#but to groups from small companies who get nommed its still a HUGE deal. its become this weird dichotomy | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

sanstropfremir · 1 year

Note

honestly i also think that groups arent going to award's shows anymore is also because its not only rigged but you also already know whos gonna win. like if they have 10 awards you already know b'ts is gonna get at least 3 whether they deserve it or not because otherwise fans will eat them alive, thats 7 awards left then you have male and female rookie which, well it excludes anyone who isnt a rookie, 1 award for best male (excludes women) 1 award for best female (excludes men), an award for solo artists, and then like performance of the year or something. so you basically have 50 groups sitting there ineligible for half the awards and not being able to get the other half because the same 5 groups always get them so like..... why even go at that point

yea i agree, awards shows across genre have been losing their sway for a couple of years. i think kpop ones are a particularly acute microcosm bc there are not very many types of awards, and there are really stark differences between the 'top tier' of groups and the rest of the ones that make up the majority of the industry, despite the industry being relatively small. even though there's numerically less groups debuting in the last twoish years (i did a quick survey of the wikipedia list of debuts by year to check numbers and it was about 30ish per year in the 2010s but so far it's been about 20ish for the 2020s. however this does include subunits and project groups so it's not a totally accurate figure), all those numbers compound on each other since there aren't the same amount leaving the industry as entering. so overall, these awards shows continue to be stacked towards the groups with the biggest companies and fanbases, even though there's better art that deserves that recognition being made by increasingly more and more groups that go completely unnoticed and have no chances of being noticed.

#the thing is that you cant really like.......diversify kpop awards in the same way you can for film/tv/music #you cant divide idol music by genre bc it IS the genre. unless you started giving out awards for 'best (x) concept'#which......doesn't really work #like this is the same problem as hollywood has with the oscars etc but there's still some kind of pretense that they care about 'art'#for those at least. like superhero movies dont usually get noms for best picture #whereas with kpop its like. if the lastest marvel movie won every award bc the most people watched it and it made the most money #its all very transparently capitalistic #and not at all a recognition of artistry #its also at a place where these awards are losing value to fans bc a handful of groups who dont deserve them are constantly winning them #but to groups from small companies who get nommed its still a HUGE deal. its become this weird dichotomy #i'm sure its very frustrating for idols #text #answers #kpop questions #awards shows 2022

8 notes · View notes

cocochannel00 · 3 years

Text

The Azoff Family: A Case Study on one of the Music Industry’s Most Connected Families

(ft. a breakdown of the Grammy voting process and problems)

This is very long so I will try and split it up into categories for everyone (sorry I got carried away- I spent like 2 hours writing this) but enjoy!

*Disclaimer: I want to preface while the majority of this is based in research, some parts may be speculation. I don’t know the family personally so I can’t tell you what goes on behind closed doors but I can tell you how parts of the entertainment/music industry work. I’ve had 5 internships in the industry (one in marketing at one of the big record labels) and the rest of my work is publicity (what I enjoy) and events and a former advisor used to run in the same circles as Irving Azoff (and he spilled some tea last year) I’m not out here to diminish the hard work of any artists or their teams, I’m simply here to showcase parts of the industry that aren’t always shown.*

Please also see: Story Time: How Fan Pages Directly Impact Columbia Records Decisions and Harry Styles Image

IRVING AZOFF: NEVER STOP THE GRIND

Let’s begin with the great business man himself Mr. Irving Azoff Irving Azoff is the literal posture child for connections and power in the music industry (he was also inducted into the 2020 rock and roll hall of fame class which is like a huge fucking deal for a manager to be inducted so you know he's the real deal)

In conclusion, I love Irving Azoff and his drive.

Irving Azoff: Early Years Run Down:

He came up middle class (dad was a pharmacist, mom a bookkeeper) in Danville, Illinois

He dropped out of college to run a small Midwestern concert-booking empire and managed local acts in the era

Opportunity came knocking and he got the chance to manage the Eagles and the rest is history

He's one of the best negotiators and has negotiated business on behalf of stars like Stevie Nicks, the Eagles, and Jimmy Buffet

Azoff has been an incredible manager and his drive to always advocate for his clients while basically not giving two sh*ts about what people think of him has gotten him the incredible reputation he has today.

