Has anyone noticed this latest phenomenon? First it started out with Madonna pulling back the original video version of America life, then Jewel came back with the damn pop song intuition and now Kelis is singing about Gawd knows what and we all love the damn song ... I don't know about y'all, but it seems like to me alot of these artist who I grown to love has choose this year to sale out. I mean why does Madonna feel the need 2 swap spit with Britney Spears, she'd already proved herself over the countless yrs with her shocking videos? Is this her way of staying on top of things, okay, yeah whatever Madonna, nice try but it spells sale out 2 me. Then Jewel ... I don't know somebody must've suggested 2 her she needed to spice things up a bit in order 2 stay on top, when I saw the video 2 intuition, I swear I thought it was a joke and all I kept saying 2 myself was "Is that the real Jewel?", whatever happened 2 the I'm a young poet/songwriter you should take serious Jewel ? and Kelis , I use to like 2 Kelis, because she stood aprt from all the Beyonce's, Ashanti's and JLO's wannabe, now that she's using the sale sex tactics, she turning out 2 be like the rest everybody else. Yeah Milkshake is a okay chune, but it doesn't sound like the Kelis I've grown accustomed 2 if ya know what I mean.

This is the reason why music sucks. Instead of everybody trying 2 focus on composing a a good grove, everybody is focus on competing against each other, staying on top of things, desperate 2 make a hit, desperate 4 recognitition or just plan in it 2 make money. I mean it's a real shame when The Neptune’s couldn't even make a decent hit 2 top the charts this yr. Besides Frontin' , The Neptune Presents the clones album sucked ass... .

2003 was yet the worst yr 4 music by far (besides the record sales). There was no originality, no real competition, everyone using the same tactics as other's use once before in the pass and not 2 mention there was no real talent. I don't know about anybody else, but I think it's a damn shame when the record industry has 2 create a television show such as American Idol in order 2 find any real talent. Even with that , the person still has 2 the American Idol title lying over their heads, so is there really any victory there?

2 top that all off, what made matters all worst which I will go back 2 my original thought is, how the people who were supposed 2 lead the next generation, soled out in order 2 basically save their own asses, so really we have 2 appreciate people like Prince who truly understands the essence of a real artist and what real music is supposed 2 sound like or else, all the hard work that our four fathers worked so hard 2 try 2 maintain (James Brown, Sly Stone, George Clinton, Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix,) will go right down the mutha suckin' drain. I refuse 2 believe it was all in vain... I still believe there is hope.


Who will be the savior of music (the chosen one) ?

DigitalLisa said:

It's never been possible for Madonna to sell out.
Think. It ain't illegal yet.


Those are five fathers.

º
[This message was edited Sat Dec 27 22:57:36 PST 2003 by Supernova]

Supernova said:

I was using the word four hypothetically
[This message was edited Sat Dec 27 23:27:37 PST 2003 by DigitalLisa]

DigitalLisa said:

I'm just teasing you with your spelling of it (four fathers).

Supernova said:

It's Cool, I was wrapped up in the moment

madonna's been selling out since 1984

Jewel obviously wasn't getting enough attention so she decided to go the whore route (michelle branch just recently did this too)

Kelis didn't sellout, I just find that her fans are pissed off that the public likes her.
Her song sounds nothing like Ashanti or Beyonce, be real now.
She's very different, she's even clothed in the video. She didn't sell out. "Milkshake" is one song. It's not like she patterned her work after it.

and this year wasn't the worse year for music, 1999 was; everyone, even Ricky Martin had a hit single that year.
[This message was edited Sun Dec 28 0:13:33 PST 2003 by lovebizzare]

lovebizzare said:

true I still can't get that damn song out my head, living la damn vida loca

Kelis is going on tour with Britney Spears!!!
Believe it, she has sold out a bit, first she shed all the weight to crack the mainstreet market
But she's still better then the ashanti's, even though her new album is nowhere near as amazing as Wanderland

Don't 4get Black Eye'd Pea's, they soled out 2 the fullest ...

