I’m not to happy that she has only recorded one album in 17 years that’s pretty bad. Well her contemporaries are recording albums yearly I’m just a little bit jealous. Why why why why
I’m not to happy that she has only recorded one album in 17 years that’s pretty bad. Well her contemporaries are recording albums yearly I’m just a little bit jealous. Why why why why
Because she’s 80 and has had a 60 year long massive career, has family and is busy with them as well
It seems to me that I keep hearing it’s been 15 years between albums for many of her colleagues
Because anything she's released in the last 30 years had been subpar. Time to hangup the earphones and just concentrate on touring, while she still can.
at this point in her life and career, it's really about just doing whatever feels right. obviously she doesn't need to make money or build a career. some fans have complained why she sings songs like I Will Survive on her tours and not many of her own hits. i think the basic answer is "because she wants to." she apparently loves IWS and if that's what she wants to sing, she has certainly earned the right to say "this is what I want to do"
same thing goes for movies, tv specials, albums. all of that takes a LOT of work. she'd been working since she was 16 years old. that's a freaking LONG career. i don't think she currently really has a label now, although i'm sure she could negotiate with some label to release something. but that also takes time and effort. she's very involved with her family and that's what brings her true happiness and fulfillment. she can still do some touring and apparently that also brings her pleasure, so great. she did that recording for that Minions movie a year or two ago.
her other recent projects include:
2020 - Supertonic. where she worked with Eric Kupper to remix a bunch of her hits. not sure what LOE she had to employ for this but she had to have had some involvement
2021 - thank you. of course this album really wasn't very well received.
2022 - turn up the sunshine. the minions movie tune
At almost 80 Diana and others of a similar age can do as they dammed well please. They have earned that right rich or poor.
What an offensive question.
Rumor is she's not even doing her own dishes any more
As for a comment that was made in the very first post..............I only WISH artists still released albums yearly. Back in the good old days, you could count on top acts releasing at least an album a year, sometimes 2-3. But now you are lucky if someone releases one every five years.
Not the case w/DR...but many acts will only record self composed and self produced material...bad move for many...good singers, performers and even composers often can't make a record that stands up to what they've done early in their career with outside sources involved in the production...I can name 3 I was huge fans of right off the bat...Heart...Suzi Quatro....Rosanne Cash
Diana Ross is not making new music, like many of her veteran contemporaries, because there is little market for it. Music had changed radically, is more grunge than ever before with lyrical content that Ross would never adhere to. She tried to become contemporary many times with Take Me Higher, Workin' Overtime, etc, but they did nothing. At 80 years of age ever her hit compilations don't sell much. It's a new business and the young artists are having their day.
Guys--the record industry as we knew it 20 years ago no longer exists. The whole idea of a full album these days seems ludicrous. DR had her time in the sun--longer than any other artist, with a few exceptions. I mean she had her first hit before I was even born and I'm now an old man. Let DR retire in peace, and if she wants to do select shows, then let her do them. I would rather see Ross fade gracefully than resort to Lizzo theatrics to get attention.
it should be pointed out she wasn't 80 for the last 17 years
but yes releasing autotuned crap .... which would be required of her now ......no thanks!!
just wait instead for the new AI stuff I guess ......maybe a duet with Billie Holiday ...or Mary Wilson or every Supreme that ever was all combined and all doing solo parts ..... the offerings will be unlimited !!!
UPSIDE DOWN reworked as RIGHT SIDE UP GIRL YOU TURN ME ....
yipeeee!!!
I'm glad you did. And I enjoyed parts of it as well. But let's be real my darling Roberta; laying tracks in your basement studio in the midst of Covid is a far cry from the lush musicians and talented producers Diana worked with in her heyday. And I LOVE YOU? What a hodgepodge of cover songs, that did absolutely nothing to compliment Diana's register. I get it, the lady likes to record. But let's put some thought into it.
At this point.she can relax some.
No need to prove anything.
Let's be honest ,here in usa, they won't play her music.so why record anything.
