This same question came up in when Amy Winehouse won five Grammys and the following year Adele, Duffy and Estelle released albums in the U.S. They were calling it the British invasion. Women started to dominate the music agenda. The domination of the music business by women is the most important point. Dominating in R&B, pop and country music as- to how they are doing it is a minor point in my opinion.

Adele can change how music industry markets female acts, says label boss
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011...music-business


A top record executive has launched a damning attack on music industry attitudes, claiming the insistence on over-sexualising female artists has led to "boring, crass and unoriginal" music.

Richard Russell is founder of record label XL Recordings, home to the hugely successful artist Adele, who he said had the potential to change the way women were seen in the industry by focusing on her music rather than her sexuality.

"The whole message with [Adele] is that it's just music, it's just really good music," said Russell. "There is nothing else. There are no gimmicks, no selling of sexuality. I think in the American market, particularly, they have come to the conclusion that is what you have to do."

The singer's record-breaking second album 21, which has spent 15 of the last 17 weeks at No 1, smashing Madonna's record of nine weeks in the top slot, was "almost political and sort of radical", Russell added.

His attack follows recent songs such as S&M by Rihanna, which contains the line "sticks and stones may break my bones but chains and whips excite me". The song was criticised by some for the extensive use of bondage imagery in its video.

The media regulator Ofcom ruled last month that raunchy routines by Rihanna and Christina Aguilera during the December final of the X Factor were "at the limit of acceptability for transmission before the 9pm watershed". Ofcom had 2,868 complaints.

Russell said he was shocked while watching a recent MTV show featuring top 10 hits from female artists, as each video used "faux ****" imagery. "I felt a bit queasy," he said. "But now you see that Adele is No 1. What a great thing, how amazing. Not only are young girls going to see that, but [also] the business people who are behind all those videos. It's going to make them rethink what they should be doing."

Russell dismissed criticism that Adele is too mainstream, saying she was as radical as the Prodigy, who he worked with in the 1990s. "At the level it is at now, it is radical," he said. "It is clearly about the music and the talent and the things it is meant to be about. I think there has been a certain amount of confusion, and it's resulting in garbage being sold and marketing with little real value to it ... Adele is a good thing to be happening."

That a strong female performer could succeed without bowing to pressure to conform to a certain body type or being over-sexualised, was "unbelievable", he said.

"It's just so boring, crass and unoriginal," he said, adding that the problem goes "way beyond" the music industry.

Adele talked openly about her image in an interview with Q magazine, insisting that a sexualised image did not fit her music. "If you've got it, flaunt it, if it works with your music," she said.

"But I can't imagine having guns and whipped cream coming out of my ****. Even if I had Rihanna's body, I'd still be making the music I make and that don't go together."

She was derided for comments she made in the same interview that she resented paying a large tax bill. "[While] I use the NHS, I can't use public transport any more. Trains are always late, most state schools are **** and I've gotta give you, like, four million quid – are you having a laugh? When I got my tax bill in from [the album] 19, I was ready to go and buy a gun and randomly open fire."

The singer added that she would not try to dodge paying tax "and do a Philip Green", but would pay her bills reluctantly.

The tea has been served.

PS: I only partly agree.

"Adele talked openly about her image in an interview with Q magazine, insisting that a sexualised image did not fit her music. "If you've got it, flaunt it, if it works with your music," she said.

"But I can't imagine having guns and whipped cream coming out of my ****. Even if I had Rihanna's body, I'd still be making the music I make and that don't go together."

THIS! A marketing that uses sexuality is not a bad thing. It just has to fit.

^ +1

At the end of the day, sex sells. Adele may be able to sell without it, but then again...look at her, she can't really sell it anyways. I think she has a great voice and I love some of the songs on her new album but I don't think she's going to revolutionize the way they sell female artists just because she has this hit album.

Honestly, Adele will only be second choice. After we're through with these turbo-pop **** we'll turn and listen to her music. Then someone will release some more turbo-pop ****. And we'll feast on that again.

(i have a very different perspective in music, no need to hate)

Let's see if she can have longevity. She is not the 1st soul british singer to be overhyped : Amy Winehouse, Joss Stones, Leona Lewis,Duffy...where are they now?
Nora Jones wasn't british but she was a soul act overhyped too she had one album wonder and then disappeared.

Rihanna, Shakira, Beyonce and other so called "sexy acts" are still relevant.

And honestly I personnally don't like Adele,she is talented but IMO she is rude.

.

Sexuality has been mixed with entertainment since the beginning of recorded history, and has been able to coexist with nonsexualized forms of entertainment for just as long. There is nothing new happening here. I don't see why it has to be a case of "either or."

Come Away With Me - DIAMOND
Feels Like Home - 4x Platinum (1 million sold first week)
Not Too Late - 2x Platinum
The Fall - 1x Platinum

Where is the "one album wonder?"

Exactly. Both can coexists like it always has.

Adele is nothing new imo. We've seen artist like her forever...

Yes brother.

Adele isn't a new phenomenon, she's talented true but truth be told RITD had the luxury of being marketed well in various movies, tv shows, commercials etc. which got people curious and interested in her music.

...

TLDR LOL

You're mad because she's waaay better than your faves.