Adele

[Vito Corleone]

 

 

 

I think they are promoting her to the "top forty" radio format because that is where the biggest audience is. You may see it as promoting her to teenagers but I don't. I've never seen it that way. To me you have different genres of music and pop music is the lowest common denominator of those genres. More people listen to the "pop stations". Of course like I said there have always been teen pop stars but they are in the minority in my view. I don't think most artists are thinking about the age range of their listeners. Most artists are just trying to create good music that people like and get some exposure. I think all artists would like to have a big hit record on the charts.

 

 

 

Do teens tend to keep up with popular culture and the latest trends more than older people? Of course. And we all know that younger people tend to buy more music. (Or at least they used to) But to say that "Teens have ALWAYS been the primary target audience for most music" is quite a stretch if you ask me. I mean I know people who didn't even really start to get into music until they were well into their twenties.

 

 

 

 

I would say people who don't get into music until their twenties have to be a tiny minority. And maybe the artists don't target specific demographics but the labels certainly do.

 

 

 

Exceptions only prove the rules.

[nat whilk II]

Ok, maybe it's time for some stats to chew on - from " the Spring 2013 edition of the "The U.S. Entertainment Consumer Report: State of the Media" report. Nielsen compiled the publicly available report from previously released reports as well as its proprietary platforms. Because of this, most of the report's data comes from 2012, not early 2013."

 

The famous 80/20 rule almost fits with music consumption. The high spenders, a third of all U.S. consumers, represent nearly four out of every five dollars (78%) spent on music.

The "high spender" group has slightly more females than males, very few teens (5%) and a higher share of Hispanics (19%) than exists in the total population. But these high spenders are hardly wealthy: their average household income is $66,000 per year.

 

Users of on-demand music streaming services are 90% more likely than the average consumer to be heavy spenders on music. (They are also 50% more likely to be heavy spenders on event tickets.) This makes sense. On-demand music is the domain of serious music consumers. At $10 a month for web and mobile access, the $120 annual cost of a subscription service goes a long way to making a person a heavy spender. An earlier Nielsen report said the top two (out of six) spending groups, which account for 27% of all music consumers, average $402 and $344 annually on music purchases.

 

There's lots more data - I cherrypicked the above quotes. You can download the full report here:

 

http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/reports/2013/u-s--entertainment-consumer-report.html

 

 

nat whilk ii

 

[UstadKhanAli]

 

And I thought McCartney was expensive.

 

At the other end of the spectrum are a pair of third row floor seats for Friday priced at over $10,000 apiece. That same general area of seating goes up to more than $18,000 per ticket on Saturday night.

 

http://talktown.blog.myajc.com/2015/12/17/didnt-get-adele-tickets-dont-despair-prepare-to-pay/

 

Jeeez, that is crazy. Glad we can get in the door. I wish it weren't at the Staples Center, which has horrible sound, but at least I'm in the door.

 

Looking forward to hearing her. And this coming from a guy with maybe 80% of CDs and playlists on Spotify being international/world music, psychedelic, dub, or experimental. But I just love her voice.

 

 

[Folder]

 

Jeeez, that is crazy. Glad we can get in the door. I wish it weren't at the Staples Center, which has horrible sound, but at least I'm in the door.

 

 

 

$18,000 for tickets in Atlanta. I saw where people are asking $50,000 for seats at Madison Square Garden. That's unbelievable.

 

Has anything like this ever happened before?

[Idunno]

Not moved by Adele. I'm an old curmudgeon who has been too long writing and otherwise beneath the music making process. I just don't feel the art in the artistry anymore and even if the singer emotes genuinely enough to crap halos, I'm still not sold on the sincerity of the "passion". Jaundiced by the industry, the heart of music is gone for me.

 

The old album format wasn't a problem for me because I never bought any music. True story. If the music was worth air play, it was free. If not, it was collected on vinyl and packaged off as a collection of air-play worthiness and filler where the album cover art was often more impressive than the filler. I found no point even visiting a record store and that was as early as age 15. People I knew had collections of the stuff and for what? To wear it out within the 1st 30 days of buying it?

 

Selling the individual songs seems like a good idea but these days it will be impossible to control unless some pretty stiff legislation polices the internet. Focusing on and prosecuting individual illegal uploading/provision/downloading is the wave of the future. That would sour much of music's charm for many people but its implementation is long overdue. When art appreciation can only be effected thru the wallet, appreciation will see much attrition. That's how it used to be but since the internet's scourge of piracy has now become a near birth rite, good luck rolling back the clock. Once a cheat, always a cheat.

