Is there a more lazy and insipid industry than the music industry? No seriously. Instead of coming up with an effective business model to adapt to the ways in which technology has changed the way we listen to and purchase music, the industry keeps looking for some magic bullet instead of doing the hard work required to evolve. First they thought that suing their own consumers was an effective strategy, now every time an artist has a blockbuster album they anoint the artist the savior of the industry. This time in an obnoxious twist, the platinum selling artist isn't the savior -- it's the person who publicly embarrassed them.
Yes, I'm speaking of Taylor Swift and her unwanted sidekick Kanye West. Ever since he stormed the stage to declare that she didn't deserve a crappy MTV Music Video Award in 2009, the media can't seem to let the two separate. In an article entitled 'How Kanye's Attack on Taylor Swift Saved the Recording Industry,' Nicholas Carlson of Business Insider is declaring that Swift's third album, the fastest selling new record in five years, owes its sales to Kanye West's obnoxious behavior of over a year ago.
I read a lot of ridiculous things, but the notion that somehow Kanye West's self indulgent petulant rant at the MTV Music Video Awards "saved" the music industry by causing Taylor Swift's record sales to go up is a topper. The music industry doesn't need a "savior," it needs good music. We dont' buy albums anymore because the albums your industry produces are derivative crap. Everybody's Auto-Tuned, remixed and sampled to death and most of your artists couldn't put together a high quality live performance if your industry's life depended on it. We're not paying $10 for a CD when only one song is worth listening to. We're tired of hearing about your houses and your cars and how many women you could have how many ways. We're tired to your self indulgent, marginally talented, overly processed "artists."
Taylor Swift sells because she's not like anyone else out there right now. She's not great, but she's also not not as avant-garde as Lady Gaga walking around in a dress made out of raw meat. She's not constantly talking about her sex life and body parts like Katy Perry. Thank goodness she's not chattering about nonsensical things and walking around like a human blow up doll like Nicki Minaj. She's about the only normal, relatable pop star on the scene. She basically has a monopoly. Who knew that being normal with no apparent dysfunction was a selling point?
But back to Kanye. Fresh off of his penance for breaking the script at the MTV Music Video Awards, he's been on a self-pity tour de force. Whining on Twitter because his tacky album cover of a naked woman mounting him in bed was "banned." Now he's whining because he didn't like the questions Matt Lauer asked him on NBC's Today Show related to comments he made about then President George W. Bush's handling of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In yet another lengthy and nonsensical rant, Kanye acted like a mal-adjusted two year old:
I feel very alone very used very tortured very forced very misunderstood very hollow very very misused. I don't trust anyone but myself! Everyone has an agenda. I don't do press anymore. I can't be everything to everybody anymore. I can't be everybody's hero and villain savior and sinner Christian and anti Christ! (Sandra Rose)
I get the whole tortured artist thingy. As a writer, suffering is treasure trove of material. I also understand how constant adoration and being surrounded by sycophants can warp your brain cells and make you think you are far more important than you are. There is a fine line between creative self-expression and self indulgence. As long as we can recognize ourselves in your work, that's fine, but once everything you do becomes about you and who is trying to get you, then we can no longer see ourselves because you're taking up too much room.
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Kanye, I'm so sorry that bad things happened in your life. You survived a horrific car accident. You've embarrassed yourself on an international stage. And yes, your mom died suddenly. I can't imagine the pain that caused you. Since she's not here to tell you, I'll say it for her. GET A GRIP AND GET OVER YOURSELF.
If the world is against you, write and produce a song about it and then shut up. A real artist will let his work speak for him. If you are as awesome as you think you are, your records don't need foot notes or annotations or phony controversies about album covers. Your life has become a cartoon with every utterance more delusional than the last. You are one flopped album and an IRS audit away from irrelevance no matter how talented you are.
I know you want to think that people are criticizing you because you're a genius, but the truth is, you're getting repeatedly roasted because you are a jerk. Grow up and write a song about it. That's what Taylor Swift would do.
Gina McCauley is the CEO of the Blogging While Brown Conferenceand the blogsMichelle Obama Watch and What About Our Daughters. She is currently completing her first book, 'Michelle Obama Watch.'


Comments: (38)
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By: Mike Jackson on 11/12/2010 7:00PM
The music industry is a joke ,these so called musicians are akin ti MILLI & VANILLI . CAN'T sing or dance, or play any instruments .Michael is gone the only real entertainer left is Prince. The old guard is still intact , Smoky and a host of great artist are left, not these Rap bafoons . Aretha Gladys Anita to name a few ,they can sing and sometimes bring you to tears . I am sick and tired of this garbage the industry want to call music .they are not singing. Rymeing guys it is called poetry. JOKEZ and his wife shake A booty Shirley , and Blow daddy , along with little stupid . Are we brain dead these so called artist could not carry a tune if it killed them . Why are we settleing for inferior product
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By: cisco kid on 11/13/2010 1:05PM
michael jackson, aritha franklin, nor gladys knight played instruments(michael played a little piano)?....but they sang and sang incredibly....rappers rap....same thing...if you dont like rap cool...but dont try to dimenish a genius artform cuz you dont understand it by saying some borderline retarded statements like that...enlighten and educate yourself on a specific area b4 you comment! otherwise well....I'll leave it at that!
