It's already won.
You don't play the game, YOU CREATE THE GAME!
This is what established players don't recognize, whether it be in content or distribution. If you want to win in the end you can't do what everybody else does, you've got to risk, you've got to create something new that satiates the customer in a way existing products do not.
With Netflix it was all about on demand.
Remember driving to the video shop? What a waste of time/terrible experience that was. You had to get in your car, you got there, and they didn't have what you wanted.
But now you go on Netflix and they organize the titles in a way that plays to your interests, that's comprehensible, BUT YOU NEVER HAVE TO LEAVE YOUR COUCH!
How great is that, INCREDIBLE!
Meanwhile, traditional outlets are dribbling out product with endless promos and commercials and as soon as we got an option, we bolted.
That was the magic of Napster. We just got the tracks we wanted. We didn't want the overpriced CD. And the MP3 was good enough, we don't need the Blu-Ray, but unlike the record labels, Netflix gives people what they want, you desire high quality, you can pay for 4k.
But the point is Netflix is a tech company, not an entertainment company, and that's why they're winning.
One, they know there's a first-mover advantage. And that if you continue to improve the product, you dominate. It's only when you become stagnant that you're screwed.
So Netflix is airing reruns. Then it goes to original programming. But not like HBO, which releases shows in drips and drabs. You get overhyped and then you're disappointed, like with "Divorce" or "Here and Now." Whereas with Netflix, if you don't like this, we've got a new show for you tomorrow, or next week.
But Bob you say, LOOK AT THE LOSSES!
Where were you the past twenty years? You overspend for market share and kill all comers and then you roll in dough. Can you say AMAZON?
And there's this fiction that there can be multiple competitors.
I ask you, when you talk about television, and everybody does, how often does someone suggest an Amazon show... ALMOST NEVER! Showing that outlet's challenges, although I do believe only Amazon can challenge Netflix.
But, the cable outlets are dependent upon cable system payments. We've seen with channels going dark that the cable systems are saying NO MAS! And everyone's sick of overpaying for sports they don't watch.
So if you're dependent upon cable system payments, you're done.
And if you're dependent upon advertising you're done. The public will not sit for it, only the cheapest individuals will endure ads, and then the ads don't work on them, because they're so damn tight. No, the people advertisers want to reach are the spenders, which is why everybody's now advertising on Amazon, check it out, that's where the dollars change hands.
So the networks and other ad-supported channels are on life support. They're dependent upon hits, which come and go, and what do I always say...DISTRIBUTION IS KING!
So, just having good content is not enough, you're reinventing the wheel every season, you're only as good as your last hit.
As for HBO... That's a dying model. If the outlet were smart, they'd band together with Hulu or another player and release all episodes on the same day. People don't like to wait, appointment viewing is passe. We want it all and we want it NOW!
As for Hulu, forget about it, it doesn't have critical mass, and unlike Netflix, it's only in America. Sure, the "Handmaid's Tale" burnished the outlet's image, but Netflix has more than that, "Narcos," Stranger Things," 13 Reasons Why," "Wormwood"... A record company can't survive on one act, you need a steady flow of product, which Netflix has. And it's a virtuous circle, they keep adding subscribers to the point they've got more money and they spend it on the best creators!
So they end up with the lion's share of the viewers.
Which is why Fox wanted out, why it sold to Disney.
But Disney started too late. It's like Apple Music and Spotify. Spotify was first and eclipses Apple in worldwide subscribers and growth, Apple Music can't catch up.
And what is Disney's plan? Three apps? You've got to pay for kids, sports and mainstream fare? Come on, we're sick of paying multiple outlets. We want to pay only one, or two. Disney doesn't have enough product to fill the pipeline, to get our attention.
As for Apple...
It's just too late. One hit show does not make a network. Sure, they've got a great brand name, but explain Siri to me, the first voice assistant that's the worst. As for the HomePod, dead upon arrival. Amazon has been iterating like crazy, they keep lowering the price and Apple comes out at a premium, what world do they live in? It'd be like offering a ten thousand dollar flat screen. That ship has sailed, a TV is under a grand!
So Netflix ends up with the lion's share of the marketplace. On the internet, that's usually 65-70%.
And then Amazon is the next biggest player and then a few marginal ones.
The whole world goes topsy-turvy. We're not bonded to CBS or Showtime or TBS or...
The recent Netflix deals show creators would just as soon go to Netflix for more bucks and less interference.
And so would you!
Netflix already owns comedy. All the greats are on the service. To the point when they launched the latest Chris Rock special this week there was very little hype. You'd see it on the service, which you're already subscribing to. This is not HBO where we bang you over the head with coming attractions. Talk to a movie theatergoer, they hate the endless trailers! They're a captive audience, but not at home, not with streaming, you're in total control!
So unless Disney aligns with every other studio and they load up product immediately it's a Netflix world, with Amazon as a runner-up, since you get their service free with Prime, and anybody who spends dollars has Prime.
This is not a nascent game, it's about to be set in stone!
How many people have both Spotify and Apple Music. NONE!
And sure, they have the same products, whereas streaming video services do not, but soon all the creators will want to be on Netflix because that's where all the eyeballs are.
The game is almost over.
And Netflix won.
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Saturday 17 February 2018
Friday 16 February 2018
It's Like The News
People hate hip-hop like they hate Fox News.
We're used to a monoculture in music, a cohesiveness, a comprehensible landscape.
But that's all been shot to hell.
But the usual suspects act like it hasn't.
Radio is the land of hip-hop and oldies, along with verticals that seem to exist in their own rarefied air, like AAA and Active Rock.
Streaming is the land of hip-hop.
Country is still beholden to the old terrestrial radio paradigm.
Meanwhile, they keep printing a Top Ten in the newspaper like it matters. Meanwhile, that Top Ten is totally fraudulent. It's not sales, but a hybrid of sales and streams and certain plays count and others don't and one cut can equal a whole album and no wonder people are confused.
We keep thinking we're gonna go back to where we once were.
Hell, there is an iTunes chart. A Spotify chart.
But they don't reflect what is really happening out there.
Hell, I'll argue you're better off looking at concert grosses. That shows true demand, people showing up and paying, fans.
But the point is now, more than ever, the genres don't mix.
Sure, they rap in country records, but they don't play hip-hop records on country stations.
But just to complicate it a bit more, fans of country might also like hip-hop. With everything available, people can cross genres easily.
But we keep boiling it down to statistics and it looks like hip-hop kills everything else and everything else is irrelevant.
But that's not true.
But if you're looking for your genre to eclipse hip-hop, it's probably not gonna happen, but you have to play on hip-hop's terms, which means there must be collaboration, which pays dividends in social media, getting the word out, and you must embrace all the tools of the web/app/internet world.
This is what is holding the other genres back.
Don't listen to the terrestrial radio hype. Yes, it's still the best way to reach the most people, the only problem is the active people, i.e. the youngsters, aren't listening, they're all on on demand platforms.
You play for the future, not the past. You skate where the puck is going to be.
And that's all in on demand.
But how do you create demand?
YOU GO WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE!
And most people are online constantly, and if you're not, you're toast.
So you shouldn't compare yourself to other genres. You shouldn't complain you're not on Top Forty radio. Top Forty radio is NEVER going to play your non-hip-hop music. Playlists are getting narrower, not broader, and they're never going to go broad again.
But let's get back to the hate.
Most people over thirty can't understand today's music marketplace.
And honestly, those under that age are not so smart either.
You keep hearing about these records you hate. It agitates you. You want relief.
But it's just like people watching Fox News. They don't care about you, they've got blinders on, this is all they know. And you can rail about other bands or other songs and they just won't listen. Meanwhile, you're wondering how we can live in such a world.
It's positively Tower of Babel.
But it's only a zero sum game on the chart.
But not in real life. If people come to see your act, it's not at the cost of the act in another genre.
No one is making sense of what is going on.
The labels only sign that which is percolating and sells. Never have they been more of an enterprise as opposed to a museum.
The distributors say it's not their fault, Spotify and Apple and Amazon are just serving demand, they're not trying to change public consciousness.
Meanwhile, you have trouble finding the music you like amongst the dross.
So feel free to hate hip-hop, many people do.
But don't bother going on about it, build your genre up, testify, spread the word, and embrace new marketing and distribution tools.
If anybody tells you they know what's going on in music, don't listen to them, because NOBODY KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON! At most, people only know the facts in their own genre.
But you can make news and have success in yours.
As long as you stop complaining about theirs.
P.S. My inbox is gonna fill up with people castigating MSNBC and lauding Fox News, but that's just the point. This war between believers is fruitless. But thank god music is not quantifiable, not based on facts. You can love what you love and be proud of it, YOU SHOULD!
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We're used to a monoculture in music, a cohesiveness, a comprehensible landscape.
But that's all been shot to hell.
But the usual suspects act like it hasn't.
Radio is the land of hip-hop and oldies, along with verticals that seem to exist in their own rarefied air, like AAA and Active Rock.
Streaming is the land of hip-hop.
Country is still beholden to the old terrestrial radio paradigm.
Meanwhile, they keep printing a Top Ten in the newspaper like it matters. Meanwhile, that Top Ten is totally fraudulent. It's not sales, but a hybrid of sales and streams and certain plays count and others don't and one cut can equal a whole album and no wonder people are confused.
We keep thinking we're gonna go back to where we once were.
Hell, there is an iTunes chart. A Spotify chart.
But they don't reflect what is really happening out there.
Hell, I'll argue you're better off looking at concert grosses. That shows true demand, people showing up and paying, fans.
But the point is now, more than ever, the genres don't mix.
Sure, they rap in country records, but they don't play hip-hop records on country stations.
