Kid Rock: How the Detroit rocker scored a monster hit with "All Summer Long"

[Jeff da Weasel]

Well, that's kind of the point: I didn't hear anything I considered meaningful at a precursory listen, and it didn't seem to be so sophisticated that listening 10, 20, 30 more times would have lent it any validity that I didn't notice the first time around.

 

So, it's collecting dust with the piles of other crappy discs I get sent (no, I didn't buy it... I get given lots of music or my job, ya see). I'm sure some of my very favorite pieces of music wouldn't interest you either, but I promise not to try and convince you otherwise!

 

Best of luck, now, with your Kid Rock love. I hope it works out for you!

[Music Calgary]

I didn't hear anything I considered meaningful at a precursory listen, and it didn't seem to be so sophisticated that listening 10, 20, 30 more times would have lent it any validity

 

Par for the course. No knowledge, tons of opinions...

[DavidJones529]

 

The people who listen to this album seem to like it. I've not heard any complaints from people who bought it. To me that is impressive, I wish I could make albums that people loved en masse like that. Lessons to be learned from this album.

 

 

You keep ignoring my question.

 

It may be a lesson for you and that's fine...why shove it down people's throat and then insult them?

 

Your first post started with crap about people dissing Kid Rock, and then you boastfully knock those people (plus me, and I wasn't even knocking him) as if you're Kid Rock. You seemed to want people to knock him so you could get on your high horse and personally insult them.

 

What a weird thing to do.

 

So,again, other than this thread and your admiration for Mr. Rock, what are YOU doing re fans and dreams. Let's hear it.

[Jeff da Weasel]

Par for the course. No knowledge, tons of opinions...

 

But I didn't like it. Isn't there music you don't like?

[Music Calgary]

But I didn't like it. Isn't there music you don't like?

 

No way. I have preferences but life is too short to dislike music.

[Jeff da Weasel]

Surely there must be some musical artist you don't enjoy, based on your personal tastes.

 

Iron Maiden?

 

Bee Gees?

 

Billy Ray Cyrus?

 

The Orb?

 

Glenn Gould?

 

The White Stripes?

 

George Strait?

 

You really find that you enjoy all of them? You don't have to hate them, of course, but do you choose to listen to these artists often?

 

I'm trying to see how someone can claim to have no tastes at all. It's very strange. There must be some artists and forms of music you like more than others, and some that for whatever reason, you don't like at all.

 

For me, I don't find anything about any of Kid's music that I've ever heard that I enjoy. But that's just me. Let's hear about you.

[nerol1st]

The fact that the man can go into a studio and record everything well is what gets him respect from me. Beyond that there isn't anything that ground breaking. The last album I was into as far as his stuff goes was Devil Without a Cause. That album happens to be one of the worst mastering jobs ever put out IMO. But the music was not that bad.

 

As far as his new stuff goes, a big "meh" comes to mind. Like I said music being popular doesn't hold much merit to me, maybe he is just better at making people feel guilty for illegally downloading (nothing wrong with that) his stuff.

[Ken Vaughn]

 

The fact that the man can go into a studio and record everything well is what gets him respect from me. Beyond that there isn't anything that ground breaking. The last album I was into as far as his stuff goes was Devil Without a Cause. That album happens to be one of the worst mastering jobs ever put out IMO. But the music was not that bad. As far as his new stuff goes, a big "meh" comes to mind. Like I said music being popular doesn't hold much merit to me, maybe he is just better at making people feel guilty for illegally downloading (nothing wrong with that) his stuff.

 

 

I love Kids' PSA on Sirius about illegal downloads. His sarcasm about stealing everything and leveling the playing field really is a good angle for making people understand the implications.

[daklander]

[franknputer]

As I understand it, Kid Rock didn't make the track anyway. Mike E. Clark did.

 

It's kinda clever, but then again I've heard better mash-ups. Sweet Home Alabama & Werewolves of London have basically the same chord progression in the same key - not the most challenging fit, really.

