Western culture makes a point of promoting the capitalistic notion
that sex is a transactional tool. You can buy it. It is used to sell all
kinds of products from teeth-whiteners to milk. You pay and you get.
Pretty shallow-minded, but effective.
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| Screen shot from the video of birthday by 2chainz |
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| Cassie & Nicki Minaj Give SEXED UP Sneek Peek Into "The Boys" Video |
So it stands to reason that, as it's always been, sex will be a factor in some female (or male) music artists' careers.
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| The King of Pop..Michael Jackson..the famous crotch grab |
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| Chris Brown...Crotch Grab |
In fact, the odds are markedly better for the
would-be recording artist if looks and sex appeal are an obvious
attribute after all image is everything in the music industry
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| Screen Shot of Rihana from video "All of the lights" |
Should these artists be deliberately compelled to
provide sexual favors in order to be considered? That would certainly be
inconsistent with corporate standards – not to mention, contemptible
behavior.
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| Sexy Manly Usher Raymond! |
And if this is the trend in any industry today it
may not be the best time to succumb to that motivation because it
doesn't always produce the best results. And the music industry
apparently needs results, albums have to be sold ,endorsements and
appearance fees are all part of the expected result.
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| Trey Sexy Songz |
Decision-making is not always a fully objective
process no matter the business and it will often be swayed by personal
considerations, including arbitrary things like sexual favors - or, for
that matter, just being in the company of attractive people.
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| hmmmmn! yummy Trey Songz..lol |
In the case of socially accepted attitudes toward sex
in the business world, there is a degree of temperament in favor of
pragmatic objectivity - or just not getting sued.
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| Screen Shot from Usher's video for the song "SCREAM" |
The entertainment industry day-to-day dealings in
particular are compromised by the lax "rules of engagement" that
permeate a so-called artistic industry.
There's a
lot of glamour and well, entertainment activity not to mention flighty,
desperate young adults ready to give it up for a break. Who really has the "break" in their pocket and who doesn't is secondary to being "included" - and thus, being seen.
Sexy, beautiful people are nice to be seen with and very sellable.
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| The Legendary Aretha Franklin |
Getting in the music business
has never been about submitting a tape and getting signed on that merit
alone – although that probably has happened in the past.
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| Rihana's new album art work! |
A record label of today signs
an artist with an understanding that there are multiple products to be
developed that revolve around the artist's image, style, look,
outspokenness, etc. - all notwithstanding the artist's musical
contribution.
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| Screen Shot from the video of the song " SOUND TRACK " |
To
generate the scale of product sales needed to provision the promotion
and marketing "machine" the record label must make use of every possible
avenue to increase reach.
Talk
shows, entertainment news, fashion venues all cater to a demanding
public and answer to demanding sponsors. Sexy, attractive artists fit
the profile for these venues and supply what the general public wants to
see. If record labels did not use sex as a promotional sell they would
be out their minds!
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| Screen Shot from The video of My Lady by Flavor |
Record labels also make revenue off of merchandising
popular artists' images. Fees are collected when an artist is displayed
on the cover of a popular magazine, in a movie or music video.
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| Screen shot from The video of the song Birthday by 2 Chainz featuring Kanye West..B |
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| 2 Chainz ...Birthday...na wah o |
Exposure and consumer awareness is a key factor that
allows labels to up the asking price for personal endorsements,
appearances, features in soundtrack albums, etc.
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| Tiwa Sexy Savage |
The person who makes the
decision to invest capital in the development of a talent must be able
to ensure this type of return on investment. The artist image must be as
marketable an item as their music is if the label is going to see
sufficient product sales and the additional revenue from retailing the
artist's image. Oh .. and BTW... Sex Sells.
Back
to the question, I think. If sexy-ness is what everyone is looking for
and it is standing there in your office - wanting to be noticed...
well... this is not "The Others." It doesn't have a twist ending.
Some careers are going to be decided on how sexy a person appears to be - (and I add..) to the beholder.
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| Screen Shot from Wande Coal's " GO LOW" |
This only works as long as the target consumer market
has the same interests as the beholder. But standards for the
"commercial image" are pretty well defined.
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| Nicki Minaj |
The Music Industry would like to promote the idea
that they are mainly about music. But the fact is, as an industry, they
are getting further and further away from it. CD sales do drive the
industry's revenue model but the myriad of requirements around the
central artist's profile has compromised that core value.
Not
everyone who is musically talented and has something significant to
offer is going to be a sexy and attractive model-type that can grace the
cover of a high-visibility magazine.
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| Screen Shot from the Video of BUM BUM by Timaya |
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| Brazilian COCONUTS from the VIDEO OF BUM BUM BY TIMAYA |
For the unfortunate "talent-only" artist there are
few options to hit it the big time but some do make it. If all else
fails and an artiste trys sleeping with a music industry executive ,oh
well! he/she will have themselves to blame and mourn their career when
someone else fresher than them offers him/her the MAIN THING!. ....
"GASPING FOR AIR"
WATCH OUT FOR A NEW HIT TRACK, A CLUB
BANGER, A REDEFINITION OF WHAT SEXY MUSIC SHUD BE.....MAIN THING BY HIS
ROYAL SMOOTHNESS ...M SMOOTH!
Culled from
www.toomuchmuzik.blogspot.com