I keep hearing how Kelis lost weight before this album... I didn't really think she was in bad shape before (Caught Out There, Got Cha Money videoes)??

they said the same about Dylan when he went electric

CinisterCee said:

she wasn't in bad shape at all, before she lost weight she looked like a normal girl that you'd see walking around. I actually think she looks better with the weight because she really lacks a figure now.

Anyway, I don't think that Kelis is a sellout at all. That girl has always used her sexuality and she has even said as much in a number of interviews. Just because Kelis is an artist doesn't mean that she doesn't want to be successful, too.

Also, the Neptunes aren't the only awesome producers out there. There are others and they've made good music. The Neptunes presents Clones wasn't the best CD in the world but you also have to remember that there is a number of different genres on that CD and you won't like all of them. Most of the people who are into the Neptunes are into their hip hop/pop work and were not trying to listen to any of the more rock-n-roll songs on the album. Not all Neptunes fans are N.E.R.D. fans. That being said, the album was a disappointment because it didn't live up to it's hype not because it sucked ass.

And yes, music sucks now. look under the mainstream for the good stuff. Britney Spears should not be allowed to make music. period. she should either be pole dancing or dancing on Broadway and from looks of her most recent efforts, the pole seems like the place where she'd be most at home. Madonna is a media whore and she's good at it. If she wants to kiss Britney Spears on camera than more power to her. Although I do wonder if Madonna really sees Britney as a younger version of herself. I mean, Madonna did whatever she wanted and created her own success whereas Britney does whatever she's told and had her success created.

There's more but I have to go.










having to go edit.
[This message was edited Sun Dec 28 8:34:56 PST 2003 by jessyMD32781]

People who sold out in 2003:

Jewel - from folk pop to fuck pop
Michelle Branch - the removal of the clothes after album #2 signals that she has nothing new to say
Kelis - losing weight becuase the label bosses told her to, and "Milkshake" are definite sellout moves. The rest of the album, however, is dazzling
Black Eyed Peas - wtf?

VoicesCarry said:

---
Record sales were the worst ever this year. At this point labels are going to demand that artist ( I use this word loosely) do whatever they have to for the record sales.

I have a feeling that some of the artist who have sold-out may not have been be given a choice.

laurarichardson said:

There is always a choice.

Sales for Jewel's 0304 were less than half (650 000) of what they were for This Way (1.5 million), since she managed to alienate her fanbase with that record. Her career is likely dead in the water.

Michelle Branch sold more of Hotel Paper than she did of her debut, so not that much of a disappointment. I have no idea why she suddenly stripped, but it was kind of jarring.

I think that labels need to quit bitching about low sales and start being proactive about their business model.

I also have no idea why they should expect anything else: CD prices have NOT fallen since the early 90s (as the labels promised), they've been involved in a scandalous price-fixing lawsuit that alienated consumers, they're actually attacking their consumer base with a series of superfluous lawsuits (against a grandfather and a 12-year-old girl no less) AND in case they haven't noticed we're in the middle of an economic downturn.

The main reason why CD sales were so high in the 90s was because people were replacing their LP collections. A big hit like the Flashdance soundtrack sold 700 000 copies in its first two weeks on the market in 1984. Today, Alicia Keys sells almost a million in her first two weeks, and such an occurrence is not uncommon. I propose that record sales have not decreased by nearly as much as the labels would like you to think.

And file sharing is a wonderful promotional tool, as well. Can't tell you how many CDs I've bought simply because I randomly downloaded something and ended up loving it.

Outkast simply was the best damn cd out this year by farrr.

They really stepped the game and now EVERYONE likes them young n old.

paisleypark4 said:

I agree. And they're selling strongly and consistently. Perhaps the record labels could focus on putting out better music and then we'd buy more often?

