Somewhere between Sunday night (March 29) and early Monday afternoon, thousands of social media users changed their profile pictures to splashes of turquoise blue and trending #TIDALforALL simply because their music faves (like Beyonce`, Nicki Minaj and Kanye West) did it and/or told them to. People were literally talking of revolutions, movements and change, knowing nothing more than Jay-Z purchased a music streaming service from a Swedish company called Aspiro (which technically was underway back in January). Some didn't even know that much. That was the first eye-roll I had for this news; people are so quick to bandwagon. They knew nothing, but were on board. Groupthink, blind allegiance and stupid human behavior aside, I looked forward to hearing more because given the acquisition and who was involved, I assumed TIDAL would be an awesome, artist-friendly answer to similar services like Spotify, that have been criticized for giving a severely small financial return to the artists they feature (I was partially right, but more on that in a moment). Heightening the hype was this dramatic, star-studded trailer (a freaking trailer; one that seemed ridiculous after the so-called roll-out), building up to the March 30th press conference where all would be revealed and all questions would be answered. We were on the cusp of  "turning the tide and making music history;" it was "the beginning of the new world," as West touted on Twitter. We all know how Yeezy can exaggerate.

Then, a funny thing happened on the way to innovation. Funny as in weird, not funny haha. Jay-Z and his Justice League of recording artists (including Madonna and Rihanna) signed a declaration (that no one saw the text of), said little and then dipped. The conference was short and horribly bereft of information. The central additional thing we learned was that TIDAL is artist-owned (equity stake was offered) and "combines the best high fidelity sound quality, high definition music videos and expertly curated editorial" for $9.99 and $19.99 (for uncompressed CD quality sound) a month. So...does every subscription dime go to the artists? Is there a significant difference in audio between the subscription options? How large is TIDAL's catalog? Who shot J.R.? How many licks does it take to get to the center of a lollipop? Hardly anything was answered and based on what was told, TIDAL was a shockingly unremarkable, more expensive (a negative consumer buzz word) service. "The new world" was a duplicate of the old one, except artists (who so happened to be wealthy) benefitted more this time and consumers (who aren't wealthy) would have less money in their wallet should they break away from pirating and free streaming. Finance and technology blogs pointed out the unoriginal interface and what seemed to be a flawed business model (using  the word 'seemed' because, again, few details) where audience gains would be few and the company's bottom line is just as weak as its competitor's (Jay-Z's response to this is interesting; I'll be getting to it). Just as critical, but far more cutting was the reaction from consumers. Due to the piss-poor presentation of the conference, Jay-Z and crew came off like a bunch of elitist, arrogant, greedy millionaires begging for more money at the expense of fans. #TidalForAll quickly became #TidalForNoOne on social media; people were throwing tomatoes and the well-intentioned "movement" where artists get the income they deserve from their own work in the streaming world versus industry executives and suits, was massively misperceived. 

Rock & Rant-When I need to quickly rant about music.

Much of entertainment medium (and Twitter users) have been making assessments about the status and quality of Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez’s music careers, given their dismal album sales: Carey’s Me. I Am Mariah…The Elusive Chanteuse reportedly sold around 60,000 copies and J.Lo’s new A.K.A. is projected to reach half of that (as of June 15, 2014). The singers have been laughed at and called washed-up (mainly on social media, which is ever-punishing); at best, examining and theoretical pieces have been written to answer the questions of “What happened?” and “What is going on?” 