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By: The Truth on 11/13/2010 2:14PM
The article says it all.
Kanye lacks a lot of things with maturity being at the top of the list.
Lack of talent, innovation and having head up ass syndrome doesn't help.
20 years from now, he'll be asking himself “What was I thinking, I wish I knew then what I know now and I wish I could have a do-over"
Taylor swift writes and performs her own music.
Kanye as well as most other no talent rappers depend on pre-recorded sound bites for their livelihood. Recalling his laughable performance on an award show a month ago, all he did was push a few buttons on a mechanical box.
There is no comparison and if anything Taylor swift has helped his “career”.
I'm certain that Kanye will say it was all in his master plan...What a joke!
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By: PANAMA KID on 11/13/2010 9:16PM
HEY MIKE JACKSON I HATE TO SAY THIS TO YOU BUT YOU ARE A VERRY JEALOUS PEORSON I USED THE WORD PEORSON BECAUSE I DONT KNO IF YOU ARE A MAN, GIRL OR ARE YOU ON THE DOWN LOW BUT DONT HATE THE INTERTAINERS JUST BECAUSE YOU CANNOT SING OR RAP GET A LIFE WHO EVER YOU ARE YEA I SAID IT.
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By: Marlene on 11/12/2010 8:07PM
Gina, this is the smartest and most relevant article I have read about this matter. You got the whole thing right with great inside. What the public wants to hear is relevant music that relates to their lives and help them deal with it in their own way. Since diferent people like diferent things and deal with live in different ways there is space for every kind of music as long as it is relevant. The problem is when self absortion leads you to be relevant to nonone and many artists are there and continue to go there. Then they wonder why their records don't sell and of course try to blame the world for it because it can't possibly be their fault. I say look in not out for problems. Find yourselves, become relevant again and we will listen and we will buy.
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By: Phil4Real on 11/21/2010 6:11AM
As I read this article, "Can't Tell Me Nothing" comes on and I realized why I never liked the guy. These young kids are so used to kissing someone elses butt, they have totally lost their identity. They don't require individuality or creativity, they want it easy and street. Since everybody wants to be hard(thug), thanks to Tupac. Everybody just falls into the mold. Nowadays either you're gay or thug. Still they all are just followers. This is the generation of SHEEP!!!
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By: eeduj1001 on 11/12/2010 10:27PM
The corporate industry has always gotten away with forcing their choice for consumers,crappy things down our throats to sell but they don't see that they can not do that with MUSIC.
However, they can influence kids, and adolescents who will never know about Gladys, the Minne rippertons, Aretha's or Teddy P.'s unless we teach them. Otherwise, their crap will always sell.
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By: Denizio on 11/13/2010 2:14AM
He cancelled his performance on the Today Show. Who cares. He's just a loudmouthed drunk. Why would anyone waste money buying a CD of this idiot.
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By: Please! on 11/13/2010 7:13AM
Kanye West is correct! Does anyone out there remember Katrina! What happened to thousands of African American women, children, old people, small infants, poor people, who went without water and food for weeks. I don't care if you do not like this entertainer Kanye. He was not incorrect in his statement or assessment of former President George Bush. We Black folks in America thought the same exact thing about Bush and his administration.
Do you also remember when George Bush came out and praised the guy whos responsiblity it was to immediately send the people in New Orleans the essentials to survive. This guy hadn't done a thing until the outcry came from the people in America who sat in their livingrooms watching thousands of people waiting to be treated as human beings. You people have short memories. Kanye said what needed to be said. Now, everyone wants to dislike him. Please...........
Wake up America. The news station are your next masters.
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By: poohbear on 11/13/2010 7:45AM
It's really sad to know that music and entertainment isn't what it used to be. There was a time no matter how you were feelin happy, sad etc there was some artist some group u could relate to listen to time and time again that could bring u joy dancing, singing, smiling, or bring tears to your eyes, hold yourself and just rock back and forth because you could feel the music understand the music. If you went to a concert you were entertained, entertained to the point were you never forget it to this day you still talk about it. long gone are the days when an artist or group you loved would produce music year after year entertain year after year where your kids play it and say thats what my mom use to listen to. I'm tired of turning on my radio and mostly nothing is being played. I'm glad i have an old cd collection of earth wind and fire, rick james gladys knight and the pips the commadores the dells the spinners patty labelle brass construction teddy pendergrass, luther vandross marvin gaye otis reading james brown tina marie the supremes martha reeves and the vandellas the list goes on and the music still sounds good. Mary j blidge love ya jazmine sullivan cant get enough of ya besides that music is lost.
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