For those unfamiliar with sale-to-certification talk, a Gold certification means that 500,000 copies of an album have been shipped to retailers, while Platinum means that 1 million copies have been shipped.
So essentially, RCA, home to acts like Ke$ha, Usher, Christina Aguilera, Pink, Alicia Keys, and more, believe that the current certification system is obsolete, and that Platinum awards should be given to artists who only ship half a million copies.
Nope, that won't work.
While it comes to no surprise that record labels are trying to justify the truly abysmal music sales climate we are in right now, nothing screams "cop out" more than downgrading the certifications, just because artists are generally under-performing.
At the end of the day, selling 1 million copies and more is still an accessible achievement. Adele has proven that, going Diamond with both her album 21 and her live DVD. Taylor Swift is another one who consistently opens big and sells consistently above 3 million with each release. Even Lady Gaga, despite the relative under-performance of her singles, scanned 2 million copies of Born This Way.
So if they can do it, why can't the others? As in, how does Katy Perry have five number-one singles from Teenage Dream and only scan double platinum? How does it take Rihanna seven albums to finally go #1? How, despite huge hits and plenty of buzz, do Ke$ha, Alicia Keys, and Bruno Mars, sell less than 200,000 in their first week?
I think it lies with two important aspects: the music quality and a genuine failure by record labels to help develop and promote a artist and their fan base.
Granted, both don't apply to the artists I listed (and didn't), but I believe that at least one has plagued all of the artists who have spurned the certification talk.
Quality Music (Primarily Lyric-Wise)
Now before people start up with "music snob" accusations, let's be honest. Mainstream music has never been more generic and nameless. DJs like David Guetta and Calvin Harris now claim top billing on the hottest new singles. Dance-pop lyrics have devolved into promises for all-night ragers and random hook-ups. While all of these are fine for a club night out, they don't make for a #1 album with a million sales. One needs to look no further than Flo Rida, who has turned #1 hits with flop albums into an art form. Despite the massive success of Rihanna's "We Found Love", Talk That Talk was a relative failure, with its follow-up singles making little impact. It's not to say that EDM can't be substantive; it's to say that no one in the mainstream is making EDM substantive. Meanwhile, Adele's 21, an album primarily about the heartbreaking aspects of love, has clearly resonated with people. Not only are the songs lyrically complex, they also have excellent pop sensibilities, hence their success on radio. The same goes for indie favorites like Fun. and Gotye. Even Idol winner Phillip Phillips surprised everyone with chart smash and indie ditty "Home".I'm not suggesting that mainstream goes completely indie; I love a fun dance track as much as the next person. However, I think that record companies should expect a little more regardless of the genre if they want to move units. People just aren't going to buy an album of songs they'll forget about in a month, just like they won't buy an album a year after its release if it sounds so dated.
If the music isn't the problem, then what else can it be?
Fan Bases, Do They Exist Anymore? Hell, Do Labels?
Time to pull out the Lady Gaga card. She became the first artist in seven years to sell one million copies of an album with Born This Way. How? Well the 99-cent Amazon deal played a role, but it wasn't the biggest factor, nor was the music. What did it was a bonkers promotional campaign and an equally bonkers fan base. Gaga's "little monsters" came out in full force, snapping up enough copies to dethrone Adele for a little while. Momentum did cool, because of some epic fail single choices (Judas over Scheisse?), but the point still holds, as it does for One Direction, who are still selling strong despite relatively weak single success. Both acts have dedicated fan bases, which have been cultivated carefully through social media and genuine kindness. Not since the days of people fainting over Michael Jackson have I seen people more dedicated to an artist like Gaga, and not just because she is a tremendous talent, but because she is someone who would buy pizza for them as they wait outside. One Direction regularly holds Twitcams for their fans. Sure, it seems like every artist has a Twitter and Facebook account, but not many are as involved in it as they could be.
But let's not put all the blame on the artist. The record labels are proving their antiquity more and more, by doing less and less. There seems to be less interest in developing an artist and their career, and more on churning out the next radio smash. It's ironic, since the purpose of radio is to introduce the public to an artist. Who cares about #1 hits if they don't move albums, right?
Look at Carly Rae Jepsen. She had the biggest hit of the year bar none with the infectious "Call Me Maybe", and we virtually know nothing about her, and I'm not talking about her romantic life. We don't know anything, anything to make us want to root for her (aka buy her album). She's basically built to be a one-hit wonder. It's not coincidence that her album Kiss (did you know she had an album out, by the way) is non-existent on the charts, despite being quite good pop.Record labels can barely spare enough effort to keep their marquee artists from throwing away any goodwill through their social media habits (hey Chris and Rihanna!). There is so little interest in building artists that will last the next radio wave. If, as a label, you're unwilling to care enough, why should the record buyer? Record labels need to put more into an artist, in more creative ways than they have in the past. Album sales and ticket sales and years of dedication are not just spurned by good songs. It takes a good artist, a well-rounded, likable artist that has put clear, visible effort into their work, with strong backing from the label or management, to truly draw in those long-lasting fans.
So no, RCA, Gold is not the new Platinum. Platinum, as in 1 million sold, is still Platinum, and if your artists can't hack it, then that's your fault. Don't paint a car with a broken engine; fix the engine!
What do you think? Am I completely off base? Should they change the certifications? Leave a comment!
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