Stop mocking these performers-- who have dedicated over a decade to entertaining you-- washed-up or “irrelevant” (I hate that word so much; it’s so overused, ill-applied and shoddily defined on social media), because they aren’t. Stop saying the albums are trash simply because they didn’t sell well; how many times have we seen great talent or music go unrecognized? In my opinion, Chanteuse and A.K.A. are the best records either woman has released since 2008 and 2005 respectively (see the reviews here and here). The real answer and bigger picture is much more frightening: the music industry is going bankrupt. Yes, bankrupt. Sound dramatic? I wish I was overstating. No one, I repeat, no one is doing substantial numbers, regardless of headliner status or promotion amount. Anticipated 2013 releases from pop power-players Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Britney Spears all failed to garner certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Even hyped-up newbies with fierce radio-play like Ariana Grande aren’t seeing fat figures. Just to show you how bleak (as Mariah might say) things are, an artist can make the top 5 of the Billboard 200 Albums chart without even going gold (Chanteuse debuted at No.3). Pre-millennium (and pre-piracy), artists were selling 10 million copies left and right; now it’s a feat if you can do 1 million (maybe this is why Billboard ridiculously starting counting YouTube clicks and Spotify streams towards chart position). Acts are having to get creative (and perhaps desperate) to sell records. Lady Gaga’s Born This Way was $0.99 on Amazon for 2 days when it dropped in 2011. Jay-Z practically gave away 2013’s Magna Carta: Holy Grail; it was free for Samsung users and his 2011 Kanye West collaboration LP, Watch the Throne, was exclusively sold through Best Buy stores after an iTunes release to try to prevent a leak. Beyonce` had to issue her latest effort (complete with music videos) with no prior notice or singles for rapid purchases, only to match the sales of her previous 4 album (platinum).

I know what some of you are thinking. A ton of you are probably skimming through this next paragraph because you can’t wait to comment and say “Well, Adele’s 21 went diamond and long after its release.” Shut up, because you know just as well as I do that 21 was a complete anomaly. It did prove 1 thing, however: that “real” music--not mindless and heartless (but catchy) jabber sung by a pageant queen stunner or prom king stud muffin--sells. There are several reasons why people rather pirate than actually purchase an album, but 1 of them is quality- something the industry can actually do something about. They’ll never be able to take the joy out of getting something for free, but they can procure music we really want to buy. It’s funny how when Britney Spears started, even-better recreations of her popped up everywhere (ex. Christina Aguilera and Jessica Simpson), but Adele breaks bank and…crickets (although there were test trials like Amy Winehouse and Duffy before her). For record label executives to be the smartest people in the room, they’re doing a couple of dumb things. Well, several, but this is a “Rock&Rant,” so I’m only going to focus on a few. They need to stop signing acts purposely for the cause of having a few hot singles and get people with multi-dimensional talent, because they’ll make more money for a longer period. I assume a “flash in the pan” artist would be more expensive because the label has to pay so many other people to make the artist “hot,” whereas a singer-songwriter can do the bulk with less assistance. Once they get such a multi-talented act, let the artist be themselves; don’t sign Jewel and ask her to be Kesha. The worst trend and practice I’ve observed in recent years is focusing on the development of quick-buck fluffy singles instead of a comprehensive album. I’ve heard too many records where the singles were the strongest tracks and it seemed no effort was put into the rest. If you hear that type of album enough times, you’re not going to feel motivated to spend money or refer a friend. 90-95% of a record needs to be quality material. “Rolling in the Deep” was catchy and had some thought (how about that?!) and “Someone Like You” pierced the hearts of America and had us all in our feelings. People said to themselves “well, dang, what does the rest sound like?” and got their money’s worth because 21 was phenomenal. In future result, Adele’s next album will more than likely fly off the shelves because she’s now a brand people feel confident in and take seriously.

Now, that I’ve suggested what the industry can do, onto you: the consumer. At the risk of sounding preachy and cliché, please start buying music again. I know people hardly go on MySpace anymore, but you’d be surprised how many artists stream their albums in full on the site when they drop. Preview a record if you’re unsure about purchasing it. If you’ve already downloaded an album illegally and you like at least half of it, buy it. Push and plug the ones you like to your friends. If you’ve bought something you ended up hating, sell it on Half.com or EBay. Truly support the artists you’ve been tweet-gushing about. Otherwise, there won’t be much of anyone to gush about. 

