Music execs don't trust anyone over 30 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

AKA · 11-26-2003, 01:16 PM

Music execs don't trust anyone over 30

By Mark Lane
Daytona Beach News-Journal

There's a scene in the movie "High Fidelity" in which some middle-aged schlub wanders into a record store and asks for a Stevie Wonder record. He asks for a song made after Mr. Wonder's career showed signs of jumping the shark, "I Just Called to Say I Love You."

The clerk, Barry, (played by the combustible Jack Black, now in "School of Rock") replies yes, they have it, but, no, he won't sell it to him out of principle.

"Do we look like the kind of store that sells 'I Just Called to Say I Love You'? Go to the mall!" he sputters in righteous fury.

It's a funny scene and establishes Barry as a passionate music snob adrift in a world where people listen to Reagan-era Stevie Wonder, "Big Chill" music and new groups that play "old, sad bastard music."

Barry is pretty much the model for the music industry.

Not in passion for music, certainly, but in hostility to the wrong kind of customer.

Modern popular music has always been about delivering the right customers to right advertisers. But lately the desirable demographic range has narrowed dramatically. You're old and in the way at 35.

Even country music, once the refuge of ageless stars -- how old is George Jones? -- has systematically purged proven talent like the late, great Johnny Cash. Cash, who was the living embodiment of every stream and choppy crosscurrent of American roots music and outsold The Beatles in the '60s, ended his career deprived of all country radio airplay and released CDs on an alt-punk record label where he shared a catalog with Slayer, Manmade God and Noise Ratchet.

But the cultural tyranny of demographics is an old story. Here's what's different: Even though Big Music, like Barry, doesn't want to deal with people over 34, older people now are a fast-growing share of the music market.

Last year, according the Recording Industry of America, 35 percent of recorded music sales were to people over 40. The majority of sales were to people over 30.

Of the Billboard Top 10 albums last week, four were by acts 35 or older. That includes certified scary old man Rod Stewart.

A music magazine aimed at the AARP-card rock fan has even been announced. The advertising and music industry response has largely ranged from condescending indifference to withering contempt.

The rise of problem customers, people advertisers don't want to reach, people whose mere presence in record store drives away target customers, people the radio stations don't want as listeners, is a puzzling but undeniable trend.

One explanation is technological incompetence theory. That these are people who aren't adept enough to download music illegally.

Techno-rock guy Moby complained last year his sales were off because his tech-savvy listeners were downloading tracks and not buying CDs. It couldn't be because the CD was ear-numbingly boring. Conversely, near-jazz vocalist Norah Jones' rise has been patronizingly explained by the presumed inability of her listeners to download.

I don't buy it. Have you seen the recording technology in the hands of front-row parents at an average elementary school student concert? These are not consumer-tech morons. I've been at press conferences where the gadgetry was less intimidating.

No, the problem customer refuses to go away out of simple orneriness and a stubborn refusal to accept how deeply uncool he is.

You can freeze him out, banish his idols, and take away his radio. The clerk with the tattoo might handle that Jimmy Buffett CD like he is packaging toxic waste, but you can't stop the music.

jamesanthony · 05-06-2004, 02:43 PM

This is true. The companies market towards teens and twentysomethings who have disposable income to spend on music cds etc. The youth are kind of conditioned to want to like stuff that is the antithesis of whatever their parents like. Some young people like their parents' music, but not the majority I think.

Nighthawk76 · 05-06-2004, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jamesanthony
This is true. The companies market towards teens and twentysomethings who have disposable income to spend on music cds etc. The youth are kind of conditioned to want to like stuff that is the antithesis of whatever their parents like. Some young people like their parents' music, but not the majority I think.

I don't know if I totally agree that most kids hate their parents music. I was born in 1976 yet my two all time favorite artists are The Beatles and Led Zeppelin. The Beatles broke up before I was even born and I was four when Zeppelin broke up. Many other people may age also like The Beatles and Led Zeppelin.

jamesanthony · 05-06-2004, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dukey
I don't know if I totally agree that most kids hate their parents music. I was born in 1976 yet my two all time favorite artists are The Beatles and Led Zeppelin. The Beatles broke up before I was even born and I was four when Zeppelin broke up. Many other people may age also like The Beatles and Led Zeppelin.

