June Is Black Music Month............

[marv2]

So what are we going to do?

[jack020]

Support your favorite black music artists and buy their cd's before the cd becomes extinct!
Just read this article in a dutch newspaper that said that very soon cd's, dvd's and blurays will disappear and all that will be left is streaming.
I don't believe it will be soon, but in Amsterdam one of the largest music/movies shops called Fame bit the dust last week.

[marv2]

Support your favorite black music artists and buy their cd's before the cd becomes extinct!
Just read this article in a dutch newspaper that said that very soon cd's, dvd's and blurays will disappear and all that will be left is streaming.
I don't believe it will be soon, but in Amsterdam one of the largest music/movies shops called Fame bit the dust last week.

Thank you Jack for your response. I agree that people should support their favorite artists and also discover some new ones. I hated it when all the big record stores close here in New York.

[soulster]

Not just CDs, buy the lossless and hi-rez downloads, too. 'Cuz, when the CD finally goes belly-up, that's all that will be left. And, they won't make R&B available if people don't buy it.

[arr&bee]

Haaaaaaaaaa,i laugh because in this new century the term[black music month]is still being used,good grief let's bury this because as long as music is played blacks will be..playing-singing-recording-buying...today music is universal so let's just erase the lables and just enjoy.

[soulster]

Haaaaaaaaaa,i laugh because in this new century the term[black music month]is still being used,good grief let's bury this because as long as music is played blacks will be..playing-singing-recording-buying...today music is universal so let's just erase the lables and just enjoy.

I would agrre with you except that, as far as business is concerned, it's all about the numbers. If all people don't buy the music, the music won't be made available. The lqabels aren't going to spend their resources on something that won't sell in sufficient enough numbers to make it their worth.

[splanky]

Haaaaaaaaaa,i laugh because in this new century the term[black music month]is still being used,good grief let's bury this because as long as music is played blacks will be..playing-singing-recording-buying...today music is universal so let's just erase the lables and just enjoy.

In a perfect world, maybe, Jai, but this is definitely not one. Also as someone who listens to
a wide variety of genres and styles I can't think of a single one which is accepted universally
as much as I hear people say that. That's just a "feel good" thing that doesn't reflect reality.
And then there is and remains the study of different eras of music all across the country, the world, I'd do best to say, with even white or other non-black musicologists using the
term "Black Music" to refer to 50's and 60's R&B even while acknowledging several key
players were white. Classical music everyone knows is a european art form but black and other non-white musicians have performed it. It's just an acknowledgement of source. Still,
for me every month is black music month. And classical music month. And Chinese music
month. And African music month. And Indian music month. And so on...

[soulster]

Back in the 90s, the labels would release lots of R&B titles during June, and it was a big thing. Now, it's barely acknowledged. A few record stores still recognize it, but the buyers don't. Now I understand that June is supposed to be gay music month, or something like that. Anything to diminish the significance of Black music. Geez! If the Supreme Court comes down with a favorable decision for gay marriage, that's the end of Black Music month.

[soulster]

^^ No, i'm not baiting or trolling. That's what I really think.

[jack020]

http://www.billboard.com/articles/bu...-still-matters

[soulster]

Kenny Gamble:

On the current state of the industry in relation to black music:
Gamble: The whole culture of the music industry has changed. With fewer black executives or dedicated black divisions like back in the day, there are many A&R people at these companies who don't know anything about black music. But they still sign those artists. From my vantage point, it appears that investment in black artists is pretty much at a standstill. There has been a systematic dismantling and ongoing cultural appropriation of black culture.
With the exception of trade publication Urban Network, there aren't any music conferences or trade associations for black music. And the few trade publications around seem to have abolished editorial space for artists unless they're among the few that have elevated to the top like Beyonce, Jay Z and Rihanna. What about the new artists? Who is breaking them? The labels don't appear to really be developing black artists. And black-oriented radio is part of the problem: many major broadcast companies aren't playing new music. In fact, some have flipped stations into old school R&B/hip-hop formats. That doesn't afford much airplay for new or established artists. These are tough times. I do think the international market is the most lucrative arena for black artists. There's still a great respect for them overseas. But I will keep working on the promotion and preservation of our music until I can't work anymore.