But just to complicate it a bit more, fans of country might also like hip-hop. With everything available, people can cross genres easily.
But we keep boiling it down to statistics and it looks like hip-hop kills everything else and everything else is irrelevant.
But that's not true.
But if you're looking for your genre to eclipse hip-hop, it's probably not gonna happen, but you have to play on hip-hop's terms, which means there must be collaboration, which pays dividends in social media, getting the word out, and you must embrace all the tools of the web/app/internet world.
This is what is holding the other genres back.
Don't listen to the terrestrial radio hype. Yes, it's still the best way to reach the most people, the only problem is the active people, i.e. the youngsters, aren't listening, they're all on on demand platforms.
You play for the future, not the past. You skate where the puck is going to be.
And that's all in on demand.
But how do you create demand?
YOU GO WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE!
And most people are online constantly, and if you're not, you're toast.
So you shouldn't compare yourself to other genres. You shouldn't complain you're not on Top Forty radio. Top Forty radio is NEVER going to play your non-hip-hop music. Playlists are getting narrower, not broader, and they're never going to go broad again.
But let's get back to the hate.
Most people over thirty can't understand today's music marketplace.
And honestly, those under that age are not so smart either.
You keep hearing about these records you hate. It agitates you. You want relief.
But it's just like people watching Fox News. They don't care about you, they've got blinders on, this is all they know. And you can rail about other bands or other songs and they just won't listen. Meanwhile, you're wondering how we can live in such a world.
It's positively Tower of Babel.
But it's only a zero sum game on the chart.
But not in real life. If people come to see your act, it's not at the cost of the act in another genre.
No one is making sense of what is going on.
The labels only sign that which is percolating and sells. Never have they been more of an enterprise as opposed to a museum.
The distributors say it's not their fault, Spotify and Apple and Amazon are just serving demand, they're not trying to change public consciousness.
Meanwhile, you have trouble finding the music you like amongst the dross.
So feel free to hate hip-hop, many people do.
But don't bother going on about it, build your genre up, testify, spread the word, and embrace new marketing and distribution tools.
If anybody tells you they know what's going on in music, don't listen to them, because NOBODY KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON! At most, people only know the facts in their own genre.
But you can make news and have success in yours.
As long as you stop complaining about theirs.
P.S. My inbox is gonna fill up with people castigating MSNBC and lauding Fox News, but that's just the point. This war between believers is fruitless. But thank god music is not quantifiable, not based on facts. You can love what you love and be proud of it, YOU SHOULD!
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Music Media Summit Update
I lied.
It's not gonna be at the Four Seasons.
The reason you haven't heard from me about the conference is because...the Four Seasons is closed because of the floods, they said they were going to reopen on April 1st, then they were noncommittal and now say they won't be reopening until June 1st. So, if you were just gonna attend for a cheap stay at the resort, you're out of luck.
But the conference is still happening!
We scrambled and we just signed a deal with last year's hotel, the Kimpton Canary, so we're on!
So, what is it you're signing up for?
Essentially the live podcast experience. Since I last weighed in on this, and told you Troy Carter would be interviewed, we've booked Rob Glaser and Daniel Glass.
Rob Glaser began at Microsoft and then started RealNetworks. Hell, he's even a board member at the PBA, the Professional Bowlers Association, for those who remember their addiction to the oiled lanes and their pursuit of a perfect game.
Also, I'll be interviewing Daniel Glass, of Glassnote Records. Who has built not only Mumford & Sons and Phoenix into household names, but also Childish Gambino and now Jade Bird.
So you'll get a chance to interact with the speakers. You'll hear their stories, how they made it. And you'll also get a chance to hang with like-minded people and have fun. And fun is the one thing that money can't buy, but the truth is you can put yourself in a situation to obtain it!
So, the dates are April 29-May 2nd. You arrive on the 29th, you leave on the 2nd.
You should come.
http://www.musicmediasummit.com
P.S. If you have questions on content, e-mail me, if you have questions on logistics, e-mail Jim Lewi at: jim@liveworksevents.com
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It's not gonna be at the Four Seasons.
The reason you haven't heard from me about the conference is because...the Four Seasons is closed because of the floods, they said they were going to reopen on April 1st, then they were noncommittal and now say they won't be reopening until June 1st. So, if you were just gonna attend for a cheap stay at the resort, you're out of luck.
But the conference is still happening!
We scrambled and we just signed a deal with last year's hotel, the Kimpton Canary, so we're on!
So, what is it you're signing up for?
Essentially the live podcast experience. Since I last weighed in on this, and told you Troy Carter would be interviewed, we've booked Rob Glaser and Daniel Glass.
Rob Glaser began at Microsoft and then started RealNetworks. Hell, he's even a board member at the PBA, the Professional Bowlers Association, for those who remember their addiction to the oiled lanes and their pursuit of a perfect game.
Also, I'll be interviewing Daniel Glass, of Glassnote Records. Who has built not only Mumford & Sons and Phoenix into household names, but also Childish Gambino and now Jade Bird.
So you'll get a chance to interact with the speakers. You'll hear their stories, how they made it. And you'll also get a chance to hang with like-minded people and have fun. And fun is the one thing that money can't buy, but the truth is you can put yourself in a situation to obtain it!
So, the dates are April 29-May 2nd. You arrive on the 29th, you leave on the 2nd.
You should come.
http://www.musicmediasummit.com
P.S. If you have questions on content, e-mail me, if you have questions on logistics, e-mail Jim Lewi at: jim@liveworksevents.com
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Wednesday 14 February 2018
Re-Neil Portnow Must Go
The goalposts have moved, and men seem categorically unable to acknowledge this. Due process was for last year, protecting men's livelihoods is for last year. For far too long we refused to listen to women, we demonized them and ruined their careers when they came forward, but usually they just suffered silently and now males are saying that they're getting a raw deal? Hogwash.
What stuns me in these responses is the men who keep saying we must pick the "best" candidate. I don't want to get in a war of affirmative action, but unless you give people opportunities they're never gonna get ahead. Furthermore, no one seems to acknowledge a woman's perspective, they just think a woman is a mini-man, which shows further blindness. Most men are so inured to the way things have been that they can't even conceive of them being different. And in our nobody can suffer society the fact that a man might have to take a back seat to a woman is anathema. African-Americans are black all day. Women are women all day. They're easily identifiable and easily categorized and denied opportunity. Meanwhile, if you're a man you get all the advantages. Not only is it time for men to put women first, it's time for men to HELP women. It's not a zero-sum game, it's not like if we help women we're gonna lose, quite the contrary, we're all gonna WIN! Women listen to music, men can be informed by a woman's perspective. That's right, it's time for us to sacrifice for the greater good of society, and that means making women equal, and that is done by bending over backwards to give them opportunity.
Bob Lefsetz
_________________________________________
Am I the only one who thinks it's strange that none of the articles on this topic ever mention that the "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance" category was removed in 2011?
I remember asking why at the Grammy meeting that year and the answer was that it was "redundant". Redundant how? You don't see Meryl Streep competing against Daniel Day Lewis...
And this year, a year where female pop dominated, we had 4 women up against Ed Sheeran and Ed Sheeran won. Also curious that Ed Sheeran couldn't be bothered to show up to receive said award; instead he instagrammed a picture of his cat but nobody asked him why. Must be nice to be able to take these awards for granted. The women sure didn't.
Angelica Cob-Baehler
_________________________________________
If they hire a woman I'll become a member again
Deborah Holland
_________________________________________
Last year, for the Santa Monica Pier summer concert series, we were given the mandate - to which we quickly agreed - to include 50% female artists for both headliners and support bands. A quick informal assessment of touring acts at that level, however, showed that acts led by or dominated by women make up about 12% -15% of current talent on the road.
So math would dictate that our job had just gotten a lot harder. And the question arose: would this quota impact the series qualitatively?
I must admit my first response was that given all the factors (excellence, suitability, availability, budget, specific genres, blah, blah, blah) that go into programming our highly-regarded, diverse line-up, the last thing we needed was to cut the talent pool for at least half our dates by 85%.
So what did we do? We dug down and stepped up our booking efforts. Warpaint, Valerie June, Bibi Bourelly, Irma Thomas, Mon Laferte, Jah9, Marcia Griffiths, Wilde Belle, and Buscabulla all played the Twilight Concert Series at the Pier to large, enthusiastic audiences. And we'll do it again this year.
You can argue: why the gender disparity in terms of touring acts? I'm not going to go into the reasons here why I think it exists. The bottom line is we men, in our respective positions, need to step up and make sure those who are worthy and who are not getting the benefits of the established system have the opportunity to develop their talents to the point this conversation is no longer necessary. You can call that affirmative action, socialism, whatever you want, I don't care. And those that don't agree...can take a long jump off a short pier!
Best.
Martin Fleischmann
_________________________________________
years ago (like in the early 90s). when I was steeped deeply in the music biz....I was at a talk over at UCLA in one of their classes.... Neil Portnow was the speaker.... he was not at NARAS yet... but he had some interesting stuff going on... so I went and listened.... what he said at the time... was there was really not a lot of room for women in the music biz....we had our place... we can stick to PR and marketing.... but we didn't have the bite or the balls to do it... as you can imagine... I walked out of the room (not before saying to him that I thought he was full of shit) I walked out of the room fuming.... so here we are in 2018.... and clearly... he really still has no idea WTF he is talking about... he has been at NARAS since 2002 and maybe... it is time for him to step down.... would it be great for a woman to run it.. sure.. if she was the right person for it... what would be better is to have someone forward thinking.... who can take the antiquated music biz... and bring into the now.. and the future....but....weirdly... penis's are not required for the job...
