Your opinion – would you re-ban lyrics in figure skating now?

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

After a few seasons now or even more than that of lyrics being allowed in figure skating, what are your thoughts? Would you reban it or leave it? Even now, with the licensing of all of the songs with lyrics which are going to make it harder to broadcast without paying for the rights…

I’m starting to lose interest with most of the sappy emo songs with lyrics. I’d rather sit through Scheherazade yet again, with no lyrics. What are your thoughts? I’m curious as to what everybody would do?

And has it really brought more fans to the sport? Has allowing them really pushed the sport more forward? Are the skaters being more interpretive and expressive?

 

[Kateri]

If lyrics were banned, we would not suddenly get loads of great programmes to classical music. We would get programmes to elevator-music instrumental versions of emo songs.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

If lyrics were banned, we would not suddenly get loads of great programmes to classical music. We would get programmes to elevator-music instrumental versions of emo songs.

LMAO, no, we wouldn’t, we werent getting bombarded with Elevator Music right before that

Look how creative Ilia was last season using the theme song to succession. No lyrics and it was brilliant.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

But it’s not just that, now they’re running into problems where the artists need to get paid for skaters using their songs which I’m not sure if ISU really thought that out before hand.

Cranberry would not even have a feed because of that. I emailed them. And more championships will fall in line because of that.

 

[tony]

LMAO, no, we wouldn’t, we werent getting bombarded with Elevator Music right before that

Yes we were. In the form of Bond, Maksim Mrvica, String Quartet tributes, etc.

What you want Is a limitation to classical music that is 100+ years old. Banning vocals will not solve that problem in the slightest. This (younger) generation and even some of the younger coaches couldn't care any less about classical music.

 

[kwanfan1818]

And Marton versions of classical music.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

In the form of Bond, Maksim Mrvica, String Quartet tributes, etc.

Oh, thank God, those were a lot better. I’ll take that over depressing dark sad music any day.

Where I really can’t stand music with lyrics is in the pairs discipline. Both Annika and Robert and I think Amber use that song with the lyrics “if it’s gonna get violent tonight…” I am like why is this being used in skating lol.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

This (younger) generation and even some of the younger coaches couldn't care any less about classical music.

I think the problem is that people think music without lyrics automatically defaults to classical music.

Ilia did not last year, I would even take the dark depressing music these tortured skaters want to use these days just the instrumental version… Lol.

 

[Kateri]

LMAO, no, we wouldn’t, we werent getting bombarded with Elevator Music right before that

As Tony said, we totally were, I'm afraid. I'd rather ban piano versions of Imagine.

And it's so much easier now, in terms of availability. I just searched for "karaoke version evanescence" in spotify and got bored of scrolling through all the results. There's no escape, if people want emo.

 

[Evgeniafan]

I just want streams available on YouTube. If that means no lyrics , I'm on board.

 

[tony]

I just want streams available on YouTube. If that means no lyrics , I'm on board.

Doesn't matter whether there are lyrics or not. Artists have copyrights on their music all the same.

So again, it would be limiting it to recordings of music that have already timed out of having copyright-- which I think is (usually?) at minimum 95 years.

And what does that leave us with?

 

[bardtoob]

Lyrics emphasize how dubious the claim is that figure skating is a sport.

Also, I don't think adding lyrics opened up a new fan base as much as just added additional appeal to a subset of the fan base that was already present.

Do you think Running or Swimming every asks itself whether or not adding music, changing the physical shape of a 100 meter course, etc. will attract more viewers?

It would be funny if they concluded that Running and Swimming in a figure 8 pattern would appeal to more viewers because the ISU has certainly concluded that skating in a figure 8 pattern does not draw more viewers.

 

[On My Own]

Lyrics emphasize how dubious the claim is that figure skating is a sport.

I mean if we can finally get it out of the Olympic roster, I'm all for lyrics staying.

 

[skateboy]

What you want Is a limitation to classical music that is 100+ years old.

Not at all.

There is SO much music available, not just classical. There are terrific movie scores, Broadway scores, even modern day orchestral works, heavy rock, and more.

I agree with ANL, much of what present day skaters are using now (or their coaches) is some schlocky, modern day, monochromatic dull tune that offers no spark or interpretive opportunity for a competitive skating program. It's as if the skater and choreographer worked out a program without ANY regard to music, and then stuck some random ballad behind it as an afterthought. There are no highs/lows. With any luck, the elements may be performed decently, but there is no meaning to them in connection to the music, because the music has no business being skated to in the first place.

Haven't any of these people ever watched ballet? And I don't just mean Swan Lake. What about all the fantastic modern-day dance troupes? There is creativity in abundance!

Some skaters do manage great programs now, but it's a rare occurrence. Using the men as an example, I loved Nathan's Phillip Glass program, it is one of my all time favorites. Hanyu managed some really interesting ones. I loved Boyang's La Strada and Vincent's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. And, as ANL mentioned, Ilia had great programs last year. No lyrics in any of them.

