Oh how I love my Ipod. I never leave home without it. lol And no, I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t listen to the radio. Mostly though I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t listen to it because they play the same crapy songs all day.

I also love my ipod – I just put it on shuffle and I’m guaranteed to get just the music I want. I mostly listen to the radio for the morning show in my area (funny group of guys), otherwise, I will intermittently listen to radio to hear some new songs, as this is one of my primary outlets for hearing new stuff (albeit, it is frustrating to only hear the same limited songs ALL the time on the radio). I do wish they’d get a little more eclectic, take more of a chance when playing new artists. But I understand there’s a lot of politics involved with it as well, sadly.

Radio is sadly dying, though trying it’s best to evolve with the times, but I still think it’s an important means to get music out there. Getting a lot of radio play is more likely to guarantee a hit album, imo.

More recently, the Ipod hit the world and I assume that if one is plugged into that all day that youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re not listening to the radio.

Oh how I love my Ipod. I never leave home without it. lol And no, I don’t listen to the radio. Mostly though I don’t listen to it because they play the same crapy songs all day.

The biggest threat is still illegal downloads. The industry is to blame, in my book, since they resisted the revolution for years and then continued to want to sell CDs for $16, and just recently insisted iTUnes raise its prices. The destruction of radio, thanks to consolidation and the end of free-form, is also a culprit. Audio book sales are way up, they say, because people are sick of what they hear on the radio (except NPR, which is at an all time high).

More recently, the Ipod hit the world and I assume that if one is plugged into that all day that youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re not listening to the radio. Also, although they arenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t doing well financially, a lot of folks seem to be listening to Satellite radio and there are an awful lot of genre specific stations that are NOT top-40.

So I guess Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m asking how the heck new music gets out there now – are more people finding it by searching around ITunes and Amazon music and such? Is part of the reason record sales are so low because a new model for promoting to this changed market hasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t developed? Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m totally out of touch on this stuff.

According to reports and comments by various worried people in the music industry — Yes. To all of the above.

Hard for any new music to get out there. Way harder if you aren’t able to pay for first-page itunes ads or have a major-label contract so you can get the mini-concert on a late-night or early-morning network tv show or something. The hope is the Internet, I guess. But now people seem to be turning away from myspace, which seems set up to be an easier place for musicians to spotlight their music than Facebook looks to be….

It will take a lot for Carrie to even catch up to Shaina Twain and Faith Hill as a cross-over artist. Faith Hill is the only one right now who is a verifiable artist along Shaina in cross over hits and sales.

Yeah, but pop radio has a very short memory and Faith and Shania feel like they’ve been out of the pop spotlight for a few years. In a way, they’re kind of (in pop radio terms) from an earlier era and Carrie, Rascal Flatts and Taylor Swift are the more recent crossover country artists (though Taylor’s music is barely country to me).

Also, Carrie seems to be the current poster girl from country inasfar as seen by non-country fans are concerned — as she is one of the few women who gets to perform and win awards at non-country award shows and appear on covers of magazines. Jennifer Nettles and Alison Kraus are talented and all, but it’s Carrie that gets photographed and talked about in tabloids, even when articles aren’t about her (i.e., Jessica Simpson articles).

I’m saying this as a non-fan of country who didn’t watch Season 4. I just feel like in the popular consciousness, she’s one of the few country artists that younger peeps know whether or not they personally listen to country.

maybe you are right about why Melinda has not caught on in a big way, but Idol could have given her a big boost by letting her sing a song one night. I think a lot of people don’t know she put out a record, or how good it is. One short shot on Idol can really boost sales — so why feature Ms. Pickler, who can barely sing?

And though I agree she’s “old fashioned” in some ways, is she any more so than a Michael Buble channeling Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra? Or when Amy Winehouse and her clones channel older black R & B?

I know it doesn’t automatically translate into record sales or anything else, but Melinda came in number 3 on Idol, which meant masses of people voted for her and liked her style and her choices. The playing field these days is very lopsided for anyone who doesn’t sound exactly like someone else who has already sold well. Or whose niche is clear-cut. Or who isn’t a flaming novelty, like Lady Gaga.

I’m sure you like and buy artists that I’m not partial too. But there should be a place for anyone who is truly good. I think the English scene is much more open to differences, given my own travels there and what I see on English music blogs….

New mix of Zero Gravity(always awesome) and unplugged ATM(seriously awesome, just him and the piano and sounds like he’s right there o.O;) along with tmh vid

Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m still pissed that Idol hasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t lifted a finger to help Melinda apparently. Wasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t she a big favorite of Simonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s? And excuse me, but isnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t she one of the best female vocalists in Idol history?

Here’s another example that it takes more than a good voice to have a successful career. Melinda is an excellent vocalist but I lost interest in her on the show because of her old-fashioned song choices. I sampled her new songs on itunes and wasn’t impressed there either. “Idol” wouldn’t try to help her career, but surely her label and her team are doing their best. However they can’t force radio to play or people to buy her music, and it’s not easy to get people on shows like Ellen and the rest. Not just anyone can decided to be on those shows, or sell cds, or get radio play. She hasn’t caught on, it’s not Idol’s fault. She had a huge platform being on Idol and she got to make a cd, so I think she’s had some great opportunities, but nobody can make her cd be a hit.

She’s also rather into christian music and gospel, not everyone’s cup of tea.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/americanidoltracker/2009/02/melinda-dooli-1.html

Other songs on “Coming Back to You” have a strong gospel feel, reflecting Doolittle’s other main source of inspiration (and income): Christian music. As a background singer, she’s worked in both major Christian pop arenas — the gospel-grounded strain led by family groups like the Winans and Anointed, and the more rock-based Christian contemporary music scene that has produced stars like Michael W. Smith.

I guess Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m remembering the media frenzy around Constantine Maroulis after he got kicked off the show. The media couldnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t get enough of him for awhile.

I admit I didn’t watch until last year, but Constantine totally gives me the creeps, and I can’t imagine his talent holds a candle to Adams.

Also, I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t think that Kris Allen is a clay doll like Carrie Underwood. He has a backbone.

Actually, I would say that, as of now, Carrie has more backbone than any other Idol winner. She could easily have been forced into the pop route, as most winners have been, or made music that wasn’t “her” by copying someone else (Kelly?). But, she stayed true to herself and made the music she wanted to make. I agree that Kris has a backbone as well (and balls of steel, I might add). That is one of the things I admire about him, in addition to the fact that for him, it really does seem to be about the music and not just “being famous”. I won’t name names. Kris will be fine.

So I guess I’m asking how the heck new music gets out there now – are more people finding it by searching around ITunes and Amazon music and such? Is part of the reason record sales are so low because a new model for promoting to this changed market hasn’t developed? I’m totally out of touch on this stuff.

girlygirl Jun 8th, 2009 at 10:14 pm

98.7 FM here in L.A. played à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Before He Cheatsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  in very heavy rotation when it came out. And thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s not a country stationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a alternative rock/Top 40 pop-rock station

Knew there was a good reason why I can’t pick up 98.7 where I live. I listened to it today while I was down the coast, it’s gotten God Awful.

It also helped her first album go to more than 7X platinum.