Is country music just like any other business? Is the new Brad Paisley CD or tickets to a Blake Shelton concert just another commodity -- a widget cranked out at the lowest possible quality and cost, served up in recyclable containers to be purchased by the naive and uninformed masses who don't know any better than to like what they're told to like?
God I hope not.
It all started with a discussion with a music biz insider about the unprecedented product placement and sponsorship by JCPenney of the current Rascal Flatts CD and tour. I know that sponsorships are a part of the music business, "Brought to you by . . . " doesn't bother me. We all know that George Strait wears Wrangler jeans and Kenny Chesney drinks Corona. Who cares?
But commercials during a live concert? A band putting a song praising a particular product line on their CD? Is that where we're going? Welcome to the 2009 American Living/Rascal Flatts tour.
The 2008 Rascal Flatts tour made $56 million, according to Forbes magazine, so obviously the band and the label know how to make money. But I was not the only person in the audience shaking her head at the blatant commercialism and over-the-top product placement during a recent concert. Commercials before and DURING the live show? Seriously!?
As someone near me said, "Jeez -- how much money do these guys need?"
I know that a business has to make money to survive. Touring is expensive. A lot of people work very hard to bring me the music I love, and they all deserve to be compensated for that work. But am I naive to think that it's not just about work and money when I hear a song I love?
Am I just being manipulated when I cry over the beauty of Caitlin + Will's "Address in the Stars," dance to Dierks Bentley's "Sideways" or smile at Blake Shelton's "Some Beach"? Is it all just an attempt to get me to buy a worthless widget?
"Artists have no control, no say," my insider friend tells me. "The business runs the business" and the bands who make it big do so by selling out.
Wow. The thought kind of broke my heart.
But then I played some country music, let it touch my heart again, and decided to not believe my music biz insider friend, at least not completely.
There's too much beauty, truth, love and passion in country music for me to believe that it's all just widgets. So I'll try to ignore the next commercial I see during a live concert, turn my head at the next obvious product placement and I'll just hold on to my naivete a little longer.
But will I be able to keep up the delusion if commercials, product placements and "inspired by" songs on CDs become the norm? I doubt it. Let's hope we never have to find out.
I was at a Rascal Flatts concert just a few weeks ago. To be honest, I didn't even notice the commercials. I just tuned them out. I'm so used to ignoring them on TV, radio, etc, that I just put my attention elsewhere. To me, when it isn't taking up a lot of time during the show or anything, it's not a big deal. My aunt works for JC Penney, and she asked me what I thought of the ads after I got back from the concert. She wasn't happy to hear I hadn't really paid attention. LOL But it does go to show, that they aren't really obtrusive to some of us folks.
Posted by: Teresa | 06/30/2009 at 09:57 AM
I really think Rascall Flatts is the exception here. For some reason (and no, it has nothing to do with downloads) Rascall Flatts feels they need to make as much money as possible. I don't have a problem with that, but it cheapens them in my mind. And given that this is a band that once appeared on Yes, Dear, there just isn't that much value to cheapen.
Posted by: jfdobb | 06/30/2009 at 09:31 AM
Some people do things for the love of music, some do things for the love of money and some are forced to do things they might not want to do. I think you will start seeing lots more promotion and commercialization at inopportune times. It might not be the artists choice and it isn't necessarily because they need lots more money. It might be because they need some money. With everyone illegally downloading music and buying digital singles instead of albums, artists make a lot less money. The labels have a much smaller pie to divide so if both the artists and the labels (and the promoters and roadies and etc...) are going to get any pie at all, there needs to be more money to share which means finding new ways to generate income. So before if a company wanted to place a commercial during a concert, the artist might have said "No- I'm about the music, not the money." Now, an artist might have to say "Okay, I need the money so I can keep making music."
Posted by: Richard Goodman | 06/29/2009 at 06:28 PM