The month in pop: August

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

[Poll #1049383]
Remember 'new' is open to interpretation (p.s. I heard some Pat Benatar for the first time yesterday and it was decidedly average).

Other questions: Has this been a good summer for pop? Is it better or worse than last summer? Has the rubbish weather made a difference? What is your favourite pop 'season'?

Comments

[blue-russian.livejournal.com]

kat no like pat? hm. will have to revisit this week sometime. in the abstract a perfect example of someone who should benefit from the 80s revival, i'd think. overplayed at the time so that her voice would make you cringe, but difficult to honestly deny that some of it was damn catchy

[genie22.livejournal.com]

It's Rihanna's fault the weather was rubbish. Musically though, I'd say this summer is beating the last one - we've got Winehouse, Kingston, Faulkner and Bobby Kray on form in addition to decent singles from Groove Armada/Mutya, Gym Class Hereoes, MIA, CSS and Bondo de Role.

[jauntyalan.livejournal.com]

i had love is a battlefield on my poptimism CDs, so you were ][ close on saturday.

I think i heard Teenagers for the first time in August, so i might say that just to annoy. it is great tho. all you haters :-p

[infov0re.livejournal.com]

I AGREE.

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

- Has this been a good summer for pop?
The pop has beaten the weather on penalties after a dogged 120 minutes - Amerie unlucky to hit the crossbar twice.

- Is it better or worse than last summer?
A bit better generally but haven't had an amazing album like 'Silent Shout' to keep me going this time

- Has the rubbish weather made a difference?
Not really - the best way I discover new great pop is sadly at home on the computer which I can (or rather don't so much these days) and do do whatever the weather.

- What is your favourite pop 'season'?
You usually get the best stuff in Spring and/or Autumn defo but release dates are for shit.

[jeff-worrell.livejournal.com]

Has this been a good summer for pop? Is it better or worse than last summer? Has the rubbish weather made a difference?

If you mean "for new pop", this is a bit of an odd question. Summer isn't really about new music any more. More than ever before I think the UK pop industry - release schedules, radio - is enslaved to the summer festival season. (The bad weather doesn't seem to have had any effect on this circus.) Nothing gets released or played that isn't somehow a cross-promotion for (or a live broadcast from) some stupid festival. But festival goers - probably quite rightly - don't go looking for new things, they go to revel in the familiar or the "classic". And for people like me who are too old for festivals, or who like the sorts of pop music that doesn't typically feature in them, what better time to go off and do something non-music related? Or to make your own music / put on your own "festival"?

In short, summer is for making your own entertainment these days. Record labels and the charts might just as well shut up shop for a couple of months.

[genie22.livejournal.com]

TV might as well go ahead and die too - it's rubbish 'til September.

My best friend Lesley said "she's just bein' Miley"

[koganbot]

Weather is excellent, season is fine for dancing in the streets surfing the Net, Pat Benatar seems like a deliciously likable human whose songs were never as good as I wished they were.

And Miley Cyrus wrote her first song, with the help of Armato and James, and it is tremendous.

Re: My best friend Lesley said "she's just bein' Miley"

[koganbot]

FYI, Armato and James are these people:

"Potential Breakup Song"
Composed By
Antonina Armato/Tim James/Aly Michalka/AJ Michalka