 

For the record, I really like some of Kid Rock's stuff. This one - meh, not real memorable. It serves a function as a "summer song", i.e. something you can blast real loud while you party with your friends (which pretty much sums up the lyrics), something you can enjoy without thinking about it a great deal - but it's hardly a milestone of musical achievement IMHO.

[sventvkg]

I would expect a song like this to be a big hit in today's society.

[Music Calgary]

Got to love the inevitable daklander posting "don't feed the trolls" in a thread with no problems, i.e. being a troll. Something about the internet which makes grown men act like 2 year old babies.

[franknputer]

Something about the internet which makes grown men act like 2 year old babies.

You mean like when somebody posts a thread about how great some performer is, supported on the basis of a hit record and an article in a largely irrelevant fan magazine, and then insults everyone who disagrees for being jealous and ignorant?

 

Yeah, what's up with that?

[Music Calgary]

You mean like when somebody posts a thread about how great some performer is

The thread is titled the same thing as the blog post it links to "How the Detroit rocker scored a monster hit with "All Summer Long"". Nothing about greatness. The lesson you've missed is how the only major act not on iTunes outsold everyone this summer. Valuable knowledge for one who anyone with an interest in marketing music.

 

supported on the basis of a hit record

The post and the article are about that song, and how it outsold the market. Not sure what's wrong with that in a music forum. Hit records are interesting to some of us.

 

The basis for Kid Rock's success is much broader however:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kid_Rock

 

and an article in a largely irrelevant fan magazine

 

Why because you say so? Sorry, you are not "the decider". Bush is. The article is short and if it doesn't interest you then by all means, avoid it -- if insulting the mag makes you feel better as you begin your day here then by all means indulge yourself. To be fair though I'm sure your opinion is about as relevant to them as theirs is to you.

 

and then insults everyone who disagrees

Never happened. A figment of your [highly active] imagination. Anyhow on one point there is no disagreement, he outsold the market without iTunes. That bit is fact, and it's probably interesting to some folks.

 

for being jealous and ignorant?

I don't use the word ignorant, you're the only one here using it...

 

Definitely many folks are jealous that Kid Rock sold so many copies of this album. The rub there of course is that no one would admit it.

[randombastage]

 

Yeah, well then...let's see you do it. Grab yourself a couple of samples of some well-known music, and put some words to it, and see if you sell 1.5 mil. The words are hardly inane, anyway. They evoke a lot of nostalgia from the 70s. Then again...you're probably one of those that sees a name or a genre you don't like, and you simply dismiss it, out of hand. I doubt if you've even heard the song.

 

You're wrong, I've listened to it 3 times from start to finish and heard it in part many more times.

As for my ability to do the same thing, I have no interest in doing it, nor do I have a record company paying me to churn out product for the masses so I'd have a distribution problem but as an example of how easy it is there are thousands of songs with similar structure and basic chord progressions to choose from. Just off the top of my head you could take Bobby McFerrins song "Don't Worry, Be Happy" and the Four Non Blondes song "What's Up" and slap them together pretty damn easily.

 

As for the lyrics being mediocre, I guess it's all subjective but for me there is a difference between waxing nostalgic in an interesting fashion and sounding like the average guy reminiscing about getting laid and stoned back in the day.

To me, on this track, his lyrics sound like sound bites from the conversation during happy hour in any bowling alley bar in America on any day.

 

Kid Rock was innovative when he was blending Rap and Rock, he was just being self indulgent when he put that mess together. Just because there are people who like it doesn't mean it isn't boring to me and when I hear it I hear a guy who liked those old songs and is just riding on the coat tails of musicians who actually created catchy songs instead of writing his own.

 

I'm not saying he didn't score a touchdown with this track, I'm saying he was playing against the third grade special education gym class when he did it....

[franknputer]

 

I don't use the word ignorant, you're the only one here using it...

 

Yes, I did. I used the word to sum up what you accused several people of. Why is it so hard to believe that someone might have heard the song and NOT liked it? I did, many times - for the last 4 years I worked in radio, and I heard 2 of our stations playing it daily. And still, I'm not impressed. I'm old enough to remember when the songs he jacked were on the radio, and I have my own memories of partying to them with my friends. I don't need Kid Rock to live vicariously through.

