In January 2012, Adele’s “21” surpassed UK album sales of Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side Of The Moon” [4.11 million units] and in turn became the 7th highest selling UK album of all time. At 4.14 million units, it will soon move past Dire Straits’ “Brothers In Arms”, albeit it still has some way to go before it catches the seemingly unbeatable UK bestseller of all time “Queen’s Greatest Hits” [5.83 million units and counting].
“21” was released less than 2 years ago. “Dark Side Of The Moon” was released in 1973, “Brothers In Arms” in 1985 and “Queen’s Greatest Hits” in 1981, thus the size and speed at which “21” has sold in the UK is incredible, especially at a time when CD sales are steady declining.
In 2011, “21” sold more than 18 million units worldwide; the last CD to sell at such a pace was “The Eminem Show” in 2002 [14 million units].
Adele is single-handedly reversing global CD sales trends, and leading the way for UK artists’ presence in the USA. Asides from Adele, Mumford and Sons, Coldplay & Florence And The Machine were major contributors to British acts accounting for more than 10% of all CDs sold in the USA in 2011; again a record statistic.
Adele may never outsell “21” with her future CDs, however nobody can deny that she is now an indelible part of music history.
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Saturday, March 24, 2012
THE HUNGER GAMES: A PIVOTAL MOMENT IN SOUNDTRACK SALES
The Wall Street Journal has recently reported on the highly anticipated theatrical release of the teen-genre movie “The Hunger Games”, and its accompanying soundtrack release “The Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 and Beyond”. With the soundtrack featuring tracks from big name artists such as Taylor Swift, Arcade Fire and The Decemberists, we are about to witness a real life experiment which may change the sagging fortunes of movie soundtrack sales figures.
In order to provide an explanation, let’s go back into time…
From as far back in time as “The Sound Of Music”, a theatrical movie and its soundtrack album were correlating pieces in the success of the movie itself. Granted that “The Sound Of Music” was a musical first and foremost, the concept of dual success from one movie was etched in stone.
Our next significant forward step in the history of soundtrack album sales was in 1977, when “Saturday Night Fever” took the disco genre to heights never expected and made global stars out of John Travolta [the lead male star of the movie] and The Bee Gees [who wrote and performed the majority of the songs featured on the accompanying soundtrack album].
The 1980’s saw the greatest concentration of soundtrack album success, to the extent that it was a major coup to land a song on a soundtrack album. The movie business was booming; if your song was featured in a released movie and/ or on its accompanying soundtrack, you were effectively tripling your chances of attaining a hit record. History reveals that we saw successful “vanity projects” [1980’s “The Jazz Singer” for Neil Diamond and 1984’s “Purple Rain” for Prince] and low-budget movies which captured the hearts of a massive audience [1987’s “Dirty Dancing”], however it would be the 1990’s providing the greatest success and turning point in soundtrack album trends.
1992’s “The Bodyguard” [starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston] remains the biggest selling soundtrack album in history, with 17 million sales and counting, chiefly on the back of Houston’s immortal version of “I Will Always Love You”. 1994’s “Forrest Gump” made clever use of popular songs from the various decades of music, and bundled them all up as a “greatest hits” soundtrack. In the United States, sales of soundtrack albums peaked in 1999 at 60 million units however it has steadily declined to a figure of only 13 million units as at 2011.
Why has this occurred?
In one word: Internet.
As the world becomes more in tune with the power of the Internet and its influence on the manner in which we listen to and purchase music, the attraction of the “soundtrack album” has reduced to the point of extinction. No longer must we purchase an album or CD in order to listen to our favourite tracks; the Internet enables us to listen to and purchase only our favourite tracks. The public has greater power over its choice with respect to soundtrack albums.
Whilst the people behind the marketing of “The Hunger Games” have been savvy in securing original music from some of today’s biggest music stars to accompany their vehicle, one has to question as to whether these ingredients alone will provide the necessary staying power required to decelerate the decline in soundtrack album sales.
History has shown that you need at least 3 monster single releases from a soundtrack album in order to shift multi-million sales of the product. Taylor Swift’s “Safe & Sound” [the 1st single from “The Hunger Games” soundtrack] has sold well, however it is not a “Love Story” size mega-hit. Let’s see where the present takes us…
In order to provide an explanation, let’s go back into time…
From as far back in time as “The Sound Of Music”, a theatrical movie and its soundtrack album were correlating pieces in the success of the movie itself. Granted that “The Sound Of Music” was a musical first and foremost, the concept of dual success from one movie was etched in stone.