As for classical music, there's nothing wrong with that. Watching (and hearing) Minkyu Seo skate his SP to Moonlight Sonata was a welcome relief.

Watching the latest JGP programs, 90% are examples of no-meaning-who-cares-music. And then, occasionally, there would be a good one. I would vote to get rid of lyrics in a heartbeat. Blecch.

 

[skateboy]

I mean if we can finally get it out of the Olympic roster, I'm all for lyrics staying.

So... do you even like skating?

 

[tony]

Not at all.

There is SO much music available, not just classical. There are terrific movie scores, Broadway scores, even modern day orchestral works, heavy rock, and more.

As for classical music, there's nothing wrong with that. Watching (and hearing) Minkyu Seo skate his SP to Moonlight Sonata was a welcome relief.

Again, if they are concerned about copyright, then it's not just "music with lyrics" that can be the issue. ANL mentioned feeds not streaming because of music concerns. Going back to no lyrics doesn't solve this problem.

And I've played piano my whole life and listen to classical music on the regular. I have no problem with it either. There needs to-- once again-- be distinction that getting rid of lyrics doesn't solve the copyright issues. The music that was released or performed 100 years ago, yes, that does. And that leaves us with, by and large, classical music recordings.

 

[On My Own]

So... do you even like skating?

Liking skating and thinking it deserves to be an Olympic sport are different things. Clearly, I watch skating. Clearly, I also don't think it should be an Olympic sport.

 

[skateboy]

Liking skating and thinking it deserves to be an Olympic sport are different things. Clearly, I watch skating. Clearly, I also don't think it should be an Olympic sport.

Okay, I'll bite... why not?

 

[LilJen]

Yes we were. In the form of Bond, Maksim Mrvica, String Quartet tributes, etc.

What you want Is a limitation to classical music that is 100+ years old. Banning vocals will not solve that problem in the slightest. This (younger) generation and even some of the younger coaches couldn't care any less about classical music.

Doesn't matter whether there are lyrics or not. Artists have copyrights on their music all the same.

So again, it would be limiting it to recordings of music that have already timed out of having copyright-- which I think is (usually?) at minimum 95 years.

And what does that leave us with?

Plenty of classical recordings are, alas, going to have licensing concerns. I very much doubt anyone will want to listen to a scratchy recording made in 1935… which may lead to “remastering” them with awful auto-tune technology and that could sound quite atrocious.

 

[NinjaTurtles]

Imagine wanting to put limits on creativity.

There is no rule or ban that solves bad taste.

 

[jamesy]

Where is the third option: that lyrics can stay but an FSU committee gets to decide if the music can be used?

 

[skateboy]

Again, if they are concerned about copyright, then it's not just "music with lyrics" that can be the issue. ANL mentioned feeds not streaming because of music concerns. Going back to no lyrics doesn't solve this problem.

And I've played piano my whole life and listen to classical music on the regular. I have no problem with it either. There needs to-- once again-- be distinction that getting rid of lyrics doesn't solve the copyright issues. The music that was released or performed 100 years ago, yes, that does. And that leaves us with, by and large, classical music recordings.

The copyright issue certainly hasn't stopped a majority of skaters from using modern-day music. So they are getting around it somehow. And gymnasts, I guess.

Were we really that unhappy before lyrics were allowed? I wasn't.

 

[Nmsis]

Amodio was willing to lose points in order to be able to have music with lyrics.
Let the skating kids chose.

 

[DreamSkates]

For me it’s not the lyrics per say but the overall choice of music. The copyright concerns can be worked out. Making better choices is what I think most are talking about here. Lyrics alone don’t give skating the depth and pizzazz were longing for.

 

[Rukia]

i swear some of you are 110 years old

 

[Vagabond]

i swear some of you are 110 years old

You are 46. People will be saying similar things abiut you, and sooner than you ever imagined.

 

[Karen-W]

Listen, anyone who has followed a pairs play-by-play thread during the past 3-4 seasons knows that there are plenty of dull, lyric-free CDs in Julie Marcotte and TeamTodd&Jenni's collections. Lyrics are not the problem with most music selections. It's the tempo or the lack of variation in the tempo of the music, tinkly piano or string music that lack musical highlights and, especially bad, sort of just peter out at the end instead of building to a crescendo that provides a natural ending point for a program. There are plenty of songs with lyrics that have all that and are great pieces to use for skating - if they can be properly edited like, say, Smart/Diaz's "Proud Mary" RD from the Olympic season.

 

[Rukia]

You are 46. People will be saying similar things abiut you, and sooner than you ever imagined.

lol my fake internet work keeps me young

 

[briancoogaert]

For me, the problem is not lyrics or not, it's choreography.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

i swear some of you are 110 years old

111 as of today

Virgos unite!!!!!