I think that quality artists feel intense pressure to move more product, to become the next "franchise." Which is why you see Jewel lettin' it all hang out (I mean, I have always thought she was attractive, but nothing's gonna inspire me to buy her records) and Kelis sounding like Vanity. The record labels apparently want to move a lot of one product (Beyonce, et al.) instead of moving several products at a modest clip. But that is an 80's model that worked much better for the MJ/Madonna/Prince/Springsteen era than now.

Music is more democritized now. With legal online downloading, the music industry will eventually go a la carte. If you only want 3 of beyonce's tracks, you no longer will have to pay 18.00 to get them. That will leave a consumer with an additional 15.00 to buy, say, 3 OutKast tracks, 3 Musiq tracks, etc. So it's going to be hard to put a lot of promotional dollars into one artist after a while. This might convince the industry to allow artists to develop on their own terms and attract a larger audience, like OutKast did. Mebbe that's a pipe dream, but that's the way I see it.

And oh yeah, OutKast's LP is a tad overrated.

I know that everyone wants to scream "sell out" everytime an artist does something that alienates their fans but I don't think that is the case with Jewel at all. Think abou it. What happened with Jewel doesn't make sense on paper or anywhere else!

Her "0304" didn't sell as well as her last album (this is trend of her since nearly every album of hers seems to sell about half of the last. Anyway, since when has dance music been a garunteed home run sucess of selling records. It isn't. It's pretty risky and Madonna is just about the only dance music artist that seems to really sell records (which will probably be the reason she will return to it, like she has in the past). Look at the biggest sellers from 2002. It was Avril and Pink. That was very poppy rock music (Pink had a touch of dance but nothing like "Intitution"). And I believe her 'Standing Still" single, a very light pop rock song did much better on the charts than "Intution". I think Jewel took a chance that she knew could have failed and kind of did. I hardly think that Jewel thought she was going to be on the top of the charts with dance music. She must have been into it. I've heard another song from "0304" called "America" and didn't excatly sound like average dance music that does well on the charts.

As for Madonna, I don't think the that dropping of the video was a sell out, just a crowdly move by a woman that isn't as brave as she used to be...now that Britney single...

DigitalLisa said:

"Soled out" - as in, what, out of SOLE, the fish?

Learn to spell.

It's "Sold Out".

VoicesCarry said:

VoicesCarry said:

---
You may not have a choice if you are told do it the way the record company wants it done or you will not a have a recording contract.

I agree with everything you have to say with exception to records sales not being as low as reported. Companies are merging or selling off their record divisions. This would not be happening if records were flying off the shevles. You simply do not see as many artist selling 15 to 20 million copies like they use to do back in the 80's.

laurarichardson said:

Yeah, since the artists just aren't as good as they were then

VoicesCarry said:

---
As long as record companies contiune to market all of their music to 12 years old, refuse to let bands and artist develop a following they are never going to see a return to 20 million units.

DigitalLisa said:

what? because they had a hit single?

once again I find that their fans got pissed off because the public likes them

lovebizzare said:

Puleese Black Eye'd Pea's was a hip hop group and they came out this year with that pop shit, not 2 mention they added furgie 2 the group, probably 2 get a more vast appeal 2 the audeince, that spells sale out !
[This message was edited Sun Dec 28 15:28:39 PST 2003 by DigitalLisa]

DigitalLisa said:

whatever. let's agree to disagree on this one

lovebizzare said:

Next thing you know India Arie will be showing it all off on the next issue of vibe magazine, Meshell Ndgellechello will do a duet with Justin Timberlake, Jill Scott will be openingly talking about her sexuality, Maxwell will be standing bucket nakid in fron the video camera singing along with p.didd ... Yes That means I'm putting Lenny Kravtiz in this catergorery 2, I'm sorry if he wanted 2 get in back in touch with the black audience, there was other ways of doing other then trying 2 hook up with p.diddy out of all peoples.
[This message was edited Sun Dec 28 15:37:59 PST 2003 by DigitalLisa]