Okay, I'm a little erked about this situation. How the hell can Aqua get "Barbie Girl", Ivan Van Dahl get "Will I?", and Lasgo get "Something" on American radio, but you never hear eurobeat in America? Sure, I do like the occasional bubble gum pop and trance, but I love me some eurobeat. So here are my questions:
1. What artists in the eurobeat industry would be able to have a snowball's chance in hell of getting in mainstream American radio? (the obvious answer would be Franz Tornado and his bunch even though I love their songs)
2. What current or past songs would make good intro songs for mainstream dance music. (I would probably say something along the lines of Nuage or Karen)
What Does Eurobeat Have To Be To Get Noticed In America?
-
para_rigby
- Euroheater
- Posts: 1624
- Joined: 17 Sep 2005, 18:50
- Location: Wichita, KS, USA
- Contact:
1: Artists with a snow-ball's chance in Hell? I'd say Annerly Gordon (she already has a few songs in techno here). Clara Moroni tried (10 Worlds album) with U.S. and Canada. Gincarlo Pasquini (Dave Rodgers) would have a good chance, since he's already been here, and has worked with people in L.A. Hm, Karen J. Wainright (possibly) because she's English. Honestly, those are the only artists I think have any real possibilty of making into North America's market.
2: Good introductions? I have no clue. Since Eurobeat's song formats aren't like North America's general song set-ups (bad terminology), it's hard to say.
2: Good introductions? I have no clue. Since Eurobeat's song formats aren't like North America's general song set-ups (bad terminology), it's hard to say.
Energy :: Mega NRG Man Fansite
1) For specific artists, it's pretty hard. I'd say the females have a much better chance than the guys, since they're usually better at pronouncing English, and if not, they generally still get by better. It'd probably be easier to adapt them to North American dance than trying to get the guys in through rock or something. That said, I think the A-Beat-C rockers (Powerful T, J Storm, Ace Warrior) have a shot (honestly I thought I heard of Labyrinth BEFORE I knew Roberto was in it, but maybe not), but again, not as eurobeat/dance artists.
Of the females, I'd probably go with Nuage or Pamsy, giving the edge to Pamsy since she has less of an accent (and looks better, personally). An addendum to that is that a LOT of the "better" vocalist (Domino, Lolita, Bazooka Girl) might not make it as dance artists, due to the visual aspect of it. I don't want to sound bad, but, well, look up that old topic that had almost everyone's first glimpses of most of them.
2) As for good introductions? Delta probably has the best chance at it. A lot of their stuff feels like it borrows more from NA music, and I don't just mean Queen26. If there were more Dark Angels songs, I'd give them a chance, and Kevin Johnson could succeed as a retroish sound, if you got rid of the instrumental bits.
Pamsy *might* work, but it feels a bit *too* melodic to work in a North American context, but I think SCP could easily adapt it to work.
Of the females, I'd probably go with Nuage or Pamsy, giving the edge to Pamsy since she has less of an accent (and looks better, personally). An addendum to that is that a LOT of the "better" vocalist (Domino, Lolita, Bazooka Girl) might not make it as dance artists, due to the visual aspect of it. I don't want to sound bad, but, well, look up that old topic that had almost everyone's first glimpses of most of them.
2) As for good introductions? Delta probably has the best chance at it. A lot of their stuff feels like it borrows more from NA music, and I don't just mean Queen26. If there were more Dark Angels songs, I'd give them a chance, and Kevin Johnson could succeed as a retroish sound, if you got rid of the instrumental bits.
Pamsy *might* work, but it feels a bit *too* melodic to work in a North American context, but I think SCP could easily adapt it to work.
As for the artists that would have a chance, the other users came up with some good ideas, so I'll agree with them.
There are some major things that need to happen for Eurobeat to get a little airtime here. I'd say 95% of all radio stations are owned by two major corporations- Cirrus Broadcasting and Cumulus Broadcasting. They decide what gets played on pretty much all radio stations. I do think more people would like to hear faster music, but getting Eurobeat into the playlists of your local hit music station is a little difficult to do.
