3
    mc the place to be!!

    December 14, 2012 at 7:01 pm

    R&b ain’t mainstream anymore the world is just going through a disco phase and the next thing you’ll know all the genres will have that shine again just like the 90s we do need to get over this Yolo shit and live 4 tomorrow

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment +1
    yooooooooo

    December 15, 2012 at 1:25 am

    i don’t hate pop music (EG. mariah carey type ballads which are also R&B influenced usually).. BUT I DO HATE THOSE STUPID UPBEAT ELECTRO DANCE-POP TRACKS (IE. david Guetta) Luckily Monica, R. Kelly, Keyshia Cole and Brandy have provided me with great R&B albums this years now all i need is a great R&B album from Keri Hlilson next year! :)

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment +1
    Shymir06

    December 15, 2012 at 3:24 am

    Real R&B has always struggled on the mainstream charts compared to plain ol’ pop. It was usually the most commercial, mainstream, water downed, glossy R&B music that could be more easily marketed to pop audiences that tended to break through. Back in the day, more soulful R&B acts like Gladys Knight, Phyllis Hyman, Gerald Levert, Aaron Hall, After 7 and Johnny Gill usually didn’t get strong airplay at pop radio or chart high on the Hot 100. They may have score a small handful of hits that charted decently at pop, but the bulk of their material was urban supported only. There were some exceptions like early Toni Braxton and Alicia Keys, but they weren’t the rule. Even in the 90s when R&B was at its commercial peak, there were many many R&B artists and songs that were washout’s at pop radio because they weren’t mainstream enough.

    If you really wanna know what killed R&B, it was hip hop. Around 2002, hip hop became more important at black radio and R&B got pushed to the back burner in favor of it. That’s the reason R&B hasn’t evolved much in the last 10 yrs. Because the urban music world cares more about hip hop than they do R&B and so R&B gets left languishing without enough people focused on pushing it forward. Then pop came along in the late 00′s and made that lack of support even worse. In order for R&B to come back, it needs to become more important with it’s core market (black people and black radio.) From there it’ll snowball up and regain its foothold. But I don’t know if I easily see that happening, because now there’s a whole generation of young people who only know things as they’ve been in recent years and have no desire to see things return to the way things were before they were born or started really paying attention to music.

    Pop trends are very fickle. What’s hot today won’t be what’s hot 5 years from now. Dance and pop will die out eventually. Mark my words. People will turn on this peppy upbeat “happy” sound in favor of something more “serious” and a backlash against this euro, techno, house, bubblegum, dance sound will be in force. The bigger it is, the harder it falls. So it’ll be a nasty death when it finally happens.

    Report this comment

    Reply

  • Like This Comment Dislike This Comment
    PRINCE MACHIAVEL

    December 15, 2012 at 10:32 pm

    Trey, Get Over Yourself!
    Bitch You Flop Cause:
    1) Your Music Is Wack As Fuck,
    2) You Always Sing About The Same Motherfucker Bullshits: Sexe Club And Love!
    DEAL Bitch!

    Report this comment

    Reply
Connect with:

Leave a Reply

More Juice
CHOOSE A THATGRAPEJUICE FEED

RSS ThatGrapeJuice.TV