Decade of music: High-tech turns high drama

BY JENNIFER CHANCELLOR World Scene Writer
Sunday, December 27, 2009
1/16/13 at 7:31 AM

The "aughts," as many called it, were filled with revolution. And, even decades after the split of a band that's possibly most famous for singing about revolution, The Beatles are still one of the most influential and top-selling bands of any generation. That was one of the few constants of the decade.

MySpace. iTunes. Amazon. Pandora. Satellite Radio. Walmart.

Good guy. Bad guy. Savior. Sleaze.

Around and around the music industry went with its hot-and-cold, sinner-vs.-saint relationship with digital music and online sales.

Revolution, indeed. And no revolution is without controversy — or growing pains.

But one thing hasn't changed: Fans still want music. They're ravenous for it.

However, music delivery media now are more diverse than ever. Sales move at hyperspeed. Live tours are more important than ever and sell out in seconds. Then there are the video franchises. The digital singles and digital album sales. Exclusive retail mega-deals. And on. And on.

Fact: The sale of physical-copy CDs has indeed plummeted — nearly 47 percent since 2000. But not for all music fans — or artists. Get this: Many of the CD-sale chart toppers are as much as they were 20, 30 or even 40 years ago: Michael Jackson, the Eagles, AC/DC, Metallica, Bon Jovi and — far and away — The Beatles.

In fact, Nielsen Soundscan, the company that compiles the Billboard charts, claims that the decade's two biggest sellers faced off from polar-opposite genres: rap and rock.

Nielsen reports that Slim Shady himself — Eminem — sold more than 32 million albums. The Beatles sold 30 million albums. Remember, the Fab Four split in 1970.

Popsters 'NSYNC and Britney Spears and country troubadours Tim McGraw, Toby Keith and Kenny Chesney also top the list of albums sold, but not one of any of them launched careers in this decade.

Millions of their albums were sold via digital format.

However, The Beatles lost out in potentially millions more in album sales, as its songs and albums have yet to be sold by digital retailers like iTunes.

See what we mean? Love. Hate. Love. Hate.

Indeed, it's a fractured fairy tale for some of the world's biggest-selling stars and their record labels. But what about the music fans?

Remember in 2000, when metal music monster band Metallica sued — and shut down — music-sharing site Napster? Boy, that was nasty. It was also about money.

Flash forward. In 2003, its "St. Anger" album launched at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. And, in 2009, "Death Magnetic" also debuted at the top spot with nearly double the first-week album sales of its previous release.

Through it all, digital sales, however, have spiked as high as 150 percent a year since iTunes started tracking its own music sales around 2003, say Apple reps. That's billions of songs sold — and millions of albums — in a little over half a decade.

So, who's the loser? It doesn't seem to be the music fans. You say you want a revolution? Well

In 2008, Nine Inch Nails frontman and founder Trent Reznor released a free, straight-to-Internet album, "The Slip." It shot to No. 1 in radio play charts, and was downloaded nearly 1.5 million times. It was an unquestionable hit. No record companies got a dime from the release, and Reznor himself charged as much as $300 apiece for "special edition" versions of the album. And yes, special edition copies sold out in days.

In 2009, Oklahoma psychedelic rock act the Flaming Lips streamed its entire double album, "Embryonic" on multiple Web sites before its October release date, courtesy of its record label, Warner Bros. The "try it, buy it" method paid off — it became the Lips' first Top 10 Billboard debut in the band's 25-plus-year career.

Maybe what we've learned as music fans and consumers in this decade is that all those ephemeral numbers and rankings and hype machines are more irrelevant than ever.

We buy what we like, when we like and when we want it, all the time and everywhere we go. Perhaps that's the most important lesson of all. Are you listening, record companies?

Album of the decade

This month, country crooner Carrie Underwood’s “Some Hearts” album was named Billboard magazine’s top country album of the decade. The 2005 debut followed her “American Idol” win and has sold more than 10 million copies in the U.S. and Canada.

Also, her single, “Before He Cheats” (No. 8), is the only female on the Top 20 Hot Country Songs of the Decade.

Top one-hit wonders

1. “Bad Day,” Daniel Powter, 2006

2. “Lean Back,” Terror Squad, 2004

3. “Butterfly,” Crazytown, 2001

4. “This is Why I’m Hot,” MIMS, 2007

5. “Laffy Taffy,” D4L, 2006

6. “You’re Beautiful,” James Blunt, 2006

7. “Crazy,” Gnarls Barkley, 2006

8. “Hit ‘Em Up Style (Oops!),” Blu Cantrell, 2001

9. “Inside Your Heaven,” Bo Bice, 2005

10. “He Loves U Not,” Dream, 2000

— Source: Billboard online

Random

Barbra Streisand’s two-concert stint at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Aug. 27, 2000, is the sixth-highest grossing North American concert of all time. It earned her more than $14,393,750.

