So much seems to be going on in music right now, that we just have to post today to say that we are in musical bliss. Although some may argue that we are the 80’s in full effect again, EQ truly thinks that the current music scene is a hybrid of 80s/90s. We have a plethora of electronic acts like Patrick Wolf, Tracey Thorn, Imogen Heap, Bjork and Client leading the way into the future and decent rock/pop inspired acts like Scissor Sisters, The Feeling, Mika, Kelly Clarkson, Paolo Nutini, James Morrison and Young Love forging onwards and upwards with their musical brigade. Your teen dreams like Justin Timberlake, McFly, Avril Lavinge and Nelly Furtado aren’t doing so bad either and all the while 80’s icons like Erasure, Depeche Mode, Madonna, Kim Wilde and The Pet Shop Boys are still turning out new music and paving the way for new and unique artists such as Dangerous Muse, Switch22, Dragonette, Siobhan Donaghy, Antigone, The Electric Dolls, Madison and Simon Curtis.
The power of the Internet is in full force right now with A&R using (and sometimes being replaced) by MySpace, established artists like Darren Hayes and Robyn are taking control of their creative freedom and starting their own independent record labels. Pop television shows and magazines are being replaced (sometimes begrudgingly) by on-demand video and great music-themed blogs like PopJustice, The Hot Stuff Files, The Zapping and Arjan Writes. We the people have the power to decide what we like and what we want to listen to – not what Clear Channel Entertainment or Viacom tell us to.
iTunes and the iPod have revolutionized the way we listen to and buy music thus making our digital mp3 players and mobile phones not only a necessary data device, but wearable and fashionable accessories. We are seeing album prices slowly coming down and services like Napster, Limewire and eMusic are making it easier to actually get our hands on the music we want – when we want it. No more spending tons of money on expensive imports that were only created for a certain market demographic.
Our upwards digital trend is causing some controversy though – artist royalties aren’t being paid at times, people are sharing music illegally and we were rather upset with ourselves when we wandered into an average independent record store yesterday and found ourselves "not bothered" to sift through the dusty cds or the bargain basement deals to find that secret hidden treasure for a few pounds. It almost seemed like a waste of time – archaic. Sad, but true.
We can hope this trend of music and technology never ever goes away. Music is life, music is passion, music can be the soundtrack to the days of our lives. It is the sole reason that Electroqueer is here and why you are reading this right now. We urge you each and every one of you to embrace your favourite artists and talk about them – start your own blog, tell the world your thoughts and feelings, go see that artist you always wanted to see live – for if we don’t, ‘the music’s no good without you’.
OMG – we just quoted Cher.
Agree or disagree? Discuss in the Comments!
Today we are on an electro high to the sound of Client’s new album ‘Heartland’, patiently waiting for the new Tiffany song ‘Feels Like Love’ to go live with it’s download and listening to new music and conjuring up a review for Technologic, deciphering the words to ‘Pop Messiah’ by Simon Curtis and ‘Rock Into My World’ by Switch22 (of which also have the EQ Number one and a fab new electro mix to ‘Back To The Dancefloor’), trying to decide if we like Rhianna’s new song ‘Umbrella (even though we found a version without the horrid rap bit) and figuring out how we are going to get tickets to see Scissor Sisters at the O2.
And for all you techno-bitches out there, we put up an RSS feed for you to subscribe to up by the Charts.