This sadly is the general feeling in all of the music biz. There are plenty of smart women out there who can grab it by the balls and bring it in to (well... the 21st century). Or.....we can let it crumble and rebuild from the ground up. start paying more attention to the folks like A2IM and all the Indies (since lets be honest.... the big boys in music have been watching what was going on and stealing it from them anyway). so... kick him out... or let it crumble.... either way it is time for new blood...and has been for many many years.
Susan Ferris
_________________________________________
Bob - thank you for this.
The other person/man that needs to go is Neil's enforcer, the awards VP, 'fearman'-in-chief, William Freimuth. He reaches out to members who speak out or post comments regarding anything he considers unflattering to NARAS and asks if the member 'values their membership'. Kept me from signing the petition among other things.
I can not allow my personal opinion or behavior negatively impact the label and artists I work with/for…
Please do not use my name.
Thank you for all you do to bring light to darkness.
_________________________________________
I agree completely. That "task force" was set up to try and save his job. He has to leave. And it will happen. He's going through the denial stage right now.
Chris Joseph
_________________________________________
Thanks for your Grammy post. Know that we think Neil Portnow is a great, hard working, nice guy, as is long-enduring Grammy TV producer Ken Ehrlich, both having done the Grammys for a thousand years.
And of course, the current Grammy staff and trustees (are bound to) publicly announce their support and circle the wagons as they are doing now.
But articles in the media of NARAS and Portnow apologies, support and walk-backs will not, in any way whatsoever, make this issue go away, or un-ring that bell.
There must be a change, and this is the best (or worst) time to do it.
Gail Roberts PR
_________________________________________
Wow.
Thank you so much.
I'm a bit tired and baffled by the mild, milque-toasty statements of semi-support that have followed the initial one that I participated in. All of these subsequent efforts have refrained from calling for his resignation, as if Neil were a delicate flower whose refined sensibilities needed to be protected. Artists and minorities and women are the ones who need to be protected, not Neil Portnow.
I don't mean to be ungrateful to the people who signed those statements - any expression of support is courageous and welcome and we are all on the same side.
I'm just so impressed by and grateful for your clear and unequivocal position which, although it has seemed obvious and righteous to me from the beginning, is apparently way more controversial than I thought.
Again - thank you so much.
p.s. aren't you worried about losing subscribers? I seem to recall there being a number of Neanderthal responders who are not shy about voicing their opinions about any and everything, the more trivial the better.
That makes your position even more impressive.
Rosemary Carroll
_________________________________________
Bob, you couldn't be anymore correct. Change is needed. A woman should be the head, and there are many great ones that can do the job in an amazing way.
Paul David Hager
_________________________________________
I've never replied to your note, but cannot agree with you more. The GRAMMYs are quickly falling into the abyss of irrelevancy and Neil is driving the ship.
There are many, many women qualified to do this job. Who cares if she doesn't have a brand name.
All best,
Bobby Pilon
_________________________________________
Always good for a chuckle, Phil Spector stated this opinion in his 1969 RS interview:
"I was nominated once. I was nominated for putting thunder in "Walkin' In The Rain." That's what they nominated me for. Can you imagine that? People say I set standards in the record industry. Yet NARAS doesn't know I exist. They literally don't. The best rhythm and blues record of the year several years ago according to NARAS was Bent Fabric and "Alley Cat." I mean, can you imagine: Nancy Wilson was best R&B artist of the year! I mean, that's junk.
They're trying to change, and when we say change it, they say, "Well, why don't you come down to our meetings and help us change?" I said, "Well, if I'm gonna go to your meetings, I'd rather form my own committee and get the dues myself. Why the fuck do I have to help you get $50 a person? I'm formin' my own organization called PHIL, right? And everybody give me $100."
lanningpaul
_________________________________________
I admire that you bravely spoke the truth here and everything you said resonates with me. I agree it's time for the Recording Academy to wake up and move on with new leadership. Thanks for not being afraid to voice your opinion in a world where we tend to hesitate because we are concerned with what other people may think. You are golden, even if we don't always agree!!!
Richard Honig
_________________________________________
The truly troubling aspect of this travesty is Portnow had & probably has no idea what just hit him in the face.
The division is so wide that not even his pomposity can keep him afloat. Busted.
Michael Des Barres.
_________________________________________
Ha ha brilliant piece
Peter Noone/Herman
_________________________________________
Right on, Bob. Can anyone remember a task force that actually accomplished anything, outside of some report of recommendations that will forgotten within an hour of them being released?
When I was in the music biz (sales & marketing) I had to take the Grammys seriously and pay attention. I haven't had a reason to since.
Steve Roth
_________________________________________
I like your idea and VOTE for Mindi Abair. SHE ROCKS and has the stamina for the job if she has the desire to move up the chain.
Lisa S. Johnson
Photographer/Author
"108 Rock Star Guitars"
_________________________________________
Let's face it. The Grammy's is a TV show. A woman running the Grammy's should have a television production background from a musical perspective. If it's going to be a show, make it interesting, edgy and entertaining. Expose new artists. Extend the art form.
Currently it's an updated over staged recycled Top Of The Pops.
RANDAL EDWARDS
_________________________________________
I think we need new young blood in his seat
Will Baker
_________________________________________
Fiona Apple recently performed in LA with a "Kneel Portnow" shirt on https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/fiona-apple-tells-grammy-chief-kneel-portnow-via-t-shirt-w516322
Kristina Armendaris
_________________________________________
The "Behind The Grammy Awards Show" was abruptly canceled at Pollstar Live! last week Thursday. It was slated to feature Scott Goldman (Grammy Museum) as moderator, Ken Ehrlich (Producer) and Portnow.
Andy MacIntyre
_________________________________________
It's not just about the Hammy Grammies - ths is an organization that continues to classify Boston (not much of a "college/music" town, right?!) as not worthy of its own chapter. it's still an adjunct of New Fucking York.
It's why I don't vote any more. And I really used to care and consider it an honour.
Plus ca change, Baby. Mike Greene might have behaved appallingly - but he knew how to run a ballroom.
Hugo Burnham
_________________________________________
Ross Hogarth here …
I could not agree more with you on this
On so many levels the Grammy's are out of touch ..
It is truly time for Neil to go .. and has been for quite some time …
just saying' ..
There are so many amazing women candidates
Just recently a week ago a bunch of us were saying the exact same thing
Its time we get a woman in there.
Names like Maureen Droney who so wonderfully runs the P&E wing of NARAS
or our studio matriarch Rose Mann-Cherney were in thrown around in conversation
Both of these women would make a huge difference …
The list is long and the time is NOW !!
I am not gonna get negative about it all but more like its time for a change
and the time for change is NOW ..
Thanks for putting this conversation out in public in your blog
all the best
Ross
_________________________________________
"New members must be signed up" The first thing I thought when I read that was this statement could be closely tied to your recent post regarding "Discovery is Broken" Just why would new members sign up? What's in it for them? How do the Grammy's sell that to an aspiring artist who's struggling to get noticed? Especially when they see who wins? They have their finger on the pulse of music, they are closest to it. They are the future. Tough sell for them I bet…
Warm Regards,
Frank Biederer
_________________________________________
Someone got swept up in the current lynch mob mentality. Before yelling "off with his head", will someone please engage women Neil Portnow has worked with for their first hand experience?
Danny Holloway
Ximeno Records
_________________________________________
I agree but as I have always said, the best and most qualified person for job must be put in place or resign yourself to possibly fail for the sake of appearances.
You want success or just to "feel" good? Big difference.
Choose the replacement wisely.
Wes Kelley
_________________________________________
Stop pandering. Whether Portnow must go or not is for more informed peeps to decide. But how about advocating for the BEST candidate to replace him. That decision should not have anything to do with the genitalia of the candidate or the skin tone or color. When we all finally get past those prehistoric parameters, we will begin to escape the orbit and gravitational pull of the backward thinking and fear that has dominated decision making for so long and ultimately caused the need for and rise of #metoo and #blacklivesmatter and any other movement that speaks for those who feel disenfranchised because of their biology.
Let's start making decisions solely based on qualifications and accomplishments, and leave nature to it's own devices.
Kurt Denny
_________________________________________
I get the last thing but it is all about merit
Terry Rhodes
_________________________________________
Hey Bob, I think what you meant to say was:
Neil Portnow Must Go, and he needs to be replaced by the best available candidate.
I suggest letting go of that pendulum while it's somewhere near the center…
-doug trantow
_________________________________________
Must be a woman? Why? Idiotic statement with nothing to back it up.
David Reffett
_________________________________________
Yes. Neil Portnow's time should be up.
But why should it not simply be THE BEST replacement? Woman or man.
That would truly be forward-thinking, no?
Lisa
_________________________________________
Amen !
John Shoup
_________________________________________
**THANK YOU**
!!!
Wendy B.
_________________________________________
Spot on!
Jocelynn Pryor
_________________________________________
AMEN.
RMQ
_________________________________________
My esteemed friend and colleague Frank Filipetti voiced the same sentiment on FB recently, suggesting Maureen Droney to head the Academy. She's been involved with NARAS for years, was instrumental in getting the Academy to focus on producers and engineers, and is a dedicated advocate for music education. I can think of few people, male or female, more qualified.
Cheers,
Daniel Keller
_________________________________________
Julie Swidler
John Scher
_________________________________________
Couldn't Agree More!
Becky Mancuso Winding would be an excellent asset to this organization. Married to long-time Eagles contributor, Jai Winding, she was the first "Music Supervisor" on the film Urban Cowboy which launched a whole new career for many. She is on the Board for several fund raising organizations, including UCLA Hospital and has been around this business forever. She just received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Guild of Music Supervisors.
