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This is the Music Industry, "The Voice" Isn't just the only Factor anymore! (BLOG)


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Old 14-10-2012, 21:32
emma_gillespie
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I really do think some people on these forum's forget that these acts that audition for these shows and get to the live shows, are part of the music industry. They are giving auditions every week, to the record buying public and record companies/producers.

Hundred's of singers/artists give demo's to labels every week, maybe thousands. However if you don't have a Unique Selling Point, you won't go very far. Even the best singers in today's industry need to have something more than just a good voice, i.e. Adele with her down to earth nature and infectious personality.

I think people need to realise that Talent shows and the music industry has moved on since the early 2000's, maybe not always for the better but they have changed.

Artist's like Melanie, Carolynne etc come to record label's every week, they need something to stand out. Record/Single sales are not moving like they used to. Touring and Endorsements is how artists make they big money now. It is important now to have something extra, f you wish to sell records.

And also the younger demographic is who will mainly vote, so it will be harder for older acts to make an impact, meaning they need that extra something. Ie Susan Boyle had the Shock factor, and that massive personality, which matched with her voice.

X Factor does not just call itself a singing show, it is a music entertainment show. Singing is just not enough to be "successful" you need to have that star potential, something to catch not a small community of people BUT the larger picture, the nation, and further afield. This is what big labels like Sony and Universal are looking for.

It is sad to see talented people leave, because they are great at what they do, they got that far in the competition. However lots of equally talent artists get rejected everyday also, and alot of them probably just don't have that spark that will transform them into a star.

A Voice is no longer what is just needed in the industry, the teen market is the most lucrative, and the POP market is growing over the last 2 years, quite quickly. This may not be what people want to hear however, its true, wonderful singing no longer equals big sales. The record buying public now need something extra to buy into. And sadly the "majority" just haven;t bought into acts like Carolynne and Melanie.

Emma G x
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Old 14-10-2012, 21:39
shaunnashines
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You've summed everything up!
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Old 14-10-2012, 21:46
_NiallDEE_
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The show used to be seen as a singing contest and I guess I still see it that way, I don't think Melanie would have had a great career outside the show but she was by far the best singer imo and the only thing that kept me watching this dreadful series. If it's sole purpose is to find the most marketable act then I don't see the point in the show, they might as well just give them record deals straight away because I don't see what's pleasurable about watching a show with average but 'marketable' singers.
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Old 14-10-2012, 21:52
emma_gillespie
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The show used to be seen as a singing contest and I guess I still see it that way, I don't think Melanie would have had a great career outside the show but she was by far the best singer imo and the only thing that kept me watching this dreadful series. If it's sole purpose is to find the most marketable act then I don't see the point in the show, they might as well just give them record deals straight away because I don't see what's pleasurable about watching a show with average but 'marketable' singers.
Niall, the purpose of the shows like The X Factor is for the public to feel a connection with the performer, gain an indication of what their music is about, buy into their act and that means when the music comes out their will be sales of records. That's the main plan anyways.
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Old 14-10-2012, 22:07
EvilLlamaThingy
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I think for the sake of the show though it was the wrong decision. While it's true Melanie's chances of having a flourishing career in the music industry after the show weren't exactly high, in terms of the show she was probably an act who a lot of older viewers found interesting. This result might put a lot of people off. It was one thing with Carolynne last week when you could argue the result happened to cause controversy and generate hype, but they've never treated District 3 as a joke act so it's not really the same scenario.

And plus, District 3 basically proved tonight that they're not going to exactly create much of a splash in the music industry. It's week 2, and they're already in the bottom. There were zero logical non subjective reasons to save them whatsoever over Melanie.
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Old 14-10-2012, 22:12
Getridofcole
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True but surely the singing is the most important part of the whole package which shows just how much a joke the rylan clown is . Be honest who the hell is going to buy an album of his or turn up the radio if you heard him on. Your totally right when it comes to boy bands though young girls will always vote and buy their albums not matter how poor they sing which nearly all are poor singers.
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Old 14-10-2012, 22:14
barrcode88
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Woeful 'blog' as always! - you seem to think this show is repping the UK Music Scene as a whole?

