Andrew,

I've been in regular discussions with the Ourstage folks helping them redefine their genres. They are making significant changes starting March 1.. but they can't really make changes during a contest.. and they certainly can't remove a song in the finals.. that's simply not fair to anyone. Folks are making 2 mistakes.. miscategorizing their own music.. and then another large group are voting on that music to move forward. A lot of folks are blowing it, but it's not really Ourstage's fault. They ARE taking the issue very seriously and are working quickly to improve where they can. But unless they take over categorization (like we do with the JPF awards) they're always going to have these problems. It's the same reason Jethro Tull won for Best Metal album in the Grammys so famously. They entered their album into that category.. and then the judges didn't care it was in the wrong place, they simply loved Jethro Tull. There's going to be winners who don't fit the definition.. it's unavoidable if you let artists and fans make the decisions without a savvy industry person interceding. They want to be Democratic so I feel their pain trying to find a system to make it all work and still stick to their "democratic" minded system.

Brian

Brian Austin Whitney
Founder
Just Plain Folks
jpfolkspro@gmail.com
Skype: Brian Austin Whitney
Facebook: www.facebook.com/justplainfolks

"Don't sit around and wait for success to come to you... it doesn't know the way." -Brian Austin Whitney

"It's easier to be the bigger man when you actually are..." -Brian Austin Whitney

"Sometimes all you have to do to inspire humans to greatness is to give them a reason and opportunity to do something great." -Brian Austin Whitney