Taking On Clay’s Critics

Can almost a million people be that wrong?

Oh, I forgot. The astonishing sales for Clay Aiken's debut CD, Measure of A Man, is all because his crazed internet fans bought multiple copies and are using them as coasters and ornaments. At least that’s what some people would have you believe.

I can see it now. Someone, somewhere in the media will put a negative spin on the fact that Clay "only" sold 200,000+ CDs the second week and came in “third” this last week (in a virtual tie with less than a thousand albums separating the first place sales and Clay's third place sales of over 140,000). Never mind that most artists only dream of any week like that. Forget that RCA felt assured enough to ship double platinum. The "poor" sales must mean that the critics are right. No one wants this kind of music. It is bland, it is vanilla, it is formulaic and the people can't really like it, can they?

Do you get the feeling that, in a way, Clay can't win?

About two-thirds of the "critical" reviews of Clay's debut CD were negative. Some were actually scathing. Of course, that can happen to anyone but it would be easier to accept if more of these so-called critics had actually bothered to listen to the whole CD without preconceptions. Some of the critics actually came out and admitted they did not listen to the whole thing and others showed us this by their off-the-mark (and often, the wall) critiques. Whatever happened to good old fashioned constructive criticism?

No, I never expected everyone to love Clay's CD. Newsflash, people, but there has yet to be anyone who is all that musically to all people. I loved the Beatles, was not crazy about Elvis, could never stand Jimi Hendrix but can appreciate his influence on the rock that I DID love. What I did expect, or at least hope for, were fair appraisals of the musical merits of the CD and the singer, not the prejudice that was often evident because the singer happened to be discovered on a national talent show.

I forgot. He didn't "win." Is that what bothers these critics so much? Perhaps it is because they feel he didn't pay his "musical" dues. He didn't struggle to make it while waiting tables or going without. Does that make him any less talented?

Clay was given an opportunity to take a "shortcut" but it wasn't exactly a free ride. For all those artists who worked hard and auditioned a million times facing rejection, Clay faced rejection in front of 25 million people. He had to earn his right to stay in the game. Can you really imagine how it must feel to be called "ugly" in front of a national television audience (which along with being untrue had absolutely nothing to do with anything)? How many people would refuse the lottery because they hadn't "worked" for it? Would you really expect them to say, "Sorry, but I prefer to toil in the trenches."

To be fair, some of the less-than favorable-reviews focus on the songs on the CD rather than the voice. Okay, what is wrong with the songs? They all sound the same? No. They don't. Some have similar themes but if you really listen, they don't all sound the same. They are formulaic pop music. Say what? I haven't heard these types of songs in a long time – they certainly aren't on the radio. I have listened to all the songs a number of times and do not find myself saying, "That sounds just like…"

If you are going to criticize the songs on the CD, then it is also not entirely fair to drag Clay into it. He didn't write the songs. It sounds like the most input he was allowed to have was to say he only wanted to sing songs he was comfortable with. He had to get his foot in the door.

Face it. It didn't really matter what kind of CD he put out anyway.

If Clay sang songs that had more of the "edge" that some reviewers figured he should have, then they would have said he was a hypocrite.

If Clay sang covers of songs then the critics would have blasted him for that too. He was already being labeled as "too Broadway" and "Karaoke." A lot of fans would have loved to see a CD of covers simply because Clay has the gift of singing practically any song and making it his own – often even better than the original artist.

Those critics who decry Clay's style as Karaoke need to look closer at themselves. As someone has put it, when "reviewing" Clay's CD, they are often parroting the same trite putdowns – they are in essence committing journalistic Kararoke.

Okay, critics – what would you have Clay sing? Is it his singing ability or the "pop music" genre that you are so against? The pop music on this CD is decent non-offensive music. Clay sings about love – oh my goodness you mean people still fall in love? Can't be. Isn't today's world all about anger and angst? No? Do we really want it to be?

Clay signs with no emotion? Hey better check those Belltones. Mr. "no emotion" has made many cry (and not in agony) because his voice has the power to evoke so many emotions. People actually wonder if he is lying about never having been in love or been hurt by a love because it is all there in his voice.

Is that it? A guy is singing about love. Not cool. Real men don't fall in love and certainly don't sing about it. Got to sing about "bitches and ho's" to be a real man?

Hate to be the one to break it to you but even Clay's fans don't agree about their favorite songs. (gasp!) Yes, that means all those people didn't rush out to buy the CD because a certain song was on it (how will Simon explain these sales, since he claimed Clay’s single sold only because “Bridge Over Troubled Water” was on it?) but because they want to hear Clay sing. The favorites are as varied as all the fans out there. Oh, there I go again forgetting that his fans are either pre-teens or grandmothers – I am alternately flattered (I look that young?) and taken aback (I look that old?). It would really mess up the theories if I were a guy (shhhhh don't let it get out but a lot of guys enjoy Clay's music) but alas – I am a female. Guess that means in a lot of critics minds, I am musically brain dead.

Since only "rabid" Clay fans are buying his CDs and we all only make $25,000-$35,000 a year and shop at Wal-Mart, we must be skimping on those mints (or food for the kids) so we can push Clay to the top in sales. Do the math guys, there aren't that many Internet fans – even for Clay. Time to admit it but people actually like the music. What a novel idea.

Oh, by the way, if anyone hasn't gotten their copy of Measure of A Man yet, I still have about 600,000 copies left.

If you haven’t already done so, you can still buy Measure of a Man from Amazon:

Measure of a Man

Candace is married, has two children, and writes when inspired. You can reach her at DulceGo@aol.com.

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