Its a TV show, its not real, its not music or anything, its a TV show.
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Old 14-10-2012, 22:41
sjp07
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True but surely the singing is the most important part of the whole package which shows just how much a joke the rylan clown is . Be honest who the hell is going to buy an album of his or turn up the radio if you heard him on. Your totally right when it comes to boy bands though young girls will always vote and buy their albums not matter how poor they sing which nearly all are poor singers.
Not necessarily. Rihanna can't sing to save her life. She has good moments, but so does Rylan and people still buy her albums like hotcakes. Jedward were a joke but they have still sold a considerable amount of albums
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Old 14-10-2012, 22:43
emma_gillespie
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Woeful 'blog' as always! - you seem to think this show is repping the UK Music Scene as a whole?

Its a TV show, its not real, its not music or anything, its a TV show.
As long as X Factor produces acts which have top 10 hits, then i think we can say they play a part in the music scene, whether some like to admit it or not.

Emma x
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Old 14-10-2012, 22:48
Getridofcole
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Not necessarily. Rihanna can't sing to save her life. She has good moments, but so does Rylan and people still buy her albums like hotcakes. Jedward were a joke but they have still sold a considerable amount of albums
Rylan doesn't have any moments , well not good ones anyway
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Old 15-10-2012, 07:06
emma_gillespie
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You've summed everything up!
Thank you

Emma G x
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Old 15-10-2012, 07:38
Fatfeatheryowl
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I really do think some people on these forum's forget that these acts that audition for these shows and get to the live shows, are part of the music industry. They are giving auditions every week, to the record buying public and record companies/producers.

Hundred's of singers/artists give demo's to labels every week, maybe thousands. However if you don't have a Unique Selling Point, you won't go very far. Even the best singers in today's industry need to have something more than just a good voice, i.e. Adele with her down to earth nature and infectious personality.

I think people need to realise that Talent shows and the music industry has moved on since the early 2000's, maybe not always for the better but they have changed.

Artist's like Melanie, Carolynne etc come to record label's every week, they need something to stand out. Record/Single sales are not moving like they used to. Touring and Endorsements is how artists make they big money now. It is important now to have something extra, f you wish to sell records.

And also the younger demographic is who will mainly vote, so it will be harder for older acts to make an impact, meaning they need that extra something. Ie Susan Boyle had the Shock factor, and that massive personality, which matched with her voice.

X Factor does not just call itself a singing show, it is a music entertainment show. Singing is just not enough to be "successful" you need to have that star potential, something to catch not a small community of people BUT the larger picture, the nation, and further afield. This is what big labels like Sony and Universal are looking for.

It is sad to see talented people leave, because they are great at what they do, they got that far in the competition. However lots of equally talent artists get rejected everyday also, and alot of them probably just don't have that spark that will transform them into a star.

A Voice is no longer what is just needed in the industry, the teen market is the most lucrative, and the POP market is growing over the last 2 years, quite quickly. This may not be what people want to hear however, its true, wonderful singing no longer equals big sales. The record buying public now need something extra to buy into. And sadly the "majority" just haven;t bought into acts like Carolynne and Melanie.

Emma G x
Exactly
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Old 15-10-2012, 08:07
VirtualR
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Well said. being able to sing is actually very common, the same as being able to paint and draw. I can't sing a note but can paint. However, I have seen paintings not as good as mine on sale for 100's of pounds. If they sold or not is another matter, but the fact is I never even got to that point.
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Old 15-10-2012, 08:10
Chi
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I really do think some people on these forum's forget that these acts that audition for these shows and get to the live shows, are part of the music industry. They are giving auditions every week, to the record buying public and record companies/producers.

Hundred's of singers/artists give demo's to labels every week, maybe thousands. However if you don't have a Unique Selling Point, you won't go very far. Even the best singers in today's industry need to have something more than just a good voice, i.e. Adele with her down to earth nature and infectious personality.

I think people need to realise that Talent shows and the music industry has moved on since the early 2000's, maybe not always for the better but they have changed.

Artist's like Melanie, Carolynne etc come to record label's every week, they need something to stand out. Record/Single sales are not moving like they used to. Touring and Endorsements is how artists make they big money now. It is important now to have something extra, f you wish to sell records.

