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  • High School Musical-Something Like A Phenomenon?

    So, everyone knows about record sales being in the crapper…yadayadayada.
    But the fact is…people are still running in to buy certain things. It’s just that phenomenons are fewer and further between.
    This week, the High School Musical 2 Soundtrack marks it’s fourth consecutive week on top of Billboard’s Album Chart, with sales at a very healthy 170,000 copies. It’s sold nearly 1.5 million copies in four weeks. This comes after the soundtrack to the first movie sold over 4 million copies and was the top selling album (not soundtrack, mind you…over all album) of 2006.
    It’s still in the Top 40 18 months later.
    Me, I’m not a Disney channel watcher. I can’t vouch for why this is so successful, especially in light of failed past Disney projects (anyone old enough to remember The Party back in the early Nineties?) AND the fact that albums by members of HSM’s cast have either underwhelmed or flopped miserably (Vanessa Hudgens is the only cast member to go Gold on her own). It might be because it’s a family movie and a family soundtrack, and the best-selling albums historically have been albums the entire family can listen to…or at least are kid-friendly (see: Carrie Underwood, Nickelback, et. al.).
    Of course, there might be a little extra hubbub nowadays since the news popped about the nudie pictures of Ms. Hudgens. The fact that the news appeared not to affect sales at all speaks to how trivial the whole deal is (she’s 19…get real people!). My main curiosity is…how long is this juggernaut going to last? And how long is Disney going to continue to milk this? Because if these albums continue to sell, I can see High School Musical: The 10-Year Reunion coming to a store near you in 2016.
    Here are this week’s Top Ten albums (courtesy of Billboard Communications)
    1. High School Musical 2 Soundtrack: Various Artists
    2. The Dutchess: Fergie
    3. Hannah Montana 2 Soundtrack: Meet Miley Cyrus: Miley Cyrus
    4. The Altar & The Door: Casting Crowns
    5. Bone Palace Ballet: Chiodos
    6. Hairspray Soundtrack: Various Artists
    7. Now That’s What I Call Music 25: Various Artists
    8. All The Right Reasons: Nickelback
    9. Back To Black: Amy Winehouse
    10. Minutes To Midnight: Linkin Park

  • Can’t Tell Kanye Nothin’

    With August having been such a dreary month for new music, it’s nice to see this week’s release schedule so power-packed, with new albums out from hip-hop heavyweights Kanye West and 50 Cent, as well as a new set from country heartthrob Kenny Chesney. Folks are headed to the record stores in droves this week, as it looks like the top three will debut with a total close to 2 million albums combined. And more than likely, the folks who are running in to buy one of the three albums will find something else worth picking up, which is a good thing. The industry needs some excitement like this.
    1st day projections have West handily defeating his challengers with what will be the biggest first-week total of the year. Graduation” has already sold almost Gold in one day. The best thing about it? Kanye’s not some fly-by-night pop sensation. He’s a legitimate talent-although truthfully, he’s probably not as talented as he thinks he is! That said, having purchased and listened to Graduation several times already, he’s made a damn good album. Considering he’s also contributed to two other solid hip-hop releases this year (Common and Talib Kweli) and you’ve got the rarity of a critically acclaimed artist who happens to sell records in quantity as well! What a concept!!
    Check out these websites: http://www.kanyewest.com/
    OH!!: We’ve got a Myspace page now!! Please add us at www.myspace.com/musichelpweb

  • Remembrance

    As much as I’d like today not to be about music for a minute, the fact of the matter is that 9/11/01 did fall on a release date (Tuesday). I was managing the music department of a store at that time, and I remember one eye being on the registers with another eye on the news. I remember closing the store early and finding the streets of NYC in absolute chaos. I remember taking the subways and watching the stunned looks on everyone’s faces. I remember getting back to my apartment, staring at a sky thick and black with smoke, with nothing else to do but listen to the music I’d just bought. There was no phone service in Manhattan, no internet…nothing to do except slap the headphones on my ears and try to make sense of the tragedy that had just occurred.

    Of course, music went on to become a healing balm for many after the events of 9/11: plenty of songs took on a special significance. Music has always provided the answers to my questions at times when nothing else could answer, so everything from POD’s “Youth of the Nation” to Five for Fighting’s “Superman” to…well, just about anything from U2’s “All That You Can’t Leave Behind”. Although I was 25 when the attacks happened, the suddenness of everything and the lack of reasoning behind what was going on almost turned me into a five-year old again. With no one to provide a rational explanation to what was happening and no one to offer a solution or even any kind of consolation, I (and many others I assume) took solace in music.

    And this is why, no matter how many businessmen say that the music BUSINESS will die, music itself remains as vital as ever. For many people, music is the one of the few things that makes sense in an uncertain world. You can celebrate, mourn, motivate and take solace in music in a way that no other media can really offer.

    But let’s forget about music for a second and take a second to mourn as well as show appreciation for the lives that were unnecessarily lost, the brave firemen, policemen (and women) and ordinary civilians who gave selflessly in a time of need. Let’s appreciate our servicemen and women fighting overseas. Whether you agree with the war or not, the men and women out there need our support. Let’s take a second and look in the mirror and realize that tomorrow’s not promised. Let’s try to do good things for and to people-not just today, but every day. Let’s show a little more tolerance, a little more appreciation, a little more love. So many of us just take for granted that life will continue as is, and we fail to appreciate the little things in life as they happen (hell, sometimes I do too).

    Kanye, 50 and Kenny Chesney can wait. I thought taking a second to remember was more important than discussing music that comes out today. I hope you agree.