The New Music Industry: For Better or Worse?
By Rossco, posted February 03, 2010
Is the current music industry making it harder and harder for artists to express themselves creatively?
Lately many artists have been copping a fair amount of flak for drifting from the sound that had helped bring them to the forefront of their genres. Why is it that you are free to create anything you like in your bedroom studio, but once you become a public figure you feel like you owe a duty to the rest of the world to release music in a certain sound?
Tiesto has driven away a large portion of his diehard Trance fanbase with his “Kaleidoscope” album, and its collaborations with artists such as Nelly Furtado, Sneaky Sound System, and Calvin Harris, to name but a few. Why is it, that this has happened though? Is it simply Tiesto has decided he wanted to try something different with music? Was he driven to do it by management because of dwindling music sales in the wake of the online music revolution? Perhaps, it’s a self destruction that follows the crowning of the “world no.1 DJ” title that gives a false sense of nowhere left to go but down?
Sometimes the similarities with artists like this can be spookily coincidental. Lets compare Tiesto and another “world no.1”, say, Paul Oakenfold. They both start off doing underground music, Trance and Progressive sounds, are crowned World No.1, and then over the next couple of years, whilst being slammed on internet forums, usually by random people who just like to be seen as 'underground' by bagging out anything that is seen as popular, they move out of their comfort zone and end up working with mainstream artists on much more “pop-friendly' albums, or in soundtrack work.
Marco V is another name that springs to mind. Previously being hailed as the King of Tech Trance with his Combi:Nation, and V.ision releases, his more recent years has moved through to the more Tech-House and Minimal sounds, to the dismay of many long-time fans. His latest release, Propaganda V2, definitely has Tech and Trance elements throughout, but overall is much more subdued and holds closer to the house genres than his previous work.
In this same time though, Sander Van Doorn has been through a similar process, with a similar sound, heavily rooted in Tech House and Minimal, yet somehow he remains as a firm favourite for many Trance and Tech Trance fans?
This type of situation isn't exclusive to the Trance scene though. Pendulum, the Australian “Drum & Bass Band” who have been skyrocketing to chart success over the past couple of years released their second album to somewhat of an uproar given the much more 'Metal' styling as opposed to the debut's heavy Drum & Bass orientation. Their third album though has gone back to their 'roots' (though many reports state they actually started out as a metal band). Is it to appease the original fans? or did they get caught up in their own fame and try to move to a more mainstream appeal to rise higher?
These situations pose a lot of questions related to not just Dance music, but the entire music scene itself. Is it nearly impossible these days for artists to go out and express themselves by presenting something new? With the demise of the Album, making way for the new iTunes generation who only buy (or illegally download, in the case of 95% of 2008’s music downloaded from the internet, according to the IFPI), the songs they want to hear, and leave the rest on the virtual shelf, is this leading artists to stop taking risks with their music? To stop being creative, and start thinking purely from a marketing perspective in order to simply survive? Perhaps its again, a case of becoming viewed as being at the top of your genre, you lose focus on how to move forward from there, and start going sideways instead?
Many people viewed the east and cost-efficiency of online distribution as the dawn of new genres, and groundbreaking music from artists all over the world, but it seems that instead of opening new doors, it has shut all but the most commonly used, forcing anyone trying to make a name down a very narrow path of following in the footsteps of those before them. It seems, to guarantee chart success you need to create a fresh version of something that has already worked for someone else.
Tydi's latest release Good Dream, off AVA Recordings is currently sitting at no.3 on the Beatport Trance Chart. The track contains the vocal sample "Only dream i ever have, Every time I shut my eyes, it's always the same." from the 2007 film Sunshine, which was used as the major hook of Mark Sherry's hit "Star Within A Star". Is it necessary for Tydi to include such an obvious grab for recognition for his track, when it shows nothing more than a clear lack of creativity given that literally anything could have been put in its place, including omission of any vocal sample at all?
Maybe we have created all this ourselves by only paying attention to the music that triggers recognition in our brains, as it is easier than risking a bit more time and comfort in our lives to discover something new. Maybe the entire music industry would benefit from a global ban on charts and polls, leaving us to fend for ourselves in the discovery of music that really provides us with something new. Perhaps whilst we are busy screaming for something fresh to emerge, we aren't hearing the artists screaming for us to give them room to move without backlash?
UPDATED: Our apologies to Tydi, as it has been pointed out that i have included the wrong sample details used in his track, Good Dream. The second last paragraph of this article, relating to this, has been updated to reflect the correct circumstances.
More Articles
Recent Features
WIN tickets to Armin Only NYE
This is huge! We have an exclusive double pass to the biggest trance event of... Read More
Win Tix to United Colours Of Trance
Wanna head to one of Sydney's top club trance nights, United Colours Of Trance?... Read More
REVIEW - Music For Balearic People 3
Roger Shah's latest mix compilation Music For Balearic People 3 gets a listen... Read More
Recent News
Ferry Corsten Kicks Off World Tour and Ministry of Sounds 19th Birthday! Plus Exclusive Solarstone Mix
No need for any fanfare or introduction. Just two words. FERRY CORSTEN! A... Read More
Alan Connor 'Sun Went Down'
ALAN CONNOR SUN WENT DOWN LABEL: MAELSTROM // RELEASE DATE: 06.09.2010 Read More
Roger Shah Pres. Sunlounger – Remix Competition
After the ‘Another Day On The Terrace’ & ‘Sunny Tales’ albums will come... Read More
Upcoming Events
Trinity a night of pure trance.