And also the younger demographic is who will mainly vote, so it will be harder for older acts to make an impact, meaning they need that extra something. Ie Susan Boyle had the Shock factor, and that massive personality, which matched with her voice.

X Factor does not just call itself a singing show, it is a music entertainment show. Singing is just not enough to be "successful" you need to have that star potential, something to catch not a small community of people BUT the larger picture, the nation, and further afield. This is what big labels like Sony and Universal are looking for.

It is sad to see talented people leave, because they are great at what they do, they got that far in the competition. However lots of equally talent artists get rejected everyday also, and alot of them probably just don't have that spark that will transform them into a star.

A Voice is no longer what is just needed in the industry, the teen market is the most lucrative, and the POP market is growing over the last 2 years, quite quickly. This may not be what people want to hear however, its true, wonderful singing no longer equals big sales. The record buying public now need something extra to buy into. And sadly the "majority" just haven;t bought into acts like Carolynne and Melanie.

Emma G x
Excellent post!!!!!!!!!
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Old 15-10-2012, 10:02
David_Morgan
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It is an interesting view - that every show is an audition - but, to me it seems obvious that the auditions were over a long time ago and the production team pretty much know which five artists won; though maybe not how they should be ranked. What the X Factor tv show is all about is finding a way to sell those artists to the public - how should they dress? What and how should they sing? Should they dance? Should they be glitzy, sultry, sexy? In the early weeks they'll be trying different things and once they are happy with the feedback they will simply refine that and wind up the marketing machine. Little Mix, last year, were a perfect example of this - finding a look that made them seem less fat and ugly on camera, finding songs they could manage with their limited voices, dance steps that weren't too difficult. They eventually pulled it together and stars were born.

As for the other acts, the Melanies and MK1s, they are ballast, to be jettisoned to give the show lift - very useful early on and they do try to get the right mix, but they were never going to win.

X Factor is part of the commercial end of popular music - a market sector that has always been there, always stolen the headlines (mainly because it courts them), but artistically is only a tiny part of what music is. Thankfully, for every Chris Brown, Rhianna, N'Dubz, Little Mix and Plan B there are a hundred people with talent and artistry.
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Old 15-10-2012, 10:53
spannerandpony
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It is an interesting view - that every show is an audition - but, to me it seems obvious that the auditions were over a long time ago and the production team pretty much know which five artists won; though maybe not how they should be ranked. What the X Factor tv show is all about is finding a way to sell those artists to the public - how should they dress? What and how should they sing? Should they dance? Should they be glitzy, sultry, sexy? In the early weeks they'll be trying different things and once they are happy with the feedback they will simply refine that and wind up the marketing machine. Little Mix, last year, were a perfect example of this - finding a look that made them seem less fat and ugly on camera, finding songs they could manage with their limited voices, dance steps that weren't too difficult. They eventually pulled it together and stars were born.

As for the other acts, the Melanies and MK1s, they are ballast, to be jettisoned to give the show lift - very useful early on and they do try to get the right mix, but they were never going to win.

X Factor is part of the commercial end of popular music - a market sector that has always been there, always stolen the headlines (mainly because it courts them), but artistically is only a tiny part of what music is. Thankfully, for every Chris Brown, Rhianna, N'Dubz, Little Mix and Plan B there are a hundred people with talent and artistry.
I agree. It's akin to watching "Got to Dance" and thinking that today's "dance scene" only consists of the sort of acts that compete on that show. It's not, and every day of the week hundreds of thousands of people turn up to work their socks off in classical ballet class, in the hope that one day they may get classical training and even - eventually - get employment in a ballet company.

Meanwhile, the people whose only exposure to dance is "Got to dance" think the way to get there is by turning up, wowing the judges with some moves - tada! Instant success and you have the dance equivalent of Rylan - entertainment without talent and years of graft.

PS OP - apostrophes do not make plurals.
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Old 15-10-2012, 12:11
sck
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Emma, I agree with you. However, this isn't anything new. For example, think about musical legends. Elvis was the handsome white boy bringing that "black devil music" to the white masses, the Beatles ushered in a new sound and they looked different with their "long hair" and shiny suits, Frank Sinatra wasn't just a singer but an actor as well, Michael Jackson was the tiny soulful firecracker in the Jackson 5 who grew up before our eyes, Mick Jagger is/was the charismatic frontman of one of the greatest rock bands ever. Most, if not all, of these acts were initially supported by teenage girls.