Fresh, intelligent, diplomatic and knowledgeable is what is needed. The crony days must end. Many women will not renew unless he is gone. Lots to think about. He's been there a long time and the organization needs fresh new faces and ideas (and transparency). Rules are changed annually and it is hard to keep up. Chapters and categories are summarily dismissed at the drop of a pencil. These 15 people "panels" who decide what music is nominated, is hidden behind a veil of secrecy. There is a lot of shuck and jive going on over there and it is time to change the old guard.
Thanks for sending this!
Kerry Gogan
_________________________________________
What a great idea! I nominate Susan Meisel, General Counsel Sony. She gets it all, and is an impeccable human being. Please call for suggestions, take it to the next level.
Thank you for keeping on.
Melinda Fishman
_________________________________________
I nominate Shirley Manson (Garbage) for new President of the Grammys. KneelPortnow, your "step up" comments demonstrate that that you are long overdue to Step Down!
Jim Berkenstadt
Voting Grammy Member
_________________________________________
Siedah Garrett for President!
Michael "FISH" Herring
_________________________________________
I believe Cheryl Boone Isaacs is available. In her four years as Academy president she increased the membership by almost 50%, made it younger, more international and brought much more diversity to the ranks. She also dealt with the historic #OscarsSoWhite movement (as swiftly as humanly possible) and made a bold statement against the Muslim Ban which affected a number of nominees last year. She wasn't perfect, but she was damn progressive and the membership would have kept her if they could have. She was term limited out last year.
Just sayin'.
Gregory Ellwood
_________________________________________
I nominate Lou Taylor!
Deb Fenstermacher
_________________________________________
Cheryl Mc Enaney!
XOXO
Mardi Silva
_________________________________________
And the woman is Lizzie Moore.
Brian Malouf
Producer | Mixer
_________________________________________
Grammy winner Frank Filipetti has been advocating for Maureen Droney to helm NARAS. She's qualified, capable, experienced (NARAS P&E wing founder) and a great person.
Doug Osborne
_________________________________________
Mindi Abair would be amazing! Great call Bob!
Tom Hedtke
_________________________________________
I nominate Sue Drew. A classical musician, A&R macher in her 20's, youngest Vp of A&R in Electra's history. Signed Phish before anyone's heard of "jam bands" and on and on, then ran Ascap, and now totally forward thinking running A&R for Kobalt. She knows the business from all sides. Just saying.
Steve Jones
_________________________________________
I am a long time reader of yours and first time writer, but i wanted to say how right on i think your piece on Neil Portnow and Naras is. I say this having been a member (as i imagine most of your readers are for over 15 years, I was so excited when i joined feeling like i was going to make a difference in my industry and in my art. Cut to 15 years later the only thing useful in it was voting in the Grammies itself,a private that as the awards became less and less important i comparison to the calvcade of CBS Stars pimping their versions and sundry shows for AARP members.
I figured that maybe if i got involved, i could at least feel like part of the solution - I talked to friends who had been on various boards within Naras and who suggested i get involved. Made the attempt my local chapter is in Chicago as i am in Minneapolis (for some reason NAras never does much here even back in the day when more than half the major us distro went through here with Targets, Best Buy and Musicland) The whole thing was pretty amazing in the terms of seeing how little they cared, and actually wouldn't let me run- which regardless of credits i should have been able too, but not to try and sound bratty but i came in as the former Director of Artist & Product from Twin/Tone Records Group, same at Innova which at the time was the 3rd largest non profit label in the us, was in the P&E wing, with credits ranging from academic classical, to jazz, techno, and Indy rock. I might not be the heaviest bat but a solid 300 hitter. When i asked why I wasn't even allowed on the ballot i was told "well we have a guy from the Plain White tees running," as if that was a reason. I tell you this rather long winded story to make an observation about NARAS, that they tend to be the worst kind of star Fuckers, they only care about the names.
The vast majority of NARAS members aren't the stars or the hit makers, they are the working musicians, the dying breed of the industry the musical middle class if you will.
NARAS, like the RIAA, has so lost the plot, old men who stick to old ideas and have been destroying the industry, from a complete flub on digital, to treating potential consumers as criminals,and all but ignoring the independent world, one that makes a up a lot of it is membership. there dated idea that the only cities that make music hat matters are New York, Nashville and Los Angeles (maybe that's why they Didn't include Husker DU's legendary drummer who defined hardcore Grant Hart in the In Memorial reel). Portnow's. statements have always been cringeworthy but now its a wonder that there isn't a bigger uproar, and i think that in itself is a testament to the impotence of NARAS in its current state. a country club organization that has just can't figure out "why music matters". I think it's time not just send Mr. Portnnow to go destroy a company in the private sector, but it's time to reimagine NARAS for the 21st century. To be more than just a once a year commercial for the soon to be misremembered, to lobby for innovation, celebrate music, all music not just what they hope 18 year olds will buy, and to honor and recognize members of our craft who make it all possibile. To build careers and create real impactful art and not just memes.
Thanks for your writing, you are gem.
Chris Strouth
Paris1919
What stuns me in these responses is the men who keep saying we must pick the "best" candidate. I don't want to get in a war of affirmative action, but unless you give people opportunities they're never gonna get ahead. Furthermore, no one seems to acknowledge a woman's perspective, they just think a woman is a mini-man, which shows further blindness. Most men are so inured to the way things have been that they can't even conceive of them being different. And in our nobody can suffer society the fact that a man might have to take a back seat to a woman is anathema. African-Americans are black all day. Women are women all day. They're easily identifiable and easily categorized and denied opportunity. Meanwhile, if you're a man you get all the advantages. Not only is it time for men to put women first, it's time for men to HELP women. It's not a zero-sum game, it's not like if we help women we're gonna lose, quite the contrary, we're all gonna WIN! Women listen to music, men can be informed by a woman's perspective. That's right, it's time for us to sacrifice for the greater good of society, and that means making women equal, and that is done by bending over backwards to give them opportunity.
Bob Lefsetz
_________________________________________
Am I the only one who thinks it's strange that none of the articles on this topic ever mention that the "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance" category was removed in 2011?
I remember asking why at the Grammy meeting that year and the answer was that it was "redundant". Redundant how? You don't see Meryl Streep competing against Daniel Day Lewis...
And this year, a year where female pop dominated, we had 4 women up against Ed Sheeran and Ed Sheeran won. Also curious that Ed Sheeran couldn't be bothered to show up to receive said award; instead he instagrammed a picture of his cat but nobody asked him why. Must be nice to be able to take these awards for granted. The women sure didn't.
Angelica Cob-Baehler
_________________________________________
If they hire a woman I'll become a member again
Deborah Holland
_________________________________________
Last year, for the Santa Monica Pier summer concert series, we were given the mandate - to which we quickly agreed - to include 50% female artists for both headliners and support bands. A quick informal assessment of touring acts at that level, however, showed that acts led by or dominated by women make up about 12% -15% of current talent on the road.
So math would dictate that our job had just gotten a lot harder. And the question arose: would this quota impact the series qualitatively?
I must admit my first response was that given all the factors (excellence, suitability, availability, budget, specific genres, blah, blah, blah) that go into programming our highly-regarded, diverse line-up, the last thing we needed was to cut the talent pool for at least half our dates by 85%.
So what did we do? We dug down and stepped up our booking efforts. Warpaint, Valerie June, Bibi Bourelly, Irma Thomas, Mon Laferte, Jah9, Marcia Griffiths, Wilde Belle, and Buscabulla all played the Twilight Concert Series at the Pier to large, enthusiastic audiences. And we'll do it again this year.
You can argue: why the gender disparity in terms of touring acts? I'm not going to go into the reasons here why I think it exists. The bottom line is we men, in our respective positions, need to step up and make sure those who are worthy and who are not getting the benefits of the established system have the opportunity to develop their talents to the point this conversation is no longer necessary. You can call that affirmative action, socialism, whatever you want, I don't care. And those that don't agree...can take a long jump off a short pier!
Best.
Martin Fleischmann
_________________________________________
years ago (like in the early 90s). when I was steeped deeply in the music biz....I was at a talk over at UCLA in one of their classes.... Neil Portnow was the speaker.... he was not at NARAS yet... but he had some interesting stuff going on... so I went and listened.... what he said at the time... was there was really not a lot of room for women in the music biz....we had our place... we can stick to PR and marketing.... but we didn't have the bite or the balls to do it... as you can imagine... I walked out of the room (not before saying to him that I thought he was full of shit) I walked out of the room fuming.... so here we are in 2018.... and clearly... he really still has no idea WTF he is talking about... he has been at NARAS since 2002 and maybe... it is time for him to step down.... would it be great for a woman to run it.. sure.. if she was the right person for it... what would be better is to have someone forward thinking.... who can take the antiquated music biz... and bring into the now.. and the future....but....weirdly... penis's are not required for the job...
This sadly is the general feeling in all of the music biz. There are plenty of smart women out there who can grab it by the balls and bring it in to (well... the 21st century). Or.....we can let it crumble and rebuild from the ground up. start paying more attention to the folks like A2IM and all the Indies (since lets be honest.... the big boys in music have been watching what was going on and stealing it from them anyway). so... kick him out... or let it crumble.... either way it is time for new blood...and has been for many many years.
Susan Ferris
_________________________________________
Bob - thank you for this.
The other person/man that needs to go is Neil's enforcer, the awards VP, 'fearman'-in-chief, William Freimuth. He reaches out to members who speak out or post comments regarding anything he considers unflattering to NARAS and asks if the member 'values their membership'. Kept me from signing the petition among other things.
I can not allow my personal opinion or behavior negatively impact the label and artists I work with/for…
Please do not use my name.