Our next significant forward step in the history of soundtrack album sales was in 1977, when “Saturday Night Fever” took the disco genre to heights never expected and made global stars out of John Travolta [the lead male star of the movie] and The Bee Gees [who wrote and performed the majority of the songs featured on the accompanying soundtrack album].
The 1980’s saw the greatest concentration of soundtrack album success, to the extent that it was a major coup to land a song on a soundtrack album. The movie business was booming; if your song was featured in a released movie and/ or on its accompanying soundtrack, you were effectively tripling your chances of attaining a hit record. History reveals that we saw successful “vanity projects” [1980’s “The Jazz Singer” for Neil Diamond and 1984’s “Purple Rain” for Prince] and low-budget movies which captured the hearts of a massive audience [1987’s “Dirty Dancing”], however it would be the 1990’s providing the greatest success and turning point in soundtrack album trends.
1992’s “The Bodyguard” [starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston] remains the biggest selling soundtrack album in history, with 17 million sales and counting, chiefly on the back of Houston’s immortal version of “I Will Always Love You”. 1994’s “Forrest Gump” made clever use of popular songs from the various decades of music, and bundled them all up as a “greatest hits” soundtrack. In the United States, sales of soundtrack albums peaked in 1999 at 60 million units however it has steadily declined to a figure of only 13 million units as at 2011.
Why has this occurred?
In one word: Internet.
As the world becomes more in tune with the power of the Internet and its influence on the manner in which we listen to and purchase music, the attraction of the “soundtrack album” has reduced to the point of extinction. No longer must we purchase an album or CD in order to listen to our favourite tracks; the Internet enables us to listen to and purchase only our favourite tracks. The public has greater power over its choice with respect to soundtrack albums.
Whilst the people behind the marketing of “The Hunger Games” have been savvy in securing original music from some of today’s biggest music stars to accompany their vehicle, one has to question as to whether these ingredients alone will provide the necessary staying power required to decelerate the decline in soundtrack album sales.
History has shown that you need at least 3 monster single releases from a soundtrack album in order to shift multi-million sales of the product. Taylor Swift’s “Safe & Sound” [the 1st single from “The Hunger Games” soundtrack] has sold well, however it is not a “Love Story” size mega-hit. Let’s see where the present takes us…
Saturday, March 3, 2012
COUNTRY MUSIC – WHERE TO NOW?
A recent study by Eddison Research in the USA indicates that 20% of country music fans don’t listen to country music radio stations. This means that 1 in 5 lovers of the genre will appreciate their music via websites, personal collections stored/ played on other media, or other genre-playing radio stations. Further to this, the remaining 80% of fans surveyed overwhelmingly prefer to hear “classic” country songs from the 1960’s and 1970’s, as opposed to “new” country songs. In addition, “new” country songs which feature a singer with a “twang” in their voice are more likely to alienate a potential audience than an artist who fits into the pop-country or rock-country genre.
What has happened to country music?
As a child growing up in the 1970’s, I was most likely spoiled by the rich abundance of “classic” country artists on offer, who were able to attain a cross-over audience with the general listening public. Our family music room regularly featured albums from the likes of Glenn Campbell, Anne Murray, Kenny Rogers et al. These artists all came from small country towns, and their songs told stories well beyond simple love songs. This is the essence of country music.
When did country music reach its “country peak”?
The enormous commercial success of The Eagles in the mid-1970’s may have been the zenith of the genre in its purest sense. At this point in time, anybody could don a cowboy hat, pick up an acoustic guitar and state that they were a working musician. Ironically, John Travolta [the king of the subsequent music genre craze – disco] turned “country” when he starred in 1980’s long-forgotten movie, “Urban Cowboy”.
Why did country music change?
There are two simple explanations to this question; synthesised music and MTV. Country music is based around acoustic and amplified instruments played live. The increasing popularity of heavily produced, synthesised recording techniques in the 1980’s operated at polar ends to the traditional “country” sound. The introduction of the concept of a music video and MTV also detracted from “classic” country music. Now, the music audience was absorbed in the “visual” aspect of the song, and the emphasis on the lyrical story of the song became less important. Artists with a country background, such as Garth Brooks and Shania Twain, attained superstardom thanks to MTV, however their respective music was more rock and pop, hence their “cross over” appeal.
