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Discussion: Will a gay male artist have success in the US?
Member Since: 10/30/2011
Posts: 10,415
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Quote:
Originally posted by lickmycody
To hell with Adam Lambert his is an embarrassment to gay men.
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How exactly "his" an embarrasment? I hope no gay male dares to be flamboyant as if there are gay people that are like that.
But how ironic that you posted a Queen video when he's playing at least 4 shows with them this summer. Such an embarrasement that Brian and Roger picked him out of everyone.
Just exit the thread if you don't have anything worthwhile to contribute with.
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Member Since: 11/2/2010
Posts: 3,829
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Member Since: 6/1/2010
Posts: 65,177
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It's harder for gay men to be themselves and be accepted by the public. However, it's not totally impossible for a gay artist to have a certain level of success in today's climate. They just can't be flamboyant and force their lifestyles down the throats of the buying public. Part of the reason Adam failed was because he did just that - he tried to force his sexuality down people's throats: everything from the American Music Award performance to the glittery purple album cover. There were people who were upset that he lost American Idol and was rooting for him to be the next big thing, but then he turned around and messed it up. If Bruno Mars was openly gay but still made the same music, I could see him having success. Perhaps not the same level of success he is achieving as a straight male, but I don't think he would be pushed aside completely or paid dust. It's messed up, but that's just how it is.
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Member Since: 8/17/2011
Posts: 6,468
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The climate of the current pop music industry isn't really geared towards MALE pop singers, so I think it would be just as hard no matter straight or gay.
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ATRL Administrator
Member Since: 6/29/2002
Posts: 77,601
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I think Adam could've been the one if the singles had been good enough. From the start he's had so much goodwill in the industry. But his label doesn't seem to understand that no one is waiting for him to do a Dr. Luke generic pop song.
It's really tough for unknown openly gay artists to break through, there is too much anti-gay bias in the industry (labels won't sign/promote them, radio won't play them). Adam kind of jumped over that bias by launching his career through Idol.
I was always convinced that even for established artists being gay was a handicap, but these days I'm not as sure. The most successful gay male artist in the world, Tiziano Ferro, is still just as successful as before he came out, and his main market (Italy) is even more homophobic and conservative than the US. In the end if the music is good enough, that's what speaks for them.
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Member Since: 8/30/2011
Posts: 3,073
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Member Since: 6/2/2011
Posts: 28,055
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The thing is an openly gay male artist doesn't have to conform to the stereotypes of being extremely flamboyant and singing pop (like Adam Lambert).
We could have an openly gay male singer doing rock (Melissa Etheridge says hello), or alternative, or even hip hop (I do think it's possible). Also, gay male artists don't necessarily have to sing about stereotypically gay-related things like self-acceptance anthems.
I'm sure many will have big success, labels just need to stop being afraid to give them proper backing and artists need to come out and be honest about who they are (I bet there are already many hugely succesful gay male artists in America).
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Member Since: 11/17/2011
Posts: 32,412
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They just need to be themselves. Half of the time they try to push their sexuality over the top and into people's throats. It's sad because Chris Brown can shove his sexuality into everyone's throats and it's viewed as okay and sexy. If a gay male was to do it he would have to have good music and have a good label that supports him.
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Member Since: 1/10/2012
Posts: 1,420
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Member Since: 10/23/2010
Posts: 243
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Adam Lambert is representing us gay males pretty well! And we have Elton John, George Michael, and had Freddie Mercury already, they obviously helped the image of gay men.
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Banned
Member Since: 2/22/2012
Posts: 3,968
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Member Since: 3/25/2012
Posts: 10,673
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I'm also not too sure being gay has that much to do with it. Yes, it can definitely factor in, especially if the artist is beginning their career openly gay. But I think as long as male artists get the right kind of material, that is still evocative and interesting, and not generic pop, they can be successful. It just takes constant smash singles. The thing with male artists like Taio Cruz, Jason Derulo and Chris Brown (to some extent) is their songs are meant to be guaranteed chart toppers, but they become so cookie-cutter that it just becomes another pop song.