By Eddie J., Contributing Writer
When we listen to music, we typically attribute our listening experience to the person on the album cover, not considering or forgetting that there are MULTIPLE people behind the scenes who made that album happen. Of the more vital figures in the recording process are producers; many of whom could walk right by us in the grocery store and we would never know that they’re the reason behind our favorite song’s existence (no, not every producer is a key-name with a solo record or shouts out their name at the beginning of every song). If you don’t already know, producers are generally responsible for the musical (and sometimes vocal) arrangement. Every so often, producers also contribute lyrics. When an artist releases subpar music, they themselves are often blamed, but the producers are really the ones who should take the bag. If they do their job, producers can make a barely talented artist average or good artist great. Many of your favorite artists might not be as successful without them. Here’s a list of some big names that only go as far as their producers. You might be surprised at who you see on the list.

#5 Trey Songz, Key Producer: Troy Taylor
Okay, I may get some flak for even putting Trey Songz in a category that has “artist” in the title, but in my defense, Songz was actually listenable and kind of unpredictable once upon a time.  Now, this isn’t one of those deluded “Oh, he sounded so much better and he didn’t just sing about sex in the early days” rants, because let’s be honest: he’s sung about sex since his first album and in abundance. However, the difference from the “Gotta Make It” album’s sex songs and those on “Chapter Five” is the music and the little fantasies he and his songwriters left to the imagination by not being overtly explicit. His first album, which is considered an R&B classic, was almost exclusively produced by Troy Taylor. Don’t know Troy? His credits include Whitney Houston’s remake of “I’m Every Woman,” Tyrese’s “Sweet Lady,” Toni Braxton’s “Just Be a Man About It,” Aaliyah’s “Miss You” and B2K’s “Why I Love You” (one of their few good songs), just to name a few. As time progressed, more people got added to the mix on Trey’s albums, making a cesspool of forgettable songs. Not to discredit the other producers who have come and gone on the Songz bandwagon, but there’s just no genuinely amazing music-to-artist chemistry by the time he gets to “Passion, Pain and Pleasure.” We saw the foolery when Taylor wasn’t featured on “Trey Day” and songs like “No Clothes On” made the cut. Even with big names like R. Kelly and Stargate, Songz came off as corny, lackluster or like a Diet R. Kelly. Yet, “Ready” filled the void for the general public and guess whose name showed up in the credits the most as a producer? Troy Taylor. “Jupiter Love” anyone?

#4 Christina Aguilera, Key Producers: Too many to list
So Aguilera is great for this list because she makes two points: 1) some artists are only great with a select few producers and 2) NEVER burn bridges that’ll keep you from getting to your hometown. 
The interesting thing about Christina is that she doesn’t really work with anyone more than twice album wise; the only common denominator is Linda Perry who frequently appeared on “Stripped” and “Back to Basics.” I won’t make this into an argument for which albums have been successful or not, because that doesn’t really qualify the greatness of the music. Let’s just say that “Bionic” and “Lotus” haven’t musically put Ms. Aguilera in the best light. Her self-titled debut was an amazing mix between bubble-gum pop and R&B tracks to show off her vocal versatility, and gave her a solid foundation to attract audiences to both catchy songs and her amazing voice, without her even having to touch a pen. By “Stripped,” Aguilera began to take full control and write songs about social and personal issues, which is probably why most of her fans hold the album to such a high standard. The producer behind the bulk of this feat? None other than Scott Storch, who gave the project grungy, raw undertones that made it such a classic to most listeners. Other significant ingredients included Linda Perry’s musical softness and vulnerability in the ballads and the catchy, yet soulful touch of Matt Morris, who co-wrote over half of it (Morris is responsible for Kelly Clarkson’s “Miss Independent,” which was originally written for “Stripped”).

Many recording artists like Kelly Clarkson, Robin Thicke and Beyonce` have complained about record label executives dictating album material and emphasizing the importance of “making a hit” for their financial gain. This isn’t a new or unheard of concept, but what’s surprising is how much labels spend to increase their chances of having a “hit smash.” According to a report by NPR.org, record labels design “writing camps,” where the hottest writers and producers are recruited to gather and crank out songs over a given period. Producers show up with their arsenal of pre-made tracks, and the summoned writers either pen lyrics based on what they’ve heard right then or fit already-written material to the track. After the music and lyrics are married (in some cases via demo), record executives/or the recording artist choose what songs they like best. Once the songs are selected for studio recording, a vocal producer (or the song’s producer) meets with the artist to execute. Fast forward through a couple of board meetings, listening meetings, legalities, final mastering and album photo-shoots, and you have a finished product ready to go on shelves (that’s the abridged, nutshell version of the remaining process). Pulling from NPR’s estimates, a label is liable to shell out $35,000 per song to pay both writers and producers and then another $15,000 for a vocal producer. Studio costs per day can be up to $25,000 and final mixing and mastering costs around $10,000.

