Swallowing Bubblegum: Analysis of the Pop Music Culture Machine
music
Pop music, so easily digestible in the plethora of music being served up to radio these days that they even coined a segment of this genre after the sweetness of bubblegum. Pop music isn't complicated. It isn't meant to be. It's an escape from the songwriters and composers who create the in-depth art that finds itself in the back pages of 'must have' music books. So, when pop music lacks substance in an era where music sales in terms of albums are essentially shit, one has to rather market the music as art, market the artist as if they themselves are the CD. Image replaces substance and personal story replaces lyrical content.
Most recently the best example making headlines of this is sweet 'good girl gone bad' Rihanna. Sitting down with Diane Sawyer last Friday, Rihanna 'opened up for the first time' about the night she was brutally beaten by then boyfriend, Chris Brown. Not to say that Rihanna didn't have the right to talk about that night or expose her feelings about the whole media circus that surrounded her while she and Brown were going through court proceedings over the affair, or even take away some good messages she had for other women going through domestic violence.
But why did she choose now to expose herself to Diane and the world? Considering this incident took place back in February and she describes having no privacy thanks to the media since, why didn't she open herself up earlier, tell her side and shut the interest in her down a lot sooner. Could it have anything to do with the fact she has a brand new album coming out at the end of the month, her follow-up to 2007's multiplatinum, 'Good girl gone bad'. That album was a massive success for her and as everyone knows in today's rather fickle music business, 'You're only as good as your last record.' So before you know audience reception, how do you get the public on your side, especially in pop territory where artistic lyrical depth often takes a backseat to the dancability of the track? Well, you go on Diane Sawyer and market your personal struggle for all it's worth, then close with your album to show that you're an independent woman who's ready to take back your career.
To those who don't like my level of cynicism over the questionable timing of this interview, consider this: Rihanna's beating and the media nightmare that followed her because of it started way back in February, a good nine months prior. Most people will tell you the development of an album in terms of creating the actually product and designing its marketing strategy take almost a year. So while Rihanna may have wanted to share her side of the story earlier, especially considering her ex-Brown has been running to every media outlet for months since his court hearing apologizing to every media outlet that will give him five minutes (including MTV this week on the cusp of his next album release), Rihanna's management were probably telling her to wait till the promotion of her album goes into swing, that way to get the public on her side. Not saying selling your personal story to sell records isn't a bad thing. Hell, Tina Turner maintained a multi-decade long career after marketing herself as an independent survivor after also leaving an abusive relationship. All I'm saying to the public is be aware of the image marketing that's going on here. Especially how subtly blatant it is.
Her exclusive interview with Diane was also followed up by the exclusive world premiere of her new single 'Russian Roulette'. Like that wasn't meant to segway into, hear my story, now hear my new single and love it because you love me and you have now felt my pain. As well, if she really wanted to get over the violence she endured why would she pick such a play on words as to name her new album 'Rated R', the parental content advisory rating for stories of extreme violence? If anyone wants to come back saying 'oh that's just a tongue and cheek play on words after her name', R for Rihanna, you are sadly mistaken. She is the victim in this situation and right now she'll be dammed if she'll let you move on from her pain.
The final touch comes from the recent release of the photo cover to promote her single Russian Roulette. There Rihanna stands, completely naked marking a pop star's favourite marketing tool, sex. But just so that you didn't forget the element of pain she has endured, lets throw on some strategically placed barbed wire to one, cover her nipples (much to the upset of most males everywhere), but hey it's a high number of tweens who buy her music so remember that while the package says 'Rated R', this product is being sold to many below the age of 17. And while with a single called 'Russian Roulette', we could have seen a battered and bruised Rihanna on the cover had she not been battered and bruised in real life, we are still reminded this woman has gone through pain and we are never able to forget it. As long as she has our sympathies, she also has her hand down our wallets, shelling out to propel her to the top of the charts.
Image equals art!
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November 10, 2009
Author: Darrell S. |
