Two weeks ago, a phenomena occured and while I noted it, I failed to mention it. Both Bonnie Raitt and Hoodie Allen were on the Billboard Top 10 album charts and both albums were self released.
And… both were from opposite ends of the pop spectrum though they share similalrities.
First the differences
1. Male female
2. Young Old
4. Rap Blues
5. Unknown Established
6. Computer Organic
But they also have similaries
1. Individuals performing their own music.
2. Self contained sounds (Hoodie creates his own beats)
3. Although I am not crazy about either album, both have a great deal of integrity. They are both the real deal, musicians playing precisely what they choose to.
And they both feel like anomalies: I don't think it is a trend but rather a blip. Hoodie is already out of the Top 30 entirely.
And both point to a future, Prince has spent decades trying to reach, a future where you play and record what you want when you want and keep the money for yourself. And that future has arrived and will keep on arriving. If you don't need a record label for funding or recording or distribution or publicity or touring… what do you need them for?