All of Irving Azoff’s Major Job Positions:

Former President MCA (major label)

Former CEO of Ticketmaster and executive chairman of Live Nation Entertainment, the behemoth formed from Ticketmaster’s merger with Live Nation.

In 2013 he and Cablevision Systems Corp. CEO and New York Knicks owner James Dolan formed a partnership, Azoff MSG Entertainment (Currently still CEO)

----> Azoff also ran the Forum in Inglewood under Azoff MSG Entertainment after MSG purchased it in 2012 (it was sold in 2020 to the owner of the Clippers) — why do you think Harry played the forum for the Fine Line show? Azoff connection

Azoff MSG Entertainment encompasses all of the other companies including Full Stop Management, Global Music Rights (performance-rights org), and the Oak View Group (arena developing company)

He also is the co-founder and manager of the lobbying group Music Artists Coalition, a group that helps lobby for artists-rights issues such as royalty rates, copyright issue and healthcare insurance (see he's not all bad)

Essentially what I'm getting at is this man knows anybody who's anybody. He's the man you want on your team to help promote your music, plan your tour, and get you on that Grammy nom list.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

JEFFREY AZOFF: THE CHILD OF NEPOTISM

So for those of you that don't know, Jeffery Azoff is Harry's current manager and the son of Irving Azoff (the third of four kids). He's currently a partner at Full Stop Management, the company owned by Irving and the one artists such as Harry, Haim, the Eagles, Kings of Leon, and Meghan Trainer are signed to.

Jeffrey graduated from the University of Colorado's Leeds School of Business and started working fresh out of college at his father's old Management company (Frontline Management) working under Maroon 5's manager Jordan Feldstein (the only way you get that kind of internship/job as a 21 year old fresh out of college is if your family or family friends gives it to you). He worked here for 5 years.

Direct Quote from Irving Azoff to Jeffrey (really tells you a lot): "Listen carefully, because I’m going to say this one time. You have a phone and you have my last name. If you can’t figure it out, you’re not my son."

After working for his father, Jeffrey moved on to the talent agency CAA (Creative Artist Agency) where he worked for roughly 3 and half years before joining his dad in forming Full Stop Management in 2016.

While he was at CAA, Irving moved over clients like Christina Aguilera and the Eagles to the talent agency to help with tour booking instead of doing it internally through LiveNation (he was CEO).

Even though I'm sure Jeff has had to work somewhat hard to get to where he is (or at least to mess up his dad's work as he doesn't seem like the type to take laziness well), the door into the industry and every job was basically handed to him on a silver platter.

Not to mention if you watch episodes of keeping up with the kardashians (like myself) you can actually see Jeff hanging out with kendall and the rest of the fam at their Palm Springs house (you know you're a nepotism kid if you have an in with the Kardashian crew). Invite me next time Jeffrey!!!

Think of the Azoff's as the mafia family of the music industry, you don't mess with the mafia

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE GRAMMY AWARDS: STUDENT COUNCIL ELECTIONS ON STEROIDS

Ok so here's where we’re going to get into a bit more of the speculation/grey area. I don't need to tell you that award shows are corrupt (See the Golden Globes Emily in Paris scandal) and the Grammys are not an exception. Think of the Grammys as one big student council/government elections where despite the fact the teachers tell you six times to vote for the best candidate, you're still going to vote for your friends even if they aren't the best.

A simplified break-down of Grammy voting:

1) Recording Academy voting members (artists, producers, musicians- anyone involved first hand with the creation of music; All voting members must have been producers, performers or engineers on six or more tracks of a commercially released album (or 12 or more digital tracks) and record labels will submit nominations in various categories to the grammys (songs need to be released commercially between October 1 of the previous year and September 30th of this year). You can also become a voting member by either winning a grammy or being endorsed by a current voting member (hint hint)

2) Once received, the recording academy with have the academy of trustees and its reviewers organize them and approve any changes to the 30 categories/fields (aka they can add new categories or remove old ones; so no best ukulele album of the year -- this is where things get funky)

There's speculation that during this stage when these special groups of 8-10 people are organizing genres, there's an "unwritten rule" that you need to be careful what album you green light (especially for famous artists) if you don't want them to win) (Rob Kenner said this- he used to be on one of these committees). Famous people tend to get more votes from clueless or lay Academy members that don't know the specialized categories or don't care enough to listen to songs that aren't radio trending.

