Logo: An MTV Network That Still Plays Music Videos (Albeit Videos With More Drag Queens)

dangibs | July 30, 2007 3:09 am
When a press release with a Hilary Duff mention in its headline crosses the Idolator tele-type machine, it’s hard not to take notice. When the same press release mentions the “Next Generation of Dance Music,” even better. When I have no idea who half the artists mentioned are, it seems worth investigating. While MTV, MTV2, and VH1 dedicate themselves to a race to the reality-show bottom, the digital cable channel Logo is playing quite a bit of music each day, although some of it might not be familiar to those who haven’t made it to a gay dance club in awhile.

The next generation of dance music has arrived ladies and gentleman, and with the emergence of networks such as MTV’s LOGO, artists such as Adam Barta and Hilary Duff are breaking onto the scene in a way like never before. Barta’s music video for his Billboard-breakout dance single, “I Wanna Hold You”, hit the number one spot this week on LOGO’s weekly music countdown, The Click List (knocking out Jonny McGovern’s reign of over 10 weeks). Also holding steady on the countdown this past week was Duff’s new music video for her single “Stranger”, off her major label release on Hollywood Records. The convergence of major label artists like Duff with mainstream, but more independent artists such as Barta, on such a major music network, is remapping the way the industry is shaped.

The eligible videos for Logo’s weekly video countdown show The Click List are more Hype Machine than TRL for certain, with videos by Bjork, the Pipettes, Patrick Wolf and Justice making the cut. What seems most significant is mentioned briefly in the press release: the number of artists on independent labels, from somewhat prestigious indies like Saddle Creek to a few imprints that seem to be one- or two-person operations. There are even a few artists with no label affiliation listed at all. That sort of exposure for a micro-indie would be impossible to expect from MTV or VH1, unless the track were to be used in the background of an episode of Made.

Dominating the Click List for twelve weeks was Jonny McGovern, who subtly calls himself “The Gay Pimp”; he may not be doing much for breaking down homosexual stereotypes with tracks like “Somethin’ For The Fellas” or “Lookin” Good, Feelin’ Cute”, but as the YouTube description states, “If you like dudes making out, trannies, and Jonny McGovern, then this is the video for you!” If you want to see the definition of “truth in advertising,” the clip is below:

The Click List [Logo Online] Hilary Duff, Adam Barta Shaping Next Generation of Dance Music [eMediaWire]

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