JackieBlue said:

dancerella said:

I've been recently thinking, I pray Keyshia Cole's new stuff isn't the same old stuff she sings about. How her man has done her wrong and she's not gonna take it anymore. Please tell me she's not singing about that again. I swear her and Mary J seriously need new writing material. They sing about the same shit over and over and over and over......you get the picture! If I hear one more Mary J song about being stronger, i'm gonna do something extreme, lol!

What else are these chicks going to sing about?

Was flipping the channels and saw a video by Fantasia and the opening line was about loving a man or something. But most of this stuff is redundant and worse yet, put to the same ole music. Mary stopped being interesting yeeears ago.

Today's R&B makes me wanna go to sleep. They should just rename the genre Rotating & Blunders.

Timmy84 said:

JackieBlue said:

What else are these chicks going to sing about?

Was flipping the channels and saw a video by Fantasia and the opening line was about loving a man or something. But most of this stuff is redundant and worse yet, put to the same ole music. Mary stopped being interesting yeeears ago.

Today's R&B makes me wanna go to sleep. They should just rename the genre Rotating & Blunders.

JackieBlue said:

dancerella said:

I've been recently thinking, I pray Keyshia Cole's new stuff isn't the same old stuff she sings about. How her man has done her wrong and she's not gonna take it anymore. Please tell me she's not singing about that again. I swear her and Mary J seriously need new writing material. They sing about the same shit over and over and over and over......you get the picture! If I hear one more Mary J song about being stronger, i'm gonna do something extreme, lol!

What else are these chicks going to sing about?

Was flipping the channels and saw a video by Fantasia and the opening line was about loving a man or something. But most of this stuff is redundant and worse yet, put to the same ole music. Mary stopped being interesting yeeears ago.

Timmy84 said:

JackieBlue said:

What else are these chicks going to sing about?

Was flipping the channels and saw a video by Fantasia and the opening line was about loving a man or something. But most of this stuff is redundant and worse yet, put to the same ole music. Mary stopped being interesting yeeears ago.

Today's R&B makes me wanna go to sleep. They should just rename the genre Rotating & Blunders.

Fluff & Dance

Lol.. i remember that when The Goodies album came out... the Entertainment Weekly review said that if Aaliyah where still alive this is the album she would have made

Cinnie said:

Timmy84 said:

Today's R&B makes me wanna go to sleep. They should just rename the genre Rotating & Blunders.

Fluff & Dance

That too.

JackieBlue said:

dancerella said:

I've been recently thinking, I pray Keyshia Cole's new stuff isn't the same old stuff she sings about. How her man has done her wrong and she's not gonna take it anymore. Please tell me she's not singing about that again. I swear her and Mary J seriously need new writing material. They sing about the same shit over and over and over and over......you get the picture! If I hear one more Mary J song about being stronger, i'm gonna do something extreme, lol!

What else are these chicks going to sing about?

Was flipping the channels and saw a video by Fantasia and the opening line was about loving a man or something. But most of this stuff is redundant and worse yet, put to the same ole music. Mary stopped being interesting yeeears ago.

These people just make the same album over and over.The same themes,the same music,the same production.Nothing ever changes.There's no artistic evolution at all.Really,what's the difference between a Fantasia album and an album by any one of these other R&B "divas"?

JackieBlue said:

dancerella said:

I've been recently thinking, I pray Keyshia Cole's new stuff isn't the same old stuff she sings about. How her man has done her wrong and she's not gonna take it anymore. Please tell me she's not singing about that again. I swear her and Mary J seriously need new writing material. They sing about the same shit over and over and over and over......you get the picture! If I hear one more Mary J song about being stronger, i'm gonna do something extreme, lol!

What else are these chicks going to sing about?