Country music – where to now?
Like all things in life, the country music genre has changed forever. There will still be “traditional” or “roots” country artists, however their audience will be limited to devotees of the genre. Artists such as Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood and Lady Antebellum most certainly have a “country” sound, however their public image is cleverly controlled by management and record label strategies. Counter to these claims is Willie Nelson, who is unique in every aspect of his craft. Whilst he has cleverly modified his career by covering popular songs of the day, his unforgettable voice and guitar playing make him “country” through and through.
When Willie retires from music, the genre of country music will have changed forever.
What has happened to country music?
As a child growing up in the 1970’s, I was most likely spoiled by the rich abundance of “classic” country artists on offer, who were able to attain a cross-over audience with the general listening public. Our family music room regularly featured albums from the likes of Glenn Campbell, Anne Murray, Kenny Rogers et al. These artists all came from small country towns, and their songs told stories well beyond simple love songs. This is the essence of country music.
When did country music reach its “country peak”?
The enormous commercial success of The Eagles in the mid-1970’s may have been the zenith of the genre in its purest sense. At this point in time, anybody could don a cowboy hat, pick up an acoustic guitar and state that they were a working musician. Ironically, John Travolta [the king of the subsequent music genre craze – disco] turned “country” when he starred in 1980’s long-forgotten movie, “Urban Cowboy”.
Why did country music change?
There are two simple explanations to this question; synthesised music and MTV. Country music is based around acoustic and amplified instruments played live. The increasing popularity of heavily produced, synthesised recording techniques in the 1980’s operated at polar ends to the traditional “country” sound. The introduction of the concept of a music video and MTV also detracted from “classic” country music. Now, the music audience was absorbed in the “visual” aspect of the song, and the emphasis on the lyrical story of the song became less important. Artists with a country background, such as Garth Brooks and Shania Twain, attained superstardom thanks to MTV, however their respective music was more rock and pop, hence their “cross over” appeal.
Country music – where to now?
Like all things in life, the country music genre has changed forever. There will still be “traditional” or “roots” country artists, however their audience will be limited to devotees of the genre. Artists such as Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood and Lady Antebellum most certainly have a “country” sound, however their public image is cleverly controlled by management and record label strategies. Counter to these claims is Willie Nelson, who is unique in every aspect of his craft. Whilst he has cleverly modified his career by covering popular songs of the day, his unforgettable voice and guitar playing make him “country” through and through.
When Willie retires from music, the genre of country music will have changed forever.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
WHAT TO DO WHEN AN ARTIST CAN’T OUTDO THEIR DEBUT SINGLE?
I do a lot of “musical analysis” whilst in supermarkets and shopping centres; for me, it’s pure escapism from the demands of society and work life. Last weekend, whilst absent-mindedly shopping in our local supermarket, my ears pricked up to the sounds of Bachelor Girl’s 1998 hit, “Buses And Trains”. “Great pop song”, I muttered to myself whilst paying for our groceries at the self-serve checkout.
Three days later, whilst rushing from one work meeting to another, “Buses And Trains” caught my attention again as it was played over the noise of a busy food court in a suburban Sydney shopping centre.
By default or by design, I was party to the unlikely trifecta of hearing “Buses And Trains” AGAIN as I walked past a women’s clothing store later the same day.
Freaky…
The Australian pop duo of Bachelor Girl enjoyed a handful of hit singles in Australasia during the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, however they will always be remembered for their debut single, “Buses And Trains”. It follows the perfect pop song format [i.e. catchy chorus, simple lyrics et al], and it is a “cookie cutter” template song for supermarkets and shopping centres, as it will never offend any member of the public, and everybody over the age of 25 is familiar with the tune.
Whilst “Buses And Trains” remains a lucrative copyright for Bachelor Girl’s singer Tania Doko and multi-instrumentalist James Roche, one wonders how they feel about the song’s impact on their subsequent music careers. The facts must be faced; their debut single remains their most revered composition.
