Young voices create a substantial sound

By Brian McCollum
Knight Ridder News Service

JOSH GROBAN Gannett News Service

It may seem a long leap from Jackson's breast to Josh Groban, or Norah Jones. But that's the point. The classically trained pop vocalist Groban and smooth-voiced, multitalented Jones bring with them not just two of the country's hottest-selling records, but a cultural phenomenon.

Groban is part of an explosive resurgence of "grown-up" pop, new sounds that sound like old sounds — ones that are luring many adults back into music stores for the first time in years. His album "Closer," released in November, has sold more than 3 million units to date, Billboard reports, and as of April 10, it was at No. 13 on the Top 200 album chart. It debuted at No. 1.

Groban is the latest flag-bearer for a trend that's been building steam for several years.

The Billboard pop charts remain ruled by youthful pop, as they have since Elvis Presley ordained rock 'n' roll in 1955. But something else is elbowing its way in among the Britney Spearses and Linkin Parks and Chingys.

On many living-room shelves across America, new music is making its first appearance since the '80s, when middle-aged parents finished transitioning their old Simon & Garfunkel record collections to compact discs.

Jones is the other shining light in this trend. Her "Feels Like Home" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart Feb. 28 with sales of just over 1 million units in its first week. That was the highest first-week sales tally for a CD since 'NSync's "Celebrity" debuted with 1.9 million sold in summer 2001.

"Feels Like Home" was at No. 5 in the most recent issue of Billboard magazine. Jones' 2002 debut "Come Away With Me" has sold more than 8 million units in the United States since its release.

Other standard bearers? Sarah Brightman. Rod Stewart's set of pop standards. The "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack.

Coursing underneath it all is pent-up frustration with modern music and its emphasis on rhythm over melody. Impatience with the elevation of image over musicianship. And downright anger with the turn toward flash and flesh, a bar that's continually rising — thus demanding new ways to shock.

Data compiled annually by the Recording Association of America offers a telling snapshot. In 1992, adults over age 30 bought 42 percent of the recorded music sold in the United States. A decade later — as Jones took flight and "O Brother" made its mark — that age group was responsible for more than 56 percent of sales.

While you can read plenty into those stats — including the impact of Internet piracy on teen music purchases — one conclusion is clear: Older consumers have become re-engaged with music. Viewed in raw dollars, Americans over 30 spent $3.8 billion on recorded music in 1992. Ten years later, that figure was $7.1 billion.

In fact, as the record biz continues to fight its piracy battle with computer-savvy young'uns, the graying demographic just might be its salvation.

"The record industry is keenly aware of the adult marketplace now more than ever before," says Peter Gelb, president of Sony Classical Records. "Adults don't download illegally like kids do. And it's become clear that there's an adult audience out there that wants to embrace music."

The story isn't so different in the concert column of the industry ledger. Of last year's top 10 grossing American tours, seven can be definitively pegged as senior-skewing acts, including the entire top five: Bruce Springsteen, Celine Dion, the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac and Cher.

The results are popping up elsewhere. There's Tracks, a new music magazine aimed at adults, with covers featuring Sting, Jones and the tag line "Music Built to Last."

Or take Rod Stewart, who just three years ago seemed consigned to the Washed-Up Rockers basement but who reignited his career by tackling traditional pop standards. The result? More than 4 million copies sold for his two volumes of "The Great American Songbook," with a third edition on the way.

"I don't want to get caught in any box of 'this is about older artists or older listeners,' " says Tracks editor Alan Light, 37, who left Spin to co-found the new magazine. "I think it's about artists of substance and listeners who care about that. When you're young, you define yourself tribally — 'I listen to hip-hop,' or 'I listen to metal.' When you get older, your concern is much more what's good and worth your time."

Maybe it takes a real, live teen to vouch for that. Haley Wise is a freshman at Western Carolina University in North Carolina. Her 'NSync and Hanson discs were long ago discarded in favor of albums by Groban, Jones and other singer-songwriters crafting traditional classy pop.

"I guess my tastes have matured," says Wise, 18. "Before, I wouldn't have bought an opera or classical CD. But this is different. I can relate to it. It's not like popping in the Three Tenors or something. It feels new."

Fans find relaxation, comfort in crooners

NORAH JONES Advertiser library photo

A few local residents we spoke to weren't alienated by youth-oriented music trends, but did feel a certain comfortable kinship with adult-skewing pop.

Kailua resident Ben Petty, 52, said he waited with excitement for weeks before the Feb. 10 release of Norah Jones's new CD, "Feels Like Home." He stopped by Tower Records early on the release date to get his copy.

"I don't despise new music. My daughter bought The Vines and Jet, and I liked them," said Petty, standing outside the same Tower store a few days ago. "But there's something about Norah's music that transcends pure 'adult' music. (Jones is) young, so I guess that might be it. But it's also different from anything else on the radio."

That said, Petty added, "I don't like Josh Groban, though."

His daughter — whose name he didn't divulge, because "her friends might hear that she shares music with her dad, and then she'd have to kill me" — recently lifted "Feels Like Home" from his car and replaced it with a freshly ripped copy. She did the same last year with Jones's "Come Away With Me."

"I don't think she's embarrassed to buy it herself. She just knew (that) I would," said Petty of his daughter, laughing. He opened his Tower Records bag to show off fresh purchases of Rufus Wainwright, Eric Clapton and Marvin Gaye.

Gwendolyn Trowbridge, 27, of Kapolei claimed musical tastes ranging from Harry Connick Jr., Diana Krall and Tony Bennett to Eminem, Dave Matthews and Jack Johnson. To Trowbridge, Jones's music was "relaxing. It helps me unwind. When I listen to CDs, I'd much rather have mellow, jazzy stuff in the background. ... Her music can be romantic. It works if I'm moody, or if I just need to mellow out."

Like Petty, though, Trowbridge didn't embrace Groban. "He has one of those voices that's such 'a voice' that it's too overpowering for you to even hear the music," said Trowbridge. "It's like he should be an opera singer ... or be in musicals. I don't want to listen to him on a CD in my car."