3) After the nominations occur, Voting members begin their first voting. Members can vote for the four general categories of record of the year, album of the year, song of the year and best new artist and a maximum of 15 categories, all within their areas of expertise. Now the interesting thing is that while these are the guidelines there is literally nothing stopping them from voting in whatever categories they want (i.g. a rapper voting in the opera category despite not listening to opera). Theses ballots are all tallied and the top 20 entries are determined in each category (funky moment #2)

In 12 of the 84 categories those top 20 go to the ballot and it's done; for the rest it’s not like that. 59 categories including the big four go to a "nomination review committees" (identities are protected so they can't get lobbied... sure) who take a look at the top 20 and narrow it down to 7 or 8. (these are the special committees the Weekend talked about when he was snubbed). They're supposed to choose the nominees "based solely on the artistic and technical merits of the eligible recordings" which lets be real if that was the case Watermelon Sugar (along with most of the others in the category) I don't think would have been nomimated as they are very generic pop (none of them are special... sorry to the WM lovers out there).

This committee is basically held to THE HONOR CODE SYSTEM... I mean tell me when the last time the honor code system worked in literally any scenario (literally wtf). Don't take my word for it though the former CEO of the Academy Deborah Dugan (a queen) filed a complaint against the Recording Academy basically claiming that the nomination review process was rigged (she was fired after 5 months on the job).

Quote from Deborah Dugan "Members of the board [of trustees] and the secret committees chose artists with whom they have personal or business relationships... It is not unusual for artists who have relationships with Board members and who ranked at the bottom of the initial 20-artist list to end up receiving nominations."

These review committees can also exploit there power by adding up to two nominees that don't appear on the top 20 list to the final voting ballot (except in the 4 big categories - which watermelon sugar that one wasn't nominated for)

They also have craft committees for like non performance stuff (like album notes, engineering and arranging) that don't even get voted on by the academy voting members

4) After all of that fucked up mess, the grammy's decided is ok, the ballots go back to the voting members for the final vote. Deloitte (an accounting firm) then counts all of them, seals them in envelopes, and delivers them to the Grammy award show.

** The Grammy's just announced this year they're removing the "secret committees" so let's see how things shift in the next couple of years**

So obviously I'm not saying this to discredit Harry's nomination or his win as Fine Line was in the US top 20 albums for the majority of 2020, however, we must acknowledge privilege. Harry has a big name to him and a huge following, and while all of that shouldn't be taken into account, it does. He also has the Azoffs, a very well connected family with friends in lots of places that would be able to put in a good word here and there to get support behind Harry. Harry won best pop solo performance for Watermelon Sugar in a category with Doja Cat, Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, and Dua Lipa. Look at the names there, the songs (ya'll can try and remember them cause I'm too lazy to write it out) and tell me that those top names with all of the music produced didn't get there through some connections.

Do with all this information what you will and if you are interested in learning more about the entertainment industry on your own Endeavor (owners of WME, a big talent agency like CAA) is hosting a free online program called the Excellence Program to help guide the future generation of industry executives. The program is a-synchronous and starts on July 12th. Highly recommend giving it a go if you're interested!!!

Alright ya'll that's it. Feel free to message me with your thoughts!

