The current crop of performing artists sitting at the top of the hierarchy (and on top of the charts) is a select group of people who have really managed to produce commercially viable music for the better part of a decade or longer. A string of hit albums and number one songs is essential to being able to wear and share the crowns.
In the female category we have the obvious diva's who can out sing and outsell almost
anyone in Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Barbara Streisand, Shania Twain and Whitney Houston. They share the top tier with performing powerhouses like Madonna, Janet Jackson and Britney Spears who between them all have notched over half a billion record sales world wide and sixty number one singles in the USA alone. Nipping at their heels are the likes of Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Pink, Kylie Minogue and Kelly Clarkson who have been consistantly selling and charting succesfully in several, if not all, of the major musical epicenters.
anyone in Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Barbara Streisand, Shania Twain and Whitney Houston. They share the top tier with performing powerhouses like Madonna, Janet Jackson and Britney Spears who between them all have notched over half a billion record sales world wide and sixty number one singles in the USA alone. Nipping at their heels are the likes of Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Pink, Kylie Minogue and Kelly Clarkson who have been consistantly selling and charting succesfully in several, if not all, of the major musical epicenters.Michael Jacks
on, Usher, Eminem and Justin Timberlake sit pretty at the summit of most successful male artists. Male music royalty is something that seems to have thinned out much like Prince Edwards hair over the last decade. When we think of those male forces in music it's still the likes of Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Billy Joel, Elton John and Stevie Wonder that tend to pluck at our nostalgic heartstrings. This is possibly due to the boy band boom of the nineties and early 2000's with the Backstreet Boys, Westlife, N*Sync, Take That and so on. There were also many influential male singers who were actually the front men of hugely successful credible bands like Bon Jovi, Nirvana, Matchbox 20 and U2.So who are the new rat pack? Who are the new kids on the block trying to twitter and overdyonce themselves into a long lasting career?
Lady Gaga
Miss Gaga is the kind of artist that people will look at in ten years time and say "what happened?" This is a classic example of going out too hard, too fast. With all her crazy costumes (yes little ones, they are costumes, not couture) and over the top staging, she is leaving her self little place to go. Where does one go after pumping blood all over themselves after wearing a full body red lace condom to their first Video Music Awards? However, she does have the chops in the writing department. She'll possibly move onto do some high profile producing or be a semi sought after 'featuring' artist, but whatever is flashing in her pan, is already starting to smell a bit stale.
Miley Cyrus
What's a Miley Cyrus, we hear you ask? Miley is the current poster girl for bubble gum pop. Although she has built a solid fan base with her Hannah Montana franchise, there is the overwhelming feeling that once Pappa Billy Ray gives her her first ATM card and access to her millions in two years time that we're gonna have another text book crazy child star on our hands. One or two public stints in re-hab, possibly a head shaving incident, an attempt at a deep personal album and then a fade into obscurity. At the end of the day she has very little talent which wont help her hold onto her Disney fans when they're all grown up. She could very well be the next girl to try and beat a car up with an umbrella.
What's a Miley Cyrus, we hear you ask? Miley is the current poster girl for bubble gum pop. Although she has built a solid fan base with her Hannah Montana franchise, there is the overwhelming feeling that once Pappa Billy Ray gives her her first ATM card and access to her millions in two years time that we're gonna have another text book crazy child star on our hands. One or two public stints in re-hab, possibly a head shaving incident, an attempt at a deep personal album and then a fade into obscurity. At the end of the day she has very little talent which wont help her hold onto her Disney fans when they're all grown up. She could very well be the next girl to try and beat a car up with an umbrella.
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift may actually have what it takes to stick around in this crazy industry. She burst on to the international scene just a year ago and doesn't seem to be losing any momentum. A swag of successful songs, the highest selling album of 2009, eight Grammy nominations and an upcoming feature in the star studded Valentine's Day. She stands apart from the rest due to her likability factor, her ability to fuse pop and country together so uniquely and ultimately her writing skills. As this twenty two year old matures, her lyrics will do the same. There's a distinct possibility that the best of this young lady is still to come.