[nat whilk II]

 

This seems to say that only songs that got played on the radio a lot were worthy.

 

How can that be any thinking, feeling person's critieria???

 

Correct me if I misunderstand.

 

nat whilk ii

 

[Dendy Jarrett]

Adele Tickets went on sell in Nashville two days ago. Two shows at the Bridgestone Arena. Both sold out within an hour. My wife tried to buy tickets. Not a chance. And (you got it) they started showing up online within an hour at 10 times the price.

 

Crazy.

 

 

[UstadKhanAli]

Not moved by Adele. I'm an old curmudgeon who has been too long writing and otherwise beneath the music making process. I just don't feel the art in the artistry anymore and even if the singer emotes genuinely enough to crap halos, I'm still not sold on the sincerity of the "passion". Jaundiced by the industry, the heart of music is gone for me.

 

The old album format wasn't a problem for me because I never bought any music. True story. If the music was worth air play, it was free. If not, it was collected on vinyl and packaged off as a collection of air-play worthiness and filler where the album cover art was often more impressive than the filler. I found no point even visiting a record store and that was as early as age 15. People I knew had collections of the stuff and for what? To wear it out within the 1st 30 days of buying it?

 

Selling the individual songs seems like a good idea but these days it will be impossible to control unless some pretty stiff legislation polices the internet. Focusing on and prosecuting individual illegal uploading/provision/downloading is the wave of the future. That would sour much of music's charm for many people but its implementation is long overdue. When art appreciation can only be effected thru the wallet, appreciation will see much attrition. That's how it used to be but since the internet's scourge of piracy has now become a near birth rite, good luck rolling back the clock. Once a cheat, always a cheat.

 

This is such a sad post.

 

I'm not going to talk you out of it. But out of curiosity, what DO you listen to for enjoyment?

[UstadKhanAli]

 

$18,000 for tickets in Atlanta. I saw where people are asking $50,000 for seats at Madison Square Garden. That's unbelievable.

 

Has anything like this ever happened before?

 

I really have no idea, but good question. She'll be my first pop concert, and certainly my first "This person is super hot and everyone wants a ticket to this event" sort of thing, so I just have no idea. I just feel lucky that we got tickets at all.

 

People are trying to sell tickets that...well, I'm not sure how it's going to go. In an attempt to cut down in scalping, many of the tickets are such that you and your entire party (there was a limit of four tickets per purchase) have to show up with your credit card, which serves as your ticket. Yet people are still attempting to sell these tickets online, and I'm not sure how that works, whether many of those are scams, or what. No idea. This is crazy stuff.

[Ernest Buckley]

Not moved by Adele. I'm an old curmudgeon who has been too long writing and otherwise beneath the music making process. I just don't feel the art in the artistry anymore and even if the singer emotes genuinely enough to crap halos, I'm still not sold on the sincerity of the "passion". Jaundiced by the industry, the heart of music is gone for me.

 

The old album format wasn't a problem for me because I never bought any music. True story. If the music was worth air play, it was free. If not, it was collected on vinyl and packaged off as a collection of air-play worthiness and filler where the album cover art was often more impressive than the filler. I found no point even visiting a record store and that was as early as age 15. People I knew had collections of the stuff and for what? To wear it out within the 1st 30 days of buying it?

 

Selling the individual songs seems like a good idea but these days it will be impossible to control unless some pretty stiff legislation polices the internet. Focusing on and prosecuting individual illegal uploading/provision/downloading is the wave of the future. That would sour much of music's charm for many people but its implementation is long overdue. When art appreciation can only be effected thru the wallet, appreciation will see much attrition. That's how it used to be but since the internet's scourge of piracy has now become a near birth rite, good luck rolling back the clock. Once a cheat, always a cheat.

 

As Ken mentioned, a sad post. Not really sure why you`re even on this forum actually… what was the last piece of music that you actually enjoyed?

 

A friend of mine has gone sour puss the last few years… nothing makes him happy, he seems to hate everything, everyone, and even music is now his latest fatality. Sad indeed. Your post reminded me of him…

[Ernest Buckley]

 

$18,000 for tickets in Atlanta. I saw where people are asking $50,000 for seats at Madison Square Garden. That's unbelievable.

 

Has anything like this ever happened before?

