Stevie Versus GaGa - Not necessarily a bad thing

[SortaSavageLike]

Two words: Meat Shawl.

[elle]

Originally Posted by louielouie2000

Gaga seems to be this generation's Madonna. We'll see if Gaga has the longevity of Madonna, though. Personally, Gaga does nothing for me... she's simply a fame whore. Any merit she might have is wholly engulfed by her tabloid thirst.

yes, comparison of gaga and madonna seems to be often mentioned... personally, i think madonna is a great businesswoman, who knew how to admirably build herself up on not that much to start with (not a great voice or singing ability). and gaga defintely learned from her in building up the carrier on scandalous looks/statements/vidoes etc.

but, did you ever listen to gaga? that performance on grammys with elton john, for example? she actually has talent, and a great voice! and she's def not classically pretty. look at spears vs aguilera also - aguilera actually has a voice and can really sing (did you hear her at that rolling stones concert with jagger? they were great! compare that to fergie with jagger performance, for example), but spears is more succesful and i don't think you can say that was b/c of the song quality. so while i understand annoyance with gaga's over-exposure and i'm not a fan, i think she/interscope actually have a great foundation to build on with gaga, unlike many other over-exposed super-successful pop singers of today.

[Meowi]

I used to think that Lady Gaga was horrible, but after listening to the Fame Monster, that sure changed my mind. Although I don't like The Fame, I think that the Fame Monster is a great album.

[astro-addy]

Originally Posted by louielouie2000

Regarding juxtaposing Stevie against Gaga, at first I thought it was stupid, too. There's no question Gaga will outsell Stevie 300 to 1. But maybe Astro-Daddy is on to something deeper. So many people are sick of Gaga. Perhaps there will be a industry/critical backlash against her. Perhaps that will equal underdog/veteran artists like Stevie getting some Grammy nods, and critical recognition. Stevie's long been a joke to music critics... but that seems to be slowly changing.

Hahaha, its not Daddy, its addy, altho if i were an old bear with a penchant for space travel, that would be a good name!

I think the two artists are releasing so closely it'll be hard for stevie not to pick up on some publicity, especially if there is Gaga backlash.

Also, i think that if Stevie did a duet with Florence (who i dislike) that could get her a lot of recognition, and recognition with an audience that would actually buy the cd... I mean Florence dresses like Stevie and is clearly a mac fan judging by the chain cover.

[louielouie2000]

Originally Posted by elle

but, did you ever listen to gaga? that performance on grammys with elton john, for example? she actually has talent, and a great voice! and she's def not classically pretty. look at spears vs aguilera also - aguilera actually has a voice and can really sing (did you hear her at that rolling stones concert with jagger? they were great! compare that to fergie with jagger performance, for example), but spears is more succesful and i don't think you can say that was b/c of the song quality. so while i understand annoyance with gaga's over-exposure and i'm not a fan, i think she/interscope actually have a great foundation to build on with gaga, unlike many other over-exposed super-successful pop singers of today.

This is not an attack on you personally, but I'm SO FREAKING SICK of Gaga-philes trying to convince me of her talent. I don't care if she's the most original thing since sliced bread... I can't stand the way she conducts herself. Anyone who screams for attention that loudly will never get respect from me. Yes, I realized she's a trained musician, yes, I realize she writes her own material, yes, I realize she's a trained singer... I know all of that. I also know I disdain her public persona... and that's all that really matters to me. She's no better to me than a lame, mind numbing reality TV show because of her maddening media shenanigans .

I hear so many people try to convince me she's a huge champion for all these notable causes too, such as gay rights. I would take her seriously and respect her passion for her causes if they were genuine, and she herself took them seriously. Her dress-up stunt speech against Don't Ask, Don't Tell is a shining example. Had she simply shown up in regular attire and spoken plainly and from the heart, people would have taken note and serious national discussion might have ensued. Instead, she simply elicited more eye rolls... and probably further fanned the flames of gay rights foes in the process. Hell, that media stunt p!ssed me off, and I am a gay rights advocate. Gaga is just a lowly media whore... who cares if she's got any talent or something to say?

