Wednesday, January 6th 2010

Rihanna – A True Fashion Icon

There was once a time when the singers who dominated the Billboard charts were defined by a combination of talent, skill and versatility. An era where performers gained success as a result of either musical dynamism or electric showmanship. However, the days where such qualifications were considered the standard are long gone, allowing an individual to rise above her peers on the wings of clever marketing and trendy appeal. That individual is none other than Rihanna.

Blessed with beauty rather than actual talent, Rihanna has been mass-marketed as a fashion icon; gaining relevance via a string of highly publicised endorsement deals and being adept at fitting into the latest style trends. In fact, her fashion-forward appeal extends beyond her wardrobe and towards her music. Her label ensures that her albums feature the most successful songwriters and producers of the moment, guaranteeing that her sound remains current and fresh. Incredibly, as an implication of this brilliant scheme, Rihanna has enjoyed a successful career, disguised as the one thing that she is not: a gifted singer.

With five #1 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 and millions of records sold, Rihanna is noted as one of the most successful acts of the last decade. She rests comfortably at the top of the charts while her vocally gifted counterparts, including Leona Lewis, struggle to have an impact. Interestingly, when the Bajan first emerged, she shared the spotlight with fellow Jay-Z apprentice Teairra Mari, who was unceremoniously released from contract despite both acts having similar first week sales of their debut albums and Mari being the undoubtedly more talented artist. Obviously, Rihanna’s exotic appeal is regarded as more valuable than the talent of her contemporaries.

Nevertheless, although several critics praise her music for tight productions and catchy hooks, ignoring her blatant lack of vocal prowess and stage presence, several questions have been raised. How long will her team be able to bamboozle audiences into purchasing her music? How long will she be able to depend on her looks as an instrument of relevancy? Whether or not she will enjoy a lengthy career remains to be determined. However, as long as her label continues to bolster her endeavours with such brilliant marketing strategies and she is able to attach herself to each passing fad, it seems that “this Rihanna reign just won’t let up.”

What do you think is the key to Rihanna’s success?

Also, how long do you think that Rihanna will

continue to dominate the charts?

Posted By: Trent

157 Comments

Tuesday, January 5th 2010

The Upside Of Illegal Downloads

The music industry is on the brink of oblivion. With album sales reaching all-time lows in recent years and established artists struggling to remain commercially viable, it is evident that the music market is in disarray. What is the root cause of this sudden collapse in sales? The answer is simple: illegal downloads.

At the break of the new millennium, record sales soared to new heights with artists such as Britney Spears, Eminem and N’Sync debuting on the charts with album sales easily surpassing the 1 million mark. Indeed, labels enjoyed their booming profits while continuing to charge exorbitant prices for their products. However, even the most astute industry pundits could not have foreseen the almost catastrophic decline that was perched on the horizon.

The advent of file sharing services including Kazaa, Limewire and, of course, Napster, ignited a shift in the balance of power. Consumers were now the bearers of discretion; allowed the freedom to download their favourite tracks without cost. This increased audience power has since broken the monopolistic grip of labels on the music industry thus leading to a substantial decline in sales. In fact, the last album to be certified diamond in the US was Usher’s ‘Confessions’ LP of 2004. Undeniably, artists now find themselves struggling to sell records; incapable of matching the successes of their predecessors.

Coincidentally, this chaos has led to the revival of quality. As acts face stiff competition from not only the contemporaries but also music pirates, they have been forced to fight for their stake on the charts. Performers such as Beyonce and Kanye West are being pushed to continuously evolve in an effort to remain relevant. Indeed, Usher himself has felt this pressure with his ‘Here I Stand’ album selling substantially less than his preceding release. Therefore, it has become increasingly apparent that there is absolutely no room for error.

Hence, with an embattled music market and the incessant demand for new material that was created by the arrival of the ‘Digital Age’, artists are being mobilised to improve their crafts. As Susan Boyle and Taylor Swift have recently demonstrated, consumers are indeed willing to purchase albums. However, the presence of several mass media outlets (most notably the Internet) has increased their demand for not just quantity, but also quality.

Do you think that any good has come out of the

illegal downloading phenomenon?

Posted By: Trent

26 Comments

Monday, January 4th 2010

Has The Industry Left Christina Aguilera Behind?

Christina Aguilera was once the darling of the Pop charts; one of the crown jewels of the industry’s musical diadem. Wielding a voice that rivaled many of music’s greats, the singer was once hailed by critics as “the voice of her generation”. Without a doubt, the rampant success that Aguilera enjoyed in her early career was out-paced by only a few of her contemporaries. Nevertheless, it seems that the singer has since been ousted from her position at the top of the Pop roost.

