An article “12 Extremely Disappointing Facts About Popular Music” posted by bloggers and Facebook users has become a popular read in the last few days. It’s a nice sound byte but holds no merit when one digs beneath the surface.
The article states blurbs such as Ke$ha’s “Tik-Tok” sold more copies than ANY Beatles single and Katy Perry holds the same record as Michael Jackson for most number one singles from an album.
First the landscape has changed, therefore the variables change. When comparing the 1960’s to the year 2011, one must consider a host of factors including demographic, technology, distribution, cost, radio, and disposable entertainment income.
iTunes and sites such as YouTube and Amazon spiked the sales of singles within the last 5 years. The explosion of mobile phones and computers also played a role in the distribution of music. Also note that Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales data for Nielsen since March 1, 1991, prior to that, the tracking system wasn’t efficient. Many sales from The Beatles and artists like Michael Jackson simply weren’t tracked.
Don’t worry folks, Paul McCartney’s estimated worth is 725 million. Our favorite songs by The Beatles will outlive the beats written for artists like Ke$ha and Katy Perry.
Buzz Track: I Have A Black Belt In Awesome
The Monster Goes Rawrr just released their music video for “I Have A Black Belt In Awesome” and it has already received 2,200 views. Sounds like this throwback emo band took some cues from Ke$ha.
Contact: fivealivemgmt@gmail.com
Buzz Track: I’m Coming
Indie rock band The Good Rebels will self release a new EP in January and has generated a considerate amount of buzz from their latest EP “Ladies and Gentelmen…Meet The Good Rebels”, including dates with Five For Fighting, a residency at Casey’s Irish Pub in Los Angeles, and airplay on WBSD FM in Wisconsin. For fans of Vampire Weekend, MGMT, ect.
Contact: cooperbrettm@gmail.com
Buzz Track: Dangerous
Kings favorite Rob A! just released his debut pop-crossover single “Dangerous”. He got his break collaborating with Chris Brown which shot him to a multi-platinum songwriter with two #1 records. He signed a co-publishing deal with Sony/ATV and has worked with R. Kelly, Usher, Kelli Rowland, and Toni Braxton.
Contact: AlexZiabko@me.com
Buzz Track: My Life’s A Mess
15 years of friendship, gigs and parties have culminated in ‘The Super Happy Fun Club’ and their infectious, triumphant new record ‘Go Fun Yourself’. In November, the band hit the road with Madina Lake and My Passion for a full tour of Europe including Germany and Belgium and have instantly won over the press. They will perform a sold out show with The Rocket Summer at Subterranean in Chicago, IL on December 16th.
Contact:shfcbusiness@gmail.com
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