This Is $uccess?
Here’s what passes for—what? credibility, authenticity, talent, ability—nowadays, it seems. Here’s what we’ve come to as regards musicians that we are supposed to add to our list of those who deserve our time and attention—to say nothing of our cash. It comes from a press release for Salme Dahlstrom, who, I must confess, I lack familiarity with, and, having watched/listened to her “Superstar Car Crash,” I can confidently say I will continue to lack deliberate familiarity with because, well, here’s the piece from the press release:
“Like Moby did with his hugely popular album Play, Dahlstrom has managed to license every track from The Acid Cowgirl Audio Trade including syncs with companies such as Suave, Vodafone, Nike, MTV, Chips Ahoy, Miller Lite, Subaru, Quiznos, Ford Models, Bank of America and television programs and films such as One Tree Hill, Veronica Mars, Laguna Beach, The Real Orange County, The Hills, and Ice Age 3.”
Swell, huh? She’s managed to sell the whole damn thing. On her homepage she points out that “C’mon Y’All” “is in the new Suave commercial” and, not incidentally, encourages us to buy it from iTunes.
How does one selling an album to commercial interests make it a more viable choice for the rest of us? Are we to assume that “They” know better than we do and so their vetting does it for us?
I suppose the simple answer is that it is all just “show biz,” with the emphasis on the latter term, not the former.
MP3: Salme Dahlstrom – “Hello California” (DJ Phunkae Radio Edit)
Video: Salme Dahlstrom – “Superstar Car Crash”
Salme Dahlstrom: iTunes, Amazon, Insound, wiki.
sab
1038 days ago
This video is just ridiculous. And the song is terrible.
Derek Phillips
1038 days ago
…but my hair is so manageable!
Jake
1038 days ago
Gee, your hair smells terrific!
jonas
1038 days ago
She could be big, if you tell two friends…and so on…and so on…
Mixmaster Shecky
1038 days ago
The Monkees should have waited until now to form. All the grief they got from hippies for being a ‘manufactured’ band…
trainwrexx
1037 days ago
ummm the monkees were still better musicians than most of their legendary peers, even though someone brought them together…
this sounds like it was made for a commercial and then someone thought this would sell as an album too…”titanium poweeeeeer”
steve-o
1037 days ago
Wow. Just…wow.
See, the thing this idiot fails to realize is that Play was not memorable for having every song licensed, it was memorable for taking a not quite revolutionary but still interesting idea and making some pretty decent songs out of it. Way to miss the point on that one.
Oh yeah, then I got tired of hearing the same songs off Play on TV every single goddamn day and I haven’t listened to it in years. So I guess that didn’t work out so well either.
sab
1037 days ago
Moby sucked (sucks? is he still around sucking some more?) too.
Jake
1037 days ago
Mobby is indeed still around.
He is, however, no longer sleeping on Phil and Rudy’s couch.
sab
1036 days ago
Someone needs to tell that story. Phil?
Kiko Jones
1031 days ago
THIS is but one of the byproducts of piracy, um, “file sharing”: the cheapening and blatant, unrepentant commercialization of music via advertising. Remember “This Note’s for You”? Ancient history. Moby caught some grief 10 years ago; no one’s gonna dis this chick over the same approach. And those who do will be seen as out of touch, and even accused of not caring about the financial livelihood of artists.
6 has become 9.
TIm
1016 days ago
I don’t get what you guys are complaining about. The recording industry has changed, and you’re still stuck in yesterday. Every artist, including your heroes, whomever they are, are trying to score placements, cause that’s where the money is these days.
And b.t.w. – If you had taken the time to read up on Salme you would know that she is not fabricated but her success is self made – she wrote and produced the entire album herself. I caught her live in NY a few years back and she kicked ass on stage too.
Steve Garcia
993 days ago
The Wall Street Journal deemed this topic worthy of an article. Just sayin.
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2009/07/27/salme-dahlstrom-music-licensing-queen/
Stacy Love
983 days ago
You don’t know who Salme Dahlstrom is? And you’re a music journalist (well, sort of at least)…?
But more importunely, instead of MTV showcasing new music, these days it’s the ad agencies that do it. Better or worse? That’s a matter of opinion, but at least the ad agencies think the music is good enough to pay for it whilst MTV got it for free.
Food for thought.