Ninetales

It's weird to me that people think that the audience that Katy Perry is geared towards is brainwashed to the point that replacing her with Iron Maiden would be an unnoticeable change. It's a niche market for bubbly catchy dance music. How would Iron Maiden be marketed correctly to fit into that niche?

It shouldnt be hard to see why that wouldnt work.

Isbjørn

My theory is that if they marketed so-called non-marketable music towards a large audience, more people would listen to it.

Not all mainstream music is dance music, and not all non-mainstream music is metal. You probably know that already, though.

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Ninetales

Yeah but I was referring to the part of mainstream music that seems to take the most flak (and what was specifically talked about by OP) ie the Ke$has and Biebers of the world.

Soulflower

Agree



I think the industry itself creates these markets and brands.

Because there is not a doubt in my mind that if the industry promoted and marketed acts like Janelle Monae they would be just as popular. I think the industry purposely chooses to market certain artists and certain songs over others because they want a particular brand of music to sell.

If kids are only exposed to the Gaga's or the Bieber's that is only thing they are going to have to judge by. People just listen to what is easily accessible not necessarily because its prolific.


Take Miguel for instance, he makes some of the most blandest non catchiest music known to man (come me a snob or a elist I dont care its true) but ...he is oddly widely popular, do people honestly think this is by coincidance?

The same with Frank Ocean who doesnt have marketbable looks (although I do think his cute) and okay music but the industry decided to promote him therefore he was successful.

So all this talk about so and so isnt marketbable is all bull**** because there have been successful artists who dont have catchy music or marketbable looks who have been successful ex. Adele...

Ninetales

But this isnt exclusive to mainstream music. Each part of the music industry has its darlings and I dont think there is a huge difference in how one finds these artists/albums/songs. If you're a giant indie rock fan that regards Pitchfork's reviews highly, then yeah you're probably going to like Vampire Weekend and Grizzly Bear over Foster the People. If P4k had given Torches a 9.5 BNM you dont think more people would think it was a better record? It's just a matter of trusting your sources. If you like Scaruffi and he rated a new album very highly, chances are you will listen to it. If you like billboard chart music and they show a new Katy Perry song, chances are you will listen to it.

Pitchfork is just as easily accessible as MTV, it's just a matter of what your tastes are.

djchameleon

Adele is an exception and a rare one. How many other types of Adeles and unmarketable mainstream artists do you see out there? They are far and few between.

Also that Janelle mention doesn't hold up either. I personally think she's great and talented but it doesn't seem like the masses think so. I went to her Today show concert in the morning and it wasn't as packed as when I went to see Flordia Georgia Line featuring Nelly in the same place.

Also if it was just Nelly there headlining by himself. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have been as packed either but country fans know how to turn up for bands that they love.

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Fame, fortune, power, titties. People say these are the most crucial things in life, but you can have a pocket full o' gold and it doesn't mean sh*t if you don't have someone to share that gold with. Seems simple. Yet it's an important lesson to learn. Even lone wolves run in packs sometimes.

Soulflower

Thats a good point. I just think for alot of people these tastes are shaped based on what the industry promotes. I was specifically referring to audiences that rely on the "mainstream" for their music. I know this issue can go many different ways for other forms of music.

I also want to make this clear that I am specifically referring to the current mainstream industry and not the way it has operated in the past.


I just think naturally people are going to like what they constantly see and hear all the time not because they think its great but because that is all that they are use to listening too. I think the corporate machine and the industry itself has more to do with why certain artists are more commercial than others.

Back in a day a song played 5 times on the radio because it was a popular song that the PUBLIC voted on. Nowadays, the INDUSTRY will play a bland song 50 times within 5 hours and it is a song that the public didnt even request or vote on. In other words, its popular because the INDUSTRY said so.
As a result, we blindly fall in love with these bland pop songs not because its good but because after listening to the same damn song over 12,000 times we begin to like it.

I just think the powers that be controls the dynamics of the industry, its really sad because the real artists suffer.


Thats why I said pop music isnt about music anymore and it pushes people to dig and discover music on their own (not that that is a problem) but just saying..

Soulflower

I agree Adele is an exception. However, her exception still shows that in this new generation of music and pop stardom, a singer with no "pop star" qualities can still become a superstar for her "voice" and "music" alone. Adele is a superstar because of her TALENT not because of ANYTHING else. No gimmicks, no stripping butt naked on stage, no booty bounce... none of that.

I also I disagree with your opinion on Janelle.

The reason why Janelle is not as famous is because for one thing she is on one of the most sh!ttiest labels known to man (Bad Boys) and she is being managed by one of the most the sh!ttiest business managers known to man (Diddy) who has jacked up alot of promising careers.

The MAJOR reason why she isnt as famous is because the industry simply won't promote her. Ive listened to all her music and although her production is complicated and she is very artistic, she has made some radio friendly songs that if the industry promoted it they could have easily been semi successful or successful on the radio.

So how can the masses not like her if she hasnnt even been given a chance? "The Electric Lady" debut at number 5, which is pretty darn good for an album that received 0 promotion besides two music videos at the time of its release. So people respect Janelle as an artist. She actually has a pretty nice size following for someone who isnt as famous as her peers and she is very critically acclaim. If the industry promoted her, man she would be huge. She has everything there to be a superstar. (Looks, good singer, good dancer, good songwriter, good performer, interesting, artistic, different etc)

djchameleon

The thing about is that even though she is signed to Bad Boy Records they have been doing really good by her. They have left her alone creatively and haven't been too intrusive in that regards so they aren't ruining her career any. She has the artistic freedom of someone that isn't signed or that's on an indie label but while being on a bigger label.

It's not even about the industry promoting her. She's doing well all on her own and getting Grammy nominations it's just that she doesn't have that big of a fan base and it's not because people don't know her or hear her material because they DO.

__________________

Fame, fortune, power, titties. People say these are the most crucial things in life, but you can have a pocket full o' gold and it doesn't mean sh*t if you don't have someone to share that gold with. Seems simple. Yet it's an important lesson to learn. Even lone wolves run in packs sometimes.

Soulflower

Respectfully disagree

First off, Janelle doesnt get alot of grammy nominations. Janelle was featured on the Fun song last year but that wasnt her song that was nominated. This year we will see if she has any nominations. I think the Archandroid received one nomination.

Her fans and her following support her but the average music listener is not going to know who Janelle is or any of her music. She has a pretty good following for someone of her status but she is no Bieber or Katy Perry in popularity in the way you are implying.... c'mon now. They are largely popular because their backed by their million dollar labels and the industry. There popularity is due to that mostly and not because they make "creative" music or are extremely talented.

Janelles problem is she needs a hit song that will introduce the masses to more of her music. That is what happened this summer with Robin Thicke and turned him into a pop star overnight with one song.


Just because Badboys is giving Janelle artistic freedom doesnt justify their trifliness. You still dont abandon artists on your label. Janelle needs to get off that label ASAP! I liked to see her get on Bruno's label. They did a really great job with his latest project.


Fanbases will never grow if the masses are not exposed to your music, (thats the key factor) So you cant blame it on the public if the public have not been exposed to her music. I personally dont care if she ever becomes big or not but I think she deserves it because she works so hard to be creative and she is extremely talented. She is very creative and artistic unlike most of her peers. She is also very intelligent too.