First of all, let's call Clive Davis' demotion from CEO of the RCA Music Group what it really is; a firing.
Let's also call his firing what it means for the music industry; scary.
Sure, he was alive when Lincoln was shot, but he was a pro at finding talent; that kind of talent that we are still talking about to this day. Without Clive, there would be no Bruce Springsteen, no Chicago, no Alicia Keys, no Whitney Houston. His knack for catching powerful artists has made him a legend. There really is no one like him.
Therein lies the industry's problem.
Thanks to the internet, which has brought along with it file-sharing, torrenting, and LimeWire, music sales have been lower than ever before. Only 8 years ago, 'NSYNC was making history for selling a back-breaking 2 million copies in their first week. Nowadays, most artists would be lucky to sell 10% of that to top the charts. These drastic numbers have sent the record companies into a frenzy. They are so desperate that they have begun to slap together acts with questionable talent, producer the bejesus out of them, and then send them out to score a #1 single, before fading into obscurity a year later. This phenomenon is more obvious in the R&B/Hip-Hop market, which has been oversaturated with short-term acts. Examples: Soulja Boy, MIMS, D4L (with their song Laffy Taffy).
Now comes news that Barry Weiss, who has helped everyone from Britney to T-Pain hit the top of the charts, is the new head of RCA. The argument for his succession? He's younger (49) and has an understanding of the new market. This may be undoubtedly true, but have his artists maintained longevity? The Backstreet Boys are over, Britney has collapsed under the weight of her celebrity, and its too soon to tell for T-Pain and Chris Brown.
What worries me, as a music fan, is how will he handle the next surge of pop music. Will he diligently search for the next big thing, and then help them develop their own image, style, and music that will make them megastars? Or, will he pull out the next generic pop star, rush-release a single, watch it go to #1 for a week, and then after the album flops, throw them away like spoilt milk?
Most record companies these days tend not to look for genuine talent, but the next quick buck. What set Clive apart was his ability to find that special singer or band or whatever and bring them to worldwide success. Hopefully, I'm wrong. Maybe, Barry Weiss will follow in Clive's footsteps and search for that special talent that will sell millions and attain that decade long popularity, a la Mariah or Whitney or Usher. Maybe others will follow suit. That, would save the floundering music industry.
However, I have a bad feeling that my ideal set-up won't come to fruition. If that's the case, Adios Whitney and Michael, and Hello "What's her name" and "Where did they go".
Note to Barry Weiss: if you mess with Leona Lewis' career and don't let Clive work with her, I will NEVER buy anything from Sony BMG again!
Comments, questions, and feelings are very welcome.
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