Was flipping the channels and saw a video by Fantasia and the opening line was about loving a man or something. But most of this stuff is redundant and worse yet, put to the same ole music. Mary stopped being interesting yeeears ago.

well thats it right there, its the backdrop its set against, i mean people have been and always will be singing about sex,love, not getting any, getting alot of it etc...but its the backdrop, the music, the production, the vocal stylings, the song progression etc...its like a script thats being used over and over. Thats my problem with so many of the females that i mentioned, i mean i have no gripe with Keri or Keyshia or Ciara, but shit, the music is so bland that i dont even know if they have talent, so it then becomes the superficial aspect, whoever looks best wins out in the batte of the "same Ole", i mean what would hurt any of these ladies, to pull out a live band on a record, do like Solange or AMerie or Tearria Mari or teedra moses etc... stop aiming for that damn chart, deal with not selling and move on.

lastdecember said:

JackieBlue said:

What else are these chicks going to sing about?

Was flipping the channels and saw a video by Fantasia and the opening line was about loving a man or something. But most of this stuff is redundant and worse yet, put to the same ole music. Mary stopped being interesting yeeears ago.

well thats it right there, its the backdrop its set against, i mean people have been and always will be singing about sex,love, not getting any, getting alot of it etc...but its the backdrop, the music, the production, the vocal stylings, the song progression etc...its like a script thats being used over and over. Thats my problem with so many of the females that i mentioned, i mean i have no gripe with Keri or Keyshia or Ciara, but shit, the music is so bland that i dont even know if they have talent, so it then becomes the superficial aspect, whoever looks best wins out in the batte of the "same Ole", i mean what would hurt any of these ladies, to pull out a live band on a record, do like Solange or AMerie or Tearria Mari or teedra moses etc... stop aiming for that damn chart, deal with not selling and move on.

Everybody wants to be THAT girl instead of that OTHER girl. But sometimes it's okay to be that OTHER.

The only thing that seems to be changing amongst these chicks is that they're becoming more explicit whether lyrically or in their videos. Keri Hilson's is the latest and now she's poppin' it as much as Ciara, so now what??? I heard Ciara is rapping now?

I admit, on the first album Ciara had a few cute dance or workout songs. But really, she could probably have more success as a model or choreographer. She seems like a nice girl but maybe the singing thing just isn't for her. Other than Amerie don't care or know about anybody else, really.

JackieBlue said:

lastdecember said:

well thats it right there, its the backdrop its set against, i mean people have been and always will be singing about sex,love, not getting any, getting alot of it etc...but its the backdrop, the music, the production, the vocal stylings, the song progression etc...its like a script thats being used over and over. Thats my problem with so many of the females that i mentioned, i mean i have no gripe with Keri or Keyshia or Ciara, but shit, the music is so bland that i dont even know if they have talent, so it then becomes the superficial aspect, whoever looks best wins out in the batte of the "same Ole", i mean what would hurt any of these ladies, to pull out a live band on a record, do like Solange or AMerie or Tearria Mari or teedra moses etc... stop aiming for that damn chart, deal with not selling and move on.

Everybody wants to be THAT girl instead of that OTHER girl. But sometimes it's okay to be that OTHER.

The only thing that seems to be changing amongst these chicks is that they're becoming more explicit whether lyrically or in their videos. Keri Hilson's is the latest and now she's poppin' it as much as Ciara, so now what??? I heard Ciara is rapping now?

I admit, on the first album Ciara had a few cute dance or workout songs. But really, she could probably have more success as a model or choreographer. She seems like a nice girl but maybe the singing thing just isn't for her. Other than Amerie don't care or know about anybody else, really.

Yeah and thats what i mean, when you are all doing the same things you have to go for the superficial edge, or the SHOCK edge, but is it really a shock to hear anyone say "fuck" in a song now? i mean this isnt 1982 when i heard Billy Joel say "Feel like a fucking fool" i was scared and turned the volume down, now its common place, that its all common and old and played out. Tearra i didnt really get into on her debut but then someone sent me her mixtapes and they had some old school feel to it, kind of sexy 70's ish stuff that Amerie does as if she was from that time period. I mean i just there are ways to do these things, but most are not even trying to be different at this point.

I think back to 1983 when i heard John Crawford and Teri Nunn of the Band Berlin in an interview, and John said "we're from a place called Long Beach California, and its a place where people go to be different" and i thought what a great that was, the difference in everyone, now everyone is afraid to be different

SoulAlive said:

JackieBlue said:

What else are these chicks going to sing about?

