In my prior series of blogs in 2007 on Song Selection for Recording Artists, I discussed three things that artists should look for in choosing a song for their next album. As you can see from my 2008 blogs, record sales are down. So it would behoove any recording artist, and I do mean ANY, recording artist to make sure your songs have the three things I mentioned in them if you want your album to have any real measure of success. Take for example, Janet Jackson....
Janet Jackson's career and her latest singles, Feedback and Rock with U, were discussed on the Frank Ski and Wanda Smith morning show on V-103 recently. Frank Ski and Wanda Smith were asking listeners the question of whether (and how) Janet Jackson can boost her career? Or, they asked, should she retire? One radio listener said that he felt the reason that Janet Jackson's come-back has not been successful is because Janet continuously chooses the wrong songs. In this listener's opinion, R & B music that is successful nowadays are songs that have soul in them and he named Alicia Keys and Keyshia Cole's music as examples of R & B music with soul. No soul, no sales. This listener felt that Janet Jackson's music lacked soul.
Another listener essentially echoed the prior listener's comments, saying that she couldn't even understand the words in Janet Jackson's songs! This listener expressed some dismay that Janet Jackson had such a great music production team at her disposal with Jermaine Dupri and his camp; yet she couldn't actually hear Janet Jackson's voice or the lyrics to the song. This listener was also disappointed in the content of the songs, saying she didn't even know what Janet was singing about anymore. She didn't understand the message in the music and even if she could, the message simply didn't appeal to her. These listeners were disappointed fans who expressed their desire for both "the old Janet Jackson" and for the old songs Janet used to sing, naming songs, such as "Let's Wait Awhile" and "Control" as songs that they remember which really had an impact on them while listening to music back in the day.
Frank Ski also compared Janet Jackson to current hit recording artists such as Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Ciara, and Rhiana, and said some people are even questioning whether Janet Jackson can compete with these artists vocally? Frank Ski said some folks think Janet Jackson can't really sing. He was just putting that thought out there and not saying that himself.
Now I'm not hear to knock anyone else's songs and music production, and truly every artist is getting hit with a decreased in record sales - and that's across the board. But essentially, what these listeners and Janet Jackson's critics are talking about are the three things that I mentioned in my blogs about song selection for recording artists. If hit recording artists want to remain as such, choose songs that have great content, that accentuates their vocal range, and that are heart felt! Now what I'm about to say is probably not true of Janet Jackson (since we know that she is wonderfully committed to her music career. But if you are a recording artist who believes that simply because you are/were famous before, that your audience will simply just buy your album. Not so anymore! The music game has changed! Artists with that sort of thinking will find their album sales declining as people buy the one or two songs they like and that's it. Artists who instead step up their game and pick all the rights songs for their album will find their album sales continue to hit a million record sales and downloads. So pick songs that again have great content, show your vocal range, and that are heart felt and your record sales will be unchartered. Just ask Alicia Keys, Ne-yo, and Mary J. Blige!
I believe in Janet Jackson! I'm an fan of hers but I am more of a fan of her older work. I wish her newest album much, much, much, much success to put her fans at ease and her critics to shame. And I just believe that Janet Jackson has the skills, heart, the presence, love for her career, and love for music to come back and hit a million record sales! I'd love to write some songs for her too and I hope to work with her in the future.
Thedy B, Attorney/Songwriter,
Hits A Million, LLC
myspace.com/hitsamillionllc
Janet Jackson's career and her latest singles, Feedback and Rock with U, were discussed on the Frank Ski and Wanda Smith morning show on V-103 recently. Frank Ski and Wanda Smith were asking listeners the question of whether (and how) Janet Jackson can boost her career? Or, they asked, should she retire? One radio listener said that he felt the reason that Janet Jackson's come-back has not been successful is because Janet continuously chooses the wrong songs. In this listener's opinion, R & B music that is successful nowadays are songs that have soul in them and he named Alicia Keys and Keyshia Cole's music as examples of R & B music with soul. No soul, no sales. This listener felt that Janet Jackson's music lacked soul.
Another listener essentially echoed the prior listener's comments, saying that she couldn't even understand the words in Janet Jackson's songs! This listener expressed some dismay that Janet Jackson had such a great music production team at her disposal with Jermaine Dupri and his camp; yet she couldn't actually hear Janet Jackson's voice or the lyrics to the song. This listener was also disappointed in the content of the songs, saying she didn't even know what Janet was singing about anymore. She didn't understand the message in the music and even if she could, the message simply didn't appeal to her. These listeners were disappointed fans who expressed their desire for both "the old Janet Jackson" and for the old songs Janet used to sing, naming songs, such as "Let's Wait Awhile" and "Control" as songs that they remember which really had an impact on them while listening to music back in the day.
Frank Ski also compared Janet Jackson to current hit recording artists such as Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Ciara, and Rhiana, and said some people are even questioning whether Janet Jackson can compete with these artists vocally? Frank Ski said some folks think Janet Jackson can't really sing. He was just putting that thought out there and not saying that himself.
Now I'm not hear to knock anyone else's songs and music production, and truly every artist is getting hit with a decreased in record sales - and that's across the board. But essentially, what these listeners and Janet Jackson's critics are talking about are the three things that I mentioned in my blogs about song selection for recording artists. If hit recording artists want to remain as such, choose songs that have great content, that accentuates their vocal range, and that are heart felt! Now what I'm about to say is probably not true of Janet Jackson (since we know that she is wonderfully committed to her music career. But if you are a recording artist who believes that simply because you are/were famous before, that your audience will simply just buy your album. Not so anymore! The music game has changed! Artists with that sort of thinking will find their album sales declining as people buy the one or two songs they like and that's it. Artists who instead step up their game and pick all the rights songs for their album will find their album sales continue to hit a million record sales and downloads. So pick songs that again have great content, show your vocal range, and that are heart felt and your record sales will be unchartered. Just ask Alicia Keys, Ne-yo, and Mary J. Blige!
I believe in Janet Jackson! I'm an fan of hers but I am more of a fan of her older work. I wish her newest album much, much, much, much success to put her fans at ease and her critics to shame. And I just believe that Janet Jackson has the skills, heart, the presence, love for her career, and love for music to come back and hit a million record sales! I'd love to write some songs for her too and I hope to work with her in the future.
Thedy B, Attorney/Songwriter,
Hits A Million, LLC
myspace.com/hitsamillionllc