Thank you for all you do to bring light to darkness.
_________________________________________
I agree completely. That "task force" was set up to try and save his job. He has to leave. And it will happen. He's going through the denial stage right now.
Chris Joseph
_________________________________________
Thanks for your Grammy post. Know that we think Neil Portnow is a great, hard working, nice guy, as is long-enduring Grammy TV producer Ken Ehrlich, both having done the Grammys for a thousand years.
And of course, the current Grammy staff and trustees (are bound to) publicly announce their support and circle the wagons as they are doing now.
But articles in the media of NARAS and Portnow apologies, support and walk-backs will not, in any way whatsoever, make this issue go away, or un-ring that bell.
There must be a change, and this is the best (or worst) time to do it.
Gail Roberts PR
_________________________________________
Wow.
Thank you so much.
I'm a bit tired and baffled by the mild, milque-toasty statements of semi-support that have followed the initial one that I participated in. All of these subsequent efforts have refrained from calling for his resignation, as if Neil were a delicate flower whose refined sensibilities needed to be protected. Artists and minorities and women are the ones who need to be protected, not Neil Portnow.
I don't mean to be ungrateful to the people who signed those statements - any expression of support is courageous and welcome and we are all on the same side.
I'm just so impressed by and grateful for your clear and unequivocal position which, although it has seemed obvious and righteous to me from the beginning, is apparently way more controversial than I thought.
Again - thank you so much.
p.s. aren't you worried about losing subscribers? I seem to recall there being a number of Neanderthal responders who are not shy about voicing their opinions about any and everything, the more trivial the better.
That makes your position even more impressive.
Rosemary Carroll
_________________________________________
Bob, you couldn't be anymore correct. Change is needed. A woman should be the head, and there are many great ones that can do the job in an amazing way.
Paul David Hager
_________________________________________
I've never replied to your note, but cannot agree with you more. The GRAMMYs are quickly falling into the abyss of irrelevancy and Neil is driving the ship.
There are many, many women qualified to do this job. Who cares if she doesn't have a brand name.
All best,
Bobby Pilon
_________________________________________
Always good for a chuckle, Phil Spector stated this opinion in his 1969 RS interview:
"I was nominated once. I was nominated for putting thunder in "Walkin' In The Rain." That's what they nominated me for. Can you imagine that? People say I set standards in the record industry. Yet NARAS doesn't know I exist. They literally don't. The best rhythm and blues record of the year several years ago according to NARAS was Bent Fabric and "Alley Cat." I mean, can you imagine: Nancy Wilson was best R&B artist of the year! I mean, that's junk.
They're trying to change, and when we say change it, they say, "Well, why don't you come down to our meetings and help us change?" I said, "Well, if I'm gonna go to your meetings, I'd rather form my own committee and get the dues myself. Why the fuck do I have to help you get $50 a person? I'm formin' my own organization called PHIL, right? And everybody give me $100."
lanningpaul
_________________________________________
I admire that you bravely spoke the truth here and everything you said resonates with me. I agree it's time for the Recording Academy to wake up and move on with new leadership. Thanks for not being afraid to voice your opinion in a world where we tend to hesitate because we are concerned with what other people may think. You are golden, even if we don't always agree!!!
Richard Honig
_________________________________________
The truly troubling aspect of this travesty is Portnow had & probably has no idea what just hit him in the face.
The division is so wide that not even his pomposity can keep him afloat. Busted.
Michael Des Barres.
_________________________________________
Ha ha brilliant piece
Peter Noone/Herman
_________________________________________
Right on, Bob. Can anyone remember a task force that actually accomplished anything, outside of some report of recommendations that will forgotten within an hour of them being released?
When I was in the music biz (sales & marketing) I had to take the Grammys seriously and pay attention. I haven't had a reason to since.
Steve Roth
_________________________________________
I like your idea and VOTE for Mindi Abair. SHE ROCKS and has the stamina for the job if she has the desire to move up the chain.
Lisa S. Johnson
Photographer/Author
"108 Rock Star Guitars"
_________________________________________
Let's face it. The Grammy's is a TV show. A woman running the Grammy's should have a television production background from a musical perspective. If it's going to be a show, make it interesting, edgy and entertaining. Expose new artists. Extend the art form.
Currently it's an updated over staged recycled Top Of The Pops.
RANDAL EDWARDS
_________________________________________
I think we need new young blood in his seat
Will Baker
_________________________________________
Fiona Apple recently performed in LA with a "Kneel Portnow" shirt on https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/fiona-apple-tells-grammy-chief-kneel-portnow-via-t-shirt-w516322
Kristina Armendaris
_________________________________________
The "Behind The Grammy Awards Show" was abruptly canceled at Pollstar Live! last week Thursday. It was slated to feature Scott Goldman (Grammy Museum) as moderator, Ken Ehrlich (Producer) and Portnow.
Andy MacIntyre
_________________________________________
It's not just about the Hammy Grammies - ths is an organization that continues to classify Boston (not much of a "college/music" town, right?!) as not worthy of its own chapter. it's still an adjunct of New Fucking York.
It's why I don't vote any more. And I really used to care and consider it an honour.
Plus ca change, Baby. Mike Greene might have behaved appallingly - but he knew how to run a ballroom.
Hugo Burnham
_________________________________________
Ross Hogarth here …
I could not agree more with you on this
On so many levels the Grammy's are out of touch ..
It is truly time for Neil to go .. and has been for quite some time …
just saying' ..
There are so many amazing women candidates
Just recently a week ago a bunch of us were saying the exact same thing
Its time we get a woman in there.
Names like Maureen Droney who so wonderfully runs the P&E wing of NARAS
or our studio matriarch Rose Mann-Cherney were in thrown around in conversation
Both of these women would make a huge difference …
The list is long and the time is NOW !!
I am not gonna get negative about it all but more like its time for a change
and the time for change is NOW ..
Thanks for putting this conversation out in public in your blog
all the best
Ross
_________________________________________
"New members must be signed up" The first thing I thought when I read that was this statement could be closely tied to your recent post regarding "Discovery is Broken" Just why would new members sign up? What's in it for them? How do the Grammy's sell that to an aspiring artist who's struggling to get noticed? Especially when they see who wins? They have their finger on the pulse of music, they are closest to it. They are the future. Tough sell for them I bet…
Warm Regards,
Frank Biederer
_________________________________________
Someone got swept up in the current lynch mob mentality. Before yelling "off with his head", will someone please engage women Neil Portnow has worked with for their first hand experience?
Danny Holloway
Ximeno Records
_________________________________________
I agree but as I have always said, the best and most qualified person for job must be put in place or resign yourself to possibly fail for the sake of appearances.
You want success or just to "feel" good? Big difference.
Choose the replacement wisely.
Wes Kelley
_________________________________________
Stop pandering. Whether Portnow must go or not is for more informed peeps to decide. But how about advocating for the BEST candidate to replace him. That decision should not have anything to do with the genitalia of the candidate or the skin tone or color. When we all finally get past those prehistoric parameters, we will begin to escape the orbit and gravitational pull of the backward thinking and fear that has dominated decision making for so long and ultimately caused the need for and rise of #metoo and #blacklivesmatter and any other movement that speaks for those who feel disenfranchised because of their biology.
Let's start making decisions solely based on qualifications and accomplishments, and leave nature to it's own devices.
Kurt Denny
_________________________________________
I get the last thing but it is all about merit
Terry Rhodes
_________________________________________
Hey Bob, I think what you meant to say was:
Neil Portnow Must Go, and he needs to be replaced by the best available candidate.
I suggest letting go of that pendulum while it's somewhere near the center…
-doug trantow
_________________________________________
Must be a woman? Why? Idiotic statement with nothing to back it up.
David Reffett
_________________________________________
Yes. Neil Portnow's time should be up.
But why should it not simply be THE BEST replacement? Woman or man.
That would truly be forward-thinking, no?
Lisa
_________________________________________
Amen !
John Shoup
_________________________________________
**THANK YOU**
!!!
Wendy B.
_________________________________________
Spot on!
Jocelynn Pryor
_________________________________________
AMEN.
RMQ
_________________________________________
My esteemed friend and colleague Frank Filipetti voiced the same sentiment on FB recently, suggesting Maureen Droney to head the Academy. She's been involved with NARAS for years, was instrumental in getting the Academy to focus on producers and engineers, and is a dedicated advocate for music education. I can think of few people, male or female, more qualified.
Cheers,
Daniel Keller
_________________________________________
Julie Swidler
John Scher
_________________________________________
Couldn't Agree More!
Becky Mancuso Winding would be an excellent asset to this organization. Married to long-time Eagles contributor, Jai Winding, she was the first "Music Supervisor" on the film Urban Cowboy which launched a whole new career for many. She is on the Board for several fund raising organizations, including UCLA Hospital and has been around this business forever. She just received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Guild of Music Supervisors.
Fresh, intelligent, diplomatic and knowledgeable is what is needed. The crony days must end. Many women will not renew unless he is gone. Lots to think about. He's been there a long time and the organization needs fresh new faces and ideas (and transparency). Rules are changed annually and it is hard to keep up. Chapters and categories are summarily dismissed at the drop of a pencil. These 15 people "panels" who decide what music is nominated, is hidden behind a veil of secrecy. There is a lot of shuck and jive going on over there and it is time to change the old guard.
Thanks for sending this!
Kerry Gogan
_________________________________________
What a great idea! I nominate Susan Meisel, General Counsel Sony. She gets it all, and is an impeccable human being. Please call for suggestions, take it to the next level.
Thank you for keeping on.
