3 Types of Artists

I believe that there are 3 types of artists in this industry.

The first type is the “One-Hit Wonder.” These artists release one, two, or maybe three-songs that have ephemeral success- songs that are like poorly-heated leftovers…hot for a second, and then cold. These artists may create a lot of hype and get a lot of airplay for a little while, suddenly, and then disappear just as quickly and sharply as they appeared. I would name a few examples, but you probably wouldn’t know who they were. :-)

Now, the next two types are really at the crux of my point.

The second type is a “Staple.” Staples are those artists who have released music that is congruent with the experience and voice of a whole generation and becomes associated with that time or era in a history for a people or culture. Many of the greatest musicians around are staples, so this classification is not to be taken lightly. It is truly one to be revered!!!

Artists who are staples have created music that is revered across generations, often with an endearing sense of nostalgia and affection. These artists have managed to capture the voice of a time or generation and their careers always seem to parallel some significant event or time in history. They also have enduring success because of a loyal following in a generation, although this success may not translate across multiple generations. Due to the cyclical nature of art, Staples are always relevant because, since all new things are inspired by things of the past, we eventually always look to classic artists to inspire us.

The third type of artist is the “Timeless” artist. These artists have a chain of hits that span multiple generations and a quality to their music that speaks to some universal part of the human experience. They have managed to have success that spans decades and transgresses generational boundaries. Timeless artists are those who have managed to become staples of multiple generations through their consistent presence in the music scene and the cultural relevance of their music to multiple generations.

Timeless artists tend to be associated with multiple cultural and generational landmarks. Whether it be a movement, a movie, book, or other historical work, or another historical event, the music that these artists create or the artists themselves come to represent something that is greater than their contemporary life or career. Some timeless artists are Whitney Houston, U2, Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin, Dolly Parton, Prince, Alejandro Fernandez, Billie Holiday, and Michael Jackson.

These artists have released, wrote, and performed works of art that span genres and transgresses the many bounds that pervade our societies, appealing to our collective experiences- speaking to humanity. This is the type of artist that I am striving to become.