Was flipping the channels and saw a video by Fantasia and the opening line was about loving a man or something. But most of this stuff is redundant and worse yet, put to the same ole music. Mary stopped being interesting yeeears ago.

These people just make the same album over and over.The same themes,the same music,the same production.Nothing ever changes.There's no artistic evolution at all.Really,what's the difference between a Fantasia album and an album by any one of these other R&B "divas"?

I agree with you entirely! Give the same tired topics a rest people. Please!!

dancerella said:

SoulAlive said:

These people just make the same album over and over.The same themes,the same music,the same production.Nothing ever changes.There's no artistic evolution at all.Really,what's the difference between a Fantasia album and an album by any one of these other R&B "divas"?

I agree with you entirely! Give the same tired topics a rest people. Please!!

I think we as prince fans are spoiled because we have had one artist speak to us about more than ten different trypes of social subjects from, War, God, Incest, Media Propoganda, 'Heaven / Hell', Politics, Homosexuality, Child Abuse, World issues...we don't have alot of artists these days that say anything new other than how much the love / hate their man....how much "im doing me" records they going to make?

Then they wonder why their albums don't sell too much. They don't even bother the first to pick up the drums, a guitar...SOMETHING to say.."I'm not like the rest".

paisleypark4 said:

dancerella said:

I agree with you entirely! Give the same tired topics a rest people. Please!!

I think we as prince fans are spoiled because we have had one artist speak to us about more than ten different trypes of social subjects from, War, God, Incest, Media Propoganda, 'Heaven / Hell', Politics, Homosexuality, Child Abuse, World issues...we don't have alot of artists these days that say anything new other than how much the love / hate their man....how much "im doing me" records they going to make?

Then they wonder why their albums don't sell too much. They don't even bother the first to pick up the drums, a guitar...SOMETHING to say.."I'm not like the rest".

PREACH!

Cinnie said:

paisleypark4 said:

I think we as prince fans are spoiled because we have had one artist speak to us about more than ten different trypes of social subjects from, War, God, Incest, Media Propoganda, 'Heaven / Hell', Politics, Homosexuality, Child Abuse, World issues...we don't have alot of artists these days that say anything new other than how much the love / hate their man....how much "im doing me" records they going to make?

Then they wonder why their albums don't sell too much. They don't even bother the first to pick up the drums, a guitar...SOMETHING to say.."I'm not like the rest".

PREACH!

paisleypark4 said:

dancerella said:

I agree with you entirely! Give the same tired topics a rest people. Please!!

I think we as prince fans are spoiled because we have had one artist speak to us about more than ten different trypes of social subjects from, War, God, Incest, Media Propoganda, 'Heaven / Hell', Politics, Homosexuality, Child Abuse, World issues...we don't have alot of artists these days that say anything new other than how much the love / hate their man....how much "im doing me" records they going to make?

Then they wonder why their albums don't sell too much. They don't even bother the first to pick up the drums, a guitar...SOMETHING to say.."I'm not like the rest".

Yeah. Thing is when I think about it, most of them are zombies. Only following what someone else tells them to. They all go the same direction with no clear direction of their own except the label's. Then they wonder why they flop and bitch.

Timmy84 said:

paisleypark4 said:

I think we as prince fans are spoiled because we have had one artist speak to us about more than ten different trypes of social subjects from, War, God, Incest, Media Propoganda, 'Heaven / Hell', Politics, Homosexuality, Child Abuse, World issues...we don't have alot of artists these days that say anything new other than how much the love / hate their man....how much "im doing me" records they going to make?

Then they wonder why their albums don't sell too much. They don't even bother the first to pick up the drums, a guitar...SOMETHING to say.."I'm not like the rest".

Yeah. Thing is when I think about it, most of them are zombies. Only following what someone else tells them to. They all go the same direction with no clear direction of their own except the label's. Then they wonder why they flop and bitch.

I hear you all on Solange. I was somewhat impressed by her songwriting for Kelly Rowland's Debut record, "Simply Deep." I don't recall the names of the songs because its been a minute but she wrote some decent joints for her even back then. Much more substance than big sis.

