As the music industry has become more fragmented over the years, artists have found success in many ways. Selling records is no longer as easy as getting on the radio and having a hit record. While some artists can still find success traditionally, most need to promote their music in many different places. Whether it is by licensing songs to be placed in movies and television series or having your songs performed on shows like American Idol, musicians have had to work harder and think outside the box to achieve mainstream success.
In the past several years, television shows like High School Musical and Hannah Montana have brought a new generation of artists to the forefront. Musicals are cool again and, as is often the case when an idea becomes successful in the entertainment industry, everyone tries to capture the magic that the initial show had. Usually, they fail.
And so, it seemed the the musical craze had reached the tail end of its popularity when Glee made a single-episode debut earlier this year in an attempt to drum up some buzz. A Fox television hour-long musical dramedy about a high school glee club did not scream instant hit. And yet, after one episode, the show was an instant hit. Great writing and a talented, inspired cast proved successful instantly and by the time the show returned as a weekly series this fall, maintaining the momentum it built up earlier, it was not a surprise that it became the season’s breakout hit.
One of the major reasons for its success is the fact that the singers on the show are interpreting the shows in a way that don’t make the viewer feel like they’re watching bad karaoke at a local bar on a Tuesday night. The arrangements of well-known songs like “Don’t Stop Believin’”, “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” and “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” are inspired and energetic. And it is this energy that will continue to propel Glee. One wonders whether the writers will be able to maintain the drama over 22 episodes and over subsequent seasons, but as long as the producers continue to select great songs and the performers maintain their current level of enthusiasm, Glee will bring joy and happiness to music fans for a long time to come.