Having taken the time to establish herself as a both a wife and mother, Aguilera’s dominance of the Billboard charts has become but a distant memory. Where she once garnered #1 hits around the world, she has now been placed on the back burner of public interest. In fact, her last widely successful studio release was the ‘Stripped’ LP of 2002 which was certified 4x platinum in the US, a far cry from the relatively mediocre sales of ‘Back To Basics’ which struggled to achieve platinum status in her native market. Indeed, many would consider the young star to be a diva in aging.

Moreover, where her only rival in the industry was once only considered to be Britney Spears – who has since managed to continue her Pop music supremacy despite her many personal issues – Aguilera has now been replaced at the top of the charts by a flurry of new artists including Rihanna, Beyonce and Lady GaGa. Interestingly, she once denounced GaGa’s presence entirely, claiming not to have even known that the singer existed, a move that she may have come to regret as GaGa has now captured her market; erasing almost all memory of Aguilera’s former reign.

With that being said, the question is this: does the music industry still have a place for Christina Aguilera? Or would she become a staple of the past like many of the songs on her ‘Back To Basics’ LP? Regardless of how talented she may be, one thing is certain: she no longer has the luxury of resting on her laurels like she has in recent times. If she does not have a major breakthrough with this release, it might be wise for her to consider motherhood as a full-time job.

Do you think that the industry has left Aguilera

behind?

Posted By: Trent

90 Comments

Thursday, December 31st 2009

Chris Brown; Separating The Personal From The Professional

Exactly one year ago, Chris Brown was undeniably one of Pop music’s most prolific young stars. From monster hit singles to sold out tours, it seemed that everything this energetic entertainer touched turned into gold (or platinum). Heralded as Billboard’s ‘Artist of the Year’ in 2008, the star was primed to dominate the charts once again in 2009. However, 12 months later, Brown’s name has become synonymous with everything but success.

Embroiled in a highly publicised controversy surrounding allegations of domestic abuse with his equally famous former girlfriend, Rihanna, Brown has unceremoniously fallen from grace; cast out of the court of public favour. Furthermore, the countless apologies issued by the singer through the mass media have fallen on deaf ears; his efforts ridiculed and his words mocked by audiences around the world.

Nevertheless, Brown continued to pursue his music career, releasing his 3rd studio album, ‘Graffiti’. This too, however, failed to sway the public’s opinion of the singer. Despite rigorous attempts to promote the project with his sold-out ‘Fan Appreciation Tour’, double-single releases and big-budget videos, his album was the worst received record of the year by critics and debuted with the lowest sales of his career to date. It seemed that no matter how hard the young performer tried, he was unable to separate his personal life from his professional endeavours in the eyes of the public.

In light of this, the following questions are raised: should Brown be blacklisted because of his past indiscretions? Should his personal life dictate the direction of his career? Countless singers, including Michael Jackson, R. Kelly and Whitney Houston, have faced career-crippling problems in the past yet have managed to regain their place at the top of the charts. In contrast, given the gravity of Brown’s situation and the increasingly powerful influence of the mass media, the odds of audiences appreciating his music, regardless of his personal issues, are quite slim indeed.

Do you think that Brown’s music should speak for

itself or do his actions warrant his blacklisting?

Posted By: Trent

142 Comments

Wednesday, December 30th 2009

Is R&B Dead?

moviesoundtracks Is R&B Dead?

Exactly three years ago rapper Nas controversially proclaimed that ‘Hip-Hop Is Dead’. Fast forward to the present and the same bold declaration can arguably be applied to R&B too. Indeed, with today’s industry churning out an increasingly homogenised sound, one which largely seems to favour the Pop genre, the future (or lack thereof) of R&B as we’ve known it does not look promising. The question remains, though: is this a bad or good thing?

Birthed in the 1940’s, R&B music saw its journey to mainstream prominence really pick up in the 1960’s with the Motown movement. Furthermore, the 70’s ushered in a host of wildly successful R&B acts such as Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, and Aretha Franklin. Though the likes of Prince, Sade and Chaka Khan continued the trend in the 1980’s, it was the 90’s which saw the true boom and arguable peak of R&B. If in doubt, the names and successes of Lauryn Hill, TLC, Mary J. Blige, Boyz II Men, R Kelly, and Toni Braxton, to name but a few, speak volumes.