Adam Lambert
Probably the most talked about and controversial member of the American Idol alumni, Lambert continues to be as enigmatic as a Bonnie Tyler music video. His debut single did cardiac arrest off the charts after his premier Video Music Award performance and his current one, a much more subdued ballad Whatya Want From Me is struggling to find airwaves. Whatya want from us, Adam? Do you want us to like, or dislike you, accept you or persecute you, take you seriously or mock you? It's all very unsure at the moment but one thing is for certain, this young man has a set of pipes unlike any we've really seen before. It would be a real shame for the music industry to lose him so early on. Now if GLAAD could just stop pushing him down our throats as a poster boy for equality, if he could stop pushing his tongue down throats on stage and if RCA Records would start pushing his album then maybe Adam will find his feet and become a welcomed act at any awards ceremony.
Ke$ha
We don't know much about her yet, but she has made a Britneyesque entrance into the music scene. Tik Tok is a global number one song and her debut album Animal set female download records on the Billboard Charts. She seems to have the gumption and drive to succeed, if we are to believe the rumors of her breaking into Prince's house to leave him a demo and living it tough in LA with Katie Perry before they both got signed. She may just have the spirit, grit, and tenacity that has been missing for such a while. Or she could just be a one hit wonder and once she drops the dollar sign from her name for her second album she could be forgotten... it's a harsh business.
Susan Boyle
Seriously? Who actually bought this album? Has anyone actually ever seen anyone holding a copy in their hands or heard it playing a dinner party? Her I Dreamed A Dream album has sold in excess of six million copies world wide in just eight weeks , unprecedented for a female debut. BUT... who actually has it? Most likely the same people who buy Il Divo and Josh Grobans Christmas album. Does Susan have what it takes to go from court jester to queen of adult contemporary? Quite possibly. People forget the purse power of the 35-50 demographic and when they're touched by something they will purchase purchase purchase. They will buy for themselves, family, friends and work colleagues and this is why Susan Boyle and her eyebrows are probably here to stay. She will release a Christmas album next year which will go crazy and then another album of soppy covers after that and she will sell sell sell. She has tapped into her desperate housewife niche and she ain't going anywhere. Heck, maybe she deserves it. She'll never really be a royal... but she isn't hurting anyone... she can stay.
Rihanna
Taylor Swift may actually have what it takes to stick around in this crazy industry. She burst on to the international scene just a year ago and doesn't seem to be losing any momentum. A swag of successful songs, the highest selling album of 2009, eight Grammy nominations and an upcoming feature in the star studded Valentine's Day. She stands apart from the rest due to her likability factor, her ability to fuse pop and country together so uniquely and ultimately her writing skills. As this twenty two year old matures, her lyrics will do the same. There's a distinct possibility that the best of this young lady is still to come.
Probably the most talked about and controversial member of the American Idol alumni, Lambert continues to be as enigmatic as a Bonnie Tyler music video. His debut single did cardiac arrest off the charts after his premier Video Music Award performance and his current one, a much more subdued ballad Whatya Want From Me is struggling to find airwaves. Whatya want from us, Adam? Do you want us to like, or dislike you, accept you or persecute you, take you seriously or mock you? It's all very unsure at the moment but one thing is for certain, this young man has a set of pipes unlike any we've really seen before. It would be a real shame for the music industry to lose him so early on. Now if GLAAD could just stop pushing him down our throats as a poster boy for equality, if he could stop pushing his tongue down throats on stage and if RCA Records would start pushing his album then maybe Adam will find his feet and become a welcomed act at any awards ceremony.
Ke$ha
We don't know much about her yet, but she has made a Britneyesque entrance into the music scene. Tik Tok is a global number one song and her debut album Animal set female download records on the Billboard Charts. She seems to have the gumption and drive to succeed, if we are to believe the rumors of her breaking into Prince's house to leave him a demo and living it tough in LA with Katie Perry before they both got signed. She may just have the spirit, grit, and tenacity that has been missing for such a while. Or she could just be a one hit wonder and once she drops the dollar sign from her name for her second album she could be forgotten... it's a harsh business.
