Messageboard

About Jono from USA: Celebrating the greatest artist to ever exist.

Mariah appreciation (46,966) by Jono from USA I just want to take a moment to appreciate Mariah and what she has given us the past 25 years. It's always been about the music, the writing, and the voice. No gimmicks. Even at this age when she should all but be pushed aside to Adult Contemporary, she still manages to make it fresh. Unlike another certain ahem "artist" (or a couple), that resort to cheap tricks like, well, showing off their assets. (Friday 26 September 2014; 6:38)

MIAM legacy (45,470) by Jono from USA So the sales of this album and the impact of its singles are very disappointing, but I'd rather have this than a Mariah that could have easily sold out and created songs that would have taken off at radio, but sacrifice her signature sound to appease the masses. As Kanye West said, "radio is not a place where I want to be right now". Missy hasn't made a record in years because she is so uninspired by what's "in". Mariah has openly criticized how everyone has hopped on the "techno" trend. The quality of pop is at its low point. These artists are not going to sell out just to sell. Of course we'd all like to see Mariah ruling the charts, but the fact that 24 years in to the game she releases one of her best records in a sprawling catalog is a true testament to this woman's genius. This is an artist's album for the fans. Not for the record company or the sales. Every legendary artist has had an album or two that wasn't commercially successful, but was a true representation of their artistic vision. That's hard to accomplish when you have record labels that only care about making money. As for YDKWTD, I truly thought it had potential to be a huge hit, because it has a such a throwback sound to the point where it actually sounds fresh. But as lambily's personal little gem, it's nice as well. Ever time I've played the song to new ears, my friends have loved it. I'm happy as long as I continue hearing music from Mariah. I no longer care about her sales. She has nothing left to prove. (Monday 21 July 2014; 17:36)

Re: Sweetheart Aaron (45,326) by Jono from USA That's an amazing lyric video. Seriously man, an incredible job. You need to tweet it to Mariah. (Friday 11 July 2014; 23:12)

YDKWTD radio play (45,264) by Jono from USA Has anyone heard the song being played on their local radio station yet? (Tuesday 8 July 2014; 5:53)

Mariah and her age (45,170) by Jono from USA I think Mariah should be free to wear whatever she wants, it's her body, and how she wants to present it should be up to her and not what the media expects. That being said, I do think Mariah is afraid of aging. Marilyn Monroe is her image icon, and she's the epitome of glam. I feel that Mariah thinks that she will no longer be considered sexy as she gets older, when in reality she is one of the most beautiful woman in the world. Sexy can be understated too, it doesn't solely just rest on the amount of skin being shown. (Monday 30 June 2014; 21:34)

Start promoting YDKWTD (45,066) by Jono from USA Hey lambs. Mariah has listened to our demand for YDKWTD as a summer single, so now we have to do our part in promoting it. The easiest way is to call in to your local radio station and request the song, that way it can be reached to a greater audience. This song truly will stand out on the radio, and if Mariah and us fans do the right amount of promoting it could be a mega hit or another missed opportunity. (Monday 23 June 2014; 18:56)

Billboard is officially a joke (44,875) by Jono from USA Giving MIAM, one of her best albums, a measly 77 while JLo somehow scores a 78 on an album that is barely listenable. Billboard is a joke. There are definitely politics behind it. How can someone who doesn't even write or produce her own music, let alone sing like Mariah, score higher? I just can't with idiotic critics sometime. In the end it won't matter though, because every vocalist has cited Mariah as an influence and inspiration. No one says they want to be like the other one. So critics, keep kissing talentless artists' ass and supporting the autotune/dance craze that is killing music. We'll see how memorable they are in a few years. Also wanted to add that critics who are complaining that MIAM doesn't have enough of a hook or recognizable chorus, that's because their ears have been dumbed down the last 5-6 years to listen to the repetitive, sh-t that pop music has now put out with its regurgitated lyrics, cliche beats, and unnecessary repeating of words to create a "hook". Mariah refuses to sell out, releasing a true R&B record even though she knows that genre doesn't sell. She will never stoop down to the EDM level just to have a hit. She has never followed a trend and never will. She sets the trend. Welcome to real music, critics. That's how they did it 10-20 years ago, you know back when pop music was good. (Wednesday 18 June 2014; 20:17)

YDKWTD single (44,633) by Jono from USA So is this no longer a single and is the promotion done for this album? It's a shame. I don't really listen to radio (because pop music has turned awful), but having done it the past couple of weeks to see how Mariah would compare, YDKWTD would sound so fricking fresh. No joke. Even though this has a throwback feel, it would sound so unique in between the autotune dance tracks and the hipster mumford and sons sounding songs. Mariah and co, please don't blow this opportunity. As lambs we're not expecting TEOM level success, but for people to know that MIAM exists. YDKWTD is the type of mass appeal song that people of all ages would like. (Tuesday 10 June 2014; 22:47)

NBC Special (44,373) by Jono from USA This was everything I wanted and more. So good to see her on TV again, since the last time she was on that terrible reality show. I won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it, but there was a great balance of interview moments and performances. If Mariah's aim is to get people interested in the album, she really nailed it with this special. Here's hoping this, along with the new single, will continue to keep this album in people's minds. (Sunday 1 June 2014; 3:14)