 

Basically, he's proved that it is actually still possible to move a record without iTunes. Wonderful - still, it doesn't negate the massive amount of music that iTunes has moved since its inception, nor does it mean the resurrection of the recording industry as it used to be (thank goodness).

 

Also, milking the popularity of two timeless recording does not equal the creation of a third. Watch it drift into obscurity...

 

He outsold Madonna and Mariah Carey this year - great. Did you know that both of them have moved over 3x the product he has during their careers? (over 60 million units each, compared to Kid Rock's 20 million. source: RIAA Top Selling Artists)

 

So - you never did answer the question: what are YOU doing lately?

[Lee Flier]

Definitely many folks are jealous that Kid Rock sold so many copies of this album. The rub there of course is that no one would admit it.

 

AH-hah-hah-hah!!

 

That's a great way to "win" an argument, isn't it? "I like this song - therefore, it IS a great song and no one could possibly dislike it. If you don't like this song too, you're just jealous. I know you are because I can read your mind! Sure you might try to deny you're jealous, but I won't believe you because you'd never admit it! Therefore there's no way I could be wrong! It doesn't matter if there are all these OTHER successful hit songs/artists that you really like and are not 'jealous' of - I'm right and you're wrong, and I know what's in your head!"

 

 

[daklander]

Got to love the inevitable daklander posting "don't feed the trolls" in a thread with no problems, i.e. being a troll. Something about the internet which makes grown men act like 2 year old babies.

 

 

Definitions of Troll on the Web:

 

A person who posts deliberately inflammatory messages on an internet discussion board

 

To deliberately post false or controversial messages to gain attention for the sake of attention.

 

A troll is a user of a newsgroup, forum or message board that posts messages with the intent of inciting an argument or flame-war.

 

By the way....

Frequently, someone who has been labeled a troll by a group may seek to redeem their reputation by discrediting their opponents, for example by claiming that other members of the group are closed-minded, conspirators, or trolls themselves.

[Lee Knight]

Something about the internet which makes grown men act like 2 year old babies.

 

Assuming you are a grown man, I whole heartedly agree with you.

[DavidJones529]

Definitely many folks are jealous that Kid Rock sold so many copies of this album. The rub there of course is that no one would admit it.

 

I would admit it.

 

Does that make you feel better?

 

I even agree somewhat with your supposed point about disliking artists or music and putting them down.

 

I'm not sure what you are getting out of insulting and fighting with people here though. I suspect you wish you were fighting with Tommy Lee at the MTV awards show.

 

Also, never did get the list from you of all your triumphs and achievements and Grammys and hit songs. If you don't have any, buck up, at least you have this hit thread.

 

Something about the internet which makes grown men act like 2 year old babies.

 

You are but what am I. I have to admit this is a silly way to kill time. Guitar Hero is a healthier and more productive folly and far more musical for sure.

[UstadKhanAli]

I don't like or dislike Kid Rock. He just is. His music doesn't do anything for me, but I don't dislike it either. The guy paid his dues and worked for many years to gain the success he has now. He definitely wasn't an overnight success. Therefore, I am not jealous of his success, and I doubt many people on this forum are either. I suspect that most people here are too busy doing what they're doing to get too worked up about anybody's success.

[Jimbroni]

I don't like or dislike Kid Rock. He just is. His music doesn't do anything for me, but I don't dislike it either. The guy paid his dues and worked for many years to gain the success he has now. He definitely wasn't an overnight success. Therefore, I am not jealous of his success, and I doubt many people on this forum are either. I suspect that most people here are too busy doing what they're doing to get too worked up about anybody's success.

 

Great Attidtude as usual. Man!!!

 

Kid Rock was playing around D town for so long before he was popular. Many of us who play and do different things, respect/accept his success regardless if we like or not. He's earned it in my opinion, and I don't really like his material.

