VMAs 2024: The Death of Music Divas ?!

people don't make albums anymore they don't make albums they just try to sell a bunch of little quick singles and they burn out and they put out a new one and they burn out and they put out a new one people don't even listen to a body of work anymore as the 2024 VMAs concluded my Millennial heart found solace and tributes to Britney Spears or the inclusion of the iconic Cindy laer however within the spectacle of modern music some incredibly promising like shopon and some less than optimal an uncomfortable question sat in my heart where are the Divas an Elite pop culture category once synonymous with musical royalty the transformed musical landscape now seems to exclude these style of singers but why so let's look at how they once rule the charts how Tik Tock Has Changed music forever and ask whether or not Divas are extinct I was born in 1990 right in the middle of the diva stronghold on culture the previous decade saw the 80s welcome back numerous Divas artha had a major comeback into the charts reminding everyone why she was the queen Patty Lael scored her first chart topper in a decade while achieving a platinum album and Tina made one of the greatest comebacks of all time selling out stadiums and standing firm in direct opposition to the youth culture of MTV the charts were dominated by Powerhouse vocalists Whitney Houston had seven consecutive number one singles a record that still stands today and to top it all off I will always love you became the bestselling single by a woman ever Mariah Carey was the first female to debut at number one of the Hot 100 achieving 15 number ones in the '90s including her duet with Boys to Men that spent four months at top of the charts and celan's Titanic Smash Hit won record of the year and sold more than 18 million records Divas held the top spot on the charts for longer periods than any of their contemporaries positioning themselves in a class reserved for very few pop music's Elite fast forward to recent years and the Pinnacle of chart success relies on different metrics and talents the likes of Taylor Swift Rihanna or J alipa have climbed to the top of the pyramid to redefine music but why I think a big reason is that the notion of Diva went from being a badge of Excellence to a mark of elitism along with the grandio vocal abilities stunning gowns and key changes accusations of high maintenance Antics became a constant media story and regardless of how true all these accusations are they definitely hurt the diva ideal in fact the term has become an insult in and of itself with some women who were once viewed as Divas moving away from the term themselves a diva and I'm not a diva no no no I'm not I'm never willing to be I mean I know the Divas I I've met some of them and I just move the other way Co restrictions help to cement this notion the now notorious imagine video as galado assembled a team of celebs to sing John Legend's imagine Anthem just like Madonna felt detached from reality as she described the Corona virus being a great equalizer from a luxury bathtub the imagined cover received almost unanimous vitriol Co for many unraveled the celebrity facade and how out of touch they often are from the regular public and how much attention they crave for Generations celebrities were seen as existing Somewhere Over the Rainbow somewhere so unattainable and we glorify them for this Godlike quality but unattainable Isn't that cool anymore being relatable is a new powerful currency and that's something that goes against the very nature of an old school Diva another major change is the upbringing of new pop stars as black music archive discusses in his video why the New Girl Can't Sing The contention presented is intriguing so many of our favorite Divas cultivated their musical foundation in the church years of choir practice Church performances and often competitions allowed singers to hone their technique their stamina and their musical interpretive wit and as Society becomes more secular and unforeseen casualty is the loss of this musical aptitude as a result the latest Tik Tock phenomenon is plucked from the internet and dropped on stage with no legitimate training or experience on how to carry their voice or entertain overall the intersection of contemporary music and economic Dynamics also impacts the cultivation of enduring Diva figures the shift towards a more digitally driven industry compounds the need for continuous output unlike the era of classic Divas where artists could invest substantial resources and time into sculpting highquality albums the current climate Demands a Relentless torrent of content necessary to remain afloat in an oversaturated Market of Shifting Tik Tok Trends and these fleeting Trends Force artists to Tater their sound to match the current sist often hurting the development of Diva figures known for their distinctive style homogenity prevails the dominance of streaming services has also virt killed the concept of an album people don't make albums anymore they don't make albums they just try to sell a bunch of little quick singles and they burn out and they put out a new one and they burn out and they put out a new one people don't even listen to a body of work anymore the classic diva is currency of power were their hugely successful albums and the streaming era emphasizes single tracks and playlists often geared for maximum streaming potential that has destroyed the grandio album Centric narratives that defined the era of the Divas now we still have some enduring Divas Mariah's perennial Christmas classic reminds us of this and Beyonce has positioned herself as a modern day teen ET Turner but there's a notable change in the music world and I'm curious is this something you enjoy or Not by the way if you enjoy Divas I have an entire series of Mari Cary that you might be right up your street thanks for watching