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Forums > Music: Non-Prince > Songwriter explains how Beyoncé helped R&B writers when other artists abandoned the genre for EDM
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Thread started 11/20/16 6:44pm

HAPPYPERSON

Songwriter explains how Beyoncé helped R&B writers when other artists abandoned the genre for EDM

Back to Kanye v Beyonce briefly.

It's interesting that he thinks the industry is bending over backwards to help her rig things when it's been doing the opposite.

To some extent, she's being punished by Top 40 radio for not jumping on its trends.

And has taken several hits for talking about things the industry often encourages artists to stay away from.

Azealia Banks was the first artist (of this Pop class) to discuss racism as openly as she did. So Beyonce can't take all the credit.

And most of them are struggling to find their footing today even though R&B is in style again.

Kanye knows how much easier Beyonce's life would be if the industry bent over backwards for her as much as he says it does.

Around 2011 some of the biggest R&B acts were under pressure to drop EDM hits because they thought it'd help album sales.

They got the hits but isolated their core fans who could sense that the decisions they were making more tactical than musical.

Their albums tanked because the people they were targeting with their singles were only interested in their singles.

After IASF Beyonce was under the same pressure to pop out Single Ladies-sized hits.

The easiest thing to do would be to secure radio's support by releasing fist bump bops. Everyone else was.

And most of them are struggling to find their footing today even though R&B is in style again.

After IASF Beyonce was under the same pressure to pop out Single Ladies-sized hits.

The easiest thing to do would be to secure radio's support by releasing fist bump bops. Everyone else was.

Instead, and not a lot of people know this, she started looking for new R&B writers to collaborate with to keep the genre afloat.

At the time, R&B songs and writers weren't "worth" much because the genre wasn't in demand.

So to help them out, she started cutting demos by new writers instead of relying on the guys who'd given her hits in the past.

Most of these demos didn't make it to 4, but the writers were able to pick up huge deals just because Bey co-signed them behind closed doors

Some of those demos became R&B singles for other artists and were pushed by their labels...

because they realised that they'd gotten their hands on material that Beyonce believed in.

All of this helped to keep the genre alive on a mainstream tip.

The point I'm making is that it's weird for anyone to accuse Beyonce of being an industry puppet or bully..

When a lot of the things she's done behind the scenes have been altruistic and, in most cases, against the game's grain.

I know all of this because I was/am one of the new writers who benefited from Beyonce's decision to support new talent.

She asked Sony to look out for any new R&B writers to submit ideas for self-titled.

Instead of closing her doors to new talent, she sent beats she liked around to anyone who wanted to jump on them.

I submitted a song through Sony ATV. It didn't make the album...

But the demo still exists. That alone has helped me to pick up writing work almost four years later.

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Reply #1 posted 11/21/16 11:16am

lowkey

im sure they're also cheaper and more willing to share writers credit with her than the established songwriters.

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Reply #2 posted 11/22/16 10:49am

2freaky4church
1

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Bruno and Adele are bringing us back.

All you others say Hell Yea!! woot!
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Reply #3 posted 11/22/16 12:03pm

Cinny

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Yes, this is one reason I appreciate her albums this decade.

I know the director of one of her 2013 videos, and he certainly was new.

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Reply #4 posted 11/23/16 8:43am

paisleypark4

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yes I remember when Britney, Usher, Madonna and Christina and everyone else was feeling the pressure to jump on EDM with high regard to Lady gaga dominating the charts. Everyone was doing it. Beyonce wasnt treally about that life and never has been. I am glad she took the direction she did with "4" and "Beyonce" even though no one was really paying attention to r&b like that.

This is good news that she was for staying in her lane while everyone else was running to Diplo, Skrillex or whoever can make them sound like they were up to date. "Beyonce" is one of the best albums she has put out

Straight Jacket Funk Affair
Album plays and love for vinyl records.
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Reply #5 posted 11/23/16 12:44pm

Cinny

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paisleypark4 said:

yes I remember when Britney, Usher, Madonna and Christina and everyone else was feeling the pressure to jump on EDM with high regard to Lady gaga dominating the charts. Everyone was doing it. Beyonce wasnt treally about that life and never has been. I am glad she took the direction she did with "4" and "Beyonce" even though no one was really paying attention to r&b like that.

This is good news that she was for staying in her lane while everyone else was running to Diplo, Skrillex or whoever can make them sound like they were up to date. "Beyonce" is one of the best albums she has put out

co-siggity-sign

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