[Music Calgary]

Here's the deal -- even if you are a critic of Kid Rock it is *ridiculous* to begrudge the financial benefits this release brings to the estate of the great Warren Zevon. If you begrudge the joy seeing their deceased grandfather's music topping the charts brings to Zevon's grandkids then you are just mean and thoughtless.

 

And if you don't get Zevon then just heaven help you... Period. Zevon was truly one of the great artists of our time.

 

Facts:

 

1. Kid Rock can sing his ass off. Go to Youtube and check out some of his live videos. I challenge any of you critics to post live videos of you singing at anywhere near that level. His live duets with Bob Seger feature some solid singing. Not to mention a great many others.

 

2. Kid Rock can play guitar. If you don't know, you don't know -- but that doesn't change the fact. He's not Pat Metheny but neither are you. He has decent timing and uses some interesting chords from time to time, that's music -- if you think the only people who deserve recognition for their guitar playing are virtuoso soloists then you simply lack scope.

 

3. Kid Rock can handle himself slightly on other instruments also. He also writes reasonable decent songs which seem to consistently top the charts and thrill his fan base. His songs are quite creatively produced vis-a-vis many of his peers.

 

4. Kid Rock is an decent live performer, he rips it up night after night -- videos on Youtube abound of him gigging with Bob Seger, Willie Nelson, Peter Wolf, Sheryl Crow, Emmylou Harris, and many more...

 

5. Kid Rock is well loved in the country, R&B, rock, pop and hiphop industries. He has a decent grasp of those styles and a surprisingly broad knowledge base of those genres. Even critics concede his scope is unusually broad.

 

6. Kid Rock just outsold all your favorite artists, not a single one held par this summer -- though many tried their best. The consumers have spoken.

 

7. If you don't like Kid Rock's original music that is merely your inability to appreciate his music, not his inability to meet your narrow criteria. He plays music for fans of music, not for critics -- a position I can certainly relate to. If your audience loves and supports you, and you reciprocate -- then you have succeeded.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxjqNsjmfc4

 

From Today Matters by John C. Maxwell:

Common misconceptions about success go hand-in-hand with certain responses. These behaviors include:

 

Criticizing success because we believe it isn't possible. We believe that life should be easy and sometimes assume that anything that is difficult is impossible. If/when success eludes us, we are then tempted to adopt a sour grapes attitude that says, "Who wants success anyway?" We quit and assume success is unattainable. However, if someone we consider less worthy achieves it, we really become critical!

[rasputin1963]

I just watched the video and heard Kid Rock's "All Summer Long" for the first time.

 

Yeah, I definitely am swayed by it; it's just irresistible, I'd say.... The kind of record that just has "hit" written all over it. Like Chubby Checker's "The Twist", it just has that three-chord instant appeal to it. What's more, the look and feel of this song/video is shrewdly calculated to be a huge Pop hit and a huge Country hit.

 

I'd say it's a sure bet The Kid will have to pay mechanical royalties to both "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Werewolves Of London". [sure, no melodies were stolen, only the "groove". But we've already seen that a "groove" is still copyrightable... I'm thinking of how Huey Lewis was sued because "I Want A New Drug" had a groove very similar to Ray Parker, Jr.'s "Ghostbusters". I'm guessing that, nowadays, there is so much money to be made that it's well worth quoting a song and crossing its writers' palms with silver...]

 

My only slight qualm is that this record "All Summer Long" has the same title as a superb, iconic single from 1962 by The Beach Boys. I hate to see great songs' lustre eclipsed by lesser songs of the same title, y'know? I swear I'm gonna sit right down and write two new songs of my own: "Moon River" and "Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch (I Can't Help Myself)"

 

For such a dweeby/dorky-looking character, Kid Rock sure seems to be irresistible to some hawt-looking wimminz.

[Ernest Buckley]

I`m not a Kid Rock fan and I don`t like the idea of rehashing an older song like that and modernizing it for ones own monetary goals. As you may have guessed, I don`t like P Diddy either or whatever hes calling himself today.