Bruno is definitely the best example of what male artists need to do to compete with the leading females. Gay or not, if he is talented and has good material people will flock. Best case scenario would be if he was bi.
There's a lotta interesting new talent coming out of youtube lately with bedroom singers and producers. I just found this guy yesterday that has an amazing voice and writes and produces his own electronic covers. He did a great electropop cover of we are young. I can't link it right now, but I agree we'll def see some new males coming up and pushing boundaries in pop real soon. This new transition into dubstep/industrial/grunge pop is gonna open new avenues for some males to step up.
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Member Since: 10/31/2011
Posts: 1,042
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Justin Bieber is gay but successful
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Member Since: 6/6/2011
Posts: 48,509
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One Direction are
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Member Since: 6/2/2011
Posts: 28,055
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Quote:
Originally posted by jtlyk
Adam Lambert is representing us gay males pretty well! And we have Elton John, George Michael, and had Freddie Mercury already, they obviously helped the image of gay men.
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I'm sorry but that's ********. Adam Lambert represents a section of gay people...the flamboyant, sexualized stereotype which admittedly is true for a part (not the whole) of gay people (and there's nothing wrong with it). But he does not represent gay people. I and many other gay men I know have nothing in common with him other than the fact that he likes penis. Not every gay man dresses and acts like that or wants to.
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Member Since: 11/17/2011
Posts: 32,412
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Quote:
Originally posted by cloudinthesky
I'm also not too sure being gay has that much to do with it. Yes, it can definitely factor in, especially if the artist is beginning their career openly gay. But I think as long as male artists get the right kind of material, that is still evocative and interesting, and not generic pop, they can be successful. It just takes constant smash singles. The thing with male artists like Taio Cruz, Jason Derulo and Chris Brown (to some extent) is their songs are meant to be guaranteed chart toppers, but they become so cookie-cutter that it just becomes another pop song.
Bruno is definitely the best example of what male artists need to do to compete with the leading females. Gay or not, if he is talented and has good material people will flock. Best case scenario would be if he was bi.
There's a lotta interesting new talent coming out of youtube lately with bedroom singers and producers. I just found this guy yesterday that has an amazing voice and writes and produces his own electronic covers. He did a great electropop cover of we are young. I can't link it right now, but I agree we'll def see some new males coming up and pushing boundaries in pop real soon. This new transition into dubstep/industrial/grunge pop is gonna open new avenues for some males to step up.
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Also Bruno, Jason Derulo, Taoi Cruz, and even Chris brown to some extent like you say are not in the public eye 24-7. Their public life (minus the Rihanna/Chris incident) are pretty guarded and not as inclusive in the public eye as are the female pop stars. I think if a gay artist could keep his lifestyle in check like that then it may be possible. I'm almost sure some of these pop stars are gay but just not out.
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Member Since: 11/17/2011
Posts: 32,412
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Actually I just realized something. Many people claim that gays are a majority of the stans/fans but if that's so then are the GAYS ready for a gay male artist?
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Member Since: 4/12/2007
Posts: 5,851
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Quote:
Originally posted by WIG-SNATCHER
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at you for obviously missing the points of my posts. I never went off-topic in the first place. I made a statement regarding label support because it was relevant to the conversation, then people started taking it overboard by pointing out artists that do have label support, which I criticized because the examples they were using didn't support their argument or apply to the OP.
Learn to read.
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Member Since: 3/19/2012
Posts: 5,155
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Quote:
Originally posted by bobbymfw
FALSE!
Mainstream artists only become mainstream when major labels have faith that they can reach a large audience. Straight females and males don't have this problem because they are considered marketable. Gay artists are considered "niche" and their audience is more limited (a.k.a. not as profittable), hence not getting major label support.
There are plenty of gay artists who "shake things up" but they usually have to go the indie route.
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Totally agree with this. Sad but true.
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Member Since: 6/30/2010
Posts: 22,080
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Simon Curtis will do it.
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