Bob Lefsetz Claims Grammys Are Irrelevant…

Music industry collapsing? = yes

Music industry needs help? = yes

Grammy’s worth watching all the way through = unable to answer

Grammy’s irrelevant = no

From Bob Lefsetz blog (you should sign up):

The Grammys are a mainstream show for a country that no longer is mainstream. And that’s why they’re irrelevant. The Grammys are about consensus. Whereas arguing with your buds over who’s good is now passed, you just ignore what doesn’t appeal to you and play in your own backyard, which you created.

I guess what I’m saying here is that not only was Doug Morris unprepared for the future, but network television, newspapers and radio too. We’ve seen no adjustment by any of them. Just a holding on to what they had before, however little is left.

Bob has an incredibly well prepared opinion all the time, and I normally agree with his position, but I find this interesting. I’m only dealing with the claim that the Grammy’s are irrelevant, almost seemingly that they should be eliminated. So let’s crunch rough numbers.

• Its reported that some 20 million people watch the Grammys.
• 90+ million watch the Super Bowl.
• 30+ million people watch American Idol.

This is a quick study so I’m not claiming exact estimates, but the point is the same…Super Bowl – is a worldwide “must-see” television event for so many other reasons we can’t get into here. You can practically make (and win) a bet that’s the equivalent of winning the lotto by watching the super bowl.

American Idol – watched by people who want entertainment and people who like music.

Grammy Awards – watched by people who want entertainment and who like music.

This country is not willing to buy full albums anymore, and there are more choices than ever, but we’re still a mainstream country who idolizes what’s popular based on the frequency of people who also idolize what’s popular. That’s just plain social proof.

Let me say this another way. The country is mainstream, musically. Just because people don’t buy music doesn’t mean they don’t want it. They want it. They just don’t want to pay for it. And the only thing they listen to is mainstream music, popular music.

Nobody’s pirating and stealing unpopular indie albums in their entirety. (unless I missed something). And I don’t see all of America purchasing their favorite tunes on CD Baby! So let’s backtrack here.. It’s still mainstream and people still want the mainstream sound, no matter how horrific the quality of the music has become or the quality of the performers.

Its just different now. We just want our music a-la-carte.

I do agree though that there are other things to do besides the typical debates over who was good and who wasn’t. But that has a lot more to do with the changing society and its attention span vs. the Grammy awards not being relevant.

We need the Grammy Awards for so many other reasons besides the music, so I wouldn’t count it out all together. We need it for fashion, we need it to get hype for the new year, we need it for the behind-the-scenes producers/songwriters, we need it to help reinforce why we should or should not continue to believe in artists like Britney Spears.

Is it and does it contribute to the overall problem in the music industry, I’d say so. Can it be removed without removing the passion of some artists who cherish the final accolade of Grammy Award? Would these artists put out the same quality of music if there were no Grammy Awards — NO! Getting the Grammy Award is still another form of payment and credibility.

Let’s not forget the bottom-line. I’m sure some artists can’t pay their mortgage without winning the award.

Yes the FUTURE of the Grammy Awards should be revisited. How the Grammy Awards continue to appeal to citizens and non-musicians while they post messages on MySpace and switch between Discovery Channel, The Simpsons, and a porn flick – is the question that we should be asking.

You don’t have a new year without the SuperBowl and the Grammy Awards, everyone knows that.