why eat the music?

[woj@remus.rutgers.edu (the horizon you run to)]

gaffa@mind.ORG (Valerie) sez:
>Which all makes me wonder again, _why_ release ETM, arguably one of the 
>weaker tracks (weak being relative of course) on the album, as the first 
>single in America? 

i've been thinking about this too if only because a number of the
tracks on the album which i consider quite inferior probably would have
done quite well on the american radio charts. a few possible reasons
jump to mind.

first, "world music" (for lack of a better phrase) seems to be doing
quite well in the united states. it may not be chart-topping, but with
acts like ziggy marley in the top 40 and the popularity of reggae (at
the very least), a song like "eat the music" with it's afro-carribbean
elements could find fill a niche in american radio.

second, many of the other tracks that are radiophilic ("constellation
of the heart" and "why should i love you?" for example) are rather
unremarkable other than their accessibility. promoting an artist like
KaTe, who has a history of weirdness or "alter- nativeness", would need
an element of differntiation from standard pop fare. "eat the music"
provides that where "constellation..." would not.

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