Will Smith and Family Shocked at VMA's

[ReddFoxx]

That doesn't even make the fuss charts remotely. The only thing I can say is that she was trying to hard to be edgy and it came off as forced something, plus she was trying to twerk with no visible butt whatsoever.

[alphanguy74]

It means the quality of the music today in general is so bad that tens of millions have just written it off. When someone with a REAL voice comes along, like Adele, then people latch onto her like a drowning man to a life preserver. But I take comfort in that no matter how bad music gets, you can always count on Cher or LeAnn Rimes for something good.

[JackPeyton]

Really?

It has nothing to do with downloading music for free or streaming music for free on apps? I doubt that everyone not buying CDs are just. To listening to music. It doesn't have to do with the quality, it has to do with the times. TV rqtings and movie sales are down too, but that doesn't mean that hose accounted for are the only people watching, or in this case listening.

I buy so little music. When I do it's a single. And it's not I download anymore either, it's because when I was listen to music I que up YouTube or I play pandora.

[DRW50]

I didn't even know that was twerking. Andy [!@#$%^&*] Cohen twerks more than she did.

It just comes across as forced and dull. I don't even know why people are scandalized. It looks like a somewhat trashy version of Dean Martin and the Golddiggers.

Any artist should be very careful of being defined by stunts. That's one of the reasons Gaga is crashing.

[Cheap21]

Exactly. The landscape has changed and technology is different now. Physical album sales aren't everything anymore bc most people do not buy CDs. Back in the 70s, you had to buy records to get your fix but now you have ITunes, Rhapsody, Pandora, etc... I cant recall the last tiem I bought a physical CD. Those really are archaic for the times today. They take up space and are less convenient as you have to carry them around and switch them in and out of your player. Its so much easier to just buy a digital copy, which takes up no physical room and can be stream/downloaded onto any device. I don't ever have to worry about losing or beraking it and its just much more convenient

[All My Shadows]

Massive co-sign to these posts. I don't get the concept of an entire industry declining because such an enormous number of people aren't interested anymore lol Sales are down, but fame -- for better or for worse -- is extremely high. Gaga, Miley, Selena, Rihanna, etc. know who their audience is, and they *surprise* cater to what their audience wants. If you're not a part of that audience, their music is not. for. you. lol It's a fairly simple concept.

And I can hardly blame Miley for wanting to shed her image. When was the last time a teenage singer became popular and was well-accepted by most of the general public? Teen singers are skewered almost immediately for things they can't even control, so it should come as no shock that they all desperately try to run far, far away from that when they grow up. Bieber is Exhibit A.

[JackPeyton]

And Miley wasnt even famous for Miley. She was Hannah Montana and was always going to unfairly be seen as such. People were going to hold her to Hannah and not let her be Miley. She's transitioned well and shed her image and kept a large portion of her fan base while gaining a new one. She also seems to have kept it together unlike most teen stars that stay relevant - let alone successful. The fact that people are saying this is what Hannah Montana grew up to be need a reality check. Hannah Montana ended and this is Miley Cyrus' current act like all stars do.

[alphanguy74]

That's the difference. Today, All record commpanies cater that audience you refer to. 30 years ago, They catered to a bigger cross section of the population, now today it's everyone fighting over the same cookie, and the cookie is fickle. It's sad when a song from a TV news promo from New Orleans is catchier than anything in the top 40. There's just no variety. When was the last time a sweet love ballad was number one? Something in the vein of Vanessa Williams' "Save The Best For Last"? There is simply no ecclecticism left in the top 40 charts. The record companies have stopped casting a wide net, and cast a narrow net, thinking they can get higher profit with fewer releases. And theyr'e cutting their own throats, theyr'e just too stubborn and/or stupid to realize it.

[alphanguy74]

Oh, I don't know.... LeAnn Rimes, MICHAEL JACKSON, Donny and Marie Osmond, Tanya Tucker, Stevie Wonder, Brenda Lee, Lulu, Petula Clark, Donnie Wahlberg.

[All My Shadows]

Thirty years ago, music catered to a bigger cross section because access was limited and the industry was not as expanse as it is now. Nowadays, bands can get huge followings without ever breaking the Hot 100 or having huge sales. Therefore, airplay, chart success, and being mainstream are much less important. The likes of Rihanna, Beyonce, Britney, Gaga, Katy, etc. may be what we see the most of because they are mainstream, but for every one of them, there's a Matt & Kim, Young the Giant, Civil Wars, etc, who aren't really mainstream but still have legions of fans. They've utilized other avenues to reach their audience, and it's worked.

What I'm trying to say is that the Top 40 is NOT the indicator of "current music" that it used to be, and it's because it's a terribly obsolete method of measuring popularity. The only people who really pay attention to charts now are stans with agendas.

Thank you for proving my point.

[DRW50]

The question is if you let this stuff define you. Someone like Katy Perry (and I'm not really a fan of hers) or Britney Spears, in her heyday, Madonna, there are stunts, but it's not who they are.

This type of stunt just seems to barely be about her at all. She doesn't command the stage, she gets lost in a crowd, and she looks awkward and silly.

Say what you will about Rihanna, but she knows how to pull this off. Miley Cyrus looks like she just got out of a Youtube video filmed in her bedroom.

[JackPeyton]

LeAnn Rimes is a disaster, in & out of rehab, and broke up a marriage.

Donny & Marie are far from non-controversial.

Tanya? Disaster.

Michael Jackson? Do i really need to go into detail.

Miley is, as far as we know, in a long term committed relationship. Shes not a disaster, shes not a trainwreck. She isnt stumbling in and out clubs, mentally ill, an addict, in the tabloids, or anything like the majority of her peers both current, recent and those stars who were young & famous once before as you mentioned. Shes just putting on a show, getting people talking, shedding her Hannah Montana coat, and its working.

She wont be defined by this. She can easily transition again in a few years and laugh at this looking back. But right now, its def working in her favor. She stole the show, has everyone talking about her and shes topping the charts. Nobody expected that.

Miley put on a show to get people talking, to buy her new music, to forget all about Hannah Montana - and it worked. She knew what she was doing and she seems to be in on the joke and thats what makes this the best, imo.

[SFK]

Yesterday, several Facebook friends shared the article linked below. A very well-written and important read in regards to Miley's VMA performance. Many people are quick to pat Miley on the back because, "there's no such thing as bad publicity". But there is such a thing as fetishizing black female bodies and their "usefulness", and perpetuating racist-sexist imagery for the masses (particularly for the young and/or ignorant who can't adequately process and filter stereotypes) just for the sake of your coming out party as big-girl-sexy-girl-Miley. She surrounds herself with big bootyed black girls and feebly twerks as they expertly do and she gets her sexy grownup girl pass. A couple of years from now, she'll be wearing her hair long, dressed in smart suits being interviewed about her Oscar buzzy performance in some "serious" film, as she distances herself from her "sexy=ratchet=black" phase.

http://groupthink.jezebel.com/solidarity-is-for-miley-cyrus-1203666732

[JackPeyton]

lord, a jezebel article. i cant even.

I do get that argument tho, its a valid one. She using quote ratchet culture. absolutely, and ive read some interesting comments and thoughts on it, but i cant read a jezebel piece.

[ReddFoxx]

This is true, the charts mean almost nothing anymore outside of country music, because radio still plays a big part in artist being heard, as the genre still has a lot of low-tech listeners who still call stations and request songs. In pop, only the album chart matters now.