Yes! YDKWTD (44,322) by Jono from USA According to Def Jam president, You Don't Know What To Do will be released as the next single. This is really great news - of all the tracks on this album, it is the most commercial. It isn't the best song on the album, but it is the one that will get people to buy the album. If all goes according to plan and this song gets a radio and digital release, as lambs we need to do our part in supporting her. It doesn't mean just buying the single, it also means calling in to the radio stations and requesting this song. Radio is probably one of the biggest outlets for music to get heard, and this song could be a monster summer hit and really stand out, as nothing sounds like YDKWTD right now. Forget the fact that this could be a hit, the main focus is that this song will bring attention to MIAM and expose Mariah to a new generation. (Friday 30 May 2014; 18:40)

Sam Smith (44,209) by Jono from USA Hey Lambs, sorry to sidetrack the conversation for a bit. I was wondering if any of you have heard of Sam Smith? He's a young British artist that's just coming up. I bring him up because like Mariah, there is something about the tone of his voice that just gets me emotional. This may be so far fetched, but I'm hoping they will do a duet someday, because I think it could be a classic. To see (and hear) what I'm talking about, look up "Stay With Me", either the studio or the SNL live version. Chills. We need artists like him and Mariah to remind people what actual talent is. (Wednesday 28 May 2014; 17:24)

Sales (44,207) by Jono from USA Those numbers don't surprise me, I would have been surprised if she had been above 100k. The thing is, the days of massive album sales are gone. In today's world, everyone's attention span has been severely reduced due to technological advances and accessibility. Instant gratification is what everyone seeks. No one has time to sit down and listen to an album - heck, people don't actively seek out music videos anymore. Nowadays, opening 200k is considered huge, and is reserved for the gimmicky artists (I'm looking at you, Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus). Mariah will never sell TEOM levels, and it's not her fault. It's just the changing times. Like I said, I'd much rather her have low sales than having bad, generic, selling out songs. Also, since when does a public's reception of an album determine whether or not it's good? I mean, this is a society that worships Justin Bieber, One Direction, and Miley Cyrus. (Wednesday 28 May 2014; 17:09)

Me. I Am Mariah (44,171) by Jono from USA Happy day today, did my little tradition of going to the store and buying a physical copy of the CD. It sounds just as incredible as it did during the first listen, even more so now. As for chart positions, I really don't care how it does at this point. Mariah has nothing left to prove, and she has far outlasted many of her contemporaries. No one has had the career that Mariah has for the last 25 years. The difference between Austin and Mariah is that one is releasing their first album, a generic teen pop genre that has all the teenage girls (and some boys) spazzing out. That act is the new Justin Bieber, and will probably fizzle out in the next couple of years. The other is releasing their fourteenth studio album, and is being lauded by critics as one of her best. It is an art work, something that is timeless (and not just "fifteen minutes of fame") and will last forever. If Mariah debuts at No. 1 at this day and age in a youth-driven market, I will be pleasantly surprised. If she doesn't, I will not be upset - and I'm sure Mariah won't be either. At this stage it is about making good music that will last for generations to come, and not about chart numbers. I am so proud of our girl, and hope she does a killer WMA performance tonight. (Tuesday 27 May 2014; 21:11)

Original explicit version? (44,008) by Jono from USA Hey Lambs, I was wondering if you could help me out. I have a tradition of always buying the physical copy of Mariah's CD as I have all her albums (except the compilation ones). Where can I find the original (not the deluxe) version, the one that shows her full body on the cover, but is also explicit (I live in the US). I don't like censorship, so I want to hear everything in the way Mariah intended it to be heard. So far I can only seem to find the deluxe version with the Parental Advisory sticker. All the original ones seem to be clean. Any stores or online websites that you recommend? Thanks. (Thursday 22 May 2014; 20:26)

Me. I Am Mariah Tiny Details (43,882) by Jono from USA I have been streaming this album non stop, it truly sounds like a cohesive body of work and is a sound that is so familiar to Mariah yet sounds fresh and current. Whereas Memoirs failed because it sounded repetitive, MIAM keeps it interesting. Also, anyone remember the Instagram picture of her lighting a match in front of the recording booth? That sound effect appears right before one of the tracks. This just goes to show Mariah's attention to every detail, even the tiniest ones such as a note or nuance here and there. Every time I play it there are new things I discover here and there, which I absolutely love I knew my feeling about this album being something special were right, because it is one of her best. We're talking Butterfly/TEOM level good. If her and her team can properly promote it with the right singles (still advocating for YDKWTD) it has huge potential to do consistently well for the remainder of the year. We all know the days of multi-million album sales are rare, but perhaps she can be included in the conversation of awards shows again. Not that she has anything left to prove (and the quality of music at these shows have deteriorated), but her appearance could expose her to a younger audience who may not be familiar with her brilliant work. 2014 is shaping up to be a great year for her. Congratulations, the five years of wait was completely worth it and I am so proud of her. (Tuesday 20 May 2014; 19:56)

