R&B Music Forum
| To write or not to write that it is the question? | ||||
ilikeit 2008-07-23 00:32:17 Total Posts: 1156 | I remember when the artist was the act and the record label held all the production cards in their hands, including penning the songs. I heard about the drama with Ne-Yo and Britney Spears. Supposedly Ne-Yo gave a couple songs to Nicole Scherzinger of the (PussyCat Dolls) and Britney heard about it and was upset. Ne-Yo heard about Britney's feels being hurt and said he didn't care,because they set up multiple sessions where she was supposed to actually come in and give her input on the songs. But she never showed up. Besides her management never paid him. So my question is do you like the Motown era of doing business where the label had a one stop shop for the artist. Or do like the way it's done know? | |||
R&B Guru 2008-07-23 06:15:21 Total Posts: 2527 | Hrmm, initially, I was going to go with today's, but I think there's a lot more involved than initially seems. I feel like by dealing with the label for everything, an artist is able to be formed into a consistent sound because they're working with a single group. It might not be the image the artist wants to express, but at least it lets them have one. A lot of today's artists just shop around for the producers that are hot, ensuring that a lot of the industry has a samesy feel to it (though this was the case in the 90s too... you could listen to the radio for an hour and just hear Babyface developed tracks hahaha). In addition, albums will have a very disjoint feel as they feature the culmination of 9 or 10 different producers putting independent songs together, losing the hope for a concept album. However, artists are also given more creative freedom to work with who they want and to even dabble in it themselves, allowing potentially more creativity on the albums. Though I have to say, I think most artists get involved with writing on their albums to have a share in the profit, and not because of any "artistic expression." Regardless, there's definitely a lot more to the question than initially meets the eye :). | |||
bunky1787 2008-07-23 08:41:27 Total Posts: 440 | I think Gura hit the nail right on the head. Arstists these days take advantage of working with different producers. When albums are aimed to be more conceptual, I think their USUALLY better quality and they show that the artist had more of their own imput. For example, remember Ginuwine's first two albums? Both were mainly produced by Timbaland and written by Elgin himself. Most of all they both seemed so focused and no one could question the quality of each one was exceptional(100% Ginuwine has the slight egde tho lol!). Then look at his 4th album "The Senior". He obviously was trying to stay relevant in the music industry by signing big name producers like R. Kelly, Scott Storch, and Brian Michael Cox to give him that versatility that wasn't on any of his previous albums. Still though I think he would have made out better with another "The Life" album that would have shown his true form as an artist. | |||
ilikeit 2008-07-23 13:25:36 Total Posts: 1156 | I'm glad you pointed that out Guru. It's just too many cooks in the kitchen. There is no theme to the albums anymore. Mainly because when an artist shops for a producer their thinking about their next hit. You can't put an album together like that. | |||
BM.nizar 2008-07-23 13:30:04 Total Posts: 25 | First of all i want to ask you a question ilikeit do you qualify bitney as an R&B singer personnly their songs makes me sick try listen to monica brandy they are more better than britney | |||
ilikeit 2008-07-23 13:46:02 Total Posts: 1156 | The first answer to your question is no one thought that Justin Timberlake was an R&B singer until he sang "Gone". So you can't look at the label so much to the point where you are not listening to the music. When Ne-Yo wrote those songs for Britney they were no doubt R&B songs. It's not until the song crosses over that they are labeled a PoP song. Britney asked for thoses songs because she sees how much success her ex-boyfriend is having with the R&B songs written and produced by Timberland. And as far as listen to Monica I help put her on the map because I bought 10 copies of her first album I was listen to it so much it kept gettin scratched. LOL | |||
BM.nizar 2008-07-23 13:51:45 Total Posts: 25 | yeah man you are right can you imagine a 15 years old girl like monica make a big sucess. it still one of the best 90 an 00 R&B singer | |||
ilikeit 2008-07-23 14:05:11 Total Posts: 1156 | She could have been the best,but personal issues got in the way of music. It's a shame, but we as fans must wait for the next 15yr old girl to come along and wow us with her voice. And I will be willing and able to hand over my $20 bucks gladly. | |||
R&B Guru 2008-07-23 14:11:04 Total Posts: 2527 | ilikeit, that's a great answer about Britney. And honestly, pop has been this way for a while where it's walking a thin line. Many of the late 90s boy band groups actually received production from big R&B stars. Babyface did production for Backstreet Boys and I believe N'Sync. I'm sure several others had as well. While I wouldn't consider a lot of these pop artists as R&B singers, they've certainly "experimented." Still, returning to the original question. Is it good to have these artists "shop around" for producers/writers, to do it themselves, or to have an album that features a small number of producers. | |||
iluv90srnb 2008-07-23 15:04:27 Total Posts: 36 | I think an album should feature a small number of producers, I think this allows the artist to be heard. In using, Ginuwine as the example his music was better when he worked primarily with Timbaland rather than shopping for the latest hot producer. On the flip side, for every Ginuwine "The Senior" there is a Mary J. Blige "Growing Pains." | |||
ilikeit 2008-07-26 02:08:07 Total Posts: 1156 | I think you should listen to it again and tell me what you think. Listen real slow. LOL | |||
