laurarichardson said:

actually, that's not true. they need to return to marketing themsleves BETTER to 12-year olds, but putting out albums and singles that 12 year olds want to spend their disposable income on. the teenage market is what has ALWAYS fueled the record industry, from its very beginnings. in this day and age, teenagers have more disposable income than ever, but they also have more alternatives than ever, such as video games, computers, the internet, movies marketed at them, etc. the record industry needs to re-capture the interest of that audience in a big way. it's always been teenagers and their disposable income that propped up the record companies in the boom years.

i couldnt believe stevie wonders nu hits album has been packaged with that terrible blue cover of signed sealed if stevie gave permission 4 this then thats a full on sell out no ?
[This message was edited Sun Dec 28 16:50:48 PST 2003 by danielboon]

danielboon said:

Shit, it's on his greatest hits package?! What WAS he thinking . Way to tarnish your rep., Stevie.

DigitalLisa said:

that wouldn't be too bad.

jessyMD32781 said:

NAKED MAXWELL.MMM YUM

AaronAlmighty said:

I kind of think you're right but the only thing is that the way they are marketing to 12 years olds just isn't working. I've noticed that a lot of older artists (Cher, Rod Stewart) or artists geared toward older people (Josh Groban) have had rather good sales this year. If you don't think the fact that this is happeneing doesn't have anything to do with the fact that 12 years old know how to download an album while most 40-50 years old struggle with that it then I don't know what to tell you.

I kind of think you're right but the only thing is that the way they are marketing to 12 years olds just isn't working. I've noticed that a lot of older artists (Cher, Rod Stewart) or artists geared toward older people (Josh Groban) have had rather good sales this year. If you don't think the fact that this is happeneing doesn't have anything to do with the fact that 12 years old know how to download an album while most 40-50 years old struggle with that it then I don't know what to tell you.[/quote]

Adult contempary has always been a huge market (middle aged surbia love them Celine Dion cd's) as has the ten market and as you said the teen market has found another way to get their music, Maybe labels will now focus of Adult contempary music could signal he comeback of "MICHAEL BOLTON"

twink69 said:

Adult contempary has always been a huge market (middle aged surbia love them Celine Dion cd's) as has the ten market and as you said the teen market has found another way to get their music, Maybe labels will now focus of Adult contempary music could signal he comeback of "MICHAEL BOLTON"[/quote]

Let's not! It seems thought like even Celine can't sell Cds like she used to but something like the Rod Stewart CD of standards is a top seller when his last studio album of original stuff (or mostly original stuff, it might have had a cover or to as he does that quite often) "Human" was a major dud. It seems like the really old audience is starting to get into music while younger kids don't care. I definately see labels prehaps picking up on this idea more and hopefully it might mean the re-issue of out of print albums!

older artists are selling lately, and adult contemporary has always been a pretty big market. but they wouldn't be doing so well without teenagers buying the stuff too. people like Cher and Rod Stewart have the benefit of kids growing up listening to them because of their parents, and Celine isn't selling like she used to, simply because at her peak she WAS selling to teenagers. those teenagers of 10 years ago aren't the teenagers of today, and teenagers of today aren't buying her. at her peak, Celine was selling to everyone, and a driving portion of that audience was teenage girls.

I guess you have 2 ask yourself, how much are you willing 2 sale ur soul . 2 Some people, I think it's by all measures. 4 that reason I couldn't be in the music biz
[This message was edited Mon Dec 29 10:33:31 PST 2003 by DigitalLisa]

BlaqueKnight said:

And precisely why the internet is becoming more of an important tool to artists who don't play this stupid ass game anymore...

BlaqueKnight said:

The surprising thing about "Believe" was that it just kind of came out and was not being pushed at all in late 1998 but then suddenly the song was all was gaining momument on radio (and just being forced on people) and the single was selling (yep, a big selling single) and then the album caught on. The funny thing is when Warners tired to market the follow up single, it failed. Sometimes its marketing but it doesn't hurt to let people discover a song or album and give it time rather than forcing a song on people or dropping the promotion for an album that isn't an isntant hit. Patience was the key for Cher and others should take a lesson!

AaronAlmighty said:

---
No, 12 year olds are down loading music off the internet, making copies, buying bootlegs and spending money on video games. If the record companies took the time to find quality artist and produced quality music and let those artist develop a following the would not have to relay on 12 years.
A 12 year is not going to like the same music when he is 15 years. Therefore, a teen group is only going to have a 3 year life span.

A artist or group should be treated like any other brand or product. All products or brands have a life cycle and it is usually not 3 years. Only in the music industry.

BlaqueKnight said:

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Exactly, it is not the artist it is the record label saying do it our way or you will not have a recording contract.

DigitalLisa said:

It depends on how much control an artist takes over his/her career. Like I said, LABELS sell out. Labels are interested in 1 thing: $$$. A label would put Jessica Simpson in a chicken suit if they thought the comedic factor would sell enough records to satisfy her expected profit margin. The question is would Jessica ALLOW herself to be humiliated to please the label or would she say "loose the damn chicken suit!?"

BlaqueKnight said:

I said this a different (and more general) way in an earlier post:



Youth will be served in the music business, both as artists and as consumers. Ironically, older consumers wwith more disposable income are compelled to hunt for new music to suit their tastes (be it a good review in a newspaper, word of mouth from a friend, or catching a video on a VH-1 Soul or MTV2). They could buy 10 times the amount of music kids could buy, but they are not being courted.

If I owned a label, if it were feasible, I would try to build a stable of artists geared towards the 28-40 demographic, and spread the wealth among the artists. But I know not jack about the rekkid bidness, so who am I to say.

Nothing even comes close to the mid 80's for artists selling out. You had Lionel Richie, Kool and The Gang, Jeffery Osborne, Whitney Houston, Phillip Baily, and Stevie Wonder just to name a few. they were making music directed at white folks other than their base. One of the few disturbing things about a decade that other wise gave us a lot of timeless hits.

laurarichardson said:

and that's exactly what i'm saying. if you actually read what i say, you wouldn't argue so bitterly with me.

record companies need find a new way to capture the imagination AND dollars of the demographic that has propelled its highest peaks since the beginning of recorded music.

AaronAlmighty said:

I agree completely. It used to be that once you were a young fan, you'd stay a fan for life (generally). Now, you're a young fan for 3 years and then the next bottle blonde comes along with a sexy wink and it's bye bye Britney.

AaronAlmighty said:

---
The part I disagree with it is printed below. I realize that teens have driven the music market for a long time. However, that is not working anymore and I do not want to see the music industry market the music Better to 12 year olds. I like to see the industry slack off a bit on the teen market and start developing acts for the long term.

"that's not true. they need to return to marketing themsleves BETTER to 12-year olds, but putting out albums and singles that 12 year olds want to spend their disposable income on."