Yet despite the dizzy heights it once enjoyed, R&B today no longer occupies its once-pole position in the musical sphere. For evidence of this, one need not look further than the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Charts, where songs topping the chart often struggle to make any impact on the all-inclusive Billboard Hot 100. Though fans and stans oft cite the successes of their favourite act on the R&B/Hip-Hop tally, any such success is arguably limited to the Urban arena – one of the smallest when compared to other genres.

If the format is truly in decline, then what happened R&B?

On a surface level, the fusing together of R&B with other genres such as Pop and more recently Dance/Electronica can be heralded as a (positive) testament to the ‘coming together’ of the world’s many cultures and societies. Yet, R&B and Urban music more generally, seem to have drawn the shorter end of the stick in this cultural exchange. For, while both the Pop and Dance genres have benefitted greatly from flirting with R&B, they have also managed to remain successful genres in their own right. R&B, unfortunately, has not. Today it’s almost laughable for both new and established acts to release ‘pure R&B’ and anticipate any chart success (see: Mariah’s ‘Memoirs’ and any new act NOT jumping on this Euro-Pop bandwagon).

Yes, there are exceptions such as Maxwell and Sade, both of whom have enjoyed critical and commercial success this year, releasing music with their trademark (R&B) sound. However, it’s wholly believable that the hype surrounding their comebacks largely factored in to them defying the odds.

More so than any other factor, the industry’s gradual move to a more Pop-dominated mode-of-operation seems to have dealt R&B what could prove to be a fatal blow. Traditionally even the most R&B of R&B songs were sprinkled with Pop sensibilities i.e. catchy hooks and hummable melodies. However, what used to be a quality-rich genre seems to have been replaced with what long caused Pop music to not be taken seriously – the idea of image over substance. No longer are vocals or the establishing of artists who will inspire future generations the priority of labels. Instead, we now have models posing as singers topping the charts (“eh eh eh”). Even undeniable talents such as Beyonce, whose first album was an all-R&B affair, have moved further away from the genre in favour of an almost-entirely Pop sound. These occurrences have consequently birthed a culture of fast-food music made for fickle audiences, who see artists as only as good as their last hit.

The idea of R&B being dead may be premature and somewhat pessimistic. However the likelihood of its eventual demise is becoming increasingly evident with each new generation. As an advocate for innovation and the blurring of musical boundaries, it would be endearing to see R&B in its pure form return to prominence and co-exist alongside its diluted incarnation.

Your thoughts?

Posted By: Sam

86 Comments

Tuesday, December 29th 2009

Britney Spears; A Knife Without A Blade

fuffy hair promo1 Britney Spears; A Knife Without A Blade

She was once the most powerful force in Pop music; the heir apparent to the Pop dynasty. It seemed that at the turn of the century, there was no bigger star than Britney Spears. From show-stopping performances to worldwide #1 successes, she exploded onto the charts, toppling the long held reign of more established artists. However, the ‘fire’ that once made Spears the most sought after entertainer of her time appears to have been lost.

After a string of well-publicised personal turmoils, the world was made privy to Spears’ now notorious meltdown. Yet, the singer managed to rebound from those upsets and regain public favour with multiple chart-topping hits and platinum albums. Nonetheless, Spears seems different; the ‘spark’ in her eye is gone; and her live performances depict an entertainer who is but a shell of her former self.

Her energetic choreography has been replaced with awkward stage presence, and lip-syncing has become the norm of her entire productions (although many would argue that she rarely sang live in her earlier career as well). Regardless of the position that her music is now arguably at its best, the energy that Spears exudes in the studio no longer translates on stage. In fact, some critics assert that it is this decline in potency that allowed Beyonce to rise to the helm of the Pop charts.

This begs the question: has Spears permanently lost the ‘glint’ in her eye? Or does she stand a chance of returning to fine form? In any case, with mounting competition from her younger contemporaries including Lady GaGa and Rihanna, many contend that unless she is able to recapture that ‘magic’, her days as the Princess of Pop are surely numbered.

Do you think that Spears has permanently lost her

edge?

Posted By: Trent

94 Comments

Wednesday, December 16th 2009

Is The Era Of The Diva Over?

In the 1980′s and 1990′s, the charts were dominated by powerhouse vocalists and balladeers. Singers including Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Celine Dion held the top spots on the charts for longer periods than any of their contemporaries; shattering records and positioning themselves at the upper crests of Pop music’s elite list of superstars. However, in recent years, it seems that the famed era of the diva may be coming to an end.