There are other ways to spoonfeed small amounts of Eurobeat to people. IF some more eurobeat was used in movies, or if was more was accessible on iTunes, there would be more of a demand for the music here. As it is now, most of us have to go out of our way to find Eurobeat. Either online or internet shopping.
There are some major things that need to happen for Eurobeat to get a little airtime here. I'd say 95% of all radio stations are owned by two major corporations- Cirrus Broadcasting and Cumulus Broadcasting. They decide what gets played on pretty much all radio stations. I do think more people would like to hear faster music, but getting Eurobeat into the playlists of your local hit music station is a little difficult to do.
There are other ways to spoonfeed small amounts of Eurobeat to people. IF some more eurobeat was used in movies, or if was more was accessible on iTunes, there would be more of a demand for the music here. As it is now, most of us have to go out of our way to find Eurobeat. Either online or internet shopping.
Obligatory Initial D angle ...
I think if Initial D Fourth Stage was licensed, and the dub track kept the eurobeat ... it might get some attention.
Unlike the other seasons, there's lots of great hard hitting, technoish-rockish tracks presented in that show, ... lots of people in the anime communities love it (from what I've seen), even if they don't quite know about the root genre
Idea 1:
If the eurobeat soundtrack were available in the US, along with the show ( ignoring the fans watching fansubs), it might plant a few seeds. OR
Idea 2:
The overall soundtrack might not connect with people well, since the artists would be all crunched together, and I don't really hear about albums like "Super Modern County Vol. 170" over here
What might be promotionally clever is releasing small artist singles by "Ace", "Fastway", "Nick Mansell" ... ideally John Smith would watch the show, hear the song ... like it, go down to some music superstore ... and grab the fastway single, and become a fastway/eurobeat fan.
But there's obviousily some drawbacks to these ideas, and other problems in general
The subset of a subset, the people watching an imported dubbed anime, who would go out and buy the music is probably very low ... probably 25 in 1000, of the 4-5 figure total.
And, let's face it, eurobeat is a genre with lazy and, I hate to say it - outright poor production quality, the wacky lyrical freedom afforded by the various language barriers (italian song writers/singers, japanese listeners) will not fly here, because we speak and write english ... mostly, the poor grammar, weird lyrics and prounciation might go great with a beat, but lots of people are put off by it.
Re-writing/producing (I'd like to use the term "localizing") some of the [4th Stage] songs comes to mind, but could it be done? would it sound as good? (to us current fans, who accept the genre in its eccentric state) and would feel the same?
I don't know ...
I think if Initial D Fourth Stage was licensed, and the dub track kept the eurobeat ... it might get some attention.
Unlike the other seasons, there's lots of great hard hitting, technoish-rockish tracks presented in that show, ... lots of people in the anime communities love it (from what I've seen), even if they don't quite know about the root genre
Idea 1:
If the eurobeat soundtrack were available in the US, along with the show ( ignoring the fans watching fansubs), it might plant a few seeds. OR
Idea 2:
The overall soundtrack might not connect with people well, since the artists would be all crunched together, and I don't really hear about albums like "Super Modern County Vol. 170" over here
What might be promotionally clever is releasing small artist singles by "Ace", "Fastway", "Nick Mansell" ... ideally John Smith would watch the show, hear the song ... like it, go down to some music superstore ... and grab the fastway single, and become a fastway/eurobeat fan.
But there's obviousily some drawbacks to these ideas, and other problems in general
The subset of a subset, the people watching an imported dubbed anime, who would go out and buy the music is probably very low ... probably 25 in 1000, of the 4-5 figure total.
And, let's face it, eurobeat is a genre with lazy and, I hate to say it - outright poor production quality, the wacky lyrical freedom afforded by the various language barriers (italian song writers/singers, japanese listeners) will not fly here, because we speak and write english ... mostly, the poor grammar, weird lyrics and prounciation might go great with a beat, but lots of people are put off by it.