I'm sure if she wants to ,she will.
I did like Thank You and most fans I know liked it
I like Thank You. It's a good album and a big improvement over I Love You. A classic? No, but certainly nothing to be ashamed of. It's heartfelt and sincere. A bit sappy but schmalz has always been a part of Ross' music.
And sure she recorded her vocals at her home recording studio, but real instruments and strings are on many songs on the album, they were recorded elsewhere. A lot of songs and albums have been made that way for many decades now.
I for one are not happy we are hard core fans three albums in thirty years is embarrassing we deserve better she was completely forgotten by the young folks , it’s totally her own fault
I disagree about the industry and current music trends having anything to do with Diana not putting out much new music. For one, she is at a point in her career and life where making music to be competitive should be firmly in her rearview mirror. She has nothing to prove to anyone at this point. Cutting an album today should serve two purposes: 1) the art of music, 2) satisfy the fans. As a Diana fan, I would love for her to record more for those two reasons.
That being said, it should come as no surprise that Diana's recordings are so sparse over the last 20 or so years. She is not a singer/songwriter. She has never lived in the studio, not since her time as a Supreme when Gordy demanded it of her. Her time at RCA was spent fulfilling contractual obligations in the forms of albums that, for the most part, she clearly didn't put a lot of thought or effort into. Those recording sessions appear to not have produced much- if anything- in the way of outtakes. Someone described her as coming into the studio, recording what was necessary, and getting the hell out.
I think the truth is that Diana was always a natural born performer. Hitting the stage, receiving the adulation of a live audience, has always been the driving factor for her. Hitting the top with the Supremes was both validation that she made the right decision to focus on a career in music, and it made it her rich. But I have to wonder if not for those two things would she have even cared about hit records as long as she had audiences eating out of the palm of her hands.
Diana Ross loves performing. I don't think she's all that crazy about recording. And that's okay, for she should do what makes her happy. As a fan it sucks because personally I'd rather have new music, something with artistic merit [[my measurement of course) because I do still believe she has quite a bit of vocal talent in the tank. But it appears she'd rather do her live show, and who could begrudge her that?
No new music sucks though. I'd love that new Christmas album, as well as some more jazz and blues.
I like your post Ran; so much truth. Diana's recording "glory days" ended in 1999 with EVERY DAY IS A NEW DAY. Up to that point, she had been releasing product fairly regularly. We all know Diana went though some personal stuff in 2000; perhaps in her reflecting she decided that touring was more satisfying and fulfilling than recording. I think it's common knowledge that the "real money" is in performing. Diana, even approaching 80, can still fill seats, provided she's booked at the proper venues. Can she fill Madison Square Garden? Likely not. But those 4000-6000 seaters are never going to be an issue. Even if it's the same set list for the past 20 years, with the same gowns for the past 10 years. I don't mean that rudely; why invest any more money when people will come to see her sing the telephone book in her pajamas?
I will say, I was surprised to see that I LOVE YOU did as well on the charts as it did. It was her best charting album since 1984's SWEPT AWAY. And THANK YOU charted Top 10 in the UK at #7. Her best showing there since 1995's TAKE ME HIGHER [[#10) and 1976's DIANA ROSS [[#4).
agree with everything but the RCA and outtakes. i don't know of specifics and it seems that she is unwilling to release stuff. but my understanding is that there were quite a bit of outtakes for Ross 83. not sure if they were Ray Parker ones or Gary Katz. or perhaps even another producer. then there's the whole MOR album i think focusing on Harold Arlen? and i would guess some more of Tom Dowd tracks from RHRAB are sitting somewhere
given how much we like to discuss "what ifs" and playing producer, i would LOVE to have access to whatever canned RCA stuff there is. we could really have fun redoing those albums!
In the US, Diana promoted I LOVE YOU in a way that she had not done her previous albums in many years.
The day it was released, she appeared on three television shows: GOOD MORNING AMERICA, LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY, and THE LATE SHOW.