 

Living here in NYC, I can tell you I hardly go to concerts any more because of prices. Actually purchasing a ticket directly from ticket master is almost impossible so most tickets (even college basketball games) are purchased via secondary sellers in which you can expect to pay 3-4x the price of the price on the ticket. I tried to get tickets to see U2 last summer but tickets were $250 and higher and the seats sucked. Add to that that I was looking to get 4 and you`re talking over a $1000 for a 3 hour show. Not worth it in my opinion.

 

I`m sorta of fed up with the whole thing and then when you consider the security and the price of a beer ($12 for a Stella), you just want to stay home…

[Folder]

Well I heard the whole album last night and I can honestly say that I just don't get it. Not saying I don't think she's talented and has a powerful voice but I wonder if there's something else besides the music that is connecting with people.

 

The last time I remember anything this big that I didn't get was "Hootie and the Blowfish".

Still can't figure out how they ended up with the 16th biggest selling album of all time.

[UstadKhanAli]

Well I heard the whole album last night and I can honestly say that I just don't get it. Not saying I don't think she's talented and has a powerful voice but I wonder if there's something else besides the music that is connecting with people.

 

The last time I remember anything this big that I didn't get was "Hootie and the Blowfish".

Still can't figure out how they ended up with the 16th biggest selling album of all time.

 

To me, when I've most connected with Adele is when I've seen her performances live on YouTube or TV.

 

Anyway, you can't like anything. I rarely have loved pop music so much that I actually get excited about it. I also love Sade. So I would like to see her live. Her voice moves me, and feels like a force of nature. But you don't have to get it. I'm just glad that there's music that makes me feel something, and when it's there, I don't examine it much. I just embrace it.

 

I don't think about how she might have giant machinery that sucks money out of people. I don't think about how maybe she's this or that or greedy or disingenuous or what. She feels real to me, she seems cool, I like her music and her voice, and that's enough.

 

 

[UstadKhanAli]

 

Living here in NYC, I can tell you I hardly go to concerts any more because of prices. Actually purchasing a ticket directly from ticket master is almost impossible so most tickets (even college basketball games) are purchased via secondary sellers in which you can expect to pay 3-4x the price of the price on the ticket. I tried to get tickets to see U2 last summer but tickets were $250 and higher and the seats sucked. Add to that that I was looking to get 4 and you`re talking over a $1000 for a 3 hour show. Not worth it in my opinion.

 

I`m sorta of fed up with the whole thing and then when you consider the security and the price of a beer ($12 for a Stella), you just want to stay home…

 

It's horrible, and I don't enjoy it most of the time. The hassle factor and expense is too much, so I don't do it very much.

 

 

[Ernest Buckley]

The last time I remember anything this big that I didn't get was "Hootie and the Blowfish".

Still can't figure out how they ended up with the 16th biggest selling album of all time.

 

Yeah, I`m still scratching my head over that one as well. The only thing I can figure is that these albums come out at a specific time and seem to capture the particular time. I just looked, the record was released on July 1, 1994. That was a few months after Kurt Cobains death so grunge was still going strong but we were also just a couple of years away from the r&b/hiphop genre taking over.

 

We could try to put some theories to the test but I`m honestly not sure theres any method to the madness.

[tbry]

 

The last time I remember anything this big that I didn't get was "Hootie and the Blowfish".

Still can't figure out how they ended up with the 16th biggest selling album of all time.

 

Loved that album...listened it to death. Great vocalist and catchy emotive songs...even dolphins make me cry.

 

 

[tbry]

Already a Hello parody...Thought this might be enjoyed by some.

[Folder]

 

I don't think about how she might have giant machinery that sucks money out of people. I don't think about how maybe she's this or that or greedy or disingenuous or what. She feels real to me, she seems cool, I like her music and her voice, and that's enough.

 

 

Heard it a second time tonight.

 

Hello is the catchiest song for me and the only one that seems to have something close to a hook. It's also very dynamic. The choruses actually sound louder than the verses. Imagine that. I also like the few that have something of a rhythm track, including track #2. But I guess for me I just don't hear it as all that special. It's good, the production is good, but there are a lot of great artists out there making good records who have nowhere near her level of success.

 

I think it's great that she's so successful. And like I said I loved "Rolling in the Deep" but I've never heard of anybody paying tens of thousands of dollars for a concert ticket. I guess that's what's really baffling to me.

 

I think Earnest Buckley has the answer.

She's in the right place at the right time.

[Folder]

 

Loved that album...listened it to death. Great vocalist and catchy emotive songs...even dolphins make me cry.