Re-writing/producing (I'd like to use the term "localizing") some of the [4th Stage] songs comes to mind, but could it be done? would it sound as good? (to us current fans, who accept the genre in its eccentric state) and would feel the same?
I don't know ...
It is certainly a very easy conclusion that hi nrg can't work in USA
for the very same reasons that it was terminated in Europe by 1994.
It just was replaced by wide varieties of techno music.People in USA
or Europe don't dance to hi nrg, so it doesn't motivate professionals
to produce this sort of thing as dance music for either US or Europe.
In order to capture wide masses of americans the music must be culturaly
familiar and have an adaptation to a modern taste of american audience.
Eurobeat was tried for importation to Russia where exists an interest
to hi nrg still today,but it failed to attract most of hi nrg audience
because the sound wasn't right for that market. Russians like slower
bpm and hi nrg arrangements that are based on german eurodisco
rather that an italian eurobeat. Eurobeat is almost completely out of print in Russia now,except some mp3 compilations which are cheap to make.
So,you make an italian hi nrg for Japan and South Korea, and german
hi nrg for Russia. Other markets just don't appear to exist at all.
I think that some people who listen to eurobeat might find appealing also hi nrg songs and sounds produced in other nations,not just Italy.
Italy does handle 99.9 procent of hi nrg production today,but if
you like that sort of thing,there is a good chance that picking up a german made C.C.Catch compilation or a british one with Hazell Dean might be an interesting listen.
for the very same reasons that it was terminated in Europe by 1994.
It just was replaced by wide varieties of techno music.People in USA
or Europe don't dance to hi nrg, so it doesn't motivate professionals
to produce this sort of thing as dance music for either US or Europe.
In order to capture wide masses of americans the music must be culturaly
familiar and have an adaptation to a modern taste of american audience.
Eurobeat was tried for importation to Russia where exists an interest
to hi nrg still today,but it failed to attract most of hi nrg audience
because the sound wasn't right for that market. Russians like slower
bpm and hi nrg arrangements that are based on german eurodisco
rather that an italian eurobeat. Eurobeat is almost completely out of print in Russia now,except some mp3 compilations which are cheap to make.
So,you make an italian hi nrg for Japan and South Korea, and german
hi nrg for Russia. Other markets just don't appear to exist at all.
I think that some people who listen to eurobeat might find appealing also hi nrg songs and sounds produced in other nations,not just Italy.
Italy does handle 99.9 procent of hi nrg production today,but if
you like that sort of thing,there is a good chance that picking up a german made C.C.Catch compilation or a british one with Hazell Dean might be an interesting listen.
This is my opinion:
In America, we are not so much enthralled by talent as we are for looks. You want to see EuroBeat in America, give us Matt Land, Pamsy, Domino, and Nuage. America is more into eye candy than real talent. Look at our 'top singers'... Supermodels or actors/actresses with no real musical abilities..
And besides that, America's current trend is down-beat whiny rock music. Eurobeat is waaaay to upbeat and melodic for the masses to actually enjoy. Grrrr! Angsty teens..
In America, we are not so much enthralled by talent as we are for looks. You want to see EuroBeat in America, give us Matt Land, Pamsy, Domino, and Nuage. America is more into eye candy than real talent. Look at our 'top singers'... Supermodels or actors/actresses with no real musical abilities..
And besides that, America's current trend is down-beat whiny rock music. Eurobeat is waaaay to upbeat and melodic for the masses to actually enjoy. Grrrr! Angsty teens..
-
Cosmic_Bard
- Eurobeat Master
- Posts: 640
- Joined: 28 Mar 2005, 02:49
- Location: Toronto, ON, Canada
-
Cosmic_Bard
- Eurobeat Master
- Posts: 640
- Joined: 28 Mar 2005, 02:49
- Location: Toronto, ON, Canada
Well, techno is pretty fringe.
Whenever I think about the possibility of eurobeat becoming mainstream in north america, you have to think back to the early, early nineties. Remember old Techno-Dance (As Ishkur calls it, since 'Techno' is misleading, since it's really a from of proto euro-dance and not actually techno) stuff? "I've got the power", "1-2-3 (Train with me)", "Sky High", "What's up?" Most of these actually charted, which today, for dance music seems like a small feat.
