Why, indeed. As our own Stephen, Stephen Reily, pointed out in December, the album by the 48-year-old singer, "I Dreamed a Dream" was the best-selling new album of 2009 — and second in sales overall. Quoting the New York Times, he continued: "For many in the music industry, Ms. Boyle's sales are a reminder of a large and often forgotten audience: older listeners..."
But lest those of you who missed the Grammys assume we older women were about to be thanked by Colbert, guess again. Here's how he answered his own opening question: "I mean, (Susan Boyle) accomplished something huge this year. You may have brought the sexy back, but she sent it away again. No thanks Sexy, we're just going with good singing this year...this year the industry was saved by a 48-year-old Scottish cat lady in sensible shoes."
Ouch.
And that was just the beginning. Before the night was out, watching in growing dismay the parade of presenters and performers, honorees and attendees, I realized that the industry had managed to render virtually invisible the very demographic that had the potential to come to its rescue again in 2010. Vibrant Women are, after all, the ones with the highest level of disposable income. And despite the stereotypes, we know, love and buy good music.
Okay, I don't expect to see one of us in nude body suit hanging from the rafters with water pouring over us, a la Pink (although knowing VN, I'm sure at least some of us would be game!) but besides the token Stevie Nicks (61) and the septuagenarian Roberta Flack (fittingly singing "Where is the Love?"), there wasn't a single woman of Grammy age at the Grammys.
This isn't a case of simple ageism, either. For there were plenty of middle-aged and older men. For starters: Placido Domingo, Alice Cooper, Elton John, Jeff Beck, Lionel Richie, Quentin Tarantino, Smoky Robinson, Jeff Bridges, Carlos Santana and Ringo Starr.
And the best they could do for us was Stevie and Roberta, a still life photo of honoree Loretta Lynn, one middle-aged music business executive and a couple of audience shots of beaming moms.
The Grammys needs a new name next year. Call it the Young and Nubile Awards, or the It's Okay to be an Older Man But Not An Older Woman Awards, but there was nary a real live Grammy in sight at last Sunday's festivities.
And Stephen Colbert — to not only ignore us — but bash us? I must say, it's time to wake up. We Grammies rock. And as for the music business's top awards show? To marginalize your top consumer: there's only one possible explanation. The Grammys are off their rocker.
For more on Susan Boyle:
From the beginning, Susan Boyle has intrigued the Vibrant Nation community. Women at midlife and beyond not only opened our hearts but our pocketbooks for Susan's album, providing the emergency blood transfusion for an industry already in intensive care. Here are some of the blog posts and conversations we have shared:
- Susan Boyle: Singing up a storm - of ambivalence
- Revisiting Susan Boyle: Embracing our inner nerd
- 5 things we've learned from Susan Boyle
- Feeling guilty about Susan Boyle's breakdown
