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Music Vault Wednesdays: Jewel


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Taylor Swifts recent Folklore reign in Alternative music reminded me a time in music when women began to reign in Alternative music. People like Sheryl Crow helped pave the way for Alanis Morisettes’ monstrous album Jagged Little Pill, Meredith Brooks made it known that she was a ***** and then there was a folk artist named Jewel Kilcher who went by the name her first name: Jewel. This week on Music Vault Wednesdays I want to talk about Jewel and her album 0304 and how folk/country/alternative music ruled music until the Teen Pop music craze came in. 

Jewels debut album Pieces of Me came out at the beginning of 1995, but it failed to chart. Later on people would catch onto the coffee shop performer folk style and would fall in love with her emotional song Who Will Save Your Soul which peaked at number 11 on the BB100. Jewel got her big break by performing at coffee shops in San Diego and looking back on shows like Friends I wonder if Phoebes’ character has anything to do with performers like Jewel. Anyway, Jewels second single You Were Meant for Me went platinum and peaked at number two which made her a household name. Foolish Games became another hit for Jewel and peaked at number two. Albums used to sell in 90’s and Pieces of Me stayed on the BB200 for two years which subsequently helped the album go platinum twelve times!

Jewels second album Spirit came out in November of 1998 and achieved moderate success which helped it go platinum three times. Her first single Hands was another hit for her and peaked at number six. The rest of her singles from that album did not get the chance to shine as bright as her previous singles. I think the reason her album Spirit saw less success than her debut is because folk/alternative artists like Jewel began to compete with artists like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, N’sync and Backstreet Boys. The teen pop craze was in full force and alternative artists were the background music. 

Nonetheless, Jewel went onto drop her third record This Way in November 2001. The album’s first single Standing Still became a top 20 hit and the album went platinum. One of my personal favorites from this album is the single Break Me. In 2001 pop stars were ruling the charts and artists like Jewel were disappearing. There was also a rise in rap, hip-hop and rock music. I think this made Jewel take a look at whether or not she would stand the test of time. With the landscape of music changing Jewel decided to take a chance and decided her fourth album would be completely different from her first three.

Jewels fourth album 0304 came out at the peak of Pop music in 2003 and became her highest BB200 debut peaking at number two. The album did not go platinum, but spawned the top twenty hit Intuition. The single was Jewels vision of pop music and the music video was satirical but the general public didn’t take it that way. In fact, I think most of her fans felt that she was selling out and left folk/alternative for pop. The album is Jewels interpretation of Pop music and in my opinion would be labeled today as “Purposeful Pop” I wonder if Katy Perry ever took notes. Singles like Stand describe a world through Jewels eyes, Leave the lights on and Fragile Heart are reminiscent of her folk days with a pop twist. 2 Become 1 was the third single and is a throwback to 90’s alternative music, but the production is smooth and Jewels lyrics still take center stage. Songs like Haunted take you into a darker side of Jewel and U & Me=Love makes it known that Jewel can write infectious hooks and create good pop music. The album as a whole is probably my favorite Jewel album after her emotional debut Pieces of Me.

In 2006 Jewel went back to her roots and released Goodbye Alice in Wonderland the first single Again and Again peaked at number 80 the latter did not chart. The year of 2006 saw artists like T.I, Nelly Furtado, Fergie, Justin Timberlake and other urban artists take center stage. There wasn’t much room for artists like Jewel. In 2008 Jewel went on to release Perfectly Clear a country album that spawned the hit country single Stronger Woman and a string of other singles. 

Jewels’ last album Picking up The Pieces was released in 2015 and to be frank I have not heard it, but I’m sure the writing on it is great. One of the things that I always admired about Jewel is that she writes all of her lyrics and she even composes her own music. Her album 0304 is when she started to branch out and work with other producers. The reason I bring up Jewel, her legacy and her album 0304 is because music will always have trends. We are currently seeing the peak of Trap music which will probably go on for another year or so, but Taylor Swifts Folklore staying at number one for six weeks is a sign of what’s probably to come. The next shift in music is probably going to sway to alternative or alt-pop and some artists will likely fade while others will rise. If you think about it we already saw this coming with artists like Billie Eillish, Harry Styles and Lewis Capaldi topping the charts within the past year. 

What are your thoughts on Jewel? Any favorite songs? Also, are you ready for alternative music to come back or do you see it taking over main stream radio? Comment below! 
 

