What did I do that was so incredibly selfless?? I watched the AMA’s, or as they are properly called: The American Music Awards. I don’t know why I watch them every year other than just as a reminder of all that is truly wrong with the music industry these days. They’re painful, they’re sometimes a little shocking, and as I found more than once last night: they are emotionally scarring.
There is so much floating in my head about this show that I’m not quite sure where to begin. I feel every single one of the years I’ve spent past the time of about 1989 right now though. When I watch these shows, its then that I recognize just how “out of it” my musical tastes really are. I “mattered”, I “counted” to the music industry back in a time where playing a musical instrument actually made sense. We scoffed at those who did not, and while there were acts that were most assuredly over the top, talent freaking mattered. Nowadays, it’s pretty clear that if you’ve got a look – you’re good to go. Talent? Musicality? We can fix that! Smoke and mirrors, people. Smoke and mirrors. It’s shocking to see for myself each year not only what is selling records (I said that last night and my oldest looked at me and dared to say “Mom, we don’t really BUY records. We buy MP3’s. That’s your first misstep with this whole thing.” Yes, she’s still alive. For now.), but is also getting radio play. I think I watch in some sort of vain attempt to remind myself that I can still “get it”.
Well guess what, dear friends? I don’t get it. I’m also pretty sure I don’t even wanna.
I’m not really interested in using my blog to desecrate OR promote some of the losers I saw on stage last night – knowing that any publicity these days is good publicity. I’m not going to, for instance, mention a certain Latina performer who insisted on being introduced as the “International Performing and Recording STAR”…who then used her “performance” as yet another way to promote product placement for the car she is currently a spokesperson. I’m also not going to stoop to talking about a specific young male “singer” (jury is WAY out on that one) that was just in the news dealing with a paternity suit. I’m definitely not talking about the group responsible for the finale. I had nightmares, for crying out loud!
What I did think about last night though, was whether or not American music really has changed. Certainly there have been changes. iTunes and the like has revolutionized the way we buy and listen to music – like it or not. There are far fewer record labels now, yet there are many more chances to be exposed to the new and different. Has music really changed though? I’m not so sure. One glaring nuance continued to smack me over and over last night, and that’s R&B. It is still King. We’ve called it Rock & Roll, we’ve called it Motown along with many other catch all phrases, but American music has it’s very roots in R&B, and that continues. It seems that those who understand that and blend it well into their music are the most respected. Given the fact that the fans vote on the awards for this specific award show, it would seem that the fans continue to appreciate and respect those roots, however fragmented and far from the trunk of the tree they may seem.
I have to admit though that I never thought I’d see the day – as a child of the 70’s and 80’s – that a crowd would cheer louder for Jennifer Lopez than they did Madonna. That’s when I realize that yes, my time has indeed passed. I still yearn to see actual bands on stage, real musicians, not artists or performers. I applaud those who can actually sing without auto tune, but still appreciate a good show.
However, a good show shouldn’t have to include stripping down to happy faced boxers, flesh- toned catsuits or neon lights or other smoke and mirror type affects to somehow hide what’s glaringly obvious: that one doesn’t deserve to be there.
-R