With that being said. The labels aren't interested and therefore won't support (fund) anything too different than what's "selling" in the current market. So, unfortunately unless there's a musical revolt in the public's buying habits, it ain't going to happen. Now, if people stopped buying/downloading the ringtone crap and really bought quality products, there might be a shift. Supply and demand. This is the only language of the Execs.

This is expected to BOMB!. Billboard is predicting 30k to 40k.

musicjunky318 said:

Cinnie said:

There are a lot of F&D or rap albums coming out before Christmas and *none* of them have a proper buzz.

Word Cinnie. I heard a radio commercial for a new Keyshia Cole album the other day and I was like, "Damn where's the single?" I understand the Christmas rush that labels try to capitalize on but damn if you can't do it right, don't do it at all. Be patient and wait.

Musicslave said:

Cinnie said:

There are a lot of F&D or rap albums coming out before Christmas and *none* of them have a proper buzz.

Word Cinnie. I heard a radio commercial for a new Keyshia Cole album the other day and I was like, "Damn where's the single?" I understand the Christmas rush that labels try to capitalize on but damn if you can't do it right, don't do it at all. Be patient and wait.

In a lot of cases, they waited too long, and the buzz of previous singles is gone.

Cinnie said:

Musicslave said:

Word Cinnie. I heard a radio commercial for a new Keyshia Cole album the other day and I was like, "Damn where's the single?" I understand the Christmas rush that labels try to capitalize on but damn if you can't do it right, don't do it at all. Be patient and wait.

In a lot of cases, they waited too long, and the buzz of previous singles is gone.

Its dumping time at the labels, this is when they do it, trust me when i say when i was back in the loop of this nonsense, the labels would contact us and let us know what "stiffs" (they called them that) that they had for december, this is when labels put in all in one barrel and shoot it with no expense on their part, trust me that 30,000 for Ciara may seem like nothing, but nothing was spent for it, this is also why this time of year u always see the best of compilations, not just because they are good gift ideas, its because they cost nothing to put together. I can guarantee u if there was still a music retail, ciara, keyshia and keri are dubbed "stiffs" already.

With her new album, ‘Basic Instinct’, on course to sell an underwhelming 35-40k in its 1st week, Ciara has ironically addressed the issue of low album sales with the Associated Press. The ‘Gimme Dat’ performer denounced the importance of record sales, claiming that they are “becoming smaller fraction of branding”.

See what Ciara had to say about the issue below:

AP: How do you feel when people say that your star as singer has fallen?

Ciara: Even though my last album didn’t do as well as my previous ones, I was still able to go out and make money and tour. Every day is not always the perfect day. Artists that I have loved and admired, who have had a long career, have not had every record or song or video that was always the right choice.

AP: With your previous album not selling well, are you concerned about what type of numbers you put up for “Basic Instinct”?

Ciara: Selling records are becoming smaller fraction of branding and building a long-lasting career. You can sell a lot of records, but can you tour. You can sell records, but where does it go beyond that? That’s a part of building a brand for yourself.

AP: So at this point of your career, going on tour has bigger precedence over album sales?

Ciara: Absolutely. If you can walk away from your career and are successful touring, you’ll always be straight. Artists like Madonna have been doing it for years. She may put out one single, do a tour and gross over $200 million. {Source}

While album sales in the year 2010 are far less impressive than they once were, labels still focus on the bottom line. Moreover, even if that wasn’t true, for labels to reap substantial profits from a tour the artist would have to be headlining at sold out venues (medium to arena-sized) which Ciara isn’t known for doing.

I understand her thinking but Ciara simply isn’t on the level of Madonna or Britney Spears (for whom she served as an opening act during the ‘Circus’ tour) who make enough money to satisfy their labels. In other words, she isn’t a big enough artist to be making these claims.

This ‘Basic Instinct’ era is truly a commercial disaster. Hopefully things will improve in the long run.

Cinnie said:

NeYo finna see these sales and tweet like "nevermind, I'm good. Merry Christmas!"

I can't believe Ciara mentioned Madonna touring off a single. Does she expect the same for herself by building her 'brand'? I listened to the preview and there were one or two songs that were reminiscent of the first album but other than that, there's nothing exciting. After a while you have to wonder what is going to make consumers check for you other than your die hard fan base.

