The Superstar is Dead

In the 1980's many huge stars emerged - based on their careers alone, and whether you like them or not, Madonna and Michael Jackson remain household names nearly thirty years after the beginning of the '80s. The albums they put out often sell astronomical amounts, and they have earned more money in their lifetime than many other celebrities could hope to earn in two lifetimes. Their influence on the music industry is undeniable, and their peers are few. Comparable names in music include David Bowie and Prince, though arguably both names are less commonly known than Madonna and Michael Jackson, who are near franchises in their fame. Perhaps these two are only superseded in fame by The Beatles and Elvis Presley.

Sadly and fascinatingly, it seems the superstar is dead. There are certainly names we remember from more recently than the '80s, and it does take time for 'superstardom' to develop, but it seems that not even the biggest celebrities of the last twenty years have managed to reach the status of the likes of Madonna. But why? What makes a superstar that isn't present in today's entertainment saturated climate?

The answer is simple. Our culture is oversaturated with entertainment. The internet has made it possible for anyone to be a star for their fifteen minutes. Whether you have talent or not, you can sign up for a MySpace under a band name and upload your songs after using your computer recording equipment. You might even get signed to an independent label if enough people will listen. If you like visuals, get an account on YouTube as a performer and record videos of yourself doing covers on your guitar. I don't intend to say this is all a bad thing - there are some great bands on MySpace I love to listen to, and I encourage people to support the bands whose music they enjoy. Friend them, buy their albums, show your friends. I also subscribe to quite a few musicians via YouTube - there is nothing wrong with talented people showing their work on the internet. It has made it possible for people to share their music with others, when years ago they may not have been able to do the same thing.

However, though much good can be seen in this, there are also negative aspects. Twenty-five years ago there were technically less celebrities. Less people could actually afford to record an album, because they couldn't simply purchase a program and upload their song to MySpace. Record labels had to pick from groups of people to finance their albums and only those who were deemed the best were allowed to continue under the record label. Today if you want to distribute a song, you can offer it for download via iTunes or various other sites. This leaves less room for the "hand-picked" people to stand out in, and less money for those people. The record companies can only spend so much, and they're spending it on more people. Of course album quality and sales will suffer.

The internet has not only allowed more distribution of songs via payment systems, but also distribution through illegal downloads. This lowers record sales even more than the fact that there are so many people trying to get their fifteen minutes of fame in. In this sort of record industry, it seems that soon a gold record will be quite an accomplishment as opposed to a multiple platinum record. Each year recently, the best-selling album grosses less money. Naturally, superstars aren't being produced because there is no room for them. They are not overshadowed by bigger celebrities, but by a bigger crowd of them and failing record sales.

The Madonnas and Michael Jacksons of the world will no longer be if we continue this practice. This is why I insist - if you enjoy listening to a band or a specific artist, support them. Buy their albums, attend their concerts, and recommend their songs to your friends. Despite the fact that there are so many celebrities, the record industry can improve if we only start being more selective about what albums we purchase and buying what we like, rather than coming by it on YouTube or downloading it. If you don't love an album, reconsider buying it - but if you adore the artist, by all means support them and buy their album. There may yet be a chance for a new influx of influential stars.