Which, it is, but the point is that, if a genre of dance music (that is, actually, somewhat of a distant cousin to eurobeat, they're both house offshoots) can have songs that not only were listenned to and purchase, but even CHARTED, then, well, there's got to be hope... right?
Whenever I think about the possibility of eurobeat becoming mainstream in north america, you have to think back to the early, early nineties. Remember old Techno-Dance (As Ishkur calls it, since 'Techno' is misleading, since it's really a from of proto euro-dance and not actually techno) stuff? "I've got the power", "1-2-3 (Train with me)", "Sky High", "What's up?" Most of these actually charted, which today, for dance music seems like a small feat.
Which, it is, but the point is that, if a genre of dance music (that is, actually, somewhat of a distant cousin to eurobeat, they're both house offshoots) can have songs that not only were listenned to and purchase, but even CHARTED, then, well, there's got to be hope... right?
Be the sound you feel inside your voice!
Save Your Voice to Sing a Song - Brian Ice
Save Your Voice to Sing a Song - Brian Ice
-
Rave Dodgers
- Euro To B
- Posts: 22
- Joined: 10 Aug 2005, 11:11
- Location: USA
Payola laws have not been enforced lately, and almost all hits are formulated again.
The only way to gain a lasting, legitimate audience is to earn respect and fans with many small releases and musically-oriented live performances over a period of time. Getting heavy corporate promotion up front would almost guarantee a near term bomb for the genre with its unorthodox style. In Japan and in other countries, negative criticism tends to either not be mentioned or is understated. In the US, critics can be merciless. Any notable flaws and the whole effort would be brushed away as "more euro-trash/crap/?" (referring to eurodance)
Anyway, I don't mean to be too blunt, but that is how I see it, as a fan.
as far as the original post: 1- I don't know. People are certainly into glam/fads. 2- pretty much all of my eurobeat favorites would make a good nightclub warmup hour. This is just a matter of personal taste.
The only way to gain a lasting, legitimate audience is to earn respect and fans with many small releases and musically-oriented live performances over a period of time. Getting heavy corporate promotion up front would almost guarantee a near term bomb for the genre with its unorthodox style. In Japan and in other countries, negative criticism tends to either not be mentioned or is understated. In the US, critics can be merciless. Any notable flaws and the whole effort would be brushed away as "more euro-trash/crap/?" (referring to eurodance)
Anyway, I don't mean to be too blunt, but that is how I see it, as a fan.
as far as the original post: 1- I don't know. People are certainly into glam/fads. 2- pretty much all of my eurobeat favorites would make a good nightclub warmup hour. This is just a matter of personal taste.
Easy!!! (No offense to fans of current American music)
Have Nuage (beautiful lady) rapping with any one of the countless rap artistes of America, wearing cleavage bearing low tuck tank tops and short pants. In the middle of singing "Let's Go DeeJay", let burst with high pitch howlings and guttural moans and start to carress her dancers.
And voila!
No. 1 Billboard Singles Chart topper.
Have Nuage (beautiful lady) rapping with any one of the countless rap artistes of America, wearing cleavage bearing low tuck tank tops and short pants. In the middle of singing "Let's Go DeeJay", let burst with high pitch howlings and guttural moans and start to carress her dancers.
And voila!
No. 1 Billboard Singles Chart topper.
We have a winnar!!!orochi wrote:Easy!!! (No offense to fans of current American music)
Have Nuage (beautiful lady) rapping with any one of the countless rap artistes of America, wearing cleavage bearing low tuck tank tops and short pants. In the middle of singing "Let's Go DeeJay", let burst with high pitch howlings and guttural moans and start to carress her dancers.
And voila!
No. 1 Billboard Singles Chart topper.
Each time I see this topic, I mean to say this.
But you forgot to take her bpm down a few (or a ton) notches. Along with her barely there shirt.
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 77 guests