tuneRater

Born in Harlem, New York, Azealia Banks is slowly making her mark in music. Interscope signed the rapper, singer, and lyricist this year. Her sound is a mix of M.I.A., Santigold, and Jay Z combined with beats that resemble the culture found in Harlem. Look out for her debut album “Broke With Expensive Taste” this September!

I’ve spent the last few months neglecting this blog. Maybe it was because balancing college, work, family, friends, and personal time can becoming overwhelming? IDK. The good news is that I have graduated and suddenly realized how much free time I have to invest in doing what I WANT to do. SOOOO…in the next few weeks, I will be working on revamping this blog and bringing in mucho content. I promise.

Pinkie promise. ;)

(Doing the limbo @ Ultra Music Festival, Miami)

Record sales are the biggest challenge for artists in the digital era. Unlike ever before, selling music has become an obstacle for artists due to the massive increase and availability of illegal downloading. Some artists put in countless hours into production and promotion of the album. While some are struggling to make their mark, Adele has proven to be one of the most successful artists of the digital era. So what makes her so successful many may ask? The answer is simple. Quality. From start to finish, her sophomore album is crafted to perfection. First and foremost, her vocal abilities and the emotion she elicits in each song give life to every word. Second, the songs are mildly produced, allowing her voice to shine and communicate with the audience. But the main ingredient is simply her ability to write amazing songs that anyone with a heart can relate to. Since the release of “21”, Adele has yet to fall from the top of the charts in countries across the world. Besides her successful album sales, she has given the music industry hope. Artists should take note that quality is the best way to succeed. 

Take a listen to “Set Fire to the Rain” and “Someone Like You”, my two favorite songs on the album. 

No one would have predicted the recent success of Britney Spears a few years ago with the amount of controversy surrounding her personal life, but she has yet again proven to be unstoppable. Her recent single “Hold It Against Me” topped the Billboard Top 100 and received massive positive feedback from fans around the world. The song, produced by Max Martin and Dr. Luke, brings back the classic Britney-esque sounds with the addition of dubstep, a modern genre of electronic dance sounds that originated in South East London. It would not be Britney without the sexual allusions, catchy chorus, and a sick dance breakdown. Sure the song is Britney at her finest, but is it enough to compete with Gaga? Without enough promotion and lack of connectivity with the press, the only thing Britney has over Gaga is tenure. “Born This Way”, Gaga’s first single of her highly anticipated album has already proven more successful than “Hold It Against Me”, becoming Billboard’s 1000th single to hit number one. Along with the single’s chart domination, Gaga has begun making her rounds to different media outlets. Exposure and connectivity with the fans is a surefire method of success for today’s artists. With Britney hiding behind a team of music industry’s top professionals working hard to promote her album, her potential remains limited. Great music speaks for itself, but with the amount of competition in the music industry today, it may no longer be enough. This is truly her time to deliver and if the expectations of her fans are not met, this could be her last shot.