As a bit of a twist on our perennial google search inspired question, Sony has announced plans to create a pink ghetto label for gay, bi, and transgender artists and audiences.
Sony announced this week that it was setting up a label “dedicated to nurturing lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gendered artists”. The label, called Music With A Twist, will, according to their reports “release various compilations geared toward gay and bisexual audiences, as well as music fans everywhere, featuring hit songs by established artists that have been embraced by gay, bisexual and trans-gendered audiences as well as tracks from emerging gay artists.”
I’m inclined to agree with SMH blogger Bernard Zuel that this is all about cynical marketing, and stereotyping.
Instead, let’s ponder exactly who knows what “gay, bisexual and trans-gendered audiences” want. Is there some collective interest that the brilliant marketers of Sony have discovered? Is it similar to such, no doubt scientifically collated, accepted wisdoms as female singer songwriters, like chick flicks, are for the girls and amps cranked up to 11, like fast cars, are for the boys? That black people don’t like to rock and white folks can’t funk? That if you’re over 30 you only want to listen to classic hits radio?
For what it’s worth, I suspect that Missy’s ever so subtle hints about her sexuality might not be unrelated to the marketing niche she occupies. Now I’m not impugning her personally, but let’s remember that part of her job is to live as a brand and as a commodity. In my opinion, one role the Missy marketing phenomenon does play is to make it easier for record labels to take the lazy route out and not sign or promote any of the excellent young women singer/songwriters who are musically and lyrically far more interesting than Missy, many of whom I’ve seen in Brisbane venues and who don’t get the recognition they deserve. The “deep” female singer songwriter niche? We’ve got it covered. Wtf! OMG! Teen girls love Missy!
by creating a specific box for ‘alternative sexualities’, sony can claim to appease at least two groups – they’re specifically recognising gay-lesbian-etc people as a legitimate target audience, and also thereby segregating them for the sensitive conservatives. potentially a win-win for sony.
the question you (and zuel) raise is a thorny one. what, exactly, is gay music? and what would it mean if i, or my son, were to happen to like some of it? or the work of a (now clearly labelled) trans-gendered artist?
frankly, some of the best dance music (imnsho) comes out of the so-called “gay scene”. at the same time, so does some of the most tedious.
whatever the ‘twist’ is that the new label promises, we can probably rest assured that it will not be long before the formula behind it will become all too strikingly apparent.
in the current fad of ‘personal branding’ sony’s announcement (and missy’s marketing) is no surprise. she ‘fits’ the model of a label’s marketing machine where others (who may be more ‘worthy’ of wider audiences) probably does not. triple j (for example) may be no more perfect than sony, but at least they are clearly different from triple m in a way that another advertising-driven platform might not. nevertheless, product marketing is about finding and exploiting (commercial) niches for the product. missy – and/or her marketers – are doing that well.
it is possible for someone else to ‘break into’ the ’same’ niche. there are a plethora of examples. by marking out a specific territory, sony is making it easier for their marketing machine to focus and hone in on their target audience. one can expect them to have done and begun exploratory work to figure out what they niche is – and what they might be able to sell to them.
the next question to ask is – who might be next, and how might they approach the same/similar ‘market’.
All good points, and questions, Maelorin.
In passing, a quick plug for Rachael Brady who’s playing in the Valley tonight at both The Zoo and The Troubadour.
I look forward to Sony picking up some of these talented artists.
I should have asked this preciously but who in the hell is Missy Higgins.
is she is the daughter of Roy Higgins, a bit player in My Fair lady ?
That’s right Homer.
Here’s her website.
Didn’t you see the Aria awards?
Aria awards?
Surely you jest.
Yep, nail, head and hammer there maelorin. We’re gonna see a lot more of these marketing stunts as more and more entertainment, leisure and luxury products and services execs come across this essay
Hey, you got hyperlinks working in preview. Cool!
Well sorta working. Still some minor problems between chair and computer.
this essay
“triple j (for example) may be no more perfect than sony, but at least they are clearly different from triple m in a way that another advertising-driven platform might not.”
You can actually lay the blame on Triple J for discovering Missy Higgins in the first place. She won their unearthed competition several years ago.
