Radio Waves

Steve Sullivan

The music industry is an amazing machine. Some artists seem to be around forever. Others make their mark and are gone within the blink of an eye. As the year 2000 draws to a close, I look back and think about what artists made an impact that have been around for a while. Three come to mind right away. Bon Jovi, Madonna and Sting. It sees that long time fans of these acts either love or hate the new music their favorite singer/group have put out recently. I've noticed with music lovers that they either want their favorite band to re-invent themselves or sound exactly the same way they did 15 years ago.

Bon Jovi. Total hair band from the 80's. "Livin' On A Prayer" (don't laugh)...but I think it's one of the best rock anthems from the 80's. They put out a lot of good music in that decade. Then came the 90's. Can anybody name a hit Bon Jovi had in the 90's?? Most people can't. You can probably contribute that to the success of groups like Alice In Chains and Nirvana. Artists like Bon Jovi all of a sudden found them selves lost. One minute they were on MTV, the next they were gone. Then came the year 2000, and in the age of the rap/metal combos and boy bands, Bon Jovi hits the charts with "It's My Life". Which you've probably heard it on Mix 104.7, it's a big song for us. The song really is reminiscent of the stuff they put out in the 80's, but they still did a great job of re-inventing themselves. They took what they did best and put a 21st century touch to it. Two thumbs up for Bon Jovi. I think it's great to see a band I listened to in my younger days that can come back and make it to the top again.

Madonna. The queen of re-inventing herself, she's done it all. How many different looks has she had?? I lost count too many years ago. It's truly amazing to think about what she's done in the music industry. She's had so many hits, and I don't think anybody realizes how difficult it is to do what Madonna does. Her music has really evolved from "Papa Don't Preach" back in the 80's to her current hit "Music". She's always able to come up with something new, something she hasn't done before. What Madonna has done is truly amazing.

Sting. Former lead singer of one of the most proclaimed rock groups from the late 70's into the 80's, The Police. (duh) Sting's music has changed throughout the years. From the fun rock songs of the Police to the more pop

Solo stuff. His most recent hit "Desert Rose" was heard on Mix 104.7 as a dance remix. Sting has done a lot of different things musically, and he's been successful. He's not trying to do something that worked once, change it a little bit, and do it all over again. He takes a chance, and tries something new.

Bon Jovi, Madonna and Sting are just a few artists who've been able to score hits in 2 or 3 different decades. They've been able to re-invent themselves in new ways to make new fans. As a big music lover, I've learned to respect this. Lately I've discovered that there's bands out there that I get sick of just because they've done the same thing over and over again. I'm kinda at the point where I don't wan't to hear new music from some of the groups I enjoy, I don't want my image of that particular group ruined because I didn't like their new music. Although sometimes their new music isn't necessarily bad, it's the same thing as the first album. Boring. I guess that explains why I crave new bands so much. The Scorpions for instance. Not really one of my favorite bands, anyways I recently saw their new single was called "Hurricane 2000" just like their hit in the 80's "Rock You Like A Hurricane". Pretty unoriginal. Can't they try to be creative or maybe do something different?? It sounds like they are trying to relive the past too much.