You get the point. Using your looks, charisma, charm, being unique isn't a brand new concept. It isn't limited solely to pop music, contrary to popular belief on these boards.
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Old 15-10-2012, 13:35
grazman
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wow! please bring back the good old days when artists achieved success because of the quality of their songs and not what they looked like or having a USP or whatever. geez.
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Old 15-10-2012, 14:31
barrcode88
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As long as X Factor produces acts which have top 10 hits, then i think we can say they play a part in the music scene, whether some like to admit it or not.

Emma x
Its a TV show, if you take this shit seriously to this point then you need to get out more, as I said, woeful blog.
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Old 15-10-2012, 14:43
David_Morgan
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wow! please bring back the good old days when artists achieved success because of the quality of their songs and not what they looked like or having a USP or whatever. geez.
But those "good old days" are still here. There are lots of great performers who wouldn't go near X Factor. Just like there were always performers who saw tv stardom as the way to success - in my youth the telly was filled with talk of Mud and Sweet and Wizard, you never heard about King Crimson or Can or Neu - though these are now cited as seminal musical influences and Mud are a footnote in musical history.

Watching the Xtra Factor show yesterday I was quite surprised that a fairly competent sounding band were performing - "Lawson" if I caught the name right. Just being associated with a prime-time tv show will kill a band's credibility, so Lawson must have given some thought to this. Obviously, if I see them on the bill at a festival next year, I'll know who to avoid, as I'm pretty insecure about these things in public.
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Old 15-10-2012, 14:44
_drak
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The X Factor is to music as The Apprentice is to business.
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Old 15-10-2012, 14:51
Michelle32
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True but surely the singing is the most important part of the whole package which shows just how much a joke the rylan clown is . Be honest who the hell is going to buy an album of his or turn up the radio if you heard him on. Your totally right when it comes to boy bands though young girls will always vote and buy their albums not matter how poor they sing which nearly all are poor singers.
You could use that argument with Jedward as well, but, much as it pains me to admit, they have done better for themselves than most of the singing acts on the X Factor.

Even the much heralded Leona 'The Moaner' Lewis has not much been more than a one hit one album wonder (her recent single hasn't performed that well, and her album has had mixed reviews).
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Old 15-10-2012, 16:02
emma_gillespie
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The way I see it is that there will be those in the music industry, who are great singers, great artists, great writers, but won't get the recognition they most probably deserve, and guess what those guys are probably happy because they are making the music that they love. They aren't going for number one hits, albums, Platinum sales. Music is a passion they enjoy.

However the audience who watch X Factor are much different to these music buffs who love their music. The majority watch these shows for entertainment, and if they find a musical gem it is a major bonus. After Nine Years people still believe that those with the best voices will win. That just doesn't always happen sadly.

What I will say is those who get to the live shows, are as passionate about their music as those doing gig's. And look at Rebecca, Matt, Leona, Misha B, all have shown they are competent song writers, along with James Arthur, Lucy Spraggan and Ella Henderson this year.

The music industry is a business and X Factor caters for an entirely different market than those gigging etc, however I believe that all of these people are as hard working as each other. It all comes down to at the end of the day, if the music is good people will buy it. However there are great tracks artists have written out there, and very few people have a chance to hear them because they haven;t the financial backing by the industry heavyweights.

It's all about putting yourself out there, getting yourself heard, shows like X Factor, The Voice, BGT allow artists to do that. It is upto the singers, artists, entertainers, to keep that fanbase. If you have real talent it will never go away, it is all about using it in the correct way.
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Old 15-10-2012, 18:06
Fatfeatheryowl
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wow! please bring back the good old days when artists achieved success because of the quality of their songs and not what they looked like or having a USP or whatever. geez.
Admire the idealism, but I doubt there ever was such a time, maybe sadly.
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Old 15-10-2012, 18:09
essexboyash
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I do agree you need to have more than JUST the voice, but I think having the voice aswell is sort of essential
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