tamarisk
December 24th, 2003, 04:30 AM
http://www.di-ve.com/dive/portal/portal.jhtml;$sessionid$QKR3EVSS5YPPXQU4EWBCFEQ?id =118170&pid=1
by Omar Cutajar
Wednesday, 24 December, 2003
Pop music stars owe their success to a great extent to their hordes of loyal fans that keep following their beloved ones despite some occasional flip of luck. But fate does not exclusively explain the rising stars and shooting meteors that dot the sprawling skyline of pop music idolatry. It takes talent and indeed a good stake of luck to propel absolute non-starters into previously undreamed of stardom heights. Yet, those numerous but often anonymous devotees, do wage an equally important outlay in determining the triumphs or otherwise of these stars.
What entices a fan to start and keep following a particular singer, band or even more generally speaking a peculiar musical style? Forwarding an answer to such a query demands a discernment far beyond mere personal chemistry since indeed, with the globalisation of music there is little if any personal contact between music idols and their respective fans. Even just the mere consideration of a personal bond between artist and fan verges on the fantastic more reminiscent of some romantic movie clip of the good old days gone bye.
Cynicism apart, it is undoubtedly true to say that commercial considerations are the primary bridging point between profit-mongering musicians and their passive consumption-minded followers. What usually tends to originate as genuine keenness for some distinctive characteristic or otherwise that exalts the artistic potential of any given singer, easily degenerates into nothing less superficial than a marketing exploitation.
Indeed, the vast majority of the big names on the current music scene owe their publicity stunts and sales value to their potential market extents, gaugeable by the simplest and most cost-effective method available, that is the magnitude of their fans' following which they manage to entice or otherwise.
Nowadays, there is barely any single established singer or band that doesn't boast of a web portal endowed with the latest features inclusive of an online merchandising unit specifically intended for maximising profit through sales of memento items such as special tours fashion wear. The sales range of mementos is virtually unlimited starting with odd stuff such as key chains ending with even authentic sports gear like skateboards designed and branded with bands logos. Some might say this is taking the fans for an easy ride. For the average reasonable individual there is little much falsehood round that statement but for the fanatic fan going on some spending spree on such merchandising items this amounts to ultimate bliss.
The artists in question benefit propitiously from the incoming funds. Along with their marketing executives and public relations team whose job brief is precisely to raise revenue through the most convenient and abundant resource available, such artists unashamedly relish in garnering added commercial value to what might otherwise have easily been an average if not even mediocre artistic venture. At the end of the day, there is little to be astounded of. These are the normal everyday workings of the music industry and whether one likes it or not they are part of the game.
Rules are there to be observed and consequently lack of such commercial trends reveals not a freer market in terms of artistic expression but indeed a distraught music market that has as yet failed to match up with the contemporary international realities of musical endeavour. The flustered situation of the local music market perfectly vindicates such a paradoxical scenario. The apparent freedom to engage upon praise-deserving artistic efforts is often frustrated not because of some inherently suppressive music mood but rather because Malta simply lacks a fully-fledged music market.
Nor can the local scenario realistically and unambiguously support over the long-term musical endeavours that are financially demanding beyond what are now the accepted humble standards of music production in terms of expected records sales, profit margins and consequently commercial viability.
by Omar Cutajar
Wednesday, 24 December, 2003
Pop music stars owe their success to a great extent to their hordes of loyal fans that keep following their beloved ones despite some occasional flip of luck. But fate does not exclusively explain the rising stars and shooting meteors that dot the sprawling skyline of pop music idolatry. It takes talent and indeed a good stake of luck to propel absolute non-starters into previously undreamed of stardom heights. Yet, those numerous but often anonymous devotees, do wage an equally important outlay in determining the triumphs or otherwise of these stars.
What entices a fan to start and keep following a particular singer, band or even more generally speaking a peculiar musical style? Forwarding an answer to such a query demands a discernment far beyond mere personal chemistry since indeed, with the globalisation of music there is little if any personal contact between music idols and their respective fans. Even just the mere consideration of a personal bond between artist and fan verges on the fantastic more reminiscent of some romantic movie clip of the good old days gone bye.
Cynicism apart, it is undoubtedly true to say that commercial considerations are the primary bridging point between profit-mongering musicians and their passive consumption-minded followers. What usually tends to originate as genuine keenness for some distinctive characteristic or otherwise that exalts the artistic potential of any given singer, easily degenerates into nothing less superficial than a marketing exploitation.
Indeed, the vast majority of the big names on the current music scene owe their publicity stunts and sales value to their potential market extents, gaugeable by the simplest and most cost-effective method available, that is the magnitude of their fans' following which they manage to entice or otherwise.
Nowadays, there is barely any single established singer or band that doesn't boast of a web portal endowed with the latest features inclusive of an online merchandising unit specifically intended for maximising profit through sales of memento items such as special tours fashion wear. The sales range of mementos is virtually unlimited starting with odd stuff such as key chains ending with even authentic sports gear like skateboards designed and branded with bands logos. Some might say this is taking the fans for an easy ride. For the average reasonable individual there is little much falsehood round that statement but for the fanatic fan going on some spending spree on such merchandising items this amounts to ultimate bliss.
The artists in question benefit propitiously from the incoming funds. Along with their marketing executives and public relations team whose job brief is precisely to raise revenue through the most convenient and abundant resource available, such artists unashamedly relish in garnering added commercial value to what might otherwise have easily been an average if not even mediocre artistic venture. At the end of the day, there is little to be astounded of. These are the normal everyday workings of the music industry and whether one likes it or not they are part of the game.
Rules are there to be observed and consequently lack of such commercial trends reveals not a freer market in terms of artistic expression but indeed a distraught music market that has as yet failed to match up with the contemporary international realities of musical endeavour. The flustered situation of the local music market perfectly vindicates such a paradoxical scenario. The apparent freedom to engage upon praise-deserving artistic efforts is often frustrated not because of some inherently suppressive music mood but rather because Malta simply lacks a fully-fledged music market.
Nor can the local scenario realistically and unambiguously support over the long-term musical endeavours that are financially demanding beyond what are now the accepted humble standards of music production in terms of expected records sales, profit margins and consequently commercial viability.