Month: July 2019

The music industry is often seen as a very glamorous and destructive lifestyle by most people. This is because movies, pop culture, and sometimes artists themselves tend to depict the industry to be like that. However, there are many layers to the music industry, and this is why we will be debunking a few common and popular myths about the music industry.

• The most common myth that a huge chunk of us happen to believe is that the music industry is a ludicrous venture and that it always pays well, however that is not the case. Yes, successful musicians are able to earn a lot of money, but apart from those that are at the top of their game, other struggling artists are hardly able to make ends meet. In fact, if you look at Spotify, then musicians there earn $0.00437 per stream, and that is a very dismal amount if you think about it. So, most artists are actually struggling to keep their career going in the music industry, contrary to what most of us are led to believe.
• Another common myth about the music industry is the fact that sex, drug, and alcohol are in abundance, and that is not always the case. A lot of times musicians are struggling with substance dependence and the rest of the band will have to go on a dry spell as well out of risk of the person relapsing. The industry is toxic in that regard because a lot of times musicians are forced into that lifestyle because it is simply the norm there.
• There is also the assumption that all record labels are bad and are out to exploit you, and while there are record labels that do tend to do that, there are also labels that give their artist a lot of liberties, and only takes an understandable percentage of the royalties. So, really, you have to be the one to read the contract properly and do your research before you sign into any record company.
• Another interesting myth is the fact that it is impossible to break into the industry, especially if you are not signed under a major label, however, that is not actually true. Artists under major labels have flopped, and Spotify and other Sound Cloud artists have managed to break into the industry and made waves. There will be a struggle to establish yourself and break into the industry, however, it is not as difficult a feat to accomplish as people tend to make it out to be. You just have to be willing to work hard and really dedicate yourself to your craft.
• There is then the issue of rock stars and people believing that all musicians are conceited and believe themselves to be above the law and principles of morality, and while there have been a few who have tried to do that, karma has had a way of bringing them down. Most musicians are actually really hard working, humble, and grateful to be where they are.

Stevland Hardaway Lukdins, also known as Stevie Wonder, is a legend in the music industry and was a recent inductee in the R&B Hall of Fame, an achievement that was long overdue. Stevie Wonder was born in Michigan on May 13, 1953, and he has been shaking up the music industry since then. He broke into the music industry as a child prodigy, and he left a legacy that can be considered nothing less than wonderful.

Stevie Wonder was born blind due to an eye condition known as retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) given how we have born 6 weeks early. This is a condition that occurs because of the presence of abnormal blood vessels throughout the retina of the eye. The condition left him blind, but that was never a problem for him, he instead spent the next few decades becoming one of the most loved musicians in American history, and you can still find generations grooving to his music.

Stevie Wonder was not just born blind, he was born into poverty as well. He lived in an abusive household with an alcoholic father who would regularly abuse his mother, and then forced her into prostitution. His childhood might not have been kind to him, but he was still a hopeful child, and even told his mother not to worry about him being blind because he was still happy, and this was at the tender age of 5.

Once his mother managed to move the family to Detroit, Stevie started exploring different musical instruments. He managed to teach himself how to play a number of instruments like the drums, the harmonica, and the piano, all before the age of 10. His talent was then discovered by Ronnie White, who had him audition at Motown Records. This is where his musical career kicked off, and he created a bunch of hit songs like My Cherie Amour, I Just Called to Say I Love You, and many more. When asked if his blindness ever affected his music, Wonder responded that it actually allowed him to use his imagination and be more creative.

However, blindness was not the only health-related issue that Stevie Wonder had to deal with. A near-death experience in a car crash in 1973 resulted in him being in a coma for four days. In 2019 he confirmed that he would be getting a kidney transplant done. However, regardless of his health issues and other struggles, Wonder has still focused on his music more than anything else. Some of his music like We are the World was created as parts of social justice initiatives, and proceeds to the song were donated to help fight hunger in Africa and so on to name a few. His career and legacy stands as a testament to the fact that one can still accomplish great things in life if they are able to put it in the hustle required to get there in the end.

The term Industrial Music was first described in 1976 after a group Throbbing Gristle felt the need to create a label known as Industrial Records with the tagline, Industrial Music for Industrial People. This set the scene for a completely new genre of music that we know understand as Industrial or Industrial Metal.

Industrial music often incorporates sounds similar to factory work with clattering percussions, electrical noises that almost appear to sear your ear and so on. The music almost has a sinister theme to it, and while it may have horrified the English crowd at the time, it has now become a much-respected genre in the music industry. If anything, Industrial music can be credited to the uprising of Metal as a genre as well.

Initially, industrial music had its roots in the transgender and queer community, however, it soon started to become a medium for straight males to express their anger. Towards the 80s and 90s, industrial started turning mainstream due to the efforts of bands like Nine Inch Nails and so on. We will now list a number of Industrial Albums that we consider to truly reflect the genre at its finest.

• If we are going to be making a list, then Sacred Bones’ most famous record Abandon needs to be mentioned. A 2013 release that managed to tingle the hearts of many purists. Margaret Chariet, the face of the band, actually chose not to promote her album on social media at all, a truly gutsy move, and this only helped to attract more purists her way.
• Controlled Bleeding by Artoffact is 1985 classic that features power electronics. The record is recognized for its haunting music which includes murky and harsh noises, followed by an equally disturbing album cover. If anything, it served as a blueprint for a lot of other bands who joined the scene later on.
• Lords of Acid, a 1991 band was not originally known for its industrial music. If anything, their music used to be a bit more upbeat. However, their 1994 track Voodoo-U was a drastic shift from their normal music and can be best described as nothing less than terrifying. Screeching vocals, sudden breakbeats, and heavy keyboard added to the creepy factor.
• Pleasure Ground by Prurient is a 2006 release which can be considered to be one of those pieces that best represent everything the Industrial genre stands for. There are four long pieces in the entire mix, but each mix is hauntingly beautiful, and you will find yourself mesmerized by the howls, the shouts, and the rumbling noises throughout each track. The music can be described as obscure, yet haunting at the same time.
• It might sound unnatural to being hip hop and industrial together, but Clipping introduced industrial hip-hop with their album Splendor and Misery. It still retains the noisy and eerie sound that is characteristic of Industrial music, yet at the same time, the album also features an afro-futurist beat featuring a gospel choir.