Does the "music" matter ?

Brightboy

Brightboy

Bright Boy
These days there are songs out here that make you think "who allowed this to be on the radio?" My question is does the "music" even matter anymore? I mean, maybe it's how well the artist is marketed, their appearance or demeanor, or maybe there is a majority of listeners who want to hear what's being put out. What's your take on some new artist that make you think talent doesn't matter anymore?
 
Research who the "voters" are that requested certain songs to be played.

Research who owns most of the record labels/entertainment industry and the history of exploitation/blackballing that occurs.

Research WHY certain songs are labelled "hot" while other artists with big non-mainstream followers are never heard at the highest traffic times of day.

Research Pay-for-Play, Payola and how Canada handles their qualifications for what is played on their radio stations.

Research why, just 15 years ago, you would hear dozens and dozens of different artists on the radio, but nowadays you always hear the same handful.
 
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BrightLen said:
These days there are songs out here that make you think "who allowed this to be on the radio?" My question is does the "music" even matter anymore? I mean, maybe it's how well the artist is marketed, their appearance or demeanor, or maybe there is a majority of listeners who want to hear what's being put out. What's your take on some new artist that make you think talent doesn't matter anymore?
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Talent never really mattered and it matters less now. Work and promotional work is what's important now more than ever.
 
wildinout8 said:
To who?
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to achieving success. You can be the most talented artist in the world, but if you never work to have your music heard then it won't get heard. Talent isn't too important it's getting out to the people and connecting with them. James Brown had a reputation as the hardest working man in show businesses. That's mentality that's important now.
 
KelevraOne said:
to achieving success. You can be the most talented artist in the world, but if you never work to have your music heard then it won't get heard. Talent isn't too important it's getting out to the people and connecting with them. James Brown had a reputation as the hardest working man in show businesses. That's mentality that's important now.
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You really think that Bobby Schmurda, Rich Homie Quan and Young Thug are all over the radio because they are harder working than everyone else?
 
I agree with kelevra, all about connections. It's a shame that musicality/talent is drifting away..I barely even listen to the radio anymore
 
wildinout8 said:
You really think that Bobby Schmurda, Rich Homie Quan and Young Thug are all over the radio because they are harder working than everyone else?
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Harder working than most other people. It's who you know and who knows you. Bobby is an exception though he blew up off of chance. Similar to how Justin Bieber blew up off of chance. But the era of being talented and a record label finding you and turning you into a star is dead. We got to make ourselves stars.
 
KelevraOne said:
Harder working than most other people. It's who you know and who knows you. Bobby is an exception though he blew up off of chance. Similar to how Justin Bieber blew up off of chance. But the era of being talented and a record label finding you and turning you into a star is dead. We got to make ourselves stars.
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I agree. Talent alone won't help you anymore. You have to pretty much have it all. Back in the day the label would find you and "mold" you. Nowadays they don't want to pay to mold you when they can go find someone who already has an image, a growing fan base, quality videos. So if you have money but no talent then you can make it because you can pay for better quality videos, beats, mixing, etc. It also involves knowing the right people.
 
honestly music today is how it sounds.. not the actual content.. you can say anything you want.. its about how you say it.. it just has to be pleasing to people's ears..
 
All you cats "agreeing" with each other - I'm confused what you're talking about.

One person is saying that Young Thug, YG, Rich Homie Quan are on the radio because they are the hardest working.

Other cats are agreeing with this statement, but then saying that it is because of their connections.

Which one is it - hard work or connections?
 
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Well that is the purpose of this forum....never mind. It's both hard work & connections and also it will consist of other aspects as well (marketing, genre, fan base, relationships, etc.). It really depends on the strengths of the artist.
 
BrightLen said:
Well that is the purpose of this forum....never mind. It's both hard work & connections and also it will consist of other aspects as well (marketing, genre, fan base, relationships, etc.). It really depends on the strengths of the artist.
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I agree with this statement 100%, but don't necessarily agree with the whole "hard work" breeds success statement. Many artists will say that Luck and Timing play a big role as well.
 
Does the music matter to who? If we're talking masses, definitely not. We live in the era where physical appearance, visual presentation is the most important to people, they need to see something so they can feel it. People will start to like a song without even realising it. Rappers need to turn themselves into characters nowadays, and they need to be seen all the time. 9th Wonder said that he was listening to Gang Starr for years without knowing and caring how DJ Premier looks, but he's the type of person who simply wants to listen to and enjoy the music.
As far as having talent, we all know that "hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work enough". As far as having connections, i'll quote 50 Cent: "In the music business, who you know will put you on, and what you know will determine how long you stay."
 
Snapy Dee said:
Does the music matter to who? If we're talking masses, definitely not. We live in the era where physical appearance, visual presentation is the most important to people, they need to see something so they can feel it. People will start to like a song without even realising it. Rappers need to turn themselves into characters nowadays, and they need to be seen all the time. 9th Wonder said that he was listening to Gang Starr for years without knowing and caring how DJ Premier looks, but he's the type of person who simply wants to listen to and enjoy the music.
As far as having talent, we all know that "hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work enough". As far as having connections, i'll quote 50 Cent: "In the music business, who you know will put you on, and what you know will determine how long you stay."
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Preach
 
To me music really matters personally, but to the buissness of entertainment, it just matters if it generates money.

I think music has always been about making dough, but back then there was a desire from artist to make music with quality that could sell, and a demand from people for the music to contain just that.

Think about the context of music and the time it came out. The emergence of rock, rap, blues was sort of like movements, to speak against the oppression and social norm that had a negative impact on people, but now, there is nothing to speak against, nothing to fight for with music, so it becomes a money machine to rake in money, without a purpose at all.

Just my opinion though.
 
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Just Clauz said:
To me music really matters personally, but to the buissness of entertainment, it just matters if it generates money.

I think music has always been about making dough, but back then there was a desire from artist to make music with quality that could sell, and a demand from people for the music to contain just that.

Think about the context of music and the time it came out. The emergence of rock, rap, blues was sort of like movements, to speak against the oppression and social norm that had a negative impact on people, but now, there is nothing to speak against, nothing to fight for with music, so it becomes a money machine to rake in money, without a purpose at all.

Just my opinion though.
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There will always be something to speak out against. We just have to recognize what the game needs. Look at artist like Kendrick Lamar. Everything else in this response I can agree with.
 
Just Clauz said:
To me music really matters personally, but to the buissness of entertainment, it just matters if it generates money.

I think music has always been about making dough, but back then there was a desire from artist to make music with quality that could sell, and a demand from people for the music to contain just that.

Think about the context of music and the time it came out. The emergence of rock, rap, blues was sort of like movements, to speak against the oppression and social norm that had a negative impact on people, but now, there is nothing to speak against, nothing to fight for with music, so it becomes a money machine to rake in money, without a purpose at all.

Just my opinion though.
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I'd also add that it depends on who OWNS the music companies and who the TASTEMAKERS who DECIDE what is "Hot" are. There are no coincidences and it's all politics.

Funny thing is it isn't even confined to just Hip Hop and Rap - I just found out that women of all races and ages have been against American Idol over the past several years because of a pattern of "favorite" and "most vote[d]" artists consistently winning that they call "WGWG" - White Guys With Guitars lol! No one is satisfied with Pop music nowadays.
 
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