I’m not a black baby boomer, but my parents are. Whey they listened to, which was a lot of soul, blues, gospel and R&B, informed what I would listen to later in life. In the recent past, there was not a whole lot for them to listen to because of market shifts that made hip-hop the preferred parlance of black radio. Now things are changing somewhat as this article from Charlotte.com attests. Read below.
[New releases by veteran R&B artists] offer much-needed music for underserved black baby boomers. Today, R&B is dominated by young sound-alike singers whose lyrical landscapes are often limited to the extremes of love. New music for older audiences has virtually disappeared from the radio and stores, but record labels are slowly filling the void.
"There is a more concerted effort to address a disenfranchised market," said Gail Mitchell, Billboard magazine's R&B editor. "They don't feel part of the mix anymore. They don't feel a need to go into the record store."
In the last year, whites ages 35 to 64 made up about 75 percent of music buyers, while blacks were about 18 percent, according to the NPD Group. White consumer tastes are represented on the music charts, from the consistent presence of Bruce Springsteen to successful new releases by Barbra Streisand, the Eagles, Bette Midler, Van Morrison, Simon and Garfunkel and Michael McDonald. Al Bell, an executive at Stax Records during the famed Southern soul label's twilight years, said black baby boomers have been abandoned by record companies and radio stations.
In the old days, record companies would release a fairly balanced mix of bubble-gum pop and adult contemporary music for urban listeners, said Bell. But when hip-hop exploded in the '90s, companies began focusing on young listeners. Large radio stations primarily played hip-hop. With the exception of Luther Vandross and a few others, adult urban stations mostly played early hits by older artists instead of new music, he said.
"There's a movement under the way, off the radar, to go back and get some of these artists from back in the day," Bell said. Some major record companies are reaching out to black boomers with specialty imprints: Cash Money Classics released Marie's "La Dona" and Def Soul Classics released Patti LaBelle's "Timeless Journey."
However, other singers aren't counting on the majors. Baker signed with respected jazz label Blue Note Records, which also has Norah Jones and Al Green. Belle recorded on the jazz label Peak Records. Mills created her own label -- J.M. Records, named after her father, Joseph, who died in September.
"I'm glad I did my album independently," said [Stephanie] Mills, noting that it's in stores nationwide. "I'm not going to give up on me. I'm going to work my album until I can't work it anymore."
No matter how these '80s veterans, male or female, get their music to audiences, they're finding success on the charts. Currently, [Anita] Baker, LaBelle, Prince, Luther Vandross and Marie have albums of new music in the Top 100 on the R&B charts.
Several veterans have found success by collaborating with young stars, most notably Ronald "Mr. Biggs" Isley teaming with R. Kelly, or Ray Charles' new duet album "Genius Loves Company," which pairs the late singer with Norah Jones and others. Charles' new disc joins the recycled hits of the Isley Brothers remix album "Taken to the Next Phase," and the 2002 Stevie Wonder compilation "The Definitive Collection" in the Top 100 on the R&B charts.
Other seasoned artists with new albums include Mavis Staples' "Have A Little Faith" and Kool & the Gang's "The Hits: Reloaded," which pairs the funk band with contemporary artists such as Angie Stone.
More new music for older black listeners is also available or on the way, but from younger artists. Billboard's Mitchell likes the young Jermaine Dupri-produced singer Trina Broussard and Jill Scott. Faith Evans' new disc is due in December.
"I don't think people should write this audience off," Mitchell said
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