Is it just me, or is Music World Entertainment, the music and entertainment corporate conglomerate founded by Mathew Knowles, up to a lil’ somethin’?
Not necessarily somethin’ bad, just somethin’… The latest news on the homefront is that Music World Entertainment has announced the launch of a new gospel label– Music World Gospel (kudos on the consistent branding, by the way!). The new label will succeed its predecessor, Spirit Rising Music.
This news is on the heels of the recent signings of Juanita Bynum and Micah Stampley, who joined the then-Spirit Rising family of Brian Courtney Wilson and Trin-i-tee 5:7 among others. Music World Gospel will even be home to a special gospel compilation released by ESSENCE Communications (yes, the folks who put out the magazine, have the awards show and do the hot music festival– read: major mainstream opportunities for Music World Gospel artists).
This is not to say that Music World hasn’t already been successful in gospel– Michelle Williams debuted at #1 with her first solo project, and at #2 with her follow-up album. Trin-i-tee 5:7 has experienced great sales and opportunities under Knowles’ direction. And Brian Courtney Wilson has gone from relative newcomer to a Billboard top 10 mainstray since his release last year.
All I’m sayin’ is that, after laying juuuuust under the radar for some time, we’re gettin’ press release after press release about a bunch of new signing and new endeavors…
Could 2010 be the year that Music World took a big ol’ slice of the gospel industry pie? I’m thinkin’ maybe…
Thoughts???
Although I don't necessarily agree with Mr. Knowles personal life, he is clever when it comes to business. Good luck to all the new label mates.
It seems that so many (esp. longtime) gospel artists have started their own record labels (Karen Clark Sheard, Vickie Winans, for example) so maybe the (corporate) gospel music industry pie is smaller than it used to be? Being on a record label doesn't have the same kind of status that it used to have?
Don't fully get the point in it, but hopefully all their endeavors pay off.
In the next 5 years, Music World Gospel will be just as crowded as the others with not so hot artist. Dress it up, package it any way you want, where are the singers?
......Or maybe after all the tumult in his personal life Matthew Knowles is turning to God and making a statement by branching out full swing with the gospel arm of his label...... Would be great if he's wholly yielding to God......
Or maybe Mathew Knowles is like me. I can't get over a clear, perfected voice humming.."Jesus". There were many times that I have compared Destiny Child to Trinitee 5:7 and I said I will take the better sound and better lyrics for 1,00o, please !
I have mixed emotions about this, on one hand it could be a great thing for the gospel industry and on the other it could be just a way to boost sales for a company. I personally think the idea to have a gospel market in a secular arena is odd, but it could be a good thing. I`m assuming that the music company want to broader with just one genre.
not to sound so negative but it''s gonna take more than surrounding himself with gospel artists and essence to help him. it doesn't sit right with my spirit so i pray that all of these wonderful artists are covered and protected. the enemy is trying to work overtime and pulling out all the stops.
oh people get a life.....a label is a label... Music World is doing much more than these other bootleg labels that these Artist have to start.....and truth be told they have to start labels because no one else is interested in signing them. Matthews personal life has NOTHING to do with his business side....Juanita Bynum is one of the only GOSPEL artist who can sell and go platinum and chart in the Top 3 the first week of a realease date which she has done. So ofcourse they are gonna want to sign her cause her music SELLS!!!!!!!!! KEY POINT "HER MUSIC SELLS" if you like her or not .....IT SELLS!!!!!!!!! Karen is a wonderful artist in my opinion but she is not selling big right now....to say she is big in cogic people complain that she wasnt #1 on the charts but you chart by your SALES NUMBERS!!!!!!!! so big ups to Music World.....
Mr. Knowles is a smart businessman!!!
@Derrick: This has been a very informative and realistic blog on gospel music: Let's keep it that way. Personal life will always have an effect on business. As for references to Juanita Bynum....SEX SELLS! That is not a new revelation. People just tend to go with what is popular, not what is always better for them or of higher quality. Juanita Bynum can sell books, even a video of her wedding album=) Some may just hop on to an artist with Mathew Knowles as a supportive resource. There are so many artists who just "sell ". I think EJ's post, as always, brings out the point that there is a strategy and pattern identified in the industry. Derrick, your post is a direct contradiction, and just maybe some artists are not into stipulations placed on them under another form of control. I can respect that.