Melinda Fishman
_________________________________________
I nominate Shirley Manson (Garbage) for new President of the Grammys. KneelPortnow, your "step up" comments demonstrate that that you are long overdue to Step Down!
Jim Berkenstadt
Voting Grammy Member
_________________________________________
Siedah Garrett for President!
Michael "FISH" Herring
_________________________________________
I believe Cheryl Boone Isaacs is available. In her four years as Academy president she increased the membership by almost 50%, made it younger, more international and brought much more diversity to the ranks. She also dealt with the historic #OscarsSoWhite movement (as swiftly as humanly possible) and made a bold statement against the Muslim Ban which affected a number of nominees last year. She wasn't perfect, but she was damn progressive and the membership would have kept her if they could have. She was term limited out last year.
Just sayin'.
Gregory Ellwood
_________________________________________
I nominate Lou Taylor!
Deb Fenstermacher
_________________________________________
Cheryl Mc Enaney!
XOXO
Mardi Silva
_________________________________________
And the woman is Lizzie Moore.
Brian Malouf
Producer | Mixer
_________________________________________
Grammy winner Frank Filipetti has been advocating for Maureen Droney to helm NARAS. She's qualified, capable, experienced (NARAS P&E wing founder) and a great person.
Doug Osborne
_________________________________________
Mindi Abair would be amazing! Great call Bob!
Tom Hedtke
_________________________________________
I nominate Sue Drew. A classical musician, A&R macher in her 20's, youngest Vp of A&R in Electra's history. Signed Phish before anyone's heard of "jam bands" and on and on, then ran Ascap, and now totally forward thinking running A&R for Kobalt. She knows the business from all sides. Just saying.
Steve Jones
_________________________________________
I am a long time reader of yours and first time writer, but i wanted to say how right on i think your piece on Neil Portnow and Naras is. I say this having been a member (as i imagine most of your readers are for over 15 years, I was so excited when i joined feeling like i was going to make a difference in my industry and in my art. Cut to 15 years later the only thing useful in it was voting in the Grammies itself,a private that as the awards became less and less important i comparison to the calvcade of CBS Stars pimping their versions and sundry shows for AARP members.
I figured that maybe if i got involved, i could at least feel like part of the solution - I talked to friends who had been on various boards within Naras and who suggested i get involved. Made the attempt my local chapter is in Chicago as i am in Minneapolis (for some reason NAras never does much here even back in the day when more than half the major us distro went through here with Targets, Best Buy and Musicland) The whole thing was pretty amazing in the terms of seeing how little they cared, and actually wouldn't let me run- which regardless of credits i should have been able too, but not to try and sound bratty but i came in as the former Director of Artist & Product from Twin/Tone Records Group, same at Innova which at the time was the 3rd largest non profit label in the us, was in the P&E wing, with credits ranging from academic classical, to jazz, techno, and Indy rock. I might not be the heaviest bat but a solid 300 hitter. When i asked why I wasn't even allowed on the ballot i was told "well we have a guy from the Plain White tees running," as if that was a reason. I tell you this rather long winded story to make an observation about NARAS, that they tend to be the worst kind of star Fuckers, they only care about the names.
The vast majority of NARAS members aren't the stars or the hit makers, they are the working musicians, the dying breed of the industry the musical middle class if you will.
NARAS, like the RIAA, has so lost the plot, old men who stick to old ideas and have been destroying the industry, from a complete flub on digital, to treating potential consumers as criminals,and all but ignoring the independent world, one that makes a up a lot of it is membership. there dated idea that the only cities that make music hat matters are New York, Nashville and Los Angeles (maybe that's why they Didn't include Husker DU's legendary drummer who defined hardcore Grant Hart in the In Memorial reel). Portnow's. statements have always been cringeworthy but now its a wonder that there isn't a bigger uproar, and i think that in itself is a testament to the impotence of NARAS in its current state. a country club organization that has just can't figure out "why music matters". I think it's time not just send Mr. Portnnow to go destroy a company in the private sector, but it's time to reimagine NARAS for the 21st century. To be more than just a once a year commercial for the soon to be misremembered, to lobby for innovation, celebrate music, all music not just what they hope 18 year olds will buy, and to honor and recognize members of our craft who make it all possibile. To build careers and create real impactful art and not just memes.
Thanks for your writing, you are gem.
Chris Strouth
Paris1919
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Tuesday 13 February 2018
The Flying Tomato-Spoiler Alert!
"The thrill of victory...
The agony of defeat."
That's what we heard every Saturday afternoon, when Jim McKay took the mic for ninety minutes as ABC traveled the globe bringing us back footage of events both noteworthy and curious on "Wide World of Sports."
We looked forward to it. We knew the record for jumping barrels at Grossinger's. We watched antique timing in faraway cities.
And we dreamed.
Life is about dreaming. When your fantasies are gone, you're done. You're always dreaming of a rainbow, of a valley over the mountain, of a better place, it keeps you going. And on the journey there are unexpected highs.
Like watching the Olympics in South Korea.
I'm a Winter Olympics guy. I'm a snow sports guy. I grew up on the east coast when there were no track and field clubs, no swimming teams with 6 AM practices, none of the start 'em before consciousness and groom 'em for greatness. We were just kinda normal. We went to school, we changed into our dungarees after class and played in the park. We were exposed to greatness on television, but it was far from our everyday experience.
Then came the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley. We did not know they were a charmed event never to be repeated, all athletes in one small area for a week. The destination was perfect, all snowy and alpine, and the last time I checked the United States victory over Russia's hockey team was still on the scoreboard in the ice arena.
But that was decades ago.
Now Americans are good skiers.
Now athletes are jocks.
Now they've modernized the events to appeal to the younger generation.
But it's the oldsters who are watching.
And they don't exactly know why. It's tradition. It's a way to connect. It roots you to who you once were.
Now for a moment there, live events were all about tweeting. About broadcasting your opinion to the masses. But the great communications revolution is not Instagram, not influencers on YouTube, but one on one connections, when your phone lights up with an iMessage or text illustrating that your relation miles away is doing the exact same thing you are.
Watching.
My little sister in Minneapolis was waiting for the slalom to begin.
Mikaela Shiffrin is not that lovable. Certainly less than the oft-injured Lindsey Vonn. You see she's a machine. And sports used to be for everyman. Before you had to exclude other activities and spend hours in the gym. I'm into dominance, I'm into success, but when you give up a powder day to run gates, what are you gonna do with the rest of your life?
Have fun, like Shaun White.
Sports are most interesting when they're created on the fly, before the codification, before the rigidity. When like-minded acolytes are developing the rules.
Shaun White was at the tail end of that, the grommet who grew.
And then he became an American story. He failed, he played music, he lost his muse.
And now he was ready for his big comeback.
In the semis he performed.
He excelled in the first of three final runs.
And then the Japanese competitor from Breckenridge pulled ahead.
And this is where the humanity comes in. The Flying Tomato psyched himself up for his next run and...failed.
We've all been there, behind the 8 ball, how do you rise to the occasion?
Most choke. Some exit all together. But it's the nature of life, you've got to stand up and compete, or lose.
And it's easier to lose than win.
But winning moves you further down the game board of life, where your fantasies lie.
And this is not digital, this is not ones and zeros. There's no help, no cheating, just you and the elements. Could he do it?
I wasn't sure.
It's easier to lead than to come back, especially at this elite level.
He failed in his second attempt.
And now it was down to his final chance.
It was the driver's test. It was the SATs. It was the bar exam. But it only comes every four years and you age out. Imagine the pressure!
But losing is no big deal. After all, White is already rich, already famous, his life is set, he's got his gold medal, but...
The line between victory and defeat is a razor's edge, in a moment you can lose it, how do you ride the serpent?
Now many people go into the arts to avoid sports, they don't like the competition, they're more into exploration.
But the truth is we've all got to deliver, we've all got to serve somebody, we've all got to answer to ourselves.
So Shaun White threw down.
It's meaningless. A sporting competition. Not involving nuclear weapons or diplomacy, not about hunger or health. Still, all our little lives are important to us. These moments, these hills climbed, change the course of our existence.
So, Shaun White does his best and then...
Waits.
Credit NBC, they didn't repeat his run, they just lingered on White, as he stood there anxiously, both elated and worried. He knew he threw down a good one, was it good enough?
And when it turned out it was...
He exulted.
He slapped hands.
And then he cried.
Big boys do cry. But too many big boys hold it inside, are controlled, refuse to let their real feelings out. They're compromised.
Which is why we look to sports for our better selves, to be instructed.
The failure in Sochi, the accident Down Under, all the practicing...
It came down to one run. A gauntlet. A superpipe. His destiny.
So we feel good for Shaun White. And we feel good for America. In one run he eclipsed all the b.s. in Washington, all the hate, all the division... He draped the flag on his back and then it slid to the snow. Was this offensive? Is this what we're discussing? It's not about the country but humanity, about people. And those in power have forgotten how to live, or at least how we live.
Most of what we do no one is paying attention to. We roll the dice and move our pieces down the board. We take risks, we look for instruction but there are false gods everywhere, telling us they know and we should follow them. It's hard to hew to your own line, hard to keep your eye on the prize.
And then you see someone do it and EUREKA! The clouds part and the sun is bright and you can see the path, you know where you're going, you believe you can get there, you don't care if anybody's paying attention, you're doing it for yourself.
That's when you smile inside.
When you feel part of a community, when you gain inspiration from the trials and tribulations and triumphs of another human being.
When you see Shaun White win the gold medal at the Olympics.
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The agony of defeat."
That's what we heard every Saturday afternoon, when Jim McKay took the mic for ninety minutes as ABC traveled the globe bringing us back footage of events both noteworthy and curious on "Wide World of Sports."
