"What I'm looking for is the working act. The real act. The act that can get up on stage and do it. That act will give you a career. I signed Black Sabbath umpteen years ago; they are still making records. These are acts that are career acts...Two years ago I started a dance label...Now that's not a career orientated label. I mean those records are one-off situations and every now and again maybe you'll an artist come out of it.-NEGUS (1989)

Back in the days Negus says it was all about going out and finding bands whereas nowadays its more about taking a not well known artist and moulding them into something which is missing in the market. A writer might have some good songs so they might put those songs with someone they want to launch. Artists are mainly not formed naturally anymore but they are formed by the industry. This is called a synthetic artist which includes:

Image is formed the record company as well as the songs. A record company will try to manipulate the artist into doing something that will target their audience for example is Britney Spears wanted to do a slow acoustic song the company managing would advise her not to because her style is more upbeat dance kind of music therefore her fans would not like her doing something completely different.

Another example of synthetic acts in The Spice Girls. They were put together by a company and auditions were held to cast the group. They were then each given a pacific look and personia so that they would attract a large audience.

THE SPICE GIRLS

An organic act is someone who writes their own music and styles themselves. They would have probably have started by singing in bars and clubs and gradually have built themselves to the top BECAUSE of their good writing and voice. The artist will succeed because of their talent and their record label will look after them the best because they will be in for the long run unlike most synthetic artists who have one or two hits then disappear. Organic acts albums will always sell even when it is not up to date like Adele(best selling album over the last two years). Adele is known for her amazing voice and talent. She doesn't rely on her show being all exciting and bright and full of dancing but people come to hear her unlike Lady Gaga. Lady Gaga is now known to do big bold shows and it is not really about the music but its more the effects and dancing on the stage.

Adele’s target audience are sophisticated adults which is normally the case for organic acts unlike Lady Gaga’s fans who are young girls.

LADY GAGA

ADELE

But even organic acts are managed by the label but are made to look real and natural. I would say Adele fits into this cattery a little bit because I feel if Adele wanted to do a pop song then her managers would stop her because they know her fans would not buy it because they do not like that type of music.
Record Labels with have a balance of synthetic and organic acts to make sure money is always coming in because synthetic acts are a good way of getting a big burst of money within a short period of time whereas organic acts will always bring in money. the synthetic acts are good because the big money they make within that short time is then used to promote the organic acts(make them bigger and better).