[elle]

louie - no problem, it's an open discussion! i can understand your points. (and i really don't care one way or the other whether you like gaga or not). we are just talking about two different things - i am talking about musical talent, you are talking about the annoyance with the public persona created to sell that musical talent.

my point is - if we look at who else sells as much music nowadays as gaga - beiber, perry, swift, etc, and compare talent and musical ability - what/who do we think is better for the music today, if you strip all the other layers off?

so nothing you said negates or confirms anything i've said and the other way around.

[SuperFleetwood]

im 16, and i would buy the album!

Originally Posted by ShangriLaTroubl

I don't think Lady GaGa will have any effect on Stevie's sales. Let's remember that Stevie will be 63 years old in May. The majority of people who buy Lady GaGa's music will not be buying any album by a "veteran" artist. Stevie's sales will be pretty much determined by how many boomers her record label reaches and convinces to spend $15 and not illegally download it instead. Not by how many 15 year olds buy it. When I was listening to the single I couldn't help but think that most teenagers or even young adults who heard this for the first time would kind of consider it to be "country." I know that sounds odd, considering Dave Stewart produced it and Stevie is a "rock star," but it's more the way she's singing is similar to the "new country."

[PenguinHead]

Originally Posted by louielouie2000

Gaga seems to be this generation's Madonna. We'll see if Gaga has the longevity of Madonna, though. Personally, Gaga does nothing for me... she's simply a fame whore. Any merit she might have is wholly engulfed by her tabloid thirst.

Regarding juxtaposing Stevie against Gaga, at first I thought it was stupid, too. There's no question Gaga will outsell Stevie 300 to 1. But maybe Astro-Daddy is on to something deeper. So many people are sick of Gaga. Perhaps there will be a industry/critical backlash against her. Perhaps that will equal underdog/veteran artists like Stevie getting some Grammy nods, and critical recognition. Stevie's long been a joke to music critics... but that seems to be slowly changing.

I had the same initial reaction as you, but what you say has changed my perspective.
I don't get Gaga either. But the media has latched on to her, not so much for her music but for the spectical of her odd and provoking character. Stevie, though she has cultivated a distinct, unwavering image, is more serious about the substance of her music. They are completely different artists. I think Stevie, who has been earning greater respect in the industry, will be taken more seriously by the media. Gaga is the flavor of the moment, so she's going get much more attention and sell more records.

[Jondalar]

Originally Posted by PenguinHead

I had the same initial reaction as you, but what you say changed my perspective.
I don't get Gaga either. But the media has latched on to her, not so much for her music but for the spectical of her character. Stevie, though she has cultivated a distinct, unwavering image, is more about the substance of her music. They are completely different artists. I think Stevie, who has been earning greater respect in the industry, will be taken more seriously by the media.

Gaga was a media star before she released anything. Way overhyped. And I think people are getting sick of her. Even Ozzy Ozborne said he is getting sick her—everytime he sees her, she's got a new thing on her head.

Some of Gaga's song are good. But they haven't made the impact of Like a Virgin.

[GoldDustOrphan]

Gaga actually did the entire walk during the last March on Washington, and she was wearing normal attire. She had performed the night prior at the HRC Dinner, dressed in very simple attire. She played piano and sang one song, "Imagine."

Is she an attention whore? That's debatable. She could be, or not. Like so many others in the business, she fought to get noticed when record labels only wanted to sign her as a songwriter, pretty much telling her she wasn't pretty enough to be a solo act. Jimmy Iovine believed in her talent and signed her to Interscope. About 30 years ago, he believed in another woman but her name escapes me....

A lot of the hostility directed at this talented woman appears to be of the "why can't she just tone it down or why does she have to be so outrageous" sort. It sounds very similar to the same hostility directed at GLBT people - "God, if they just toned it down people would accept them. They're always shoving it down our throats. etc."

Like most icons, some will hate her and some will love her. Except Katy Perry. Everyone should hate Katy Perry.

[PenguinHead]

[QUOTE
Like most icons, some will hate her and some will love her. Except Katy Perry. Everyone should hate Katy Perry.[/QUOTE]

lol...I don't hate Katy Perry. I'm just amazed and perlexed as to why she has a successful career, and the media that courts her. Another example of style over substance and talent.

[OooMissionary]

The fact that Katy Perry and Kesha are successful is proof that the major labels are fading quick... I mean, really? They make Madonna & Lady Gaga both seem like some of the greatest poets of our time! So, with everything else that is out there music wise, I get the Lady Gaga fascination... Although I will be a champion for Stevie and other real talent for years to come...