Have The
Big Deals Gone South?
by Best Selling Author, Jaci Rae
In past headlines it read, “Ax may be hovering
over Mariah Carey…recording giant ready to drop singer.”
Now wait a minute, didn’t Mariah Carey sell
well over 50 million albums since 1990? (Strictly speaking in
the dollar terms, that’s roughly 649 million dollars in
album sales alone.) And wasn’t she one of the hottest
acts in the past decade and in the exclusive Top Ten All Time
Artist who have the most consecutive No. 1 hits?
Okay, so she’s not married to the head of
Sony Records any more and who cares that she had an emotional
breakdown (who wouldn’t with the kind of pressure she
has to deal with – I think I’d like to have a breakdown
now!) – She’s considered a liability? When her contract
was reportedly worth an estimated 80 million dollars and trouble
looming over an already unsteady economy, which has hit the
music industry over the past several year in declining sales, especially since the tragic events that occurred on September
11th, it’s no wonder the “ax” would fall on
those with huge salaries.
With sales from her first release on Virgin/EMI
only reaching 400, 000 when it was released, this album has been
a disappointment to record company execs as I am sure it was
to Ms. Carey who has always been at the top of the charts until
now. But doesn’t everyone have a bad hair day? Of course, but not to the tune (excuse the pun) of 25 million dollars which
is what Ms. Carey was reportedly paid for the first release, “Glitter” on her old label. Now mind you, I would
love to make that kind of money, and hats off to Ms. Carey’s
people for negotiating that kind of deal, but the risk one takes
in being the highest paid, is that you are usually the first
one to go when times are tough.
While Ms. Carey might have had an easier time
with her old label because of loyalty to her and the huge profits
she has generated and still does for them, this brand new label
had nothing but dollar signs and no loyalty to her financially.
Hopefully, Alain Levy who replaced Ken Berry will be able to
renegotiate Ms. Carey’s contract instead of letting her
go.
This was and still is today definitely yet another
wake up call in an already floundering industry. With Record
Companies going down and out and hanging out their shingles
right and left (DreamWorks being the latest). Executives being
fired here, there and everywhere. Artists trying to duck for
cover so they aren’t the next casualty; it’s a scary
proposition being a musician. Okay, so it’s always been
a scary proposition.
So I ponder…why are things so much worse
then they used to be? Could it be that too much money is being
paid at the top? Is there not enough promotion? Is there too
much shifting and leveraging to get the best deal? Is the quality
of the product not meeting the demands of the populace? Bingo!
With the fragile state of this and so many other industries, 1 hit wonders mentality must go if the recording industry wants
to not just survive, but thrive. (Ms. Carey does not fall into
this category; other then they are trying to find the next Mariah
Carey.) Quality, not quantity. The industry needs to stop the
mass cookie cutter attitude by trying to produce the same acts
with different people in them over and over again. It’s
like eating the same meal at different restaurants night after
night. Different chefs, the same recipe, but none of the meals
were as good as the first taste you had at your favorite restaurant.
If you keep churning out the same act with different faces, eventually the fans will get tired of the original acts also
and stop buying even their product.
Change is a good thing and new acts come up all
the time, but change is not good when it is constantly happening
and no one knows which end is up. The industry needs some stability
and consistency, not only in the ranks, but also with the artists.
Too many artists are pulled off the shelves before they even
get off the ground, leaving the listening audiences confused
and disgruntled. The labels have forgotten the fans and is only
worrying about paying their costly mortgages, thereby losing
all loyalty from the paying public.
If the audience is not happy, they won’t
buy the product. In addition, we seem to be seeing even in the
bigger named artists, with only 1 song released off their albums
to the listening public. Not many people want or can afford
to buy an album for $11.98 with only 1 song they like on it
anymore, even if they are loyal fans of the established artist.
The general population is the ones who are suffering the most
in this economy.
If there is little or no money coming in, then
the day of the big contracts is gone. Some of the largest selling
albums are ones with multiple songs on it that the listener
likes. Take Shania Twain for example. Her albums are mega sellers
with more then 1/2 the album on the singles charts at various
times. Why are her albums huge? Because they are quality, and
a great bargain. The buying populace wants a deal. The Record
Industry seems to want to put out a little and expect to get
a lot, and in doing so, they are losing the fan base in general.
People are spending their money elsewhere.
They forgot that we are the fans and the fans
have the buying power. Without the buying power, they lose their
jobs, the big deals go away, and the labels go under. They need
to stick with the artists once they have signed them, promote
them, and if the first album doesn’t work, try another
one and work harder with a different strategy. Forget trying
to get another Mariah Carey, N-Sync, or Shania Twain.
Use the talent that is there and churn out more
then a 1 hit wonder. Then the buying public will come back and
the fan base will be there for hopefully years to come. Look
at acts like the Beatles, Garth Brooks, Elvis Presley, ABBA
and Barbara Streisand to name a few. These acts stir the general
public, and very few people have not heard of them. They still
sell records and when they do a concert, it’s sold out
in a second. This is because of quality. They weren’t
churned out and then spit out.
Let’s take ABBA for example. This is a group
based in the 70’s, and they haven’t had a hit record
in decades. They are also one of the biggest selling groups
of all times, still selling albums today. Recently, they were
offered a billion dollars to tour for one year. The turned it
down (wish I could do that!). While that is a contradiction
of what I said about those with the largest pay being cut first, it is in line with what I have been trying to say here all along
- the bottom line is the fan base. If it’s not there, the money will not come in, and it can’t be there with
a 1 hit wonder. Too much spending, and not enough quality product
has caused the music industry to come crashing down to reality.
A little side note on Ms. Carey. I do wish all
the success on her new CD (and it looks like she’s hitting
the top). She certainly deserves it. She has worked hard and
worked smart for the most part and has earned the right to a
deal of the magnitude she received.
Jaci Rae Copyright 2007
Jaci Rae is the No. 1 Best Selling author
of “The Indie Guide To Music, Marketing and Money”
ISBN 978-0-9746229-4-1 and “Winning Points with the Woman
in Your Life One Touchdown at a Time.”
Jaci also hosts the popular “Jaci Rae Show, ”
heard live around the world. With top music executives that
share insiders information such as: Thom King (former VP of
Clear Channel who now tells it like it is and works in getting
sponsors for artists), Mike Corbet (former A&R for Mariah Carey, et.), Peter Visvardis former Director of A&R for Sony Records, Harvey Cooper former VP of RCA Records, Jordan Keller legal
counsel for The Backstreet Boys, etc.
To gain valuable career advice, tune in every
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Dubbed by the media as "Racy Jaci" because
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insight, please make sure to check her out at: http://www.jacirae.com
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Title Time (Song Credits)
Goin' Till I'm Gone 3:07 Sample
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A Broken Wing 3:33 Sample
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Don't Think Twice 2:40 Sample
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Where I Used To Have A Heart 3:55 Sample
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Lost In Texas 3:48 Sample
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Crazy 3:22 Sample
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Can't Push A River 3:29 Sample
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Something's Going To Happen 3:28 Sample
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Under The Rainbow 3:11 Sample
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Boots On Her Feet 2:47 Sample
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Completely 3:42 Sample
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When The Time Comes 4:29 Sample
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