I said SOME youth like their parents music, but not the majority. I didn't say MOST kids HATE their parents music.

Nighthawk76 · 05-06-2004, 09:43 PM

Doesn't it mean the same thing in the end? You are saying that kids tend not to like the music their parents do, and I do think there is a great deal of truth in that in there is a lot of music that my parents like that I don't like such as Elvis and Motown. However there are artists like The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Clapton, Pink Floyd...whoes popularity span more then one generation.

11-26-2003, 01:16 PM	#1
AKA Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 17, 2001 Posts: 15,746	Music execs don't trust anyone over 30 Music execs don't trust anyone over 30 By Mark Lane Daytona Beach News-Journal There's a scene in the movie "High Fidelity" in which some middle-aged schlub wanders into a record store and asks for a Stevie Wonder record. He asks for a song made after Mr. Wonder's career showed signs of jumping the shark, "I Just Called to Say I Love You." The clerk, Barry, (played by the combustible Jack Black, now in "School of Rock") replies yes, they have it, but, no, he won't sell it to him out of principle. "Do we look like the kind of store that sells 'I Just Called to Say I Love You'? Go to the mall!" he sputters in righteous fury. It's a funny scene and establishes Barry as a passionate music snob adrift in a world where people listen to Reagan-era Stevie Wonder, "Big Chill" music and new groups that play "old, sad bastard music." Barry is pretty much the model for the music industry. Not in passion for music, certainly, but in hostility to the wrong kind of customer. Modern popular music has always been about delivering the right customers to right advertisers. But lately the desirable demographic range has narrowed dramatically. You're old and in the way at 35. Even country music, once the refuge of ageless stars -- how old is George Jones? -- has systematically purged proven talent like the late, great Johnny Cash. Cash, who was the living embodiment of every stream and choppy crosscurrent of American roots music and outsold The Beatles in the '60s, ended his career deprived of all country radio airplay and released CDs on an alt-punk record label where he shared a catalog with Slayer, Manmade God and Noise Ratchet. But the cultural tyranny of demographics is an old story. Here's what's different: Even though Big Music, like Barry, doesn't want to deal with people over 34, older people now are a fast-growing share of the music market. Last year, according the Recording Industry of America, 35 percent of recorded music sales were to people over 40. The majority of sales were to people over 30. Of the Billboard Top 10 albums last week, four were by acts 35 or older. That includes certified scary old man Rod Stewart. A music magazine aimed at the AARP-card rock fan has even been announced. The advertising and music industry response has largely ranged from condescending indifference to withering contempt. The rise of problem customers, people advertisers don't want to reach, people whose mere presence in record store drives away target customers, people the radio stations don't want as listeners, is a puzzling but undeniable trend. One explanation is technological incompetence theory. That these are people who aren't adept enough to download music illegally. Techno-rock guy Moby complained last year his sales were off because his tech-savvy listeners were downloading tracks and not buying CDs. It couldn't be because the CD was ear-numbingly boring. Conversely, near-jazz vocalist Norah Jones' rise has been patronizingly explained by the presumed inability of her listeners to download. I don't buy it. Have you seen the recording technology in the hands of front-row parents at an average elementary school student concert? These are not consumer-tech morons. I've been at press conferences where the gadgetry was less intimidating. No, the problem customer refuses to go away out of simple orneriness and a stubborn refusal to accept how deeply uncool he is. You can freeze him out, banish his idols, and take away his radio. The clerk with the tattoo might handle that Jimmy Buffett CD like he is packaging toxic waste, but you can't stop the music.

05-06-2004, 02:43 PM	#2
jamesanthony Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 30, 2004 Posts: 2,180	This is true. The companies market towards teens and twentysomethings who have disposable income to spend on music cds etc. The youth are kind of conditioned to want to like stuff that is the antithesis of whatever their parents like. Some young people like their parents' music, but not the majority I think.

05-06-2004, 09:43 PM	#5
Nighthawk76 Rachel Berry Forum Celebrity Join Date: Feb 28, 2003 Location: Illinois Posts: 23,254	Doesn't it mean the same thing in the end? You are saying that kids tend not to like the music their parents do, and I do think there is a great deal of truth in that in there is a lot of music that my parents like that I don't like such as Elvis and Motown. However there are artists like The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Clapton, Pink Floyd...whoes popularity span more then one generation.