Wanderlust Audio: An Introduction

posted in: Features

OSBlog02_WANDERLUST_Master01If time has taught us anything about the phenomenon of pop music, it is that its success cannot be predicted. Of course, professionals can package all the replicated chord progressions, carefully-formulated hooks they want, but the most exceptional and memorable music always derives from one common trait: unprecedented artistic innovation. The Beatles did it with their peaceful message during a time of war, Led Zeppelin did it through musically virtuosic yet accessible rock, Michael Jackson did it through infectious beats and unforgettable dance moves and Kurt Cobain did it by resisting the presumed objective of success with all his might. But as the years have passed, artists like these have been replaced, at least on the charts, by flashy hit-and-run artists whose one hit wonders (with some exception) vanish into obscurity before they have the chance to become a household name. Why this occurrence takes places is an entirely different animal and is inextricably connected to other aspects of the American music industry. This question is, is it the same in other parts of the world?

For the next four months, I will be traveling for a semester abroad in Thessaloniki, Greece, and will visit the rest of the continent as time permits. It is during these, most likely ill-conceived, adventures that I hope to uncover the ingredients to musical success in the international market, and compare it to our American formula. To what extent are international pop stars merely talking heads regurgitating material that was written for them? Do their most popular songs deal with the same traditional themes as ours do? What genres top their charts? Do their live performances illicit the same feverish craze that our artists are capable of? Is the music sold physically in stores like it used to be predominantly in this country or has the entire international industry shifted digital as well? And to what extent is their radio saturated with American pop stars?

My hope is to generate some interest on the practices of the international music industry, and enlighten those who choose to read up on the trends and styles of the global music scene.