 

 

Do you think it's better than "Dark Side of the Moon" or "Abbey Road"?

[Ernest Buckley]

I think Earnest Buckley has the answer.

She's in the right place at the right time.

 

Those comments were in reference to Hootie and The Blowfish, not Adele. I think Adele has a tremendous voice and thats the reason for her success. The songs are good. Not great but her voice puts them over the top. The productions are pretty creative in my opinion. I think there are some really good moments on 25 just like there were on 21.

 

As a vocalist myself I can tell you what she does, she does with extreme craftsmanship. She has tremendous control over her instrument and makes it sound easy which is to her credit. To the untrained ear, it just may not seem to be much but she is a true talent.

 

If you don`t like her, its not a big deal. However, if she keeps herself healthy, she will be around for a very long time so get used to it.

[tbry]

 

Do you think it's better than "Dark Side of the Moon" or "Abbey Road"?

 

No...but I liked it. Whats the difference?

 

Actually, I do like it better than the Dark Side...and in general I like the Rubber Soul better than Abby Road but thats splitting hairs...cause I like both or just about any Beatles...Dark Side just doesn't do it for me.

 

[techristian]

My wife is a singer but doesn't like Adele's voice. Says that it is "harsh". She is OK as far as I'm concerned. Not too cool that it takes more than a minute on her music video "hello" before there is any music.

 

Politically? A quote from Adele (speaking of British taxes)

 

"I’m mortified to have to pay 50 percent! [While] I use the NHS (National Health Service), I can’t use public transport any more. Trains are always late, most state schools are ****************, and I’ve gotta give you, like, four million quid – are you having a laugh? When I got my tax bill in from [the album] 19, I was ready to go and buy a gun and randomly open fire."

 

Adele Tickets went on sell in Nashville two days ago. Two shows at the Bridgestone Arena. Both sold out within an hour. My wife tried to buy tickets. Not a chance. And (you got it) they started showing up online within an hour at 10 times the price.

 

Crazy.

 

 

SCALPERS SHOULD BE ARRESTED !!

 

 

Dan

[Folder]

 

No...but I liked it. Whats the difference?

 

 

That's great. If you like it, you like it.

 

But I just never got how Hootie and the Blowfish could outsell "Dark Side of the Moon" and "Abbey Road".

I just don't see them in the same league as The Beatles or The Rolling Stones or Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin or Bruce Springsteen etc. etc. all of whom they outsold. They just seem like the odd men out on that list to me. They were a huge phenomenon and I just didn't get it. Still don't actually.

[UstadKhanAli]

 

 

She's in the right place at the right time.

 

Every successful artist is.

 

She has a great voice that resonates with people and whatever push was behind her by the record company hit just right, she feels "real", she has a personality that is real and disarming, Amy Winehouse sort of set the stage for her, and, let's face it, she's really good.

 

Every successful artist needs to be in the right place at the right time.

 

History is littered with very talented people who never got public acclaim, were thrown under the bus by their record company, or had a potentially financially successful career torpedoed in some other way.

 

 

[UstadKhanAli]

 

That's great. If you like it, you like it.

 

But I just never got how Hootie and the Blowfish could outsell "Dark Side of the Moon" and "Abbey Road".

I just don't see them in the same league as The Beatles or The Rolling Stones or Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin or Bruce Springsteen etc. etc. all of whom they outsold. They just seem like the odd men out on that list to me. They were a huge phenomenon and I just didn't get it. Still don't actually.

 

Excuse me, but really, who f**king cares?

 

Has financial success EVER had to do with who you think is in the same league?

 

Does Britney Spears deserve to be more successful than hundreds of thousands of singers who can sing better than her? We can play this game all day. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is probably one of the greatest singers of all time, so should issue statements like "Bruce Springsteen isn't in the same league as him and doesn't deserve it"? Or since Djivan Gasparyan is a considerably greater talent than any of the Beatles musically, they don't hold a candle to him and should not be as successful? Should we look at the Miles Davis band and say, "They can mop the floor with the Stones, Beatles, Floyd, Zeppelin, Springsteen, The Who, Floyd, whatever, none of whom are in the same league as them, so they should be more successful"? I mean, the whole f**king argument gets stupid and leads to resentment and fogeyism.

 

Why don't we just listen to music we like?

 

I don't care that Radiohead "OK Computer" is more artistically ambitious and adventurous. That's one of my favorite albums, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying Adele or Sade.

 

Why can't we simply enjoy music that we like?