Fed: The power of pop rules 2006

AAP General News (Australia)
12-14-2006
Fed: The power of pop rules 2006

By Jonathon Moran, National Entertainment Writer

SYDNEY, AAP - Pop dominated the music charts, but classic guitar band rock `n roll
was reported missing in action.

Hip hop and rap were popular, and Australian Idol appears to have changed the way new
talent is discovered.

But independent artists continued to make their mark on the charts, and Australian
music in general looks in good shape.

And, in a reflection of the times, what music lovers download, as opposed to what they
buy in CD shops, is now recognised in the Australian music charts.

The year 2006 again demonstrated just how wide music tastes have become, with a vast
range of musical genres making an impact.

But pop has been the dominant force in Australian popular music over the last year,
industry watchers agree.

"This is like a pop year, almost in totality," said music historian and critic Glenn A Baker.

The power of pop was perhaps best illustrated by the success of Human Natures Motown
tribute albums, reworking classic pop and dance tunes that date back to the 60s.

Human Nature was just one of the Australian artists to rack up a No 1 entry on the
Australian Record Industry Association's album, singles and DVD charts over the past year.

Hilltop Hoods gave rap an Australian flavour, while dance and hip hop also continued
to make an impact on the charts.

TV Rock spent five weeks at the top of the charts with their nightclub favourite, Flaunt It.

Melbourne pop dance outfit Rogue Traders also enjoyed massive success, as did Brisbane
sister act The Veronica's with their catchy tunes.

"The charts this year have been very young, very TV orientated, very hip hop, very
rap," said Baker.

Encouragingly, much of that has been Australian music.

While sales figures are yet to be released, industry insiders are expecting 2006 to
show the greatest number of Australian artists hitting the top position in the 23-year
history of the ARIA charts.

But despite the emergence of Australian rock band Wolfmother, Baker sees signs of decline
in one long-favoured genre.

"The one component that seems to be missing, and generally it is there, is your classic
guitar band rock and roll, he said.

"It just seems to be in scarcer supply this year than in any year I can think of for
a long time."

While reluctant to criticise Australian Idol, Baker says the reality series has changed
the way the industry discovers new talent.

"The means by which music is now discovered, promoted, marketed, generated has undergone
an absolute sea change and I think that has a lot to do with the Australian Idol means
of uncovering talent," he said.

"The idea of the organic rock band just making it on the basis of word of mouth and
time honoured traditions doesn't seem to have had that much of a run this year.

"But these things come in cycles so in the next couple of years you might see it change again."

That said, a number of Australian rock bands rose to the fore this year, including
Eskimo Joe and Youth Group.

Perhaps most prominent was Wolfmother, which blitzed the ARIA awards with trophies
for best group, best rock album and breakthrough artist album for its self-titled debut.

One other big winner at the ARIAs was Bernard Fanning, who took a break from rock outfit
Powderfinger to pursue his solo career.

From five nominations, Fanning claimed two of the most prestigious categories, winning
best male artist and album of the year for Tea and Sympathy.

After 18 months solo, Fanning says he's returning to the band, which is working on
its sixth album for release in 2007.

"Powderfinger is writing again and we are going to make a record very soon ... that's
my real job," Fanning told AAP recently.

"We are going through the process of writing. We have a lot of tunes at the moment,
but we are still finding our way."

Singer/songwriter Clare Bowditch also starred at the ARIAs, crowned best female artist
for her offering, What Was Left.

Bowditch, who has one child and is pregnant with twins, will take a break in the new
year to spend time with her family.

The artist, once crowned Australia's new indie princess by Rolling Stone magazine,
signed with EMI Music a year ago and is clear about how she wants to be marketed.

"I want to be in full control of how I am presented," Bowditch told AAP.

"You can't control what anyone else thinks about you, but I want to be allowed to take
full control of what I am allowed to talk about."

Baker said he is encouraged by the number of independent artists, such as the The Waifs,
Ben Lee and the Hilltop Hoods, who continue to do well.

"There continues to be an element of good earthy, bluesy gritty music," he said.

"You hear it in John Butler and Bernard Fanning's solo album, that is there as a counterpoint
to a lot of the TV-oriented teen music."

ARIA chief executive Stephen Peach says he's impressed by the range of musical genres
that have achieved success this year.

Among those hitting top spot on the ARIA charts has been country star Kasey Chambers.

"We have seen lots of really interesting things happen this year," said Peach.

It was also the first year ARIA incorporated digital download data in a stand-alone chart.

ARIA also changed its singles chart to incorporate digital download data alongside
physical single sales figures.

But it's early days and Peach says digital downloads account for just a few per cent
of overall album and single sales.

"It is certainly becoming a distribution channel of significance, while not downplaying
the overwhelming significance of physical album sales," said Peach.

Fans of international big name acts had a good year in 2006, with Australia well and
truly back on the touring map.

Touring acts have included U2, The Backstreet Boys, 50 Cent, Rob Thomas, UB40, Simple
Minds, Robbie Williams, Elton John, the Dixie Chicks, Foo Fighters, James Blunt, Billy
Joel, Westlife and Chris Isaak.

Some of the acts might be getting old, but they are true professionals. Elton John
was forced to flee the stage briefly to vomit when illness interrupted his Brisbane concert,
but he was soon back on stage to ensure his fans weren't disappointed.

But Kylie Minogue's comeback was the year's biggest, and most emotional. After postponing
her world tour in 2005 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, Kylie chose Australia
to make her long-awaited return to the stage.

"I have thought about this moment for a long time," she told the thousands of fans
at the Sydney Entertainment Centre as she performed the first show of her resumed tour
in November.

"And I tried to practise in my head what I was going to say ... I couldn't prepare
anything, I really couldn't.

"So I am just going to say what comes to me. Generally I am, like, 10 minutes late
... this is officially fashionably late, a year-and-a-half, but I mean fashionably."

The touring trend will continue, with some of the world's biggest names heading here in 2006.

Confirmed acts include Sandi Thom, Tim Finn, Tenacious D, Damian Rice, the Red Hot
Chilli Peppers, My Chemical Romance, John Mayer, Evanescence, Pink, the Scissor Sisters
and Eric Clapton.

Baker says there is plenty to be looking forward to in 2007.

"We have a new Silverchair album due and I am expecting that to do big business next
year," he said.

"It is going to be very exciting to see where they're going."

But whatever direction the charts take, Baker says one thing's certain.

"Girls will continue to scream, they'll continue to download pop songs as ring tones
and they'll keep going to the concerts," he said.

AAP jwm/sp/jt/de

KEYWORD: YEARENDER MUSIC AUST

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