Today’s Artists, Tomorrow’s Legends
You don’t have to watch BET or turn a radio dial to know some of today’s popular soul and R&B artists. After all, who hasn’t heard of names like Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige and Anthony Hamilton? These artists have essentially become superstars, many of them seemingly on their way to becoming legends. Although we have anointed several of these artists as the “king” of this and the “queen” of that, some are wondering if these acclamations have been made far too soon.
It Ain’t Nothing like the Old School
Old school artists such as Prince, Luther Vandross and Natalie Cole have taken their rightful place among the industry’s elite. Their contributions are forever branded in time and even more amazingly, still revered and adored by countless listeners today. You won’t find a party on any block that isn’t blaring out classic Al Green or kicking things into gear with Zap’s “More Bounce to the Ounce”. Many of the up and coming talents even hone their skills by trying to duplicate the masterful recordings of old school performers. American Idol is a prime example. You don’t see contestants singing Keisha Cole or Robin Thicke’s latest jams. They’re challenged with the classics, forced to show the world what they’ve got through classic blues, rock and soul tunes.
Who’s Worthy?
Erykah Badu, D-Angelo, Maxwell, Joss Stone and Ledisi are just a few of many artists to emerge over the past decade or so. While they have all blessed us with chart toppers in their time, is it even practical to think they will be thought of, let alone still around 10 to 15 years down the road? Granted, you can’t take away what these artists have accomplished, but do any of them really possess the depth needed to survive in the fierce music industry? Have they truly proven themselves to be sufficiently unique to the point where they offer enough to influence the next generation of listeners? Is their contribution to music history and overall body of work so dynamic and unforgettable that it deservingly elevates them to a legendary status? With the heights an artist like Fantasia has reached in such a short time, this is hard to argue with. However, some might suggest that she and others are merely longer extensions of the flavor of the month.
In the defense of soul music’s would-be future hall-of-famers, these comparisons and criticisms are through no fault of their own. Most are simply the victims of a society that has a schoolyard love affair with commercialized mediocrity and with this acceptance, comes high standards. While there is certainly no lack of talent on the market, one could argue that the unpleasant array of garbage music leaves a lot to be desired.
There was no American Idol when Smokey Robinson wowed with the Motown Sound. Rick James couldn’t leverage MySpace to gather virtual fanfare nor pump his music through CD Baby. In the old days, talent was an absolute must. To be mild, the music industry has let a few one hit blunders slip through the cracks in modern times. So, even though Beyonce’ has definitely made her mark, let’s not crown her the new queen of soul just yet – Aretha Franklin would probably agree.
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