Because there was only one suggested listening example for this week’s reading, we look at several additional defining hits from the 2000 to 2015. These hits all have a common them in that they are not released under the traditional record company model.
In 2007 The Artist Once Again Known as Prince released an album for free with the newspaper The Mail on Sunday. 2.27 million people received Planet Earth, which was a marketing ploy for Prince to promote his upcoming concert series at London’s O2 arena. The song “Chelsea Rogers”, the second single from the album, was a funky disco style song about a model.
Prince - Chelsea Rogers / Matthew Williamson London Fashion week from Paul Roberts on Vimeo.
Also in 2007 Radiohead released their album In Rainbows on the internet for free, asking fans to pay whatever they wanted. More than a million copies were downloaded and $2.27 million went directly to the musicians. As the only listening example from the readings this week, “Bodysnatchers” employs a strong message against the modern day record label.
More recently, in 2012, Ryan Lewis and Macklemore created “Jimmy Iovine” which recaps a meeting they had with the president of Interscope Records. There is absolutely no question how the duo feels about Jimmy Iovine and record companies in general. As a follow up to song, enjoy a parody skit reenacting the now famous meeting.
Embedding is not available for the parody video, but it is worth the click.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EY_cKt1FXq0