YDKWTD (43,829) by Jono from USA Mariah and Co, please please please release this track. You can also release Thirsty, but YDKWTD has a far greater mass appeal and can keep her in the conversation and thus promote the album. It seriously has hit written all over it. Thirsty appeals to her fan base, and it's a solid song, but it won't have staying power and may be another disappointing single that causes no buzz. YDKWTD has that potential to be a monster hit, and even non fans are loving the song. Plus it is absolutely perfect for summer. If this song is overlooked and skipped, it will be another regret. As Lambs we can request this song to be played on the radio and hopefully as it gets more popular, her team will realize that its getting a much larger response than Thirsty from the public. Also, I think it speaks volumes that the media is writing about this track, and not Thirsty. (Tuesday 20 May 2014; 3:50)

Two promo singles? (43,771) by Jono from USA I wonder (and hoping) that Mariah and her label choose to release both Thirsty and You Don't Know What To Do. Thirsty is totally Urban Radio, and YDKWTD is mainstream/Top 40. This would allow her double the outlet to promote her album. I seriously think YDKWTD will be a summer hit if the label releases it. (Saturday 17 May 2014; 22:00)

New single (43,700) by Jono from USA Def Jam, "You Don't Know What To Do". Release it as a single. Now. This song is amazing. It manages to sound current while being throwback Mariah. Let's not have a repeat of "Migrate" and allow a great gem get away. (Friday 16 May 2014; 18:27)

Parental Advisory (43,627) by Jono from USA I think this is the first ever album from Mariah that will contain the Parental Advisory sticker. My guess though is that it'll be because of the features she has, since Mariah has always censored those "bad words" in her own lyrics. (Wednesday 14 May 2014; 21:02)

Thirsty (43,582) by Jono from USA Love the feel of the new song. My only complaint would be that I don't care for the amount of vocal layering. Normally I love it since it's quintessential Mariah and only she can do, but with an uptempo fun song just her sole voice would have been enough. That being said, it's the second best song she's released (#Beautiful is still my favorite) from this album and while I'm not expecting it to be a surefire hit, I hope it gives her new album the buzz it deserves. I have a feeling the rest of the album is less radio mainstream, will be less hip-hop and more R&B. This was just to get her on the radio before the cd drops. (Wednesday 14 May 2014; 6:26)

Promotion (43,300) by Jono from USA Mariah Carey has been all over the place recently, promoting her album. To all those who were hating on the fact that she was disappearing, I am sure she waited till the very last moment to begin promoting. After all in this day in age of social media where everything has to be instant gratifation, she wanted her news to be fresh in people's minds, not three months stale. Glad to see that May is essentially Mariah month, and now with the Fuse takeover tomorrow and the David Letterman appearance later she is making her presence known again. I can't wait for the album. (Wednesday 7 May 2014; 4:57)

Title meaning (43,184) by Jono from USA Anyone have any idea what one of the tracks mean? I'm talking about Money ($ * / ...). Haha what is that? (Friday 2 May 2014; 2:37)

Re: Angelo (42,904) by Jono from USA I don't think you realize that pop/mainstream music is an image industry. It is all about marketing and what can sell. The artist has, at most, half of the control over their artistic image because the label usually decides what the public gets to hear. Think about Mariah's credentials before TEOM. She had to fight to get Shake It Off as a single because the label was so adamant to put Say Somethin' as the third single. Even though Mariah writes and produces all of her songs, it still has to be green lit by the label execs otherwise they can shelve the project and not sell it. I'm sure if Mariah had complete control, Migrate would have been a single. In fact, in a recent interview she said she wanted it to be a single but the label wanted to repeat the TEOM formula which is why they released the "big ballad" as the second single. Before you criticize Mariah, who was the first artist to really reach out and make a connection to fans (not all the new artists nowadays who use it as a marketing gimmick to appear more "real")? Think about all that she has done and be thankful something new is coming out soon. She is a full time mother, which is a hard enough job already. I have a special feeling about this album. Patience. (Friday 25 April 2014; 23:45)

The Emancipation of Mimi - throwback (42,112) by Jono from USA Hey fans, I've been listening to TEOM a lot recently and I am still amazed at how fresh and unique this sounds. It doesn't sound dated, in fact I think Mariah may have been ahead of her time with this sound. It's Like That and Shake It Off would be fire on the radio even nowadays, because it sounds so different. Here's hoping that Mariah has another "emancipation inspiration" for her upcoming album. (Friday 14 March 2014; 19:27)

Mariah recently (41,195) by Jono from USA So I just watched the video of her on The Breakfast Club and I know a lot of people are giving her flack for the way she acted, but I think she was just being herself. I'd much rather her showcase her goofy personality than to be completely media trained and robotic, which can be really boring. The public perceives her as this over the top diva, which I'm sure she plays it up, but this interview really showcased how fun she is. Now regarding "You're Mine", I absolutely adore it. It's so smooth and sensual; I think Mariah has really hit a groove on her recent songs and if her album is going to sound like that and #Beautiful and The Art of Letting Go, it's going to be killer. (Thursday 13 February 2014; 1:57)

MORE MESSAGES