The music industry is not what it once was. Music used to be distributed via vinyl records, cassettes, and compact discs. Many of these words are now ancient. Vinyl is seen as vintage and compact discs are still around and in fairly decent distribution. Cassettes are practically nonexistent.
Now it is all about digital music. Songs are downloaded, often illegally, online instead of being bought in the physical form, such as CD’s.
It is fair to assume that the sales records set by artists like Michael Jackson and Elvis, and bands such as The Beatles and The Eagles are not going to be taken down by new artists.
Today, breaking ten million total sales for one album is almost an impossible task. Michael Jackson’s Thriller, which dominated the airwaves during the early 1980’s, has sold over 110 million copies. Clearly the way music is obtained has changed.
That’s why the focus today is on iTunes sales. Digital downloads on the web store are now the measuring stick for the success of a star.
While not everyone is a fan, no one can argue with the success of the star that is Lady Gaga.
The young artist has been on the top end of the charts for the last few years and isn’t showing signs of slowing down.
This week, she broke an iTunes record as her new single, “Born This Way,” sold over one million copies in only five days.
The song also reached the number one spot in 23 nations worldwide.
Furthermore, not only did it hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100, but it also became the 1000th song to do so since the chart began to be published fifty-two years ago.
Gaga called being number on the Hot 100 and having the 1000th song to hold the spot “a tremendous honor.”
Lady Gaga went on to say, “I am so humbled and so honored and overwhelmed by the reception to ‘Born This Way,” and “I couldn’t be more blessed to have the fans that I have.”
It’s hard to watch everything that Lady Gaga does and not notice that she isn’t exactly like everyone else. She’s without a doubt unique. But despite what people may think of her personality, she is a hit. At the end of the day, she produces the music that people all over the world want to hear and she does it as only she can.
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