It would seem we have a major problem in America today. It would seem that the music industry is sick.
All there are these days is a stream of one album wonders. Nobody lasts. Let’s think about it. Raise your hand if you think Ms. Apple’s next album will do any good. Although, she doesn’t have anything to worry about, she’s dying directly after it’s release, right? How’s about Alanis? Jewel? The Spice Girl’s third album? Any bets on their longevity? There’s just no main stream anymore. The music industry doesn’t have any long term cash cows from which to profit. The horror!
Gone are the days of Elvis or the Beatles. Gone are the days of Michael Jackson (remember, you heard it here first!), when one group could infatuate the whole of American youth and each album release guarantied a nice, fatty bonus check for the label execs. Hell, gone are the days of U2 and REM. How long was Pearl Jam cool?
The most anyone can expect these days is maybe a come back album. A quick hit before everyone realizes why they forgot about you in the first place. I think the Beach Boys did it first, before I had any idea what was going on. Now it’s a veritable flood. Heck, even Judas Priest is releasing an album. I think their promo tape is under my endtable, keeping it steady (and it’s not even doing an adequate job of that).
The real problem is that people are becoming way too self-conscious about being main stream. But you’ve got to be honest with yourselves, folks. I mean, really. If a band is big enough for you to have heard of them, you can be sure as hell they’re not releasing on vinyl anymore. And if not, they couldn’t possible be worth listening to. Cause, as everyone knows, No Doubt isn’t real Ska. And Green Day sold out years ago. I think they’ve had this same problem in England for a while now.
It’s all well and good for Kool Kid, 16 year olds who have their own band and the time and energy to be part of a scene. But what about all the twenty something’s that have to waste their time at the grindstone? How are they going to stay hip?