Extra Sources if you'd like to read:

https://www.vice.com/en/article/pkdndn/how-grammys-voting-actually-works-and-where-the-alleged-corruption-lies

https://www.grammy.com/grammys/awards/voting-process

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2020-11-05/irving-azoff-eagles-manager

https://celebrityaccess.com/caarchive/jeffrey-azoff-exits-caa-to-launch-new-management-company/

https://www.rollingstone.com/pro/features/grammy-awards-secret-committees-945532/

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/grammy-awards-eliminate-secret-committees-voting-changes-1163887/

170 notes · View notes

tamboradventure · 5 years

Text

The Best Tour Companies in Egypt

Posted: 10/5/2019 | October 5th, 2019

Egypt is a country that tops the bucket-list country for many travelers. It’s a country filled with incredible relics of ancient history, from the Pyramids and Great Sphinx of Giza, and offers tons of incredible activities for travelers of all walks of life. Floating down the Nile River on a traditional felucca, exploring the tombs of Tutankhamen and other pharaohs in the Valley of the Kings, snorkeling and diving in the coral fantasyland of the Red Sea — there’s just so many amazing parts of Egypt to amaze and enthrall you.

These days, Egypt is a destination many travelers shy away from. Given that there have been some terrorist attacks targeting tourists over the last couple of decades and that people are still wary of the changes in government since the Arab Spring, those concerns are understandable.

However, since 2017, tourism numbers have begun to increase again. In fact, they are growing so fast they might hit an all-time record in 2019 or 2020.

Things have been changing for the better in Egypt and it’s now a safe country to visit for the intrepid traveler. That means it’s time to start planning your dream trip to this diverse and historic country.

While I am a huge fan of solo travel, distances between the most popular sights in Egypt are pretty far. You can expect to spend a full day or night traveling by road or rail between Cairo and Luxor, for example, so joining an organized tour can help you make the most of your time.

And it can also save you some money, too!

Tours in Egypt often work out to be cheaper than trying to put together your own trip as some will include domestic airfare for prices cheaper than you’ll be able to get on your own.

Taking a tour with a reputable company also ensures that you’ll have safe detours with someone who really knows the lay of the land and will keep you informed of any risks. Knowledgeable tour guides also make for a more interesting trip — which is why tours in Egypt are so popular.

Here is a list of the best tour companies in Egypt, offering everything from day trips around Cairo to multiday tours around the country:

1. Intrepid

Intrepid is one of my favorite tour companies in the world.

I’ve been on a handful of their tours over the years to destinations all around the world and have yet to be disappointed. Their local guides provide invaluable insight and they are dedicated to making environmentally friendly choices too.

And the company just hires really awesome people too.

In Egypt, Intrepid has tours that range between eight and fifteen days. To be able to see enough in just eight days, they fly you between Cairo and the south, so the cheaper trip is actually the 15-day one, which uses a mix of bus, boat, and train travel, starting around $1,200 USD. Intrepid also has some specialized offerings, with a nine-day trip for travelers aged 18–29, trips especially for families, and also one just for solo travelers.

If you’re keen to explore beyond Egypt, Intrepid also offers a range of longer tours that take in Jordan, Israel, and Palestine as well.

As a reader of this site, you also get access to exclusive deals and sales so click on over to their site and see what tours are on sale now!

2. Memphis Tours

One of the first tour companies in Egypt, Memphis Tours has been around since 1955. It offers a huge variety of tours – from half- or full-day tours in Cairo or Alexandria to snorkeling or camel-riding trips out of resort destinations like Sharm el-Sheikh, ranging between $35 and $90 USD per person.

They also offer a selection of cruises both on the Nile and on Lake Nasser. The popular Luxor-to-Aswan trip along the Nile can be made in a variety of pretty luxurious ships; prices are around $500 USD per person for a four-day trip.

Memphis Tours also offer fully organized multi-day trips that last between 3–15 days. Many of these take in the key sights, like the Pyramids, a Nile cruise, and the Luxor and Karnak Temples, and typically fly you back to Cairo. The costs vary depending on the extra activities involved but are pretty reasonable: small group tours covering the main sights from Cairo to Luxor start at $1,100 USD. They also offer some specialized tours, such as one specifically designed to accommodate wheelchair users.

3. Look at Egypt Tours

Look at Egypt Tours is another local company that offers both day and multiday tours. It specializes in having knowledgeable guides that make the history of Egypt really come alive, giving incredible insight into modern-day Egyptian life as well.

