ARTICLE: The Debate About Why Certain Artists Should Take Breaks...

ARTICLE: The Debate About Why Certain Artists Should Take Breaks...

It is often a matter of fervent debate; Should an artist take a break from the industry? Indeed, one can nary go a day on blog sites without seeing this very statement being bandied about by disgruntled fans. In addition, it's almost always under posts of the same artists; the select singers and hip hop artists who are at the very top of the industry's pyramid. In the following argument, we intend to look at all sides of the debate and draw our own conclusion.

First off, the majority of people who claim that an artist should 'take a break' are disgruntled fans of less successful 'competition'. Truly, very often you will find they have written one of the following in a comments section:

'______ should just take a break. He/she's so overexposed/overrated'

'I'm so sick of seeing ______ everywhere I turn. Why can't he/she just go the f*** away'

'I wish _______ would take a break and give other artists a chance to shine'.

The last point is the one we shall now discuss, using Beyonce - who this is frequently directed at - as an example. It would be fair to say that - prior to late March - she had been the most visible person in the music industry, and, indeed, one of the most in the world. B had a sold out world tour, numerous worldwide hits, a multi platinum album, a #1 movie, was on the cover of various magazines, and sang (twice) for President Obama. In essence, everywhere you turned she was. It predictably lead to disgruntled fans of considerably less successful artists to complain about her hogging the limelight and, to be fair, one can see their point. Their favourite singer/rapper was hardly likely to get any shine with the megastar that is Beyonce around and they simply wished for them to have their chance.

However (and this is what we find difficult to understand, ourselves), why should Beyonce (or other such artists - Britney, Lady Gaga, Usher, Jay Z, Eminem, Lil Wayne etc) have to take leave from the music scene for your favourite to do well? Doesn't the very implication that, in order for someone to succeed, B has to be out of the way, insult your chosen one? It suggests that they aren't talented enough to shine unless they are the only one out during their era. Such a statement also infers that no other artist can succeed while Beyonce is around. But we all know this isn't the case. Lady Gaga, Britney, Justin, Shakira, Jay Z and Rihanna are just a few examples of artists who achieve huge levels of success while B is around, whether this is down to their own talent and musical ability or the genius of their promotion and great teams. They are instances of greatly successful people who also debut new material while Beyonce is present on the scene. They too have sold out world tours, numerous worldwide hits, various endorsement deals and multi platinum albums.

So that can only leave us to draw one conclusion; that some artists simply aren't good enough to shine while others are out. This is in no way the fault of Beyonce, Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, Usher, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga and company. It is also foolish to suggest such an idea because, as we've said on many an occasion, if a song or album is good enough, people will buy it. If you as an artist are good enough, you will get your time in the limelight.

And this point has been proven. As of late, with the absence of artists such as Beyonce, Britney and Justin, and with Rihanna and Lady Gaga on tour and barely releasing anything, there has been ample opportunity for these so-called other 'sick artists' to have their 'time to shine'. So why haven't they done so? Why is that, for the last few months (and with the exception of established artists like Eminem and hot new ones like Drake) there has been a scarcity of outstanding live performances and incredible hot new tracks? Why is that we're having to request songs of yesteryear on the radio in order to hear good music? This is what you apparently needed after all; the Trinity is in absentia, Rihanna is on tour, other huge artists are on a break; so why haven't you stepped up?

Instead we have flop after flop, pushback after pushback, excuse after excuse. We aren't here for that. We're here to give you the chance you so desperately appeared to want, yet you're not giving us something to work with. And poor explanations will simply not wash. As we've so often said, if your music is good enough, people will still buy it. Drake's Thank Me Later went platinum five weeks after release, he is up for two VMAs, and he is a new artist.  Another example is the hugely talented Eminem, whose latest offering Recovery has already sold over 2 million copies stateside, is up for numerous VMAs and is set to play two sold out dates with the iconic Jay Z.

As many have said, the only female artist who has stepped up to the plate (with the exception of Monica) is Katy Perry who has emerged with one of the best pop albums of recent years. Her return single, California Gurls, was a ww #1 smash hit and sold over 3 million downloads in the US alone in just seven weeks. Teenage Dream, which is already at #5 on the BB100, has already broken records for airplay stateside and looks sure to go the same way as CG. The eponymous album is one of the most heavily anticipated of the year and, despite its leak, is set to debut at #1 on the BB100 with huge first week sales.

No doubt if Katy had come out while the aforementioned artists were also around, she would still have done well. Therefore, we feel that the suggestion that the only way some artists can be successful is if others are absent, is invalid. Once again, if your music is good enough, people will buy it.

A second reason as to why artists are told to take a break from the industry is so that they avoid overexposure. This, in truth, is quite a valid point. Dominating the scene for year or so is all well and good, but it is important to keep in mind what a short attention span the average person posesses. They can only tolerate seeing a few, top artists for so long - no matter how incredibly talented they may be.

Additionally, to be honest, it gives people a chance to miss you and discover a new-found appreciation for your talent. Plus it also gives you a chance to enjoy the fruits of your labour and recharge your creative batteries. It also leaves us with what we mentioned earlier; flop after flop, pushback after pushback. And, after having to put up with substandard performances, dreary award shows and inferior music, people will appreciate you all the more. It shall leave them longing for your return.

Taking a break that is too long, however, must be warned against. Former chart powerhouse, Christina Aguilera, is a prime example of this. With Bionic she discovered that she wasn't as irreplaceable as she'd obviously believed, with it having sold just over 170,000 copies in the US to date.

We believe there is a lesson to be learned here. If you indeed plan to take a break, whether it be because you are tired of being accused of hogging the limelight or just want a holiday, make sure that you are an artist that can't be readily replaced (see Justin Timberlake, who you frequently see being begged to return with another great record). Luckily, Christina is talented enough to make a come back from this, but there aren't that many who could. The last two who did the same were Usher and Mariah Carey, who made triumphant returns to chart dominance in the face of almost overwhelming doubt (not that we were involved in that. As we always say, talent never goes anywhere).

However, if you are one of those artists who are only hot at the moment, know that one flop album is a death sentence. You don't have the luxury of taking a break, because you aren't talented enough to make a comeback.  

For the rest of you, as we already said, take a break, go on holiday, plan your next era. We'll be sitting here, long-sufferingly enduring these flops, and breathlessly awaiting your return.



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