We looked forward to it. We knew the record for jumping barrels at Grossinger's. We watched antique timing in faraway cities.
And we dreamed.
Life is about dreaming. When your fantasies are gone, you're done. You're always dreaming of a rainbow, of a valley over the mountain, of a better place, it keeps you going. And on the journey there are unexpected highs.
Like watching the Olympics in South Korea.
I'm a Winter Olympics guy. I'm a snow sports guy. I grew up on the east coast when there were no track and field clubs, no swimming teams with 6 AM practices, none of the start 'em before consciousness and groom 'em for greatness. We were just kinda normal. We went to school, we changed into our dungarees after class and played in the park. We were exposed to greatness on television, but it was far from our everyday experience.
Then came the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley. We did not know they were a charmed event never to be repeated, all athletes in one small area for a week. The destination was perfect, all snowy and alpine, and the last time I checked the United States victory over Russia's hockey team was still on the scoreboard in the ice arena.
But that was decades ago.
Now Americans are good skiers.
Now athletes are jocks.
Now they've modernized the events to appeal to the younger generation.
But it's the oldsters who are watching.
And they don't exactly know why. It's tradition. It's a way to connect. It roots you to who you once were.
Now for a moment there, live events were all about tweeting. About broadcasting your opinion to the masses. But the great communications revolution is not Instagram, not influencers on YouTube, but one on one connections, when your phone lights up with an iMessage or text illustrating that your relation miles away is doing the exact same thing you are.
Watching.
My little sister in Minneapolis was waiting for the slalom to begin.
Mikaela Shiffrin is not that lovable. Certainly less than the oft-injured Lindsey Vonn. You see she's a machine. And sports used to be for everyman. Before you had to exclude other activities and spend hours in the gym. I'm into dominance, I'm into success, but when you give up a powder day to run gates, what are you gonna do with the rest of your life?
Have fun, like Shaun White.
Sports are most interesting when they're created on the fly, before the codification, before the rigidity. When like-minded acolytes are developing the rules.
Shaun White was at the tail end of that, the grommet who grew.
And then he became an American story. He failed, he played music, he lost his muse.
And now he was ready for his big comeback.
In the semis he performed.
He excelled in the first of three final runs.
And then the Japanese competitor from Breckenridge pulled ahead.
And this is where the humanity comes in. The Flying Tomato psyched himself up for his next run and...failed.
We've all been there, behind the 8 ball, how do you rise to the occasion?
Most choke. Some exit all together. But it's the nature of life, you've got to stand up and compete, or lose.
And it's easier to lose than win.
But winning moves you further down the game board of life, where your fantasies lie.
And this is not digital, this is not ones and zeros. There's no help, no cheating, just you and the elements. Could he do it?
I wasn't sure.
It's easier to lead than to come back, especially at this elite level.
He failed in his second attempt.
And now it was down to his final chance.
It was the driver's test. It was the SATs. It was the bar exam. But it only comes every four years and you age out. Imagine the pressure!
But losing is no big deal. After all, White is already rich, already famous, his life is set, he's got his gold medal, but...
The line between victory and defeat is a razor's edge, in a moment you can lose it, how do you ride the serpent?
Now many people go into the arts to avoid sports, they don't like the competition, they're more into exploration.
But the truth is we've all got to deliver, we've all got to serve somebody, we've all got to answer to ourselves.
So Shaun White threw down.
It's meaningless. A sporting competition. Not involving nuclear weapons or diplomacy, not about hunger or health. Still, all our little lives are important to us. These moments, these hills climbed, change the course of our existence.
So, Shaun White does his best and then...
Waits.
Credit NBC, they didn't repeat his run, they just lingered on White, as he stood there anxiously, both elated and worried. He knew he threw down a good one, was it good enough?
And when it turned out it was...
He exulted.
He slapped hands.
And then he cried.
Big boys do cry. But too many big boys hold it inside, are controlled, refuse to let their real feelings out. They're compromised.
Which is why we look to sports for our better selves, to be instructed.
The failure in Sochi, the accident Down Under, all the practicing...
It came down to one run. A gauntlet. A superpipe. His destiny.
So we feel good for Shaun White. And we feel good for America. In one run he eclipsed all the b.s. in Washington, all the hate, all the division... He draped the flag on his back and then it slid to the snow. Was this offensive? Is this what we're discussing? It's not about the country but humanity, about people. And those in power have forgotten how to live, or at least how we live.
Most of what we do no one is paying attention to. We roll the dice and move our pieces down the board. We take risks, we look for instruction but there are false gods everywhere, telling us they know and we should follow them. It's hard to hew to your own line, hard to keep your eye on the prize.
And then you see someone do it and EUREKA! The clouds part and the sun is bright and you can see the path, you know where you're going, you believe you can get there, you don't care if anybody's paying attention, you're doing it for yourself.
That's when you smile inside.
When you feel part of a community, when you gain inspiration from the trials and tribulations and triumphs of another human being.
When you see Shaun White win the gold medal at the Olympics.
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Jim Guerinot-This Week's Podcast
He made me feel inadequate.
You think you want to go down one path, then you find out you're unsuited for it. Even worse, you age and discover that your heart's desire is not. I remember wanting to be an agent, at this late date the idea of negotiating for a living is anathema to me, but what did I know then?
Bupkes.
Anyway, Guerinot grows up in Rochester and moves to Orange County, the home of his beloved Lakers, and finds his way in the music business because he's a self-starter. He books gigs at school, then takes over a club, then works for a promoter and goes on to an even bigger one. There's a great story of sitting on Brian Murphy's couch while the promoter calls Cynthia Fox, the legendary KMET deejay, about upcoming Springsteen shows at the Coliseum. What we want is access and to feel like an insider. Guerinot achieves both.
But when he feels he's getting a raw deal at Avalon he moves on to Universal and doesn't like it there and ends up at A&M. Geiger hips him to gigs, it's all about your network, but it's also about being hungry and taking advantage of opportunities.
Which Guerinot does.
Which makes me feel inadequate. I'm more cerebral, I'm more reticent, I'm so busy weighing the options that I don't take advantage.
And for those out of the loop, Jim ends up managing not only Social Distortion, but the Offspring and Nine Inch Nails and No Doubt and he even has a record label with total control under Clive Davis!
And now he's excited about teaching.
You'll get it all here.
Listen for the story.
But also ask yourself if you can be Jim. If you could make the same choices and create the same opportunities.
If not, maybe you should forge your own path.
TuneIn:
http://tun.in/tilDxE
Apple Podcasts:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast/id1316200737?mt=2&i=1000402165741
Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/m/Daiibpoz32gi4xo3vh6xi5zkrie?t=Jim_Guerinot-The_Bob_Lefsetz_Podcast
Stitcher:
https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast
Soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/bob-lefsetz/jim-guerinot-9
Overcast: https://overcast.fm/+LBr9hHQAo
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You think you want to go down one path, then you find out you're unsuited for it. Even worse, you age and discover that your heart's desire is not. I remember wanting to be an agent, at this late date the idea of negotiating for a living is anathema to me, but what did I know then?
Bupkes.
Anyway, Guerinot grows up in Rochester and moves to Orange County, the home of his beloved Lakers, and finds his way in the music business because he's a self-starter. He books gigs at school, then takes over a club, then works for a promoter and goes on to an even bigger one. There's a great story of sitting on Brian Murphy's couch while the promoter calls Cynthia Fox, the legendary KMET deejay, about upcoming Springsteen shows at the Coliseum. What we want is access and to feel like an insider. Guerinot achieves both.
But when he feels he's getting a raw deal at Avalon he moves on to Universal and doesn't like it there and ends up at A&M. Geiger hips him to gigs, it's all about your network, but it's also about being hungry and taking advantage of opportunities.
Which Guerinot does.
Which makes me feel inadequate. I'm more cerebral, I'm more reticent, I'm so busy weighing the options that I don't take advantage.
And for those out of the loop, Jim ends up managing not only Social Distortion, but the Offspring and Nine Inch Nails and No Doubt and he even has a record label with total control under Clive Davis!
And now he's excited about teaching.
You'll get it all here.
Listen for the story.
But also ask yourself if you can be Jim. If you could make the same choices and create the same opportunities.
If not, maybe you should forge your own path.
TuneIn:
http://tun.in/tilDxE
Apple Podcasts:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast/id1316200737?mt=2&i=1000402165741
Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/m/Daiibpoz32gi4xo3vh6xi5zkrie?t=Jim_Guerinot-The_Bob_Lefsetz_Podcast
Stitcher:
https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast
Soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/bob-lefsetz/jim-guerinot-9
Overcast: https://overcast.fm/+LBr9hHQAo
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Neil Portnow Must Go
And he needs to be replaced by a woman.
Neil's been there over 15 years, longer than most record company execs whose behinds he so busily kisses.
Instead, the Recording Academy continues to look backward, living in the past, just like the recording industry did for so many years confronted with digital disruption, isn't it time to have someone lead us into the future?
Neil was a caretaker in the wake of the tumultuous reign of Mike Greene. Now it's time to have a leader.
I could point out Portnow's flaws, including the ill-advised New York Grammy journey wherein millions were lost, but this is not about his failings so much as an opportunity to move the organization forward, change it for a changed environment.
As for the task force, it resembles nothing so much as a movie cliche, ROUND UP THE USUAL SUSPECTS AND DO NOTHING!
So the Grammy organization needs to be rebuilt from the ground up.
And a woman must head it.
The men are gonna say there's no female qualified. They always say this. They don't mentor women, they don't lift them up, they just throw their hands in the air after declaring their hands are tied. The greatest musical artists inform and lead, whereas the Grammy organization is run like the worst of bureaucracies, with little transparency and no change.
