HAS THE EVOLUTION OF THE MUSIC INDUSTRY CHANGED FOR THE BETTER?
Lets be honest folks when it comes to how the entire world has responded to music, India surely is the runt of the litter, metaphorically speaking. From producing and nurturing the biggest and the greatest guns in the industry like Kishore Kumar and The Beatles to George Michael and whatnot, has the world moved on to a better place? We are at a crossroads when it comes to the subtle art of music making. The evocative way in which it is sang is nowadays non-existent in the Hindi film industry or even the world. Take for example:the mass hysteria following the "Rocket man's" era wherein Sir Elton John went on to becoming the most sold out singer back in the 20th Century and his songs have shaken millions of hearts and peddled oodles of love to not just Britons but just about every other music fanatic. Wow, kinda resembles Freddy Mercury's live-aid concert doesn't it?
With the change in industry practices, work ethics and a personal need to churn out better music, there was primacy given to the what the audience needed and not what the singer wanted.Songs on slavery, love, passion etc were strewn around like :
1)The time of The Bob Marley:with the influx of something so cathartic like reggae, it gave rise to a cult following wherein Bob Marley was the next big thing, and indeed he was. Despite all the photos out there about him happily whiffing away from a marijuana cigarette without a care in the world was a symbol of his rise and success.
This gradually segued into the birth of the seed known as "POP".
2)The cultural ramifications of pop music: The great Michael Jackson or commonly referred to as the "King of Pop created a decade worth of dreams and peddled the concept of invariably great music through not just his iconic and signature dance moves but also his soul-stirring music .
Be it Bad, Dangerous, They don't care about us, Thriller etc:there's something in it for everybody.
Until his untimely demise that ravaged the music fraternity as well as the whole world.With his death, however Pop was merely replicated, but it was never the same. Pop died with him.
3) 
Then came Presley, who was not only known for his pretty-boy status, his perfect bouffant but also his inimitable grace and music created shock waves across the music scene. Originally overlooked and dismissed because of his non-musical talents, he proved his peers and teachers wrong after becoming a global heartthrob and sensation.Presley made fashion statements and compiled great music that will linger on in everyone's mind for posterity.(or until the music industry saturates).
Now, this gradually developed and evolved over time as British and American singers and musicians dominated the market space. The need for new and innovative music was the status quo and thus the Hindi film industry emerged. It was the Zinger's time and oh boy, did he grow on you?! His music was never to be taken at face value as he kept morphing from music to acting(rather an actor without getting bit by the acting bug)and people started associating his lilting and unusual melodious voice with his myriad chart topping hits.
He ruled the roost and was one of the only sought after singers back in the bygone era of the 20th century until his inopportune death in 1987 wherein to solidify his reputation, there was almost no other capable singer ready to fill his shoes. His legacy was indeed unparalleled.
The contemporary trend in the industry has largely been about nepotism and self-promotion, in the sense literally anyone can become a star in their own right if they ensure that they have the right connections, even with limited skills. What astounds me is just how easy it has been for everyday individuals to break forth and make their name despite have no singing talent at all. eg: Badshah who is a self-touted rapper and "singer". Gone are the days when people could dance their troubles and worries away with gay abandon by listening to Kishore Dada's amazing tracks....hmmphhh, times have changed. There was a sharp decline in quality and vocal tenor but it was later continued by real and legit singers like Shaan, Sonu Nigam etc who redefined the paradigm of what music actually stood for.
Also with collaborations with popular maestros in music like Asha Bhosle and Lata Mangeshkar barring the odd Arijit Singh, Badshah etc: I would safely say that Indian music is certainly on the right track. With the right exposure, training and passion, I dont see why we can't become a nation that celebrates music as a divine power, a force to be reckoned .
I dont care what the current trend is but these two pioneers of the music industry will leave a lasting impression on my mind for more time that I care to admit. They have personally given the world the greatest possible gift of all:The gift of seamless and indubitable music which will sort of go down in the annals of history. Hoping to see that a sharp variance with the contemporary music scenario if the principles of some great guns like these are further adopted. What I have observed as a hindrance to producing music a class apart is that we have a very anarchic work culture with sub-standard production equipment being utilized for its making. But one thing is for sure:
MUSIC IS HERE TO STAY. TILL THEN, ROCK AND ROLL.
With the change in industry practices, work ethics and a personal need to churn out better music, there was primacy given to the what the audience needed and not what the singer wanted.Songs on slavery, love, passion etc were strewn around like :1)The time of The Bob Marley:with the influx of something so cathartic like reggae, it gave rise to a cult following wherein Bob Marley was the next big thing, and indeed he was. Despite all the photos out there about him happily whiffing away from a marijuana cigarette without a care in the world was a symbol of his rise and success.
This gradually segued into the birth of the seed known as "POP".2)The cultural ramifications of pop music: The great Michael Jackson or commonly referred to as the "King of Pop created a decade worth of dreams and peddled the concept of invariably great music through not just his iconic and signature dance moves but also his soul-stirring music .
Be it Bad, Dangerous, They don't care about us, Thriller etc:there's something in it for everybody.
Until his untimely demise that ravaged the music fraternity as well as the whole world.With his death, however Pop was merely replicated, but it was never the same. Pop died with him. Then came Presley, who was not only known for his pretty-boy status, his perfect bouffant but also his inimitable grace and music created shock waves across the music scene. Originally overlooked and dismissed because of his non-musical talents, he proved his peers and teachers wrong after becoming a global heartthrob and sensation.Presley made fashion statements and compiled great music that will linger on in everyone's mind for posterity.(or until the music industry saturates).Now, this gradually developed and evolved over time as British and American singers and musicians dominated the market space. The need for new and innovative music was the status quo and thus the Hindi film industry emerged. It was the Zinger's time and oh boy, did he grow on you?! His music was never to be taken at face value as he kept morphing from music to acting(rather an actor without getting bit by the acting bug)and people started associating his lilting and unusual melodious voice with his myriad chart topping hits.
He ruled the roost and was one of the only sought after singers back in the bygone era of the 20th century until his inopportune death in 1987 wherein to solidify his reputation, there was almost no other capable singer ready to fill his shoes. His legacy was indeed unparalleled.The contemporary trend in the industry has largely been about nepotism and self-promotion, in the sense literally anyone can become a star in their own right if they ensure that they have the right connections, even with limited skills. What astounds me is just how easy it has been for everyday individuals to break forth and make their name despite have no singing talent at all. eg: Badshah who is a self-touted rapper and "singer". Gone are the days when people could dance their troubles and worries away with gay abandon by listening to Kishore Dada's amazing tracks....hmmphhh, times have changed. There was a sharp decline in quality and vocal tenor but it was later continued by real and legit singers like Shaan, Sonu Nigam etc who redefined the paradigm of what music actually stood for.I dont care what the current trend is but these two pioneers of the music industry will leave a lasting impression on my mind for more time that I care to admit. They have personally given the world the greatest possible gift of all:The gift of seamless and indubitable music which will sort of go down in the annals of history. Hoping to see that a sharp variance with the contemporary music scenario if the principles of some great guns like these are further adopted. What I have observed as a hindrance to producing music a class apart is that we have a very anarchic work culture with sub-standard production equipment being utilized for its making. But one thing is for sure:
MUSIC IS HERE TO STAY. TILL THEN, ROCK AND ROLL.
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