In keeping with my hobby of analysing music whilst in supermarkets and shopping centres, I surprised myself at how swiftly I was able to compile a list of artists of whom their debut single remains their most revered work:
• “Wuthering Heights” – Kate Bush
• “Just What I Needed” – The Cars
• “Alive” – Pearl Jam
• “Fool If You Think It’s Over” – Chris Rea
• “Kids In America” – Kim Wilde
• “Tomorrow” – Silverchair
• “Baby One More Time” – Britney Spears
• “Morning Train” – Sheena Easton
• “It’s Not Unusual” – Tom Jones
• “More Than A Feeling” – Boston
• “Never Gonna Give You Up” – Rick Astley
• “Take On Me” – a-Ha
• “The Final Countdown” – Europe
From Bachelor Girl through to Europe, these are all great songs, debut release or not. The most important aspect of each song is that it created a career for each artist, and that in itself is something to be proud of. We all know that there are thousands of artists worldwide who would kill to be in a similar position.
This being said, I wonder if these artists ever think to themselves, “when will I outdo the debut single?” It’s a nice question to be able to contemplate…
Three days later, whilst rushing from one work meeting to another, “Buses And Trains” caught my attention again as it was played over the noise of a busy food court in a suburban Sydney shopping centre.
By default or by design, I was party to the unlikely trifecta of hearing “Buses And Trains” AGAIN as I walked past a women’s clothing store later the same day.
Freaky…
The Australian pop duo of Bachelor Girl enjoyed a handful of hit singles in Australasia during the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, however they will always be remembered for their debut single, “Buses And Trains”. It follows the perfect pop song format [i.e. catchy chorus, simple lyrics et al], and it is a “cookie cutter” template song for supermarkets and shopping centres, as it will never offend any member of the public, and everybody over the age of 25 is familiar with the tune.
Whilst “Buses And Trains” remains a lucrative copyright for Bachelor Girl’s singer Tania Doko and multi-instrumentalist James Roche, one wonders how they feel about the song’s impact on their subsequent music careers. The facts must be faced; their debut single remains their most revered composition.
In keeping with my hobby of analysing music whilst in supermarkets and shopping centres, I surprised myself at how swiftly I was able to compile a list of artists of whom their debut single remains their most revered work:
• “Wuthering Heights” – Kate Bush
• “Just What I Needed” – The Cars
• “Alive” – Pearl Jam
• “Fool If You Think It’s Over” – Chris Rea
• “Kids In America” – Kim Wilde
• “Tomorrow” – Silverchair
• “Baby One More Time” – Britney Spears
• “Morning Train” – Sheena Easton
• “It’s Not Unusual” – Tom Jones
• “More Than A Feeling” – Boston
• “Never Gonna Give You Up” – Rick Astley
• “Take On Me” – a-Ha
• “The Final Countdown” – Europe
From Bachelor Girl through to Europe, these are all great songs, debut release or not. The most important aspect of each song is that it created a career for each artist, and that in itself is something to be proud of. We all know that there are thousands of artists worldwide who would kill to be in a similar position.
This being said, I wonder if these artists ever think to themselves, “when will I outdo the debut single?” It’s a nice question to be able to contemplate…
Saturday, January 28, 2012
THE WIGGLES: SOME THINGS ARE BETTER LEFT UNSAID
Australia’s most successful kids-genre entertainers, The Wiggles, have recently been in the news for slightly controversial reasons, and the public are collectively scratching their heads as to why and how this has happened.
For the uninitiated, Greg Page [the original “Yellow” Wiggle] left the group in 2006 due to an illness known as dysautonomia [symptoms being chronic fatigue and fainting]. His replacement, Sam Moran, slotted into the group without fault [he being an understudy to the “Yellow” Wiggle role for some years prior to his formal appointment], and for many youngsters around the globe, Sam Moran is THE Yellow Wiggle.
Recent media reports indicate that Greg Page has a clean bill of health, and he will resume the role of the Yellow Wiggle effective immediately. Page’s illness has been well documented [he has released an autobiography in recent years], and as a founding member of The Wiggles, it makes sense that he returns to the fold at this time.
However, the media have sensed a big story from the event, and hasn’t it opened a can of worms!!
The Wiggles “brand” has been one of Australia’s greatest success stories during the past 2 decades; The Wiggles are globally known and they display no sign of fatigue. The slightly “sinister” aspect of Page’s return to The Wiggles has been the treatment of the outgoing Sam Moran. Whilst Moran has been a diplomat in the truest sense of the word, it has been revealed that Moran’s severance pay amounted to “only” AUD$60,000.00, and he will receive publishing royalties of a similar figure per annum for the foreseeable future.
