Which Artists Would Not Be Signed Today?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Jeff Kent, Sep 19, 2018.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Jeff Kent

    Jeff Kent Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Mt. Kisco, NY
    I remember reading a quote form Tom Petty in the mid 80s where he said that if he were trying to get a record deal [today] that he would never get signed. Zappa has said similar things about the labels taking more chances in the 60s and early 70s.

    Would someone like Bowie or Dylan get signed to a major label in today's musical climate?

    Who would you say was the last 'fringe' artist to sneak onto a major label, someone like Bjork?
     
  2. Chemguy

    Chemguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Western Canada
    I’m not sure that “signing with a major label” means too much anymore. I do believe that talent wins out, and artists have a lot more ways to be discovered these days.
     
  3. Jeff Kent

    Jeff Kent Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Mt. Kisco, NY
    Agreed on both counts, but for the sake of argument/discussion...
     
    Chemguy likes this.
  4. Chemguy

    Chemguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Western Canada
    Right. So I say yes, a new Dylan or Bowie would certainly be signed after being discovered somewhere online.
     
  5. kinkling

    kinkling Forum Resident

    Anyone who couldn't guarantee selling three million albums at Target and Walmart.
     
    driverdrummer and Jimmy B. like this.
  6. gregorya

    gregorya I approve of this message

    That's pretty much everyone now right?.. ;)
     
    Jimmy B. likes this.
  7. kinkling

    kinkling Forum Resident

    Yup!
     
    Jimmy B. and gregorya like this.
  8. Dylancat

    Dylancat Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cincinnati, OH
    Artists mentioned in the thread are of their time.
     
  9. ralph7109

    ralph7109 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Franklin, TN
    You can’t move pieces of time around like that.
     
    2trackmind likes this.
  10. broshfab4

    broshfab4 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    Dylan wouldn't be signed today because the suits don't want talent --- they just want a pretty / handsome face that they can sell to the unwashed masses.
     
    pudgym, Hermes and mace like this.
  11. Black Magic Woman

    Black Magic Woman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chile
    Sadly, Janis Joplin. Like Madonna said, “ To remain popular you can’t go against the grain. Janis Joplin, at this time, in this world would not be a popular artist” And obviously neither Janis or Mama Cass would get signed for their looks.
     
    Last edited: Sep 19, 2018
    oldsurferdude likes this.
  12. HoratioH

    HoratioH Talk Sparks to me

    Without getting too political, signing a politically extreme artist will lead to people believing you endorse their views. This could potentially lead to boycotts and lost revenue, and we all know money is more important than art to the labels.

    So Morrissey, Ted Nugent and possibly even RATM would never be signed to a major label today.
     
    oldsurferdude likes this.
  13. Black Magic Woman

    Black Magic Woman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chile
    Not necessarily. Political musical acts have always been somewhat “risky” to sign.
     
  14. Chris DeVoe

    Chris DeVoe RIP Vickie Mapes Williams (aka Equipoise)

    I have a hard time believing that Kate Bush could be signed today. Absent the influence of Dave Gilmour and with a different EMI executive than Bob Mercer, it's likely that she wouldn't have been signed back in the Seventies.
     
    HoratioH likes this.
  15. Black Magic Woman

    Black Magic Woman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chile
    Lou Reed... he’s too...”commercially dangerous”. Can you imagine Heroin competing with Shape of You on the charts? haha. Or Everything Is Embarrassing if we talk about indie acts.
     
  16. DaleClark

    DaleClark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Columbus, Ohio
    Yes, maybe as we know Kate. However, Kate had the looks, talent and dancing. Kate May have taken a more “pop diva” approach if she was starting out today.
     
  17. altaeria

    altaeria Forum Resident

    Men At Work
     
  18. Jimmy Cagoots

    Jimmy Cagoots Senior Member

    Location:
    Berlin, Ct.
    Ernest Tubb
     
  19. Pizza

    Pizza With extra pepperoni

    Location:
    USA
    I’m pessimistic. I don’t believe talent always prevails.
     
    SmellTheHorse and Hammerpeg like this.
  20. 926am

    926am Senior Member

    Location:
    rochester, ny
    Huey lewis
     
  21. PaperbackBroadstreet

    PaperbackBroadstreet Forum Resident

    Hall and Oates, from a strictly 70s commercial sense. They were given time to keep honing their skills during the lean years. The result was the 80s comeback. I don’t think labels would have the patience today.
     
  22. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    If we're discussing 70s Nugent, though, I don't think there'd be an issue.

    I have no idea if Nugent was as ultra-conservative 45 years ago as he is now, but if he was, it appears he didn't flout his views in the same way he does now.

    Ted's only turned into a political hot potato in the 21st century...
     
  23. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    It must be emojied:

    :rolleyes:
     
  24. oldsurferdude

    oldsurferdude Forum Resident

    Location:
    detroit, mi. 48150
    Axel Rose, Patti Smith, Sinead O'Conner.
     
  25. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    most of the great ones as they had talent...something shunned upon these days on the Top 40! LOL...
     
    SmellTheHorse likes this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine