Musical Talant Doesn't Matter

[haVoc 0]

More Stars Are Giving Record Albums a Spin

 

By Karen Thomas, USA TODAY

 

Fame puts your name in lights, but now it might be on a CD cover, too.

 

Record labels are eager to work with hot celebs, says Blender editor Craig Marks. "Most of them have exposure with TV or movies, and it's easier for them to get a foot in the door."

 

It doesn't seem to matter whether genuine musical talent factors in. The simple curiosity factor behind celebrity albums, he says, "appeals to the state of the industry right now"

 

Upcoming albums:

 

• Lindsay Lohan landed a long-term contract with Casablanca Records, run by Tommy Mottola, Mariah Carey's former mentor, boss and husband at Sony. Lohan will do some songwriting with a release planned by the end of the year. Mottola also is credited with launching Jennifer Lopez's singing career after she found film success with Selena, a biopic of the late Tejano singer.

 

• Paris Hilton is recording an album of original songs and covers, including Kim Carnes' Bette Davis Eyes. She says she'll record some rap duets, and plans to release the album on her own Heiress label (no date yet).

 

• Jai Rodriguez of Bravo Channel hit Queer Eye for the Straight Guy is recording an album of rock and urban-soul. Though not signed to a label yet, he hopes to have an album out next year.

 

• Supermodel Carla Bruni's acoustic/pop album, quelqu'un m'a dit ("somebody told me"), has an Oct. 12 release on V2 Records. The album already has sold 1 million copies in France.

 

• Minnie Driver's contemporary folk album Everything I've Got in My Pocket is due Oct. 5 on Rounder Records. She penned all but a cover of Bruce Springsteen's Hungry Heart.

 

This recent flurry is hardly unprecedented; examples of celebs-turned-recording artists abound from the '50s (Edd "Kookie" Byrnes of 77 Sunset Strip), the '70s (the bulk of The Brady Bunch) and the '90s (the bands of Keanu Reeves and Johnny Depp).

 

When it comes to credibility, today's crop of celebrity artists is a "mixed bag," says Marks. Lohan has a proven track record, thanks to a movie soundtrack from her February film Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen. Driver had a record deal before she got hot as an actor.

 

A debut artist with built-in Hollywood fame is "a double-edged sword," says Rounder general manager Paul Foley. "It provides exposure, but the industry is very cynical, and you have to prove yourself."

 

That cynicism has roots in today's push for pop stars to have multifaceted careers. The more-common route is for singers to try film or fashion.

 

The key to celebrity culture is to find "as many ways as you can to get in front of as many people as possible," says music consultant Tom Vickers. "Music is just another avenue of exposure."

 

And that may drive sales. "If just 10% of The Simple Life audience buys Hilton's album, that's a good thing for a struggling industry," says Vickers.

 

 

7/22/04

 

© Copyright 2004 USA TODAY

 

I also read Ashlee Simpsons album will be #1 this week on the Billboard charts.

[1234-5678 0]

Somebody please stop this madness.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Just like the last couple few Aerosmith cds. They're sold solely on star power anymore. They've got a diehard fanbase like other bands, but the same can be said of the fandom of these celebs gone musicians.

 

The huge rock brands anymore are musicians turned celebrities turned musicians. It's a tragic bell curve, really. The new GNR will be the same way..St. Anger..same deal. Anything KISS...the list goes on.

[1234-5678 0]

Please don't compare the new GNR to St. Anger. St. Anger was sold on Metallica's name, but Chinese Democracy will have to be sold on the music, because no one believes in the GNR name anymore, and especially not in Axl.

[Guest Set Free]

Nothing new. The public (i.e. teeny bopper women) doesn't buy albums on musical content anymore. They buy images.

[NoCalMike 0]

the thing is, these folks are what the big corporate music studios choose to push, so they will sell and push this stuff onto kids as much as possible. I mean really, how hard is it to trick a bunch of kids into wanting this. If I was a 10 year old girl and I had just seen Freaky Friday with Lohan playing a guitar, I would probably buy into her as a musician.

 

The only way to stop this madness as Jaxl put it, is to NOT buy the music, show the record companies that it isn't worth their time or money to spend their advertising dollars on this crap. Same with Ashlee Simpson, don't buy the crap, let them know that being a little sister of a vocalist is not grounds for her to get an automatic record deal.

[Perfxion 0]

It is a gift and a curse. Some have music talent when they jump into it(Ashlee Simpson). Some have the right people help them get a hit(Eddie Murphy - Party all the time). Some have a major producer help them sound great( Jennifer Lopez - On the 6th, Jlo). Some just sell because it is that person(most others). It isn't anything new, the problem is that real artist are screwed by labels so they can promote crap and flavors of the month.

[Slickster 0]

Listen to Steven Seagal's new album; he sounds fantastic.

[Dogbert 0]

Nothing new. The public (i.e. teeny bopper women) doesn't buy albums on musical content anymore. They buy images.

Therefore, we need to find people with talent and give them images, instead of finding people with images and giving them record deals.

 

If the music industry wants to recover, it needs to stop blaming P2P and start looking at the real problem: music that isn't worth a shit being pumped out in droves. The public is waking up; now, the music industry needs to as well.

[Slayer 0]

A debut artist with built-in Hollywood fame is "a double-edged sword," says Rounder general manager Paul Foley. "It provides exposure, but the industry is very cynical, and you have to prove yourself."

Haw.

[King Kamala 0]

On this note William Shatner is releasing another album produced by Ben Folds and guest starring Henry Rollins and Robert Fripp of King Crimson. I know I'll rush out to buy that on the first day along with William Hung's follow up album (All original songs BAYBEE!)

[nl5xsk1 0]

Please don't compare the new GNR to St. Anger. St. Anger was sold on Metallica's name, but Chinese Democracy will have to be sold on the music, because no one believes in the GNR name anymore, and especially not in Axl.

I disagree, it'll do well for the first few weeks because people have been hearing about this record for years now. People will want to check it out purely on the curiousity level.

 

If the music is good enough, people who aren't willing to try it just on face value will start to pick it up and it'll be a success off of that. If the music is iffy, then it'll have a strong first few weeks and then drop down the billboard charts quickly.

[the max 0]

Please don't compare the new GNR to St. Anger. St. Anger was sold on Metallica's name, but Chinese Democracy will have to be sold on the music, because no one believes in the GNR name anymore, and especially not in Axl.

That's if this album ever fucking comes out.

[1234-5678 0]

Please don't compare the new GNR to St. Anger. St. Anger was sold on Metallica's name, but Chinese Democracy will have to be sold on the music, because no one believes in the GNR name anymore, and especially not in Axl.

That's if this album ever fucking comes out.

Search for Guns N Roses on Google. In thier site description it says

 

"Guns N' Roses Official Site

Includes news, tour dates and information on Chinese Democracy due November 2004.

www.gnronline.com/ - 2k - Cached - Similar pages"

[the max 0]

I'll believe it when I see it. I don't trust Axl any farther than I can throw him.

[Guest Set Free]

YOU THREW AXL ROSE?!??! BAN PLZ

[starvenger 0]

On this note William Shatner is releasing another album produced by Ben Folds and guest starring Henry Rollins and Robert Fripp of King Crimson. I know I'll rush out to buy that on the first day along with William Hung's follow up album (All original songs BAYBEE!)

I don't know if Shatner can top the brilliance that was his cover of "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" but I guess we'll see...