AWmusic

First, I do read a lot of magazines and articles on the music industry so I have a working knowledge of Idol and it’s past winners and losers. I am aware that some of the past winners have gone on to do quite well for themselves, much and all as I don’t like Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood I do have to acknowledge that they can sing and have moved beyond the Idol winner label. However, there have also been enough performers to make a laughing stock of the whole program and to cast doubts on the credibility of the pop industry in general. Performers like Britney Spears, The Jonas Brothers, Hannah Montana (although not associated with Idol)and the like are further eroding the integrity of the music business and making it difficult for artists who have real talent to get recognition. All these kinds of performers do is reinforce the belief, especially in younger people, that music is disposable. So instead of furthering the music industry, creating a life-long love of music and actually encouraging and grooming young artists for a career in the industry, shows like these do the opposite.

There have been enough articles written about how Idol and the like are truly detrimental to the music industry and I will say that when these shows make artificial stars out of people who would otherwise be working a day job, it makes it extremely difficult for an independent artist to get airplay. It is already nigh impossible for a truly independent artist (one without big label backing or a hard-working promoter behind them) to get on the radio. Politics plays a large part in who gets played (they want you to think it doesn’t but it does) – you play this Idol artist or whatever band I’m trying to promote and I’ll give you an exclusive interview with xxx or whatever. This means that whatever the labels want played gets played and you can bet they don’t care if it’s good stuff but whether or not it sells. This is not new and you are all saying – yeah, yeah, yeah we know that: big labels bad, who cares. Well, the obvious answer is we all should because when crap is all we get to listen to it makes us lazy music consumers and diversity goes by the wayside. If you don’t believe me, sign up to a radio listening club where they conduct music surveys, it’s frightening that out of 30 song clips only two or three are truly different, the rest leave you wondering if they just change the names of the artists to make you believe the song is different when really it’s just the same one played over and over again.

So what does all this have to do with DeGeneres? Well, with this announcement went the last shred of credibility or respectability this show had if it had any to begin with. It really can’t sink any lower. I have a lot of admiration for DeGeneres as a person, I think she has conducted her private life with grace and discretion, something all celebrities regardless of sexual orientation should do, and she can be as funny as hell but as a judge of music? Other than being a fan, what qualifications does she have? DeGeneres appearance on this show will only help the already skeptical music fan become totally disillusioned. I’m not a skeptical person by nature but when I heard this announcement I rolled my eyes and wondered who the next one-hit wonder will be and lamented the fact that some truly talented independent artist will be sacrificed for it. Although DeGeneres is no Oprah, she does have a loyal fan base who will support whatever she promotes right or wrong. This, then, casts doubt on the legitimacy of the artists themselves, which further erodes the perception that the music industry is about talent. Just think about what will be said about the artist – they were Ellen’s favourite singer – I can hear the laughter now.

There are so many independent artists out there working hard for literally nothing that deserve a break but have little chance of being heard because there is no room for them on a station’s playlist. Now I can hear you say that if they truly had talent they would make it because the cream always rises to the top except that that used to be true ages ago when music was still innovative and the industry took its time to let a band develop. Nowadays a band has to have an instant hit in order to get any kind of attention from a label or radio station. And that means that if you sound like Radiohead you may as well forget it but if you sound like Nickelback you are on your way. I agree that is a generalization and that there are exceptions to the rule but they are really few and far between. The producers of Idol aren’t going to go for someone who sounds different and DeGeneres, who may have good intentions, gets to chose and promote only those who are paraded in front of her. It’s not going to be someone truly different and I have my doubts about her ability to think critically instead of with her heart or emotions.

Let me be clear, however, she isn’t to blame for the way Idol creates false idols but she is part of the problem. By saying that she will represent the average music fan, she is giving legitimacy to the general publics acceptance of sub-standard music. At least with Paula Abdul, she had at one time a legitimate place in the music industry. She knew the ins and outs and how to work it so at least in her incoherent rants she had a credible point. DeGeneres is like the quintessential art fan, I don’t know anything about art but I know what I like. She becomes the straw man, someone who is there to help get ratings but has no real role. Will her presence have any influence on the eventual winner considering it’s the fans who vote for them? I don’t know but I imagine it will have some effect considering she can use her daytime talk show as a platform for whoever she feels is the most deserving.

In the late ’60s and ’70s it seemed like there was a new band with a completely different sound on the radio every week. Bands were trying out new things, equipment was being modified and invented it seemed like every day, and the listener had a voice and really got to choose who they were going to listen to. Record labels took their time allowing a band to develop over the course of two or three albums. You would spend your hard-earned money carefully on music you truly liked rather than downloading a song from a torrent. Music has become less a commodity and more a single-use product that can be tossed when you are tired of it. DeGeneres will not change that no matter how she uses her celebrity voice to promote the musicien du jour or music in general.

If you love music, and are tired of what is being played on the radio, please go to local shows by local artists and buy their music. Remember to support the independent artist, they are the ones who have the ability to change the music we listen to.

Handsome Furs – Legal Tender
Heartless Bastards – Hold Your Head High
Young Galaxy – Swing Your Heartache

Tags: opinion