So it's time to give a woman an opportunity! Hell, maybe even hire a manager from the outside, some new blood with fresh insight. Or maybe even a woman musician, like saxophonist Mindi Abair, who has been involved with the organization for years. Not that I'm positing she's the right person for the position, I'm just saying the net should be cast wide and there are many women who can STEP UP and fill Portnow's shoes.
But the Trustees are blind, so busy giving Grammys to their cronies they completely miss what is happening in popular music.
The Oscars are castigated for being too white and the organization shakes out dead wood and actively seeks new members, AMPAS reacted immediately, whereas NARAS did nothing, waiting for the storm to pass, which is amazing, since music is more topical and reacts more quickly than film.
Anybody can misspeak.
But not anybody can be asleep at the wheel.
When organizations don't reinvent themselves, they die, just like the Grammy ratings. Produce those numbers in Silicon Valley and you're ousted, immediately, because shareholders are afraid of totally losing their investment.
It's time for the Grammys to pivot. Instead, the organization is staying on its lazy course.
As for Mr. Portnow's contract/salary, let's not forget this is the man who moved the organization to new digs without selling the old building. If it was about money, he would have been bounced long ago.
But it's not about cash, it's about meaning, it's about direction, it's about doing what's right.
Let's not allow them to get away with it. Let's not let the uproar fade. Let's keep the pressure on. How are we supposed to have faith in the organization if it can't clean and take care of its own house?
Portnow has to go.
The rolls must be cleaned.
New members must be signed up.
Transparency must be instituted.
This fiasco cannot continue.
Because although the Grammys always lacked credibility, now they've become a joke.
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Neil's been there over 15 years, longer than most record company execs whose behinds he so busily kisses.
Instead, the Recording Academy continues to look backward, living in the past, just like the recording industry did for so many years confronted with digital disruption, isn't it time to have someone lead us into the future?
Neil was a caretaker in the wake of the tumultuous reign of Mike Greene. Now it's time to have a leader.
I could point out Portnow's flaws, including the ill-advised New York Grammy journey wherein millions were lost, but this is not about his failings so much as an opportunity to move the organization forward, change it for a changed environment.
As for the task force, it resembles nothing so much as a movie cliche, ROUND UP THE USUAL SUSPECTS AND DO NOTHING!
So the Grammy organization needs to be rebuilt from the ground up.
And a woman must head it.
The men are gonna say there's no female qualified. They always say this. They don't mentor women, they don't lift them up, they just throw their hands in the air after declaring their hands are tied. The greatest musical artists inform and lead, whereas the Grammy organization is run like the worst of bureaucracies, with little transparency and no change.
So it's time to give a woman an opportunity! Hell, maybe even hire a manager from the outside, some new blood with fresh insight. Or maybe even a woman musician, like saxophonist Mindi Abair, who has been involved with the organization for years. Not that I'm positing she's the right person for the position, I'm just saying the net should be cast wide and there are many women who can STEP UP and fill Portnow's shoes.
But the Trustees are blind, so busy giving Grammys to their cronies they completely miss what is happening in popular music.
The Oscars are castigated for being too white and the organization shakes out dead wood and actively seeks new members, AMPAS reacted immediately, whereas NARAS did nothing, waiting for the storm to pass, which is amazing, since music is more topical and reacts more quickly than film.
Anybody can misspeak.
But not anybody can be asleep at the wheel.
When organizations don't reinvent themselves, they die, just like the Grammy ratings. Produce those numbers in Silicon Valley and you're ousted, immediately, because shareholders are afraid of totally losing their investment.
It's time for the Grammys to pivot. Instead, the organization is staying on its lazy course.
As for Mr. Portnow's contract/salary, let's not forget this is the man who moved the organization to new digs without selling the old building. If it was about money, he would have been bounced long ago.
But it's not about cash, it's about meaning, it's about direction, it's about doing what's right.
Let's not allow them to get away with it. Let's not let the uproar fade. Let's keep the pressure on. How are we supposed to have faith in the organization if it can't clean and take care of its own house?
Portnow has to go.
The rolls must be cleaned.
New members must be signed up.
Transparency must be instituted.
This fiasco cannot continue.
Because although the Grammys always lacked credibility, now they've become a joke.
--
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Monday 12 February 2018
Jade Bird's "Lottery"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRkXjtMqN0o
Music discovery is broken.
If this were the late 80s, Jade Bird would already be a star. The above video would have been aired on MTV and fans would have been intrigued, purchased her album, gone to see her and eagerly awaited the follow-up.
Now most people have no idea who Jade Bird is.
Actually, she's a twenty year old Englishwoman and that's her real name. An EP was released last year, but you only know if you're in the know. Which some are, each track on that EP has over a million streams. But most people are unaware.
I thought Jimmy Iovine was gonna solve music discovery...
He certainly didn't.
There's just too much product. And the product mixes with the art and it's completely overwhelming. We need a national top ten that's compiled from all genres.
If I go on Spotify and check out the top tracks it's all hip-hop, at least in America.
Looking for a bit of breadth, I went to the global chart, you don't have to rap to make it in the rest of the world. And I discovered this cut "IDGAF" by Dua Lipa. And that stands for...
Well, you can listen here:
Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2Bqw4Yb
YouTube: http://bit.ly/2ASW9Lq
It's strangely hooky, it's the sing-songy chorus that puts it over the top, play it to the end and you have to hear it again.
Why is this not a hit in America yet? We live in a global business but Warner just started working this in the U.S. Yes, that's how far we've come, even a glorified hit gets no traction in another market.
But back to Jade Bird.
"Lottery" sounds nothing like what's in the Spotify Top 50 or on Top 40 radio, which is why it's such a revelation. Isn't this what we've been looking for, something DIFFERENT?
But we no longer allow different, it's all me-too.
Now last I checked "Lottery" has made it all the way to #19 on AAA, showing how moribund that format is. It's kinda like winning a Grammy in one of those down the list categories, hope it makes you feel good, BECAUSE NO ONE IS PAYING ATTENTION!
But we'd like to!
Last night I got stuck on Casting Crowns' "Broken Together." Which I found via Discovery Weekly, thank god, BUT HOW DO I FIND MORE?
That's right, where do I go for meaningful music, with melody and changes, how do I find that?
I HAVE NO IDEA!
I can listen to genre playlists, but the crap to good ratio is horrendous.
And then I wonder what playlist has the music I want to hear.
And I utilize music as foreground, I'm not gonna put on a playlist and let it play in the background hoping something jumps out.
Instead, I click through cut by cut, skipping ahead in search of something good, but it's truly like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Now "Lottery" does not need the video to convince you.
There's the earnestness, but even more there's the bridge. Remember when the Beatles use to employ these? Now we've just got beats, it's all repetitive with no melody and...
Where's the one playlist with ten good tracks of all genres?
How do we all come together?
Everywhere I go people want to talk television. But not music. Because we haven't heard the same things. BUT WE WANT TO!
"Lottery" on Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2BUYgDv
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Music discovery is broken.
If this were the late 80s, Jade Bird would already be a star. The above video would have been aired on MTV and fans would have been intrigued, purchased her album, gone to see her and eagerly awaited the follow-up.
Now most people have no idea who Jade Bird is.
Actually, she's a twenty year old Englishwoman and that's her real name. An EP was released last year, but you only know if you're in the know. Which some are, each track on that EP has over a million streams. But most people are unaware.
I thought Jimmy Iovine was gonna solve music discovery...
He certainly didn't.
There's just too much product. And the product mixes with the art and it's completely overwhelming. We need a national top ten that's compiled from all genres.
If I go on Spotify and check out the top tracks it's all hip-hop, at least in America.
Looking for a bit of breadth, I went to the global chart, you don't have to rap to make it in the rest of the world. And I discovered this cut "IDGAF" by Dua Lipa. And that stands for...
Well, you can listen here:
Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2Bqw4Yb
YouTube: http://bit.ly/2ASW9Lq
It's strangely hooky, it's the sing-songy chorus that puts it over the top, play it to the end and you have to hear it again.
Why is this not a hit in America yet? We live in a global business but Warner just started working this in the U.S. Yes, that's how far we've come, even a glorified hit gets no traction in another market.
But back to Jade Bird.
"Lottery" sounds nothing like what's in the Spotify Top 50 or on Top 40 radio, which is why it's such a revelation. Isn't this what we've been looking for, something DIFFERENT?
But we no longer allow different, it's all me-too.
Now last I checked "Lottery" has made it all the way to #19 on AAA, showing how moribund that format is. It's kinda like winning a Grammy in one of those down the list categories, hope it makes you feel good, BECAUSE NO ONE IS PAYING ATTENTION!
But we'd like to!
Last night I got stuck on Casting Crowns' "Broken Together." Which I found via Discovery Weekly, thank god, BUT HOW DO I FIND MORE?
That's right, where do I go for meaningful music, with melody and changes, how do I find that?
I HAVE NO IDEA!
I can listen to genre playlists, but the crap to good ratio is horrendous.
And then I wonder what playlist has the music I want to hear.
And I utilize music as foreground, I'm not gonna put on a playlist and let it play in the background hoping something jumps out.
Instead, I click through cut by cut, skipping ahead in search of something good, but it's truly like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Now "Lottery" does not need the video to convince you.
There's the earnestness, but even more there's the bridge. Remember when the Beatles use to employ these? Now we've just got beats, it's all repetitive with no melody and...
Where's the one playlist with ten good tracks of all genres?
How do we all come together?
Everywhere I go people want to talk television. But not music. Because we haven't heard the same things. BUT WE WANT TO!
"Lottery" on Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2BUYgDv
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
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