I really don't want to get into a "preach" here, but based on one thread that was moved over, rightfully, to "TIO" (Take It Outside), I need to express my thoughts here in a peaceful manner.
I think it is safe to say that as dance music fans, as well as those that are in the industry in one form or another, that we all want what it best for dance music. In a "perfect world" everyone throughout the country would talk about dance music, in our brand, as equally as CHR, R&B, hip-hop and country music because our style has been accepted and "welcomed" as part of the mainstream fold by all and not labeled, negatively, to certain aspects of the dance music audience. MTV would use more dance tracks on their shows. Our artists would be easily recognizable on billboards, throughout the media, and could even blend in to Hollywood (as it has been with hip-hop artists). Places such as iTunes would be more recognizant to all aspects of dance music equally and not "lump" it alongside electronica, which could be a category of its own. So when I see posts that get into arguments and bashing of our music from WITHIN, it troubles me.
I'm not going to get into that post that was sent to "TIO" nor am I going to get into those that spewed out or were affected by negative/adverse reactions based upon the spew. Yet, it is based on those actions that makes our music come off, to an outsider looking in, as a "laughing stock" because we let drama and BS get in the way of potential progress.
Despite the loss of some stations over the past few years, the dance music genres in our brand HAVE been growing thanks largely to the Internet. While a loss of an FM station is a bad hit for our music as a whole, people have turned to the Internet. And when a strong station, such as iPartyRadio, was shuttered due to rising financial costs it is a small cause of "alarm" wondering if more stations are going to shut down based on these costs incurred by streams and royalties. The LAST thing we need is for a war of words to further degrade things for our music because, for what its worth, even though things have been rising we still don't have that strong "leg" of sorts to push our brand into that mainstream aspect whereas EVERY fan can be accepting of the music without getting into "battles" of what "true" dance music is versus what made it into the "mainstream" and negatively picked on as a "sellout". We can't afford to look bad. Nor can we allow for those that are serving as "beacons" for dance music through their Internet stations to battle off against one another and exposing the "dirty laundry" out for public consumption. That can't happen for us. I do believe we are better than that.
I have to use this as an example. I recently left Urban Latino Radio because of miscommunication between me and the main host of the show where my segment occurred. Despite that, I wish NOTHING BUT THE VERY BEST for Urban Latino Radio. They gave me a "start" whereas I can push for new music and new artists to get exposed; to give that "break" to someone whose track was well produced and deserving of that shot. For the 10 months I have been there, the experience has been nothing short of "rewarding and positive." Yet I suppose inherently it was time for me to take things to that next proverbial "level". You will NEVER hear me bash or criticize Urban Latino Radio or any specific people there because I DO realize that we can't afford to look negative. And honestly, they gave me the shot and I will be forever humble and grateful to them for that.
Granted, "drama" is everywhere in life. But lets look into that "big picture" for our music and push for us to move forward. I do hope that iPartyRadio either comes back as it was, or re-brands itself as something else, but with the staff and formatics in tact (e.g. how LaKalle in New York City moved from 105.9 to 96.3 and rebranded itself as X-96.3 but with the same format). I wish ALL Internet dance stations the very best! To me I don't consider anyone to be "competition"; I consider the other stations as "brothers and sisters" all pushing for our cause to get our music further exposed to the masses and gain countrywide acceptance....not just within the big cities.
To that, let us carry forward from here on. Cast negativity out of your vocabulary since that will just hold things back.
Prosper my friends!
TS
I think it is safe to say that as dance music fans, as well as those that are in the industry in one form or another, that we all want what it best for dance music. In a "perfect world" everyone throughout the country would talk about dance music, in our brand, as equally as CHR, R&B, hip-hop and country music because our style has been accepted and "welcomed" as part of the mainstream fold by all and not labeled, negatively, to certain aspects of the dance music audience. MTV would use more dance tracks on their shows. Our artists would be easily recognizable on billboards, throughout the media, and could even blend in to Hollywood (as it has been with hip-hop artists). Places such as iTunes would be more recognizant to all aspects of dance music equally and not "lump" it alongside electronica, which could be a category of its own. So when I see posts that get into arguments and bashing of our music from WITHIN, it troubles me.
I'm not going to get into that post that was sent to "TIO" nor am I going to get into those that spewed out or were affected by negative/adverse reactions based upon the spew. Yet, it is based on those actions that makes our music come off, to an outsider looking in, as a "laughing stock" because we let drama and BS get in the way of potential progress.
Despite the loss of some stations over the past few years, the dance music genres in our brand HAVE been growing thanks largely to the Internet. While a loss of an FM station is a bad hit for our music as a whole, people have turned to the Internet. And when a strong station, such as iPartyRadio, was shuttered due to rising financial costs it is a small cause of "alarm" wondering if more stations are going to shut down based on these costs incurred by streams and royalties. The LAST thing we need is for a war of words to further degrade things for our music because, for what its worth, even though things have been rising we still don't have that strong "leg" of sorts to push our brand into that mainstream aspect whereas EVERY fan can be accepting of the music without getting into "battles" of what "true" dance music is versus what made it into the "mainstream" and negatively picked on as a "sellout". We can't afford to look bad. Nor can we allow for those that are serving as "beacons" for dance music through their Internet stations to battle off against one another and exposing the "dirty laundry" out for public consumption. That can't happen for us. I do believe we are better than that.
I have to use this as an example. I recently left Urban Latino Radio because of miscommunication between me and the main host of the show where my segment occurred. Despite that, I wish NOTHING BUT THE VERY BEST for Urban Latino Radio. They gave me a "start" whereas I can push for new music and new artists to get exposed; to give that "break" to someone whose track was well produced and deserving of that shot. For the 10 months I have been there, the experience has been nothing short of "rewarding and positive." Yet I suppose inherently it was time for me to take things to that next proverbial "level". You will NEVER hear me bash or criticize Urban Latino Radio or any specific people there because I DO realize that we can't afford to look negative. And honestly, they gave me the shot and I will be forever humble and grateful to them for that.
Granted, "drama" is everywhere in life. But lets look into that "big picture" for our music and push for us to move forward. I do hope that iPartyRadio either comes back as it was, or re-brands itself as something else, but with the staff and formatics in tact (e.g. how LaKalle in New York City moved from 105.9 to 96.3 and rebranded itself as X-96.3 but with the same format). I wish ALL Internet dance stations the very best! To me I don't consider anyone to be "competition"; I consider the other stations as "brothers and sisters" all pushing for our cause to get our music further exposed to the masses and gain countrywide acceptance....not just within the big cities.
To that, let us carry forward from here on. Cast negativity out of your vocabulary since that will just hold things back.
Prosper my friends!
TS