The company also has a sense of social responsibility too, using locally owned restaurants and hotels on all trips and hiring guides from communities throughout the country.

Look at Egypt Tours runs a variety of day trips out of the main centers, including Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor, and Sharm el-Sheikh, ranging in cost between $50 and $150 USD per person, depending on the destination and the group size.

Multi-day tours include lots of options too; these last around 8–10 days and cost between $1,500 and $2,000 USD. There are also some specialized trips, like a two-week archaeological tour, the perfect choice for any history buffs (or Indiana Jones fans!).

4. On the Go Tours

On the Go Tours has been running tours to a variety of countries for a couple of decades now, but it all started in Egypt, where the two founders met. The company focuses on sustainable travel and supports local communities, and it hires local guides who have studied Egyptology at a college level as well.

In Egypt, they run several great-value group tours, like an eight-day trip from Cairo to Luxor for $400 USD, which includes the Pyramids of Giza, the incredible Egyptian Museum in Cairo, the temples at Luxor, a two-night felucca cruise on the Nile, a visit to the Valley of the Kings, and more. Accommodations are more budget-oriented than many other tour companies, making this a great option for backpackers.

If your timing and budget are more flexible, you might also take a look at some of On the Go’s festival tours, timed to celebrations like the Abu Simbel Sun Festival or the King Ramses Sun Festival. These tours are typically around ten days long and range between $1,600 and $2,800 USD per person, depending on whether they include internal flights.

5. Jakada Tours Egypt

Jakada Tours is a smaller company that offers private tours as well as group trips with a focus on budget mid-range travel.

Trips covering many of Egypt’s highlights and lasting between seven and ten days range from $600 to $1,000 USD. If you’re on your second trip to Egypt or have some extra time, Jakada also offers a range of more unusual tours, like spending time at the Cairo camel market!

The company also makes sure its guides are really knowledgeable, not just about ancient history but modern Egyptian culture too, as well as all the best local tips and tricks to help you make the most out of your stay.

6. Exodus Travels

Exodus offers trips worldwide and has a reputable social conscience; they aim to give back to the local communities they are a part of. In Egypt, they support Animal Care in Egypt (ACE), and its tours often include an option to visit the charity’s facility.

Exodus offers a nine-day Nile cruise from Luxor, which is a good compromise between luxury and price (around $1,400 USD per person, all-inclusive), with a maximum of 20 passengers. The company also has a longer trip that takes in key sights like the Valley of the Kings as well as Alexandria; this two-week tour starts at $2,000 USD.

7. Beyond the Nile Tours

Beyond the Nile Tours is another Egypt-based tour company using local, highly educated guides with lots of historical and cultural knowledge. It offers three tours, ranging between eight days and two weeks in length; on all of them, you can be flexible with your budget, as some activities, like a balloon ride over the Pyramids ($100 USD), are optional.

All these tours kick off in Cairo with a full day exploring what we all dream of seeing — the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphnix — along with the Egyptian Museum to put the history into context. Then you’re flown down to Luxor and cruise from there to the Valley of the Kings, among other places. On the longer trips, you can choose to travel back north more slowly, or you can include several days relaxing at a Red Sea resort. Tour prices range from $1,200 to $1,400 USD per person, with some additional costs for extra activities.

***

As much as I love solo travel, planning a trip to Egypt is much easier with a tour company. While you probably know that you want to see the Pyramids, the Nile, and other historical sites, getting around is not that easy to organize in advance, so it’s good to have the local knowledge of Egyptian guides to make sure you’re both safe and getting the most out of your trip.

So whether you’re after a short tour hitting the highlights of Egypt in a week or have more time to explore the country a little more slowly or even spend some time relaxing at the Red Sea, you’ll find a tour company to help you out.

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the largest inventory. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. I use them all the time.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

World Nomads (for everyone below 70)

Insure My Trip (for those over 70)

Looking for the best companies to save money with? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel – and that will save you time and money too!

The post The Best Tour Companies in Egypt appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

from Nomadic Matt's Travel Site https://ift.tt/2pGJoUr via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Nomadic Matt's Travel Site

0 notes