Today, the most successful artists on the charts no longer rely on extensive vocal ability to stake their claim. Rather, they fuel their hits with auto-tuned melodies, catchy hooks and club-ready beats. From Rihanna to Cassie, the success of many of Pop music’s biggest acts has become based on their marketability, rather than actual talent. In fact, it has become a rare feat for a vocalist with extensive talent to capture a position in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100.

Interestingly, many of the divas themselves have swapped their octave warbling techniques and adapted their sounds in an effort to remain relevant in the current industry. For instance, Mariah Carey has been criticised in recent years for restraining her 5 octave pipes so that her songs would be more radio friendly; replacing her high range belts and trills with breathy coos and swift lyrics.

This raises the question of whether or not the divas will be able to once again reclaim their place at the top of the Pop charts or fade into distant memory along with the 90′s high-top hair cut and the 80′s ‘fanny pack’. With immensely talented singers such as Leona Lewis struggling to find their place amongst the current crop of performers, I sense that the era of the diva may indeed be over.

Do you think that the era of the diva is over?

Posted By: Trent

92 Comments

Tuesday, December 8th 2009

Has Jennifer Lopez’s Time Passed?

Exactly 10 years ago, Jennifer Lopez was at the helm of the pantheon of Urban/Pop artists. The entertainer was one of the few women to emerge from the ‘Latin explosion’ of the turn of the century and find major success on the Pop charts. ‘Jenny from the block’ has had 4 number songs from 8 top 10 hits.

However, in recent years, the singer has found it difficult to crack the upper peripheries of the Billboard Hot 100, especially with her new song ‘Louboutins’ which has yet to chart even after high profile performances on the American Music Awards and ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’. In fact, this week the song has generated less than 0.370 million audience impressions and is falling rather quickly. In other words, it’s a flop.

Many critics highlight similarities between the star and her contemporaries including popular models Rihanna and Cassie, who are better known for their fashion know-how than their musical prowess (although neither can hold a candle to Jennifer’s danging/singing ability). Indeed, many have cited that like the style trends that they promote, their presence in the industry is nothing but a fad.

The real question that comes out of this situation is: does Jennifer have the potential to once again rule the Pop roost? Or will the performer be left in the 00′s like her former collaborator Ja Rule? I personally believe that unless Ms. Jlo is able to find a hit with her next single, her time may officially be up.

Do you think that Jennifer can make a comeback?

Posted By: Trent

30 Comments

Thursday, December 3rd 2009

What Whitney’s Grammy Shut-Out Means Moving Forward

As reported earlier today, the legendary Whitney Houston has been unceremoniously shut-out from the nominations for the 52nd annual Grammy Awards. The news comes as a shock to many, as the singer’s critically acclaimed, Platinum-selling comeback LP ‘I Look To You’ has long been touted as a Grammy favourite, with its US release date even brought forward to make it eligible for nomination.

While many will debate as to why Houston, 46, was snubbed (a prominent reason cited being her supposed diva antics towards the committee – comprised of writers, producers, industry folk – at her peak), it’ll be interesting to see what happens with her comeback campaign moving forward. With the Grammy’s supposed have been the crowning moment of her rise from the ashes, so to speak, her team will have to find alternate ways to further enrich the campaign – the answer not being solely to tour.

That Grape Juice exclusively reported months back that there’d be no further singles from the album this year. However, upon the start of the new year, Ms. Houston’s best bet IMO would essentially be to put her best foot forward. By that I mean, releasing some of the record’s A* cuts (‘For The Lovers’, ‘Worth It’, ‘Calling You Tonight’, ‘Nothin’ But Love’, for example) – no playing around. In being frank, neither ‘Million Dollar Bill’ or ‘I Look To You’ were first or second single worthy IMO – something which proved not that big a deal when looking at the album’s success to-date, yet will do with the selection of future singles.

It’d also definitely benefit Whitney being more visible, not necessarily in the way of just performances, but talk-show interviews, TV specials, and maybe even a return to movies. As much as Whitney may have become accustomed to her ‘new life’, any hopes of making a significant dent on the music industry once again will require diligence and concentrated saturation of the market (see Mariah‘s hustle and flow approach during the ‘Emancipation’ era…my girl was everywhere!). Speaking of Mariah, does anyone else see Whitney’s Grammy shut-out as a more extreme version how they did Mariah at the 2006 show? Not the business. That said, I guess this whole episode further lends support to the age old saying that “nothing is a certainty”. Here’s hoping things move onwards and upwards for Whitney…