Additional probing into The Wiggles’ corporate empire has revealed that Moran held no equity in The Wiggles, rather he was an employee [albeit a highly prominent employee]. When Page left the group in 2006, he is rumoured to have sold his 20% stake in the conglomerate for circa AUD$20M, with the remaining 3 members of The Wiggles & their 2 managers acquiring his stake.
Is this controversial news? One would have to say not at all in the world of entertainment. The Rolling Stones are owned by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards; Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman are paid a salary whenever The Stones perform in concert. The same can be said for Kiss; Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley employ Ace Frehley and Peter Criss [or whoever wishes to don their respective make-up disguises] for concert tours.
Let’s sum up The Wiggles’ line up change; Page cashed in his chips in 2006, and now he is back as a salaried employee. Moran has a stable cash flow stream [via publishing royalties] for at least the next generation, and his entertainment career is certainly better for the experience.
The world should have been able to move on from this event, and return to enjoying The Wiggles for what they are; wholesome family entertainment. However, Anthony Field [the “Blue” Wiggle] has decided to use this opportunity to reveal his ongoing battle with depression. Whilst this is obviously a very personal matter and it takes considerable courage to announce such an affliction to the world, one must wonder what The Wiggles’ core fan base [i.e. children under the age of five] makes of these recent media reports. Do they truly understand the implications of these announcements? Is it for the benefit of their “older” fan base? [i.e. the children’s parents] Does the world wish for The Wiggles to be seen as experiencing real life issues, or should the fundamental reason for their amazing success [i.e. good old-fashioned entertainment] be upheld in this case?
Maybe [just maybe] The Wiggles should use this opportunity to review their Public Relations firm at this time. Sometimes, some things are better left unsaid…
For the uninitiated, Greg Page [the original “Yellow” Wiggle] left the group in 2006 due to an illness known as dysautonomia [symptoms being chronic fatigue and fainting]. His replacement, Sam Moran, slotted into the group without fault [he being an understudy to the “Yellow” Wiggle role for some years prior to his formal appointment], and for many youngsters around the globe, Sam Moran is THE Yellow Wiggle.
Recent media reports indicate that Greg Page has a clean bill of health, and he will resume the role of the Yellow Wiggle effective immediately. Page’s illness has been well documented [he has released an autobiography in recent years], and as a founding member of The Wiggles, it makes sense that he returns to the fold at this time.
However, the media have sensed a big story from the event, and hasn’t it opened a can of worms!!
The Wiggles “brand” has been one of Australia’s greatest success stories during the past 2 decades; The Wiggles are globally known and they display no sign of fatigue. The slightly “sinister” aspect of Page’s return to The Wiggles has been the treatment of the outgoing Sam Moran. Whilst Moran has been a diplomat in the truest sense of the word, it has been revealed that Moran’s severance pay amounted to “only” AUD$60,000.00, and he will receive publishing royalties of a similar figure per annum for the foreseeable future.
Additional probing into The Wiggles’ corporate empire has revealed that Moran held no equity in The Wiggles, rather he was an employee [albeit a highly prominent employee]. When Page left the group in 2006, he is rumoured to have sold his 20% stake in the conglomerate for circa AUD$20M, with the remaining 3 members of The Wiggles & their 2 managers acquiring his stake.
Is this controversial news? One would have to say not at all in the world of entertainment. The Rolling Stones are owned by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards; Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman are paid a salary whenever The Stones perform in concert. The same can be said for Kiss; Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley employ Ace Frehley and Peter Criss [or whoever wishes to don their respective make-up disguises] for concert tours.
Let’s sum up The Wiggles’ line up change; Page cashed in his chips in 2006, and now he is back as a salaried employee. Moran has a stable cash flow stream [via publishing royalties] for at least the next generation, and his entertainment career is certainly better for the experience.
The world should have been able to move on from this event, and return to enjoying The Wiggles for what they are; wholesome family entertainment. However, Anthony Field [the “Blue” Wiggle] has decided to use this opportunity to reveal his ongoing battle with depression. Whilst this is obviously a very personal matter and it takes considerable courage to announce such an affliction to the world, one must wonder what The Wiggles’ core fan base [i.e. children under the age of five] makes of these recent media reports. Do they truly understand the implications of these announcements? Is it for the benefit of their “older” fan base? [i.e. the children’s parents] Does the world wish for The Wiggles to be seen as experiencing real life issues, or should the fundamental reason for their amazing success [i.e. good old-fashioned entertainment] be upheld in this case?