Derrick To my knowledge, Juanita Bynum has NEVER sold a platinum record. She's seen success, yes, but she is not a platinum artist on the level of Kirk Franklin, Mary Mary, etc have been. [although their latest releases haven't gone platinum] You named Karen Clark-Sheard but her album debuted at the same number as Juanita's and was in the Top 5 for a while. As new releases come out, we'll see what Juanita Bynum does and if she will repeat previous success that her last album failed to do. Right now, NEITHER are Marvin Sapp who is selling big & breaking records. So that's neither here nor there. I also don't agree with your assessment of artists who have started their own labels. Juanita Bynum had her own label for many many years, so was no one else interested in signing her for all that time? I don't think so. There are alot of reasons artists go independent for control over their music & image. I do agree with you that we should wait it out and see what is to come with this business venture with Mathew Knowles.
@Katydid HUUUUUUUUUH??????????? u totally MISSED my point.....Have a seat lol #EPICFAIL @Keisha M. Im so glad your comment made much for sense as to what i was saying.....lol The Double disc CD "A piece of my passion" reached platimum that was a huge project for her. i said nothing about kirk and mary mary....BUT since u mentioned them I want people to realize they are on the labels and KEPT on the labels they are on because they are SELLING!!!!!!!!!!! But I really only used Karen & Juanita as an example not as a sales compitition to other artist who have reached Platinum...alot of ppl were saying karen should have been higher on the charts than she was and that Juanita shouldnt have charted so high in the first week of her release.....but they fail to realize that artist are charted by sales not how good or bad a CD is. My point to the people is if you want you fav artist to have great success GO BUY THE CD and if not dont complain when the sales numbers are low. out of ALLLLLLL THE KAREN FANS across the country why is it that she didnt chart high and stay high.....and when she did get in the top 5 it wasnt the first week of her release....AND to say soooooooooo many people DONT like Juanta they sure did go get that new CD and sold well in the FIRST week as the last one did (Pour My Love on You) As far as artist staring labels i didnt say ALL ARTIST that stat labels cant get signed.....but alot do cause they are usually the ONLY ones signed on their lables lol. Juanita Started FLOW Records and had great success from it and passed it on to Myron Williams (who now owns FLOW Records) in the hight of its success. Bynum now has started another label (Son Flower Records) which is Joint with Music World. So matthew still dosent have FULL control. But my question is why is it that no one is making a fuss about the other new great artist that has been recently signed to Music World like Micah Stampley, The Essence Project, & Brian Courtney Wilson...not to mention the ones that have been signed with matthew for years. Why is it such a big deal that Juanita is now signed. If I had a lable i'd want her on mine also becuase she sales and will bring success to the company (THATS BUSINESS).....thats what lables look for.....and is also why artist get dropped.....THEY DONT SELL!!!!
@Katydid AGAIN I SAY....HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUH?????????????????? you went on and on and said nothing..... @Keisha M's reply was a wonderful direct reply to my comment....send her a emailand learn from her.
"A Piece of My Passion" went Gold, it did not go platinum. I just did a search on GospelPundit.com too and Karen Clark's most recent album DID debut @ #3 and not at a later date. But those details are irrelevant and have nothing to do with Music World/Mathew Knowles/Juanita Bynum's brand new business partnership. Bottomline -- people are just skeptical about the intentions of this kind of move. I'm just saying that while I understand it, the smartest thing to do is wait & see how this thing plays out.
skeptical about what kind of move? he signed artist...thats what label owners do.....
but hopefully all goes well.....i'll support
You were just annoyed by my response. Instead of just typing, you need to go complete research on Bynum and take your own advice as it relates to Keisha's post. Stop adding assumptions. Reply to me with facts. The noise you hear following Juanita Bynum is related to her personal life. Now go back and read my post. An artist's personal life has an effect on business, especially in the gospel industry where you are suppose to share the truth. Unfortunately, you have not been doing that.