IS LIONEL RICHIE'S NEW SINGLE A FLOP?

Lionel's newest single "I Call It Love," insults and neglects his long-time fans. The song is not a bad one, it just does not conform to what his fans expect of him. His fans expect the old school that carried originality, not the new one in which that silky voice is lost in the shuffle of what sounds like a computer generated melody. Fans prefer hearing Lionel sing accompanied by a piano and maybe an instrument or two, but not with distractions added from digital sources. Asked what he thought of the song, Mark Baker, huge fan to Lionel and Program Director for WIKY (104.1 FM) Radio, could not say he was excited about the song. Instead, he stated, "I don't know what I'm going to do with it." The song can be heard by going to http://www6.islandrecords.com/site/artist_home.php?artist_id=342. The album is due out September 12.

If this new song is any indication of the album, mega commercial success once again, cannot be guaranteed. The song is not what he's known for and what his fans like. If Lionel is attempting to break it in with the younger crowd, he's done a good job, but of course anyone with the success Lionel has can go anywhere they like, and do anything they want.

An important thing for Lionel to always keep in mind is that Program Directors are people too, with likes and dislikes just like the rest of us. If Program Directors do not like this song it means they will not play it on their radio stations. It's as simple as that. Further, no songs promoted on radio stations means less sales of CD's. It appears that maybe Lionel might want to seriously consider going back to the old school where success is always at his fingertips and where many long-time fans who are Program Directors enjoy the music.

The need for new things is understandable, but traveling outside one's genre is a bit extreme, don't you think? We do not see Diana Ross, Phil Collins, Sting, or Barbara Streisand changing colors, so why should Lionel? More than likely Lionel needs a certain inspiration to get him back to the old school and back to that frame of mind he was once in. One or two experimental new-school tunes on an album are okay, but to create an entire album of new school? That might be a costly switch. It is worth considerable thought.

In an interview with MusicRemedy.com, Lionel stated, "How do we make this interesting and unique, how do we make a record where the 'old' sound is now the 'new' sound?" That's just it Lionel, this new school cannot be put in the same category with the old school. The sounds are completely different.

Your long-time fans hope you make it back to the old road. It was a nice place to be.

Written August 2006