Trinity, a new night of the most pure and best trance is back and bigger. Read More
AKTIV feat CPU & Chemical Messenger LIVE
A new night that will put psytrance and progressive in Sydney back on the map... Read More
United Colors of Trance @ ARQ
People from all trance nations dancing together at ARQ - Sydney's home of dance Read More
Comments...
Pendulum said at at 01:39 PM on February 03, 2010...
Absolutely spot on article Rossco. I honestly reckon that the cost of digital music needs to go up, and that the labels need to treat each new release as if it's going to be pressed on vinyl, or, even make the labels PAY to release a track on a store - much like it cost them to release a vinyl - this way it would weed out the average joe tunes from the good stuff.
MikeBlades said at at 01:40 PM on February 03, 2010...
Very nice. interesting read
Mystify said at at 01:42 PM on February 03, 2010...
Loved it mate, and I think this feature needs a forum topic to be put up. Would love to discuss it further!
Rossco said at at 02:07 PM on February 03, 2010...
There's a forum topic to discuss it all now: http://www.trancetribe.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=2375
itsalex said at at 02:20 PM on February 03, 2010...
Finally! Someone that has recognised the problems outlining our music.
I believe that our music like art, literature, poetry, dance, even cooking "evolves" wether we like it or not. Sometimes it takes us down paths we never expected to visit. Thankfully there are artist with vision and open minds that catapult their particular genre to different heights then there are those that hold back and only stick their necks out when its safe..
As Trancers we always trying to get other friends into trance.. We struggle as we would like the whole world to love the music we do. Isn't what Tiesto and so many others are doing? Has anyone actually though what the Sneaky Sound System fans actually thinks about "I will be here"? Do they think SSS have sold out?
There will always be puritans, crusading for their idea of what Trance music should or shouldn't be.. (myself included) but we should allow different sounds, beats, whatever into our music..because after all my friends, aren't WE (Trancers) supposed to be the ones with open minds?
Jubas said at at 05:54 PM on February 03, 2010...
I think you've missed an important element, and that's the tastes of the artist themselves.
Tiesto for example has been involved in producing trance for a hell of a long time now. Perhaps he just went 'blerg, i is bored, time to make housey stuff'. The same with Pendulum. They might have really been digging metal at the time and therefore worked it into the album.
I think in that respect 'being at the top' or 'rising to the top' take a second seat to the artists doing what they're enjoying at the moment.
Good post though
shane staker said at at 10:41 PM on February 03, 2010...
very interestin post will be good to discuss. I beleive that all artists have a choice between being commercial or sticking to what they love (assuming thats what bort them in the scene) sometimes decisions are made for them by managment etc which i assume is a poularity/money point of view as record companies ar someones business as as business owner you need to make money. Some artists may make the decison them selves as they ar bored of what their doin and want a new challenge. (fair enough, but make it a challenge)
As for certain artists makng there way to the top in australia i beleive that these people are only focused on the popularity and the $$$ not the music or the scene it belongs. (we do not need r want these people in our scene and as far as ive seen will not last).
I beleive espically in our trance scene its the up and coming big boys like kandi, tyas, aly and fila all the guys that make pure music is what drives and keeps our scene alive as even the real big boys armin etc always play all the pure music a their shows.
I realy hope things go well in Australia with our music scene as I am an upcoming dj/producer or trance music and i constantly fight a battle to promote myself and work hard to make decent tracks to promote and hope to release one day. as this all a cost of my own its all for the love if i didnt love it i wouldnt fight the battle a im sure alot of you on here will understand!
finally, keep thi topic running i will be interested to see what else gets posted and other peoples feelings.
Rossco said at at 11:27 PM on February 03, 2010...
Hey Jubas, I did kind of touch on that aspect: "Is it simply Tiesto has decided he wanted to try something different with music? " and, with how Pendulum started out as a metal band, did drum and bass, got big, then went back to doing more metal oriented stuff, which brought about somewhat of a backlash from a lot of fans, and now are doing drum and bass again (whether that is related to the backlash or just that they wanted to do that again). Either way, the question behind that, is perhaps its OUR fault as consumers that they are changing or reverting.
Brenos said at at 06:36 PM on February 04, 2010...
its very simple really. every artist is an individual with their own individual tastes and decisions. i would figure many do it for musical exploration, and some for the money. if some artists want to 'sell out' then whats the big deal..? let them! there is plenty more people out there that will fill the void very quickly.. thats the beauty of edm!
besides all this, who the fuck are we to judge these artists anyway until we have been in the same position!
Rossco said at at 10:24 PM on February 04, 2010...
but what if some artists are doing what they "think" they should be doing, because they think that that is what we "think" they should be doing, due to pressures of being in the public eye, or other reasons?
Kareem said at at 02:21 PM on February 06, 2010...
i totally agree with rossco on this, artists change there sound to suit what is currently acepatable in the popular majority of there genre but what tiesto has done is actully in my opinion terrible it's as if he has produced the backings for tracks for calvin harris and sneaky sound system as a producer but hen put his name in the credits as the main artist.Although i think that tiesto hasn't ever been a master of production.
Leave a Comment...
You must be logged in to post comments, please Login Here, or Register an account if you have not yet signed up.