Music charts

[Oldhippy]

Single releases were used as a taster for a forthcoming album essentially. Record companies usually considered that the third album would be the longevity marker. To get to number at one point almost a million sales were needed to get to number one where people physically went to a store to purchase a copy. These days it appears to be in the low thousands to achieve this combined with social media. Technology these days is at the point where @Drago @raleighnut and me could go in a studio and make any genre of music and sound like anyone you like.

 

[ktmbiker58]

My antidote to the current crop of auto-tuned, plastic wrapped, sanitised for your comfort and convenience pop clones is spinning at thirty three and a third as we speak:-

 

[ktmbiker58]

Single releases were used as a taster for a forthcoming album essentially. Record companies usually considered that the third album would be the longevity marker. To get to number at one point almost a million sales were needed to get to number one where people physically went to a store to purchase a copy. These days it appears to be in the low thousands to achieve this combined with social media. Technology these days is at the point where @Drago @raleighnut and me could go in a studio and make any genre of music and sound like anyone you like.

Or just use AI - this is entirely AI generated:


View: https://youtu.be/hFo6sbJXo5A?si=a9SplkLlHJzOybks

 

[wafter]

But that has been happening at least since the 50's, ie. targeted audience - the music business is far from philanthropic, too.

At the 'amateur' level it is probably not about money but a pro band/singer is not just an artist but a commercial entity, too.

Indeed, and I think like many elements of consumption-driven, marketing-enabled economies it's only gotten worse.

Conceivably there was a point where the product came first and the marketing existed as a secondary entity to make people aware of it. Now we're at a point where the marketing is the dominant factor and the product is almost irrelevant.

In the music context, the process would once have begun with someone making music simply because they wanted to. Then, when it become apparent that others like it, efforts are made to make it more widely available and profit from it - likely with the help of others to facilitate this process- managers, promoters etc.

Now it's increasingly jut a case of trying to create "music" with the singular goal of profiting from mass-market appeal. Further, as if manufacturing what should essentially be an emotionally-driven art with the singular goal of selling it for profit wasn't enough, now we have rubbish like "X-Factor" which dresses up market research as entertainment and seeks to sell us the process of manufacturing the product, as well as the product itself.

The increasingly disingenuous, marketing-heavy nature of consumption is increasingly apparent in a wider context too - look at the rise of "influencers" as an entity in their own right (rather than previously where marketeers would effectively occupy a transparent, anonymous position between producer and consumer). Further we have content pushing increasingly worthless products being fired into the brains of punters over ever-shortening product life cycles..

A few examples of how "culture" is becoming increasingly diluted, disingenuous and worthless.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

My music tastes have changed over the years...

When I was a lot younger, I listened to the chart-toppers. Then, my tastes evolved, and I used the charts as examples of what *not* to listen to. Now, I don't follow any charts, but just listen to music on Youtube or other music sites, and then decide what to add to my collection.

 

[Beebo]

Indeed, and I think like many elements of consumption-driven, marketing-enabled economies it's only gotten worse.

Conceivably there was a point where the product came first and the marketing existed as a secondary entity to make people aware of it. Now we're at a point where the marketing is the dominant factor and the product is almost irrelevant.

I listen to a lot of comedy podcasts.
It seems to be the same in modern comedy.
It’s or the best comedians who get successful, it’s the best at marketing and selling themselves on social media.

The slightly odd ball socially awkward comedians struggle

 

[raleighnut]

My music tastes have changed over the years...

When I was a lot younger, I listened to the chart-toppers. Then, my tastes evolved, and I used the charts as examples of what *not* to listen to. Now, I don't follow any charts, but just listen to music on Youtube or other music sites, and then decide what to add to my collection.

I was doing that pre-computer (for me) generally by watching stuff on telly, I got into Gomez, K T Tunstall, Fun Lovin Criminals...............Before they were famous.

 

[mistyoptic]

My real issue is with the stuff that's carefully created with the specific, singular goal of generating maximum revenue; much of it often aimed at the young and unsuspecting... the constant churn of "boy bands", "girl bands" and myriad other crap that's designed to exploit the emotional vulnerabilities of its target audience in order to separate them from their cash..

Reminded me of this:

Come in here, dear boy, have a cigar, you're gonna go far
You're gonna fly, you're never gonna die
You're gonna make it if you try, they're gonna love you
Well, I've always had a deep respect and I mean that most sincere
The band is just fantastic, that is really what I think
Oh, by the way, which one's pink?
And did we tell you the name of the game, boy?
We call it riding the gravy train
We're just knocked out, we heard about the sell-out
You gotta get an album out, you owe it to the people
We're so happy we can hardly count
Everybody else is just green, have you seen the chart?
It's a hell of a start, it could be made into a monster
If we all pull together as a team
And did we tell you the name of the game, boy?
We call it riding the gravy train

 

[raleighnut]

Reminded me of this:

Come in here, dear boy, have a cigar, you're gonna go far
You're gonna fly, you're never gonna die
You're gonna make it if you try, they're gonna love you
Well, I've always had a deep respect and I mean that most sincere
The band is just fantastic, that is really what I think
Oh, by the way, which one's pink?
And did we tell you the name of the game, boy?
We call it riding the gravy train
We're just knocked out, we heard about the sell-out
You gotta get an album out, you owe it to the people
We're so happy we can hardly count
Everybody else is just green, have you seen the chart?
It's a hell of a start, it could be made into a monster
If we all pull together as a team
And did we tell you the name of the game, boy?
We call it riding the gravy train

Given more weight by Roy Harper's scathing vocal delivery

 

[tom73]

What's the point of the modern day charts who knows. What I do know is the my bro out laws prized possession is without doubt uncle Dave's 1st gold disc. Others followed including Christmas number one , all from appearing on and winning opportunity knocks. Which is not bad for bunch of best mates. Who loved music, just went out played and had fun. Only one went on to make any real money which again was down to luck writing a song which Kylie Minogue thought I like that.

 

[Webbo2]

The issue is we are at least 40 years too old to get this.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

 

[Drago]

As far as our @Accy cyclist is concerned the charts ceased to be relevant when Gilbert and Sullivan were knocked off the number 1 spot by the the Regimental Band of the Royal Welsh.