>He also feels very strong about live music, and >everyone was talking about how live instruments are >coming back. >And the electronic music will die out soon. >A&R development people were talking about how they are >soon to have certain R&B/Hip-hop acts go on the road >with live bands instead of a DJ etc... R&B produces >are talking about working with live musicians from now >on and creating more jobs in the community as well as >building albums not hit cookie cutter singles.
Interesting but then how come the so-called "neo-soul" artists are not selling as well as the more "electronic" - based? Sophomore projects from Maxwell, D'Angelo, Erykah Badu all sold well below expectations. Maxwell's biggest hit single was a track produced by R Kelly whose sound is more programmed than Maxwell's. Eric Benet made for a more obviously "urban" album second time around because of his first record's lack of commercial success. I would say that Macy Gray only blew up like she did because it has a rock/blues feel to it, I don't think that the so-called "urban' market took to her - not here anyway. The Black Eyed Peas have built up a following on the road but complain that radio in the US won't support their stuff. The Roots took years and years to find commercial success with Things Fall Apart. Also in small markets it's just too expensive to tour a band so they just use DAT. It could only be in the States and parts of Europe and parts of Asia where they could sustain the costs.