I’ve never really understood the way gay has been presented in the media. Its presented as more of a cultural idiom. Though I guess that occurs at the level of gender, class, race, etc as well… its particularly striking with regard to homosexuals. It’s almost as if we are licensed to infer which gender a person prefers sexually simply by reading their mannerisms and taste in seemingly unrelated cultural objects. I remember when I was younger, my neighbour’s homosexuality came up in conversation during a car trip with my mother, uncle and sister. When I innocently asked “Is he Gay???” they all laughed at me as if to say “Isn’t it ****ing obvious?”. Well not to me it wasn’t… the only thing that struck me about him was his bachelorhood, dandy-esque accent, and his penchant for wearing sarongs. I guess it was fair to infer that he was gay from such evidence… but it seems to me that, given the variability of roles and tastes in heterosexual culture, we should assume that homosexuality has some sort of essential relationship with a particular set of roles and tastes. It’s certainly not for record labels to judge, at any rate.
It could backfire anyway… straight people might be deterred from the label even if they like the music… and closeted or just cautious gays might fear exposing their sexuality even if they like the music.
“we should assume that homosexuality has some sort of essential relationship with a particular set of roles and tastes.”
Read: we should NOT assume.
Incidentally maelorin, you are responsible for this?.
If so, damn it’s good. Wish I’d written it.
Cliff, there’s no doubt that there is a certain gay cultural style. That’s not surprising, as it’s an effect of a minority seeking to distinguish itself positively. There’s also been a long association in Western culture between same sex attraction and aesthetics (think Oscar Wilde for a start). But I’d make two points.
First, it’s wrong to make assumptions about people’s sexuality on the basis of their appearance or tastes.
Secondly, we see the same thing happening as with other groups who fall outside the norm – all heterosexuals are different, all xs are the same. Worthwhile contesting that one too.
We should all be able to choose our personal style and tastes without anyone reading anything into it except what we want to signify!
Although I guess that’s a bit of a utopian wish.
First, it’s wrong to make assumptions about people’s sexuality on the basis of their appearance or tastes..
I like the Scissor Sisters too, and I guess like little tim, ‘cos they sound like good Elton John on speed and put on a good show.
This is in no way a reflection on our sexualities. But so many would assume it is. What does it say when both Sony and spleenville commentators would ghettoise us simply for choosing a CD on the basis it sounds good, fun and sexy.
And I was about to make a big point here but fuck it look at the time. I’m seriously running late for something. Ciao babies.
Enjoy your Friday night, Nabs – I’m off out to dinner and then to go and see the band I linked to in my comment above.
Well done, you spotted the stereotype.
It’s a pity that that particular stereotype is as universally true as the stereotype that all heterosexual men are ignorant slobs – ie, not at all. I’d love to have a sense of fashion and not walk around looking like a dag all the time!
Can we ditch the stereotypes now? They really don’t help much…
Ummm… on re-reading your comment, perhaps you already have. I don’t understand what you’re saying.. I think I need to read it agian after I’ve had some sleep.
I like Triple J well enough, but they have a lot to answer for in their focus when it comes to championing ‘Aussie’ talent. A few of the most prominent that spring to mind are the afore-mentioned Missy, Grinspoon, Silverchair, Killing Heidi… all of them very successful, all of them mediocre.
I keep tuned to tripleJ nowadays mainly cause they still play a good selection of what’s going on overseas.
I can’t even imagine how Sony would handle a band like Husker Du in this day and age.
Hay maelorin, should you return “an unkindness of ravens”, what a great site. Thanks.
I stopped listening to Triple J when almost everytime I turned it on I would hear nothing but Aussie hip hop and “faux-mo” appropriations of new wave. Now I don’t listen to radio at all. But if, as you say… it is still listenable… I might give it another shot.
ooh – I’m outed. I’ve got musicals and show tunes, Peter Allan, Judy Garland and I can sing Hey Big Spender, I got Antony, no Kylie but.
I’ve been to see The Topp Twins twice, I (used to) listen to k.d, Long John Baldry, Billy Preston, Little Richard….
However its not a bad marketting move – there are probably enough gltg punters who can be lead into branding just as much as a bunch of non-gltg are now lead into purchasing “product”.
Hmmm… perhaps I should clarify that when I say “faux-mo” I’m not referring to the hairstyle of choice for people who aren’t prepared to commit to a mohawk proper… but to “po-mo”, or what I would call in the case of the music that I’m constantly hearing (hearing on rage right now in fact), “faux-modernism”.
That’s a blah concept. How far would Elton John have got if he been placed in the “gay” section.
Do artists really want to limit their audience in such a way?
I wish you guys wouls just enjoy Missy Higgins Music. I mean she is an Artist! She is a Musician and she is Great!
Who cares what her sexualty is. I am sure she just wants to be an Artist! Let her be! Stanley