Paul McCartney’s “Concert For New York City,” after the 9/11 attacks, held Oct. 20, 2001, is No. 11 on the top-grossing North American concerts of all time, with $12,269,405 earned.

No. 1 on Pollstar’s list is Woodstock 99, featuring the Dave Matthews Band and Metallica, held July 22, 2009. It earned $28,864,748.

— Source: PollStar Pro

Top Oklahoma albums

This was a really difficult list to put together, as there were hundreds upon hundreds of albums released from 2000- 09 in Oklahoma, by some very talented music acts. Many are big names, some aren’t. All have their roots in the Sooner state.

1. The Flaming Lips, “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots” (2002)

2. El Paso Hot Button, “When I Needed Sympathy” (2007)

3. Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, “The Sameness of Difference” (2005)

4. J.J. Cale and Eric Clapton, “The Road to Escondido” (2006)

5. The Tractors, “Fast Girl” (2001)

6. Starkweather Boys, “Archer St. Blues” (2007)

7. Kings of Leon, “Youth and Young Manhood” (2003) 8. Admiral Twin, “Mock Heroic” (2000)

9. Sir Threadius Mongus, “This Is Sir Threadius Mongus” (2008)

10. Watermelon Slim, “No Paid Holidays” (2008)

11. Wayman Tisdale, “Way Up!” (2006)

12. Samantha Crain and the Midnight Shivers, “Songs in the Night” (2009)

13. All-American Rejects, “Move Along” (2005)

14. Callupsie, self titled (2008)

15. Hanson, “This Time Around” (2000)

16. Red Dirt Rangers, “Starin’ Down the Sun” (2002)

17. Ester Drang, “Rocinate” (2006)

18. Junior Brown, “Down Home Chrome” (2004)

19. Grady Nichols, “Take Me With You” (2008)

20. T.J. McFarland, “Howlin’ Wild” (2007)

21. Shiny Toy Guns, “We Are Pilots” (2006)

22. Stardeath and White Dwarfs, “The Birth” (2009)

23. The Electric Rag Band, “... finest ingredients” (2001)

24. Dead Sea Choir, “Thin One the Red One” (2009)

25. Elliott the Letter Ostrich, “Blood Cape” (2005)

26. Garth Brooks, “Scarecrow” (2001)

27. Colourmusic, “f, monday, orange, february, venus, lunatic, 1 or 13” (2008)

28. Carrie Underwood, “Play On” (2009)

29. Unwed Sailor, “Little Wars” (2008)

30. Mason Remel, “They’d Clap Their Hands and Stomp Their Feet” (2007)

Grammys by year

Best album

2000: “Two Against Nature,” Steely Dan

2001: “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” Various, soundtrack

2002: “Come Away With Me,” Norah Jones

2003: “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below” Outkast

2004: “Genius Loves Company,” Ray Charles and Friends

2005: “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb,” U2

2006: “Taking the Long Way,” Dixie Chicks

2007: “River: The Joni Letters,” Herbie Hancock

2008: “Raising Sand,” Robert Plant and Allison Krauss

2009: N/A. Grammy winners named Jan. 31.

Nominees: “ I Am … Sasha Fierce,” Beyonce; “The E.N.D.,” The Black Eyed Peas; “The Fame,” Lady Gaga; “Big Whiskey And The Groogrux King,” Dave Matthews Band; “Fearless,” Taylor Swift

Best song

2000: “Beautiful Day,” U2

2001: “Fallin’,” Alicia Keys

2002: “Don’t Know Why,” Norah Jones

2003: “Dance With My Father,” Luther Vandross

2004: “Daughters,” John Mayer

2005: “Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own,” U2

2006: “Not Ready to Make Nice,” Dixie Chicks

2007: “Rehab,” Amy Winehouse

2008: “Viva La Vida,” Coldplay

2009: Grammys announced Jan. 31. Nominees: “Poker Face,” Lady Gaga; “Pretty Wings,” Maxwell; “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It),” Beyonce; “Use Somebody,” Kings of Leon; “You Belong With Me,” Taylor Swift

Newcomers

2000: Shelby Lynne

2001: Alicia Keys

2002: Norah Jones

2003: Evanescence

2004: Maroon 5

2005: John Legend

2006: Carrie Underwood

2007: Amy Winehouse

2008: Adele

2009: N/A. Grammy winners named Jan. 31. Nominees: Zac Brown Band, Keri Hilson, MGMT, Silversun Pickups, The Ting Tings

Jennifer Chancellor 581-8346
jennifer.chancellor@tulsaworld.com

Associated Images:

The Beatles, clockwise from top left,Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, and George Harrison are still one of the most influential and top-selling bands of any generation. Robert Freeman/ Associated Press

The Flaming Lips

Eminem sold more than 32 million albums. Interscope Records

Many of the CD-sale chart toppers are as much as they were years ago, like Michael Jackson. Beth A. Keiser/ Associated Press

Norah Jones’ “ComeAway With Me” won BestAlbum in 2002. COURTESY