The next major step in “manufacturing a hit” is promotion and radio/music-video play, which can vary in cost. In regards to radio, payola, the illegal practice of offering payment for broadcasting, is still an active part of airwave promotion. To avoid getting busted by the law, money may not blatantly exchange direct hands, but insiders take advantage of having acquaintances in radio, if not for making some new “friends.” Most stations purport that playlists are now based on audience market research results, but some still question broadcast practices. Promotional costs (which can include the artist’s air fare, advertisement spots, etc.) can reach up to 1 million. With this type of expensive bill, I imagine record labels get testy when singles like Rihanna’s “Man Down,” which is anticipated to be a smash, under-perform. Artists generally don’t see a dime from their own record sales until the label has recouped all of their expenditures. In the event that the finances are not returned, an artist may be indebted to the record label, get released from their contract or dropped. Sometimes artists get bogusly blamed for under-performance, particularly if they’ve had artistic input. On one season of MTV’s “Making the Band,” P. Diddy implied to Donny Klang that his single at the time wasn’t taking off because he wasn’t promoting it enough himself. 

My beef with these camp systems is that they kill the existence of custom-made quality songs. The tracks aren’t built around the lyrics and the lyrics aren’t built around the artist. That sucks all the heart and soul out of the music. How can you expect for an artist to perform a song with feeling when all they did was come in and record what someone else molded together?  Artists who gain more creative control and input can add a personal touch, but even those with producing or writing prowess like Robin Thicke, get their neck stepped on by label associates who are only concerned with the financial end; as if quality music won’t bring in quality dollars (some make the argument that only shallow music garners the big bucks, but those who make quality music have longevity and generate dollars more consistently). Thicke stated in a magazine interview that exec Jimmy Iovine told him that they would have to hand out narcolepsy pills with “The Evolution of Robin Thicke” and wanted the singer to “make Billie Jean” and reshape the project. As it was, “The Evolution” ended up making Thicke a household name, despite Iovine’s predictions.

Camp systems also allow room for producers and writers to be lazy and not give their best. Heavily requested because they’re “the hottest producer (or writer) out there,” they try to meet the high demand, which can lead to the same tracks and lyrics being rearranged, matched and reused to save time. If two songs sound similar, it’s likely that the same person produced it. The record label just paid $35,000 for a song that’s essentially recycled. Hmph. Song recycling and recruitment of the same 5 popular hit-makers ultimately leads to redundancy in mainstream music and fatigued listeners, who feel that much less inspired to legally purchase music. If listeners don’t feel like a song or album is worth their dime and they don’t pull out their wallet, record label income reduces and the artists make even less. Writing camps are designed to make bank for record labels and save time, but one could argue they do anything but.

Yearly CD purchases have decreased steadily over the last decade, due in part to internet piracy. Music piracy is now so rampant, albums are leaking online long before their official release dates, ultimately affecting sales. Jay-z & Kanye West’s collaborative record, “Watch the Throne,” successfully hit the market on the planned date of August 8th without any mishaps, however. How did they avoid the leak? Well, according to RollingStone Magazine, having an exclusive release deal with ITunes and department store Best Buy was the key. Industry insiders have concluded that leaks tend to happen because copies of the finished product are stolen from manufacturing plants during shipping. “Throne” was released on Itunes August 8th and will be available at Best Buy on August 12th. By making the album initially available on Itunes only, no shipping is involved. If sales improve as result of this type of release plan, record labels are likely to mass implement it. While this plan seems like a dream come true for the industry, some fans and independent retailers oppose the design. Fans are concerned they may not be able to purchase physical copies if a specific store isn’t available to them and independent retailers won’t be able to sell and profit from anticipated albums. As a consumer, what do you think of exclusive release deals?