HAPPYPERSON said:

With her new album, ‘Basic Instinct’, on course to sell an underwhelming 35-40k in its 1st week, Ciara has ironically addressed the issue of low album sales with the Associated Press. The ‘Gimme Dat’ performer denounced the importance of record sales, claiming that they are “becoming smaller fraction of branding”.

See what Ciara had to say about the issue below:

AP: How do you feel when people say that your star as singer has fallen?

Ciara: Even though my last album didn’t do as well as my previous ones, I was still able to go out and make money and tour. Every day is not always the perfect day. Artists that I have loved and admired, who have had a long career, have not had every record or song or video that was always the right choice.

AP: With your previous album not selling well, are you concerned about what type of numbers you put up for “Basic Instinct”?

Ciara: Selling records are becoming smaller fraction of branding and building a long-lasting career. You can sell a lot of records, but can you tour. You can sell records, but where does it go beyond that? That’s a part of building a brand for yourself.

AP: So at this point of your career, going on tour has bigger precedence over album sales?

Ciara: Absolutely. If you can walk away from your career and are successful touring, you’ll always be straight. Artists like Madonna have been doing it for years. She may put out one single, do a tour and gross over $200 million. {Source}

While album sales in the year 2010 are far less impressive than they once were, labels still focus on the bottom line. Moreover, even if that wasn’t true, for labels to reap substantial profits from a tour the artist would have to be headlining at sold out venues (medium to arena-sized) which Ciara isn’t known for doing.

I understand her thinking but Ciara simply isn’t on the level of Madonna or Britney Spears (for whom she served as an opening act during the ‘Circus’ tour) who make enough money to satisfy their labels. In other words, she isn’t a big enough artist to be making these claims.

This ‘Basic Instinct’ era is truly a commercial disaster. Hopefully things will improve in the long run.

Look artists are not dumb, we may think they are but they arent, do we think that Ciara is "clueless" that music doesnt sell? i mean right now there are about 5-6 artists that bring in numbers, u got Justin Beiber, Kanye for a few weeks, that Opera singing lady, whatever country artist is out now, and the pop star of the moment like Katy Perry or someone like that, and on occasion a rock band or a new Eagles album. But these artists arent dumb, they know what they sell and dont sell, but like she said, selling music is not even part of the game anymore, its about branding yourself to a point where ure name is known enough that u can get some kind of tour going. NOW true she is never going to be someone to carry an arena tour on her own, no way jose, she needs a Britney to do that, but, she can do the smaller stages, and RB artists need to learn this more than any others, RB artists are taking the most from the loss in sales, they need to learn to go into new markets, overseas, take a lesson from Kelly and Amerie, they focus very little time in the USA, shit Amerie got a seven figure paycheck from doing a one minute commercial in Tokyo, thats more money than all the RB females out now these next two weeks will make on all their albums combined. Its about branding yourself, to keep your name going.

^^^ I wish she could have a truly good song not getting airplay or attention because of the video but simply because it's just a good song. That hasn't happened to her since I don't know when. She could probably have a nice dance music thing going if she went that route but staying in this lane with Keri an 'nem is going to make it tougher for her.

musicjunky318 said:

This is expected to BOMB!. Billboard is predicting 30k to 40k.

it's like...why did she even bother releasing an album? She should have just released a few singles and called it a day.

JackieBlue said:

^^^ I wish she could have a truly good song not getting airplay or attention because of the video but simply because it's just a good song. That hasn't happened to her since I don't know when. She could probably have a nice dance music thing going if she went that route but staying in this lane with Keri an 'nem is going to make it tougher for her.

But i also feel that there is too much hang up on numbers from the public, especially since the 90's and all that became a weekly game to play, i think people need to just let it go already, i also dont understand that people dont realize that this is where its at now, i mean Ciara had her "honeymoon period" she had her album or two, but since that time, the industry has changed and lets face it her genre isnt "loyal", i think they should be happy with 30,000, i mean back in the day a new Elton John record or whomever took about a month to sell that much, Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet which sold about 8 million in the states, it was selling about 100,000 a month during its peak! Now im not saying that ciara is going to pull jovi numbers, thats not my point, im just saying times have changed, the numbers "era" is over for everyone.