Later, in addition to album commercials, there were also appearances on AMERICAN IDOL, MARTHA STEWART, INSIDE EDITION, ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT, and INSIDE THE ACTOR'S STUDIO.
Also, it probably didn't hurt that it was released around the same time as DREAMGIRLS.
Last edited by reese; 10-30-2023 at 12:31 PM.
Last edited by Boogiedown; 10-30-2023 at 02:18 PM.
You’re right, no new music really sucks for us loyal fans. We stuck by her side for years and years and years and now we get nothing look at Chers new Christmas album it debuted at number one on the holiday charts I love Cher but I’m pissed off that we can’t get any new music absolutely no excuses look at Streisand. She’s also recording two new albums.
Good post Ran. Diana’s main passion was always performing live on stage and the buzz she received from an appreciative audience. It’s something she has mentioned many times herself over the years.
I don’t think that passion extends to recording, with a few albums being the exception namely “The Boss”, “Force Behind The Power” and “Take Me Higher”.
I do remember reading in the forum that there are outtakes she is apparently holding on to, but how many could it be? Yes, there is a whole album of Arlen stuff waiting. There's also supposedly a couple more rock cuts she did with Gene Simmons. I wonder if there really is a holding back- even on her part- to ensure that when the horrible day comes, there will be vaulted material to release to take advantage of the loss.
Still, she doesn't appear to have lived in the studio.
With access to the vaulted stuff, we could play producer for those RCA albums, but I fear it might drive us crazy. On one hand, what if the released stuff was better than what didn't get released. Yikes! That's some pretty bad outtakes, considering at least half- and I'm being generous by saying "at least"- of what did get released were beneath my Ross fandom standards. On the other hand, with the way Diana's career sometimes has played out, it might piss me off that the better stuff got vaulted and the throwaways ended up on the actual albums.
She gets corrected no matter how off
She can fart and it'll come out a symphony.
Last edited by Boogiedown; 10-30-2023 at 11:32 PM.
The take me higher album, every day is a new day album, and force behind the power or masterpieces. I absolutely love those albums. She was at the height of her recording career., then came out. I love you, which I did not mind lots of great stuff on there her last album was fun and for life I absolutely love the dance music but not so much the love songs don’t get me wrong. I love her her voice is incredible. I would just like to see some more music something fun like Cher one would think she’d want to make a new music for her grandchildren like a fun, fun, fun Christmas album
Or Whitney Houstons , Michael Jacksons and Barry Manilows.
I'm the wrong person to ask as to who's fake and who isn't. I certainly hope it's not universal , but then silly me to want that.
I don't listen to contemporary music. If you played me a certain song I couldn't tell you if it was Beyonce, Gaga, Swift, or Fatazz. I can't make a list of current male singers I couldn't differentiate because I don't know any.
I would expect that if autotune were used on American Idol [is that still on?] or The Voice or any of those performance shows , if they used auto tune the interest of watching /listening would sink like a rock. There's supposed to be a concept of talent associated with singing.
Maybe Cher's altered singing is OK for some because she's sort of made a gimmick out of using it.
I would find it remarkable if even ONE Diana Ross fan bought THANK YOU thinking "oh please let it be autotuned."
That people get stuck having to listen to something done a certain way like with the use of auto tune doesn't mean it's happening because they particularly prefer it or seek it. I think most thoughtful people would set some standards as to what they'll listen to.
On the other end of standards there are others that crave their music to be filled with ugly profanity. They actually seek it. I wouldn't classify them as thoughtful people though.
I wonder if some music listeners are lazy.
Last edited by Boogiedown; 10-31-2023 at 04:35 PM.
You hit the nail as far as her RCA recording output went. I think that's one reason most of those recordings haven't survived its release year versus some of her post-Supremes material at Motown. Diana probably thinks she's done enough and only tours cause she's happier on the road than at a recording studio.
Couldn't agree more!
At nearly ,62, I could care less about work etc.my priority has changed greatly.
It happens.life. she is in her happy place I suppose .she works when she wants.lucky
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