Grammy without a major label. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Anybody know how?

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jokerone

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I watched part of the grammys the other night.

I'm not familiar with the group (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ) who won for Best New artist, but they said during the acceptance speech that they did it without the backing of a label.

Anybody know the background on how?

I'm always interested in how stars become stars. Not so much about them afterwards.

thanks.
 
miroslav said:
Ever hear of the Big Bang theory? :D
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Actually looked that up a few months ago. Saw that Kaley Cuoco was in an old episode of Northern Exposure. I actually remembered the scene after I saw it on youtube.

I guess what I was asking was the background story on this group. How did they get listed on Billboard's charts without a major label? Somehow sales have to be tallied up at the distribution/retail level.

Greg_L has a few great albums / CDs out, of which I've bought. Does billboard tally up sales where/how Greg sells them?

thanks.
 
You know, Greg's "Gay Boy" was a positive pro gay message. I don't swing that way, but its ok if you do. That is not negative and the way most people think. He should have gotten a Grammy. Most real attitude in a song about gay relationships.
 
My point is.....was the MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS song a great song, or was it just about the politic message that made it win?

I mean...what are the Grammy Awards about anyway?
 
I don't know that song Same Love, but their song about the thrift shop was huge this Summer...my kids and all their friends and all their friend's moms loved it. I don't think any of them knew or cared about their sexual orientation at that time. It seemed like that became known after they'd already made a splash of sorts with that tune.

Not my kind of music, but for what it is, I seems like they're pretty good at it.
 
Fuck the Grammys. For real. No musical "award" exemplifies everything wrong with music like a Grammy.


And yes, "Gay Boy" is better than everything that won combined.
 
miroslav said:
I really think that they won on politics.....not so much on their Billboard chart position.

Macklemore | Billboard

This is their song "Same Love" that also won "Song of the Year" I believe:

MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS - SAME LOVE (OFFICIAL VIDEO) - YouTube

Basic cheesy R&B/Rap tune about same sex marriage and gay love and all that....and in this political climate it's not surprising they won.
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I didn't know that about the song, or anything else about them other than what I learned the other night. One, they have knock out girlfriends who seemed as happy as if one of them being named Miss America. Two, that they said it was done without a label, which peaked my interest. I might be familiar with one of their songs if I heard it because my daughter coaxes me into listening to her radio stations sometimes. But knowing Pop Culture America in the new millennium, I can see where singing about such a topic would be a benefit in getting an award from like minded people.
 
I'm still interested in how one (pro gay song or not) gets to where they got without the "machine" behind them.

So you cut a CD, have 1000s replicated and between that point and the point you get nominated a bunch of people have to have bought it and those sales get registered officially somewhere. That's the story I'm interested in.
 
heatmiser said:
I don't know that song Same Love, but their song about the thrift shop was huge this Summer...my kids and all their friends and all their friend's moms loved it.
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It's not any different than the other song of theirs that won.
I wouldn't be surprised that it was the YT video that generated the buzz...'cuz on its own, the song is just the same cheesy rap stuff.

MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS - THRIFT SHOP FEAT. WANZ (OFFICIAL VIDEO) - YouTube


jokerone said:
I'm still interested in how one (pro gay song or not) gets to where they got without the "machine" behind them.

So you cut a CD, have 1000s replicated and between that point and the point you get nominated a bunch of people have to have bought it and those sales get registered officially somewhere. That's the story I'm interested in.
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Get some "hip" YT videos to go with the song....generate a buzz with the 14-21 crowd....and hope for the best.
Right now....it's all about R&B and Rap/Hip Hop....that's what most of the kids are into and it's managed to weed itself into a lot of other genres.
If you're doing some other kind of music style....good luck.
Oh, and it has little to do with "great songs/music" or that kind of stuff....it's mostly about hype/image, and of course, if you hit on some of the current social issues (same sex marriage and gay love are the big thing right now)...it will help.
 
jokerone said:
I'm still interested in how one (pro gay song or not) gets to where they got without the "machine" behind them.

So you cut a CD, have 1000s replicated and between that point and the point you get nominated a bunch of people have to have bought it and those sales get registered officially somewhere. That's the story I'm interested in.
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I don't follow them or the Grammys (not my thing), but they've been enormously popular for a couple years so it's not like they came out of nowhere. They're waaaaay past the "get 1000 CDs replicated" point.
 
But, the question is, a major label. There are lots of labels who know how to get things done. Like the old days. Just not as many. They have a team, know how to get play, distribution, etc. I am sure there are lots of labels who know how to do it. They are just not major.
 
fat_fleet said:
I don't follow them or the Grammys (not my thing), but they've been enormously popular for a couple years so it's not like they came out of nowhere. They're waaaaay past the "get 1000 CDs replicated" point.
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yes, they are now. I want to know the story about how they achieved orbit.
 
jokerone said:
yes, they are now. I want to know the story about how they achieved orbit.
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The old cynic in me wants to believe they kissed the right ass or there was some shady back room deal, but in reality it was probably just plain old hard work...touring, promotion, networking- things of that nature.
 
If there's anyone under 25 reading this, I guarantee they're pissing themselves with laughter.
 
Man, I've never heard this song or these guys before. I was going to say they mustn't have really broken over here, but looking at wikipedia that Thrift Shop was apparently a UK number one too. I thought it was just wall to wall Get Lucky or Blurred Lines last summer.

Having now heard it, I'm struggling to have much of an opinion either way. I can see why the yoof like it. Not sure I'm their target demographic...
 
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