Susan Boyle
Seriously? Who actually bought this album? Has anyone actually ever seen anyone holding a copy in their hands or heard it playing a dinner party? Her I Dreamed A Dream album has sold in excess of six million copies world wide in just eight weeks , unprecedented for a female debut. BUT... who actually has it? Most likely the same people who buy Il Divo and Josh Grobans Christmas album. Does Susan have what it takes to go from court jester to queen of adult contemporary? Quite possibly. People forget the purse power of the 35-50 demographic and when they're touched by something they will purchase purchase purchase. They will buy for themselves, family, friends and work colleagues and this is why Susan Boyle and her eyebrows are probably here to stay. She will release a Christmas album next year which will go crazy and then another album of soppy covers after that and she will sell sell sell. She has tapped into her desperate housewife niche and she ain't going anywhere. Heck, maybe she deserves it. She'll never really be a royal... but she isn't hurting anyone... she can stay.
Rihanna
So Rihanna is hardly new in the game, she is already one of the most successful female artists of the century but is she a lifer? It seems the star is already starting to fizzle with her new album selling way under expectations and tour dates being cancelled due to... well, no one wanting to go. This is where it all starts unravelling when people get signed for their beauty and not for their talent. Rihanna has nothing new to bring to the table. She's not a singer like the diva's and she isn't a dancer like Jacksons, so what does she really have to offer except a pretty face? People have caught on and realised that her writers and producers are the talent and she is just the nasal voice and ever changing hairstyle. Rihanna will stick around, she'll continue wearing nice outfits and maybe have another catchy tune that will be a hit record one day but music royalty, she will never be.
Justin Bieber
Despite some very public Usher endorsements and a contract with Island DefJam, I have but two words... Aaron... Carter... that is all.
Ne-Yo
Ne-Yo seems to be an absolute shoe in for R&B's new poster boy. He's all the things we love about Usher, Babyface, P. Diddy and BoyZ II Men wrapped up in a slightly younger package. With some high profile collaborations with the likes of Mimi, Beyonce and even a rumored to-be-finished song with Michael Jackson on the way, the suave thirty year old is going from strength to strength. The demise of Chris Brown also hasn't hurt him either...
Despite some very public Usher endorsements and a contract with Island DefJam, I have but two words... Aaron... Carter... that is all.
Ne-Yo
Ne-Yo seems to be an absolute shoe in for R&B's new poster boy. He's all the things we love about Usher, Babyface, P. Diddy and BoyZ II Men wrapped up in a slightly younger package. With some high profile collaborations with the likes of Mimi, Beyonce and even a rumored to-be-finished song with Michael Jackson on the way, the suave thirty year old is going from strength to strength. The demise of Chris Brown also hasn't hurt him either...
Leona Lewis
She's beautiful, she can sing and she never gets photographed without her panties on. She is one of the few credible singers to come out of reality singing competitions and even more impressive is that she has the talent and enough backing to make the illusive trans Atlantic crossover to the billboard charts. Her appearance at the Beijing Closing Ceremony and no doubt a performance on the Oscars stage with her Avatar theme song I See You is quickly making Leona Britains greatest musical export. There is a worry that she is getting stuck in Mariah early nineties territory where she is being pigeon holed into only singing ballads, but once she is given the opportunity to break free and create some more current and up beat music, the world will embrace her more than they already have and she can cement herself up there with the best.
In a new age where celebrity is achieved by putting leaches down your pants and you are considered 'out' just as quickly as you were considered 'in' does the new generation even have the stamina or the talent to really ever make it to icon status or will they always just be chasing the voices that have come to define the very meaning of music? At the end of the day, let's all hope that people haven't become completely impervious to talent and that will eventually define and solidify the new royal court of musical artists.
It's hard to imagine a world without Michael, true musical legends are few and far between and with only a hand full left and the industry changing so rapidly, it's difficult to believe that anyone will really ever be able to fill their shoes.
Perhaps the lack of need for political monarchies is being mirrored in the entertainment industry too. They may just be something of the past and while we respect and are in awe of their contributions, don't need anymore. But as long as the likes of Mariah, U2, Whitney, Beyonce, Justin and alike are all still around and making music and while Michael Jackson still has some posthumous tricks up his sleeve... let's enjoy it while it lasts... long live the king... long live the queen...
Who wants to live forever... forever is our today... who waits forever anyway?
- Queen "Who Wants To Live Forever"
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