Maybe [just maybe] The Wiggles should use this opportunity to review their Public Relations firm at this time. Sometimes, some things are better left unsaid…
Saturday, December 31, 2011
RUMER: THE VOICE OF 2011
Whilst Adele achieved critical and commercial saturation during 2011, Rumer was also a worthy frontrunner for the Voice of 2011.
Rumer [real name: Sarah Joyce, and of Anglo-Pakistani origin] quietly released her debut long-player “Seasons Of My Soul” in late 2010, however with a voice equal parts Karen Carpenter & Dusty Springfield it didn’t take long for the music industry to recognise a major talent in the making.
Within reason, if “Seasons Of My Soul” was released 40 years ago Rumer would be a huge star in the music industry. The songs are written and recorded with real instruments, and in the main tell real stories of which music lovers can all appreciate. Rumer has “lived her life”, and she has the voice to articulate these stories to perfection.
It is interesting to note that Rumer has been endorsed by such music heavyweights as Burt Bacharach, Jools Holland and Elton John. Further to this, Rumer’s vocal tonality is a perfect fit for Bacharach’s melodic song writing style. It comes as no surprise that Rumer has recently worked with Bacharach on his new compositions.
Whilst “Seasons Of My Soul” has been critically acclaimed and sold well in Europe, it is far from perfect. The media has focussed on the songs “Slow” and “Aretha” [the latter of which sounds similar to Corrine Bailey Rae’s “Put Your Records On”], however my favourite track is the bouncy opening song, “Am I Forgiven”. Rumer’s voice can’t be faulted on any track, however the collection leans too heavily upon brooding “torch” songs. Rumer shares the writing credit of the long player’s original songs with her mentor, Steve Brown, however CD Number Two would benefit from the inclusion of some tracks from writers external to their inner circle. The three cover versions [David Gates’ “Goodbye Girl”, Cilla Black’s “Alfie” and Steven Bishop’s “It Might Be You”] all work well to a degree, noting that Rumer has now sung the definitive version of Bacharach & David’s “Alfie”.
Rumer is no overnight sensation, and “Seasons Of My Soul” is one of the better long player releases of the past 12 months, notwithstanding a very solid debut collection. Noting that Adele is suffering from media & vocal overload, it will be very interesting to see whether Rumer can attain global popularity whilst Adele stays out of the limelight. With a voice as pure as one has heard, Rumer deserves to be a success. How ironic that an extremely talented musician raises her presence in an era where marketability presides over substance…
Rumer [real name: Sarah Joyce, and of Anglo-Pakistani origin] quietly released her debut long-player “Seasons Of My Soul” in late 2010, however with a voice equal parts Karen Carpenter & Dusty Springfield it didn’t take long for the music industry to recognise a major talent in the making.
Within reason, if “Seasons Of My Soul” was released 40 years ago Rumer would be a huge star in the music industry. The songs are written and recorded with real instruments, and in the main tell real stories of which music lovers can all appreciate. Rumer has “lived her life”, and she has the voice to articulate these stories to perfection.
It is interesting to note that Rumer has been endorsed by such music heavyweights as Burt Bacharach, Jools Holland and Elton John. Further to this, Rumer’s vocal tonality is a perfect fit for Bacharach’s melodic song writing style. It comes as no surprise that Rumer has recently worked with Bacharach on his new compositions.
Whilst “Seasons Of My Soul” has been critically acclaimed and sold well in Europe, it is far from perfect. The media has focussed on the songs “Slow” and “Aretha” [the latter of which sounds similar to Corrine Bailey Rae’s “Put Your Records On”], however my favourite track is the bouncy opening song, “Am I Forgiven”. Rumer’s voice can’t be faulted on any track, however the collection leans too heavily upon brooding “torch” songs. Rumer shares the writing credit of the long player’s original songs with her mentor, Steve Brown, however CD Number Two would benefit from the inclusion of some tracks from writers external to their inner circle. The three cover versions [David Gates’ “Goodbye Girl”, Cilla Black’s “Alfie” and Steven Bishop’s “It Might Be You”] all work well to a degree, noting that Rumer has now sung the definitive version of Bacharach & David’s “Alfie”.
