VOICE-TRIBUNE’s Post

Popular Music Books in Process Series   Monday, April 15, 5pm ET   Elijah Wald in conversation with Kimberly Mack  Jelly Roll Blues: Censored Songs and Hidden Histories   A conversation about Jelly Roll Blues, an exploration of the censored and hidden worlds of early blues and jazz inspired by Jelly Roll Morton's oral history at the Library of Congress. The book looks at the ways Black oral culture was preserved and the “silences of history”— all the things that were not preserved or were preserved in distorted forms. It explores the language and culture of the Black "sporting world," the extent to which early blues was directed at a female audience and dealt with issues of sexuality that were not being discussed in any other media. It attempts to recover language, stories, and individuals that earlier histories ignored and suppressed, and to open up new conversations about what is missing from familiar narratives—including the ways that missing material connects the Black oral culture of the early twentieth century with styles and approaches that only reached a mass market with rap and hip-hop.   The discussion will focus on lost narratives, (re)constructed histories, the process of engaging and harnessing such a rich archive, and the complications and messiness of race and authorship. Email Froyster@depaul.edu to be added to the series email list and get Zoom links. Co-organizers: Kimberly Mack, Antonia Randolph, Francesca Royster, Gustavus Stadler, Eric Weisbard and Carl Wilson for Journal of Popular Music Studies, IASPM-US, and the Pop Conference.

Very interesting article that I just found. Famous singer and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, Elvis Costello just commented on Olivia Rodrigo's song "Brutal" being similar to his song "Pump It Up". Some producers thought that the two songs sounded similar, and needed to be authorized by Elvis to be used. However, the singer was fine with it. This is very rare for this occur in the music industry, and I like that Elvis Costello responded in this way. David Philp, I think you would like this article! Check it out! #musicnews #musicbiz #musicrights

**Critics: The Missed Marks on Music's Timeless Classics** Time after time, when researching music critics through the ages, I've noticed a pattern: they've often been remarkably negative about albums that would later be celebrated as classics and enormous successes. A prime example is Neil Young. Rolling Stone magazine, once considered the "Bible of American music" in the 1970s, heavily criticized both "Harvest" and "After the Gold Rush." Despite their negativity, the public ignored the harsh reviews, making these albums hit records and proving that the critics had it wrong. Critics can make or break music careers. People rely on what they read in music journals to decide whether to attend a show or buy an album. After Rolling Stone's founder was exposed for being subtly racist in his assertion that Black musicians lacked the intelligence to be included in his book, one can only imagine how many great Black artists he may have undermined with the influence he wielded. Tina Turner, arguably one of the most iconic Black artists, was the first to grace the cover of Rolling Stone. But her appearance was only after she had "sold out," distancing herself from her Black roots. The Rolling Stones' "Exile on Main Street," now considered a classic that defined their career, was similarly panned by critics who failed to understand the band's shift to a more American sound to dominate the U.S. market and leave their pop image behind. These are just a few examples of how critics, often frustrated rock stars themselves, have wielded their influence in a way that hindered great artists. Today, their power has been largely usurped by platforms like Spotify and other streaming services, shifting the landscape of music criticism.

Music is how we express ourselves daily.  Songs are the fabric of our society. Several incredible artists sold a portion or their whole catalogs in 2023 to companies backed by private equity and despite what some may think, it’s not a bad thing.  Shouldn’t songwriters, producers, and artists be able to sell the music they create to whomever they want to? This includes: *Dr. Dre → Shamrock + Universal *Justin Bieber → Hipgnosis *Tyler Johnson → Influence Media *Metro Boomin’ → Shamrock Capital *Sarah McLachlan → Primary Wave *Charlotte Caffey → Seeker Music *Paul Simon → BMG *Katy Perry → Litmus *Rudy Perez → Reservoir *Graham Nash → Iconic Artists Group *Christine McVie → HarbourView *Pat Benetar & Neil Giraldo → HarbourView *Enrique Iglesias → Influence Media There were plenty of other deals, some announced and some unannounced. For a detailed analysis of which artists have sold their works to whom and an in-depth exploration of significant music funds, subscribe to my free newsletter. The Bag: www.newbagdrops.com

Yesterday, on the way to school, my 4-year-old asked me to put on music (talk radio was on). So I flipped it to the Symphony channel on Sirius, which happened to be playing Beethoven's 5th in C minor. I waited for the revolts from my 8-year-old, whose favorite song is "Shipping up to Boston" by the Dropkick Murphy's (my influence), my 6-year-old, whose favorite song is "Party in the USA" (not my influence), or the 4-year-old, whose favorite song is "In the Air Tonight." Instead, I heard the youngest's voice ask, "Is this from Snoopy?" Uh... Well... The oldest quickly responded. Yeah, Schroedinger plays this. And we listened to classical music the whole way to school. In reality, I changed the station to classical music 2 weeks ago to see how they would react. (Yes, my obsession with testing extends beyond Optimized Marketing to my personal life.) My kids LOVE music and know every word to songs like "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey and "In the Air Tonight." My daughter danced almost non-stop at the Pens game this week because of all the music during the game. Yet, they haven't asked me to change the station from classical music in 2 weeks. Lesson 1: Don't pre-judge people and assume we know how they will react to new situations and information. Lesson 2: You might be surprised how much people know about a topic you think they know nothing about (how did they know Beethoven's 5th was from Snoopy?). Lesson 3: Do children innately recognize the beauty, passion, and complexity of classical music, and we train that out of them with modern music? I have no musical talent, so that is an open question. #classicalmusic #leadership

