Not Enough Attention? How About a Record Deal!

Look up the resume of any young starlet today and there's a good chance you'll see "Recorded Studio Album" on their list of achievements. Well, okay, let's not get ahead of ourselves here. I definitely wouldn't consider Paris Hilton's latest album an "achievement" by any means, but lately, it seems as though anyone with a connection in Hollywood has a record deal waiting for them.

First it was Hilary Duff, then Lindsay Lohan, and then the aforementioned Paris Hilton. Now Scarlett Johansson will join the ranks of young starlets to have their name on an album cover. In a sense, it's become almost a "fashion accessory" if you will. Something they can carry around proudly, even if they have little or no creative input whatsoever.

Regardless of their albums' acclaim or success, these starlets (and spoiled heirs) are garnering media attention, and that's all that seems to matter. It's not as if they take a few years off to "find themselves" and come back to the studio with divine inspiration and a notebook full of lyrics. The songs are written for them, just as if they'd been handed a movie script to read from. Only they're singing the lines instead.

Whatever happened to the days when artists used their own gumption to land a record contract? It seems as though these stars are taking advantage of their power, only using music as a way to keep themselves in the media. In a way, it dumbs down the reputation of artists with real talent and ambition, who have worked their way to the top. It's almost insulting to see the names of "pop princesses" on the Top-40 charts alongside artists who have spent their lives developing creatively.

Case in point, according to Billboard.com, Hilary Duff's second album, Metamorphosis, debuted at number two its first week, just below Mary J. Blige's Love & Life. The next week, the two albums switched places, giving Hilary the number one spot for the week. Don't think Mary didn't notice.

As far as fads go, I don't see this going out of style anytime soon. It seems to be working in their favor, and there's not much we as the public can do about it. As long as there's a market for pop music, there will always be a fresh face looking to add "pop star" to their resume and another fashion accessory to their collection.