In our World filled with so much media we have not had much choice in
the matter. After hearing the same songs on constant rotation it is
hard to assess whether you like something simply because in your heart
of hearts you actually like it or because its been drummed in your
head so much, the recognition outweighs the personal opinion.
I am in an interesting position. As an artist, I appeal to a largely
mixed audience, often times performing to the black masses. I also,
from working with artists as a producer & recently playing piano on
occasion with Louise Carver have seen the other side of the spectrum.
1) Obviously people love the popular songs, that’s natural. 2) People
completely blank out when something they don’t know is playing. Not
for a second is there a glimmer of hope for the song they don’t
recognize. Its that that concerns me the most.
I think part of the reason we are seeing “The Death of the Album” is
due to this mentality. I think sometimes I am in the same position.
Yes, a hit can have a catchy melody or words that just stick in your
head but I certainly think we are hearing non-hits that take a while &
many plays on radio until we supposedly like it. I love the feeling of
buying a new album & finding songs that would never play on radio that
touch me. Just recently, I got into the band Coldplay. I’m a
Neo-Soulja but I needed some new inspiration & as I listened through
their albums I found gems that were certainly not the big radio hits
like “Clocks” or “Viva La Vida” but lesser known songs like “Warning
Sign” & “Death & all His Friends”.
It’s a great question to ask yourself because you wouldn’t really know
if you had been brainwashed. So, next time you’re watching a music vid
on TV or listening to the radio, think about about it…do you really
enjoy what’s being served to you or would you like another look at the
menu?
#1 by Ballycan on 7 January, 2010 - 2:14 PM
The Coldplay album is to me the greatest album to be ever released by the band. And the brainwashing thing is true. It has happened several times to me that I end up not even listening to the song that they play repeatedly on the radio after listening to the rest of the songs on the album. Come on, let’s change the world!!
#2 by Wesley Solomon on 1 August, 2011 - 12:23 AM
Dear Mr Benjamin
What you have said it totally true, listening to the non commercial / no airplay songs on albums is a favourite hobby of mine. In my opinion the current format of a financially successful album is based on 4 songs, 1) A catchy 3min30 dance/club tune that can be used in nightclubs playlists. 2) A midtempo hit which is portrays the theme of the album – catchy and simple, 3) A powerful ballade to be released later as a single. 4) A cool music video of one of these songs. The rest of the album most people will not get to hear ever! But these are the tracks that don’t have to conform to the media packaging and the artist is free to describe what they are feeling, what space they are in while they were composing the album. Context. And this completes the artistry of an album,. I am so pleased with your initiative in translating the roots of music and pioneering integration of the artform. Musicians are artists telling a story, and performing live should be treated as that. And interactive cinema of an entity telling a story. We CAN change the brainwash culture. How do we begin to shift the paradigm?