Rumer is no overnight sensation, and “Seasons Of My Soul” is one of the better long player releases of the past 12 months, notwithstanding a very solid debut collection. Noting that Adele is suffering from media & vocal overload, it will be very interesting to see whether Rumer can attain global popularity whilst Adele stays out of the limelight. With a voice as pure as one has heard, Rumer deserves to be a success. How ironic that an extremely talented musician raises her presence in an era where marketability presides over substance…
Saturday, December 17, 2011
MUSIC IS ART; ART IS MUSIC
Music is an aural and visual medium. Whilst the aural component may initially attract the consumer of the music, there is an equal debate for the visual element.
We have all been attracted to the “cover art” of recorded music on at least one occasion in our lives. It may be recorded music of an artist that you know & enjoy, or it could be an unknown artist; sometimes the “cover art” is simply very appealing, and it draws you in. It makes you listen to recorded music, of which you may never have stumbled upon in any other situation.
Great collections of recorded music [whether that be commercial and/ or critical success] invariably have great “cover art”; it simply goes with the territory. I’ll list some examples:
• “Abbey Road” – The Beatles
• “Nevermind” – Nirvana
• “Dark Side of the Moon” – Pink Floyd
• “Rumours” – Fleetwood Mac
• “Country Life” – Roxy Music
The list is endless. In each case, the “cover art” of these music recordings is instantly recognisable and synonymous with that particular recording. Whether it be the artists’ picture or a graphic, these cases will be deemed “classic” for ever and a day.
I have become concerned that the “visual” aspect of recorded music would gradually disappear in conjunction with the steady reduction in physical music sales. There is a material difference is admiring the “cover art” of a physical music recording as opposed to clicking on a thumbnail image of the “cover art” via the Internet.
This weekend’s visit to my local JB Hi-Fi shop [a prominent music retailer in Australia] has set my concerns aside. “Cover art” is alive and well.
“21” by Adele has been the highest selling CD/ mp3 et al in Australia in 2011 [and the rest of the globe]. Adele’s phenomenal success is based upon equal parts brilliant voice & memorable songs, however it comes as no surprise that “21” also features brilliant “cover art”. I had no idea of Adele or her story until April of this year, until I stumbled upon “21” on the music play list of a commercial flight. Why was I compelled to listen to the songs of “21”? The “cover art”; Adele’s black & white portrait immediately grabbed my attention.
Some music critics are claiming “21” to be the saviour of the recorded music industry, as physical sales of the release have been enormous. Maybe [just maybe], “21” has unwittingly rejuvenated the importance of “cover art” for the modern music generation.
Music is art, and art will always be music.
We have all been attracted to the “cover art” of recorded music on at least one occasion in our lives. It may be recorded music of an artist that you know & enjoy, or it could be an unknown artist; sometimes the “cover art” is simply very appealing, and it draws you in. It makes you listen to recorded music, of which you may never have stumbled upon in any other situation.
Great collections of recorded music [whether that be commercial and/ or critical success] invariably have great “cover art”; it simply goes with the territory. I’ll list some examples:
• “Abbey Road” – The Beatles
• “Nevermind” – Nirvana
• “Dark Side of the Moon” – Pink Floyd
• “Rumours” – Fleetwood Mac
• “Country Life” – Roxy Music
The list is endless. In each case, the “cover art” of these music recordings is instantly recognisable and synonymous with that particular recording. Whether it be the artists’ picture or a graphic, these cases will be deemed “classic” for ever and a day.
I have become concerned that the “visual” aspect of recorded music would gradually disappear in conjunction with the steady reduction in physical music sales. There is a material difference is admiring the “cover art” of a physical music recording as opposed to clicking on a thumbnail image of the “cover art” via the Internet.
This weekend’s visit to my local JB Hi-Fi shop [a prominent music retailer in Australia] has set my concerns aside. “Cover art” is alive and well.
“21” by Adele has been the highest selling CD/ mp3 et al in Australia in 2011 [and the rest of the globe]. Adele’s phenomenal success is based upon equal parts brilliant voice & memorable songs, however it comes as no surprise that “21” also features brilliant “cover art”. I had no idea of Adele or her story until April of this year, until I stumbled upon “21” on the music play list of a commercial flight. Why was I compelled to listen to the songs of “21”? The “cover art”; Adele’s black & white portrait immediately grabbed my attention.
Some music critics are claiming “21” to be the saviour of the recorded music industry, as physical sales of the release have been enormous. Maybe [just maybe], “21” has unwittingly rejuvenated the importance of “cover art” for the modern music generation.
Music is art, and art will always be music.
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