JOSHUA BARAKA EXCLUSIVE HIGHLIGHTS! Our conversation with JoshuaBaraka on CBS FM was enlightening, to say the least! Here are some key takeaways: African music's global rise: Joshua shared his insights on the growing popularity of African music worldwide and its potential to shape the global music landscape. Music rights and the industry's future: We discussed the importance of music rights, royalties, and the challenges faced by African artists in the industry. Joshua emphasized the need for fair compensation and recognition for creators. Joshua's journey as a radar artist: From his early days as an emerging artist to his current status as a radar artist, Joshua shared his experiences, lessons learned, and advice for upcoming artists. Inspiration behind "Recess" EP: Joshua revealed that his EP's theme and title were inspired by the idea of taking a break from the hustle and bustle of life and reconnecting with one's inner self. He shared how each song on the EP explores different aspects of this theme. Song inspirations: Joshua dived deeper into the inspiration behind specific songs on the EP, including: "Scared Magnetic": A song about embracing vulnerability and openness in relationships. "Lonely": A reflection on the pain of loneliness and the importance of human connection. EP performance: Joshua shared that the EP is currently streaming well on various platforms, with fans resonating with the themes and messages in the music. Sneak peek into his upcoming album: Joshua gave us a glimpse into his forthcoming album, revealing his inspiration, creative process, and what fans can expect from the new project. #JoshuaBaraka #RecessEP #AfricanMusic #MusicRights #CBSFM

This week’s #TFI_Friday album borrows from classic auteur theory with Linda Thompson’s new album Proxy Music. Thompson hardly sings a note on this album, so can we attribute her as the author? The album was only released on the 21st June 2024 (today), so I’ve only had a few hours to digest its contents and synthesize this review. Proxy Music would be the best name imaginable for a tribute act for the Bryan Ferry-led ensemble. However, on this occasion, it is a stylish and comedic nod to the rare vocal condition, spasmodic dysphonia, that has affected Linda Thompson since the early 1980s. This medical condition limits her ability to speak and sing, resulting in all tracks being voiced by other artists. The benefit of having proxies singing on her behalf demonstrates the sheer quality of her songwriting across the album’s eleven varied tracks. A huge amount of credit should also be given to her son, Teddy Thompson, who co-produced, co-wrote a couple of tracks and arranged the music as Linda does not play an instrument. Guests include her daughter Kami Thompson, Martha Wainwright, The Proclaimers, Rufus Wainwright, Ren Harvieu, John Grant, The Rails, Dori Freeman, Eliza Carthy, The Unthanks, and Teddy Thompson. Do I need to mention the mischievous album cover? Of course I do, because it’s a pitch perfect facsimile of the first album by Roxy Music, with Thompson gamely and assertively taking on the Kari-Ann Muller role. To answer the question regarding authorship of this wonderful album I can confirm that it is undoubtedly a Linda Thompson album and a damn fine one at that. I publish these album overviews every Friday afternoon so please check back for another one next week. Please note that I am available for guest lectures, conferences, panels, workshops, broadcasts, record production and mixing projects (live & studio) just message me and I will get straight back to you. #DKHQ #NewMusic #MusicReview #MusicBusiness #MusicBiz #MusicProduction #MusicJournalism #TFI_Friday #Producer #Creativity

Tegan and Sara and Amanda Palmer have signed Fight for the Future's open letter to save Internet Archive files, including 400,000+ music recordings and the ENTIRETY of the Wayback Machine. That's nearly as much music history as what was lost in the tragic Universal Studios fire of 2008 — plus an almost inconceivable amount of our collective online history and culture. Here's what Fight for the Future has to say about it (see the full letter and sign it and/or the petition via the link in the comments): 💬 "By 2031, music industry revenues will exceed 100 billion dollars, yet the average musician is struggling to survive. We demand a course-correction now, focused on the legacies and futures of working musicians. Artists and labels alike should partner with valuable cultural stewards like the Internet Archive—not sue them. It’s time to support nonprofit music preservation to ensure that our music and our stories aren’t lost to history." 💬 Thank you to Maarten W. / MUSIC x for raising awareness about this important situation and initiative (see Maarten's post here: https://lnkd.in/d3Vjt633). I'll wrap with some wise words from someone who is intimately aware of the cost of a situation like this: "The loss of even a single piece of archived material is heartbreaking." Heartbreaking indeed. 💔

The Elephant in the Room...The Truth Hurts. "Every single one's got a story to tell Everyone knows about it From the Queen of England to the Hounds of Hell" - Seven Nation Army, The White Stripes Let's face it, music industry folks get it wrong often. But mistakes and getting it wrong are key and crucial to learning and getting it right. We all have stories. When I was at V2 back in the day, went with Jeremy Pearce etc to see The White Stripes for the first time as we were looking to sign them in a big deal. They had just independently released their "White Blood Cells" album. I liked them but wasn't 100% convinced especially with the weight of the deal. Thankfully the rest of the crew saw the potential, V2 signed them, and the album they delivered, the mighty "Elephant" (featuring "Seven Nation Army") ended up being one of our label's biggest successes and The White Stripes ended up being one of my favourite groups ever. The Lesson? Surround yourself with the greatest team of really talented authentic smart music people you can find, so if you slip up and make a mistake, the others won't, and you'll all win. The big question is, what will the UK Music industry choose to learn from Raye? “Raye’s six Brit awards marked a huge vindication for the newly independent artist and rightly shamed the major label that apparently couldn’t see her potential”. #music #musicbusiness #ukmusic #truth #womenentrepreneurs #womeninmusic #musicindustry #lessonslearned

Wondering what the most influential album of all time is? Dive into an in-depth analysis of the records that changed music forever. Explore this thought-provoking post to uncover the top influential album and discover additional rankings. Don't miss out, click here to read more: https://ift.tt/xeDujv4