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From: dce@hammer.UUCP (David Elliott)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: The Classics weren't always...
Message-ID: <1595@hammer.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 30-Oct-85 11:48:41 EST
Article-I.D.: hammer.1595
Posted: Wed Oct 30 11:48:41 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 3-Nov-85 15:13:12 EST
References: <4047@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU> <7454@watdaisy.UUCP> <57@birtch.UUCP>
Reply-To: dce@hammer.UUCP (David Elliott)
Organization: Tektronix, Wilsonville OR
Lines: 49

In article <57@birtch.UUCP> oleg@birtch.UUCP (Oleg Kiselev x268) writes:
>In article <7454@watdaisy.UUCP> datanguay@watdaisy.UUCP (David Tanguay) writes:
>>I would question whether any art is ever accepted by the masses (of course,
>>we haven't defined what 'masses' are). I doubt that classical music, even
>>today, appeals to a large percentage of the population (same for any other
>>kind of music). 
> Ever heared of "TOP 40" music?  By definition Top 40 is appealing to a wide
> sector of population (majority?). 

Ever heard of "propaganda"? The Top 40 lists of records do not reflect the
sales of every record available. They simply reflect the sales of new
records that have been picked for tracking. (I used to program for a major
retail record outlet chain, so I saw this first hand.)

For example, the day after John Lennon died, there was a major run on his
records in most stores around the country. Except for "Double Fantasy",
which was already on the charts at that time, none of the albums were
realistically represented in the Top 40 charts that week.

This also happened when Elvis Presley died.

What the Top 40 lists reveal is what music marketing people want it to
reveal.

Remember that not everyone making music can get on the charts. Look at
the names of the record labels on the lists and figure out how many
of these do not belong to a major company (like Warner Bros.). Small
labels do not get big distribution. Sure, you can say "if the artist
were really good, a big record company would give them a contract".
Wrong. For a big record company to give you a contract, they have to be
able to make money off of you. Not only do you have to be talented,
you have to be willing to be a puppet (artistic control is very rare).

You also have to "look good in videos"! When I heard this (it was on a
TNN Headline News thing) coming from a record company marketing rep,
I became very angry.

My record collection admittedly contains some stuff that was in the
Top 40 charts at one time or another, but that's not because I like
what everyone else likes. It's because I happened to like the group
or the record. I never listen to radio, since that is also driven by
marketing people. If I want to hear something, I ask the salesperson
at the record store to play it. If they do and I like it, I buy it.
If they don't play it (jerks) or I don't like it, I don't buy it. I
drive my own buying habits.

Buy alternative music!

			David