Inaugural Music Thread- The VMA's Happened on Sunday?

Yes, I am legitimately asking that question.

In the midst of the kickoff of the NFL season, the finals of the US Open, the Presidential election heating up, and the start of school for me to name a few things, it is hard to keep up with almost everything. Because in all honesty, some things aren't that important. But what is important here is showing how far MTV's Video Music Awards has declined over the years, in all areas and especially in the department of marketing. The 2008 MTV Awards highlighted the decline of the network away from what it is all about: MUSIC.

The Nielsen ratings don't sound too good from what I heard, and nothing major has been talked about from the show. Maybe the image of seeing Britney Spears last year uncoordinated, unprepared, and out of shape was enough to turn people off of seeing it this year or maybe forever more (though in fairness, I heard she looked googd last night, whatever that accomplishes). And it wouldn't surprise me to see the BET Awards get better ratings this year compared to this poorly marketed effort.

In fact, I didn't even know the show occurred until someone told me today. And that is a total fiasco to say the least. Maybe it is the fact that really most of the top selling artists, performers, personalities, or popular songs are in the hip-hop community alone. Maybe it is the fact that TRL is more irrelevant than Ben Stein and Jaleel White combined. Maybe it is a mix of those things and, well, MTV being the semi-disaster it is right now.

When your network has to depend on spoiled 16 year olds, dumb chicks making California residents shake their heads at the thought of getting more stereotypes of air headedness placed on them, or "Whose House.......Run's House" to garner ratings, then you know that Kurt Loder must be thinking somewhere, "WTF has happened to this network?" And if you are not familiar with that acronym, well, ask someone in the AIM age, and they will gladly tell you.

It is sad to say, but when the off spring channel (MTV Hits) of the off spring channel of yours (MTV2) is better than you, the originator (MTV), it is a sorry state of affairs at least. It is even more egregious when that second sister channel is basically what you should have remained to be instead of being desperate for ground breaking "reality TV."

But hey, it isn't too late to promote that new season of that successful online sensational miracle that is the sweet, classy, bring home to your mom and dad (no matter if you are a boy or girl) Tia Tequila, huh?!

The Listen
Kanye West-Love Lockdown
The Vocoder is annoying as hell, and just hearing another person use that as an excuse to attempt high note singing makes you ask "What is going on with the game?" Nevertheless, expect it to pop off in a major way for his upcoming album.

Oh, and by the way, remembered when West said this last year:

"I am never attending another VMA's"

Gosh, with contradictions like that, I guess Kanye maybe fighting hard not to vote Republican this fall.

(For more Music News today, go to Pocket Full of Paper's site)