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I cant read all of this right now.

but, i heard of Jewel after (around 2010 pre FF) there were rumors  Jewel was working for (songwriting??) Britney, or that B album would sound like Jewels music (am i crazy, or someone also remember that??? ). So I quickly downloaded her most recent album and I was shocked. I really loved Sweet and Wild. I still listen to it.. i even got the deluxe with the acoustic versions. 

my favorite song of hers is Again and Again. I love this song so much!!

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10 minutes ago, Jordan Miller said:

Did NOT expect a Jewel thread and I am SO pleased. 

When I saw the title I literally screamed QUEEEEEN! :hahaha_tiffany_ny_new_york_ms_miss_cackle_laugh_lol_haha_hehe_lmao:

I was legit obsessed with this as a kid... my parents let me embrace my little gay self haha. Jewel played Dorothy. 

Dreamscometrue.jpg

Why is this the funniest post today :airpls_gaga_wheeze_eyes_wide_breathe_lady_lmao_lol_haha_hehe_omg_surprised_shocked: you also reminded me of my boyfriend because he is obsessed with Dorothy and Wizard of Oz :haha_britney_laugh_lol_lmao_hehe_haha_bw_black_white:

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Omg I’m so thrilled someone made a thread about 0304. :makeitrain_britney_blush_headphones_omg_wow_happy:

I L-O-V-E that record. I owned it when I was young and used to play it a lot for its catchiness. As I grew older, the lyrics started to make more sense and figured it was such a smart move of Jewel to make an album with pop, dance beats but also lyric-driven. Till this day, I still get obsessed with it every now and then. :kylie_proud_yes_wow_impressive_amazing:

Yes U Can was originally written for Santana, but it was rejected by him and saved it for 0304.

U & Me = Love was originally written for Holly Valance, but in the end she decided to keep it.

Haunted is probably one of the best songs, mostly because of the lyrics: written from the stalker’s perspective.

My fav tracks in no particular order:

Haunted

Leave the Lights On

Run 2 Me

Yes U Can

U & Me = Love

Huge shoutout to Becoming:crying1_britney_sobbing_tears_2006_sad:

 

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FINALLY! I’ve tried to spread the word of Jewel around Exhale with very little luck so thank you for this thread! :urite_wendy_williams_red_yes_earrings_nod_proud_wow_impressed: Jewel was my first favorite artist (the only one before Britney), and she was my first concert at the age of 6. Pieces of You is her best album. Foolish Games gets me every time :kyliecry_crying_tears_jenner_wipe_sad: Jewel is a legend and deserves to be recognized as one :lessons_preaching_telling_hand_smack:

 

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2 hours ago, aleomg said:

Omg I’m so thrilled someone made a thread about 0304. :makeitrain_britney_blush_headphones_omg_wow_happy:

I L-O-V-E that record. I owned it when I was young and used to play it a lot for its catchiness. As I grew older, the lyrics started to make more sense and figured it was such a smart move of Jewel to make an album with pop, dance beats but also lyric-driven. Till this day, I still get obsessed with it every now and then. :kylie_proud_yes_wow_impressive_amazing:

Yes U Can was originally written for Santana, but it was rejected by him and saved it for 0304.

U & Me = Love was originally written for Holly Valance, but in the end she decided to keep it.

Haunted is probably one of the best songs, mostly because of the lyrics: written from the stalker’s perspective.

My fav tracks in no particular order:

Haunted

Leave the Lights On

Run 2 Me

Yes U Can

U & Me = Love

Huge shoutout to Becoming:crying1_britney_sobbing_tears_2006_sad:

 

Reading this makes me so H A P P Y :unbelievableney_happy_smile_joy_overjoyed_excited_yay: I wasn't sure how it would be received, but I'm telling myself that these weekly threads will either be a hit or a miss and I will continue on...just like Katy Perry :katybelt_perry_witness_yelling_singing:

2 hours ago, blackoutbixxh said:

FINALLY! I’ve tried to spread the word of Jewel around Exhale with very little luck so thank you for this thread! :urite_wendy_williams_red_yes_earrings_nod_proud_wow_impressed: Jewel was my first favorite artist (the only one before Britney), and she was my first concert at the age of 6. Pieces of You is her best album. Foolish Games gets me every time :kyliecry_crying_tears_jenner_wipe_sad: Jewel is a legend and deserves to be recognized as one :lessons_preaching_telling_hand_smack:

 

Yassss glad to know there's another Jewel fan. Am I the only one that gets a little offended by not hearing many new musicians refer to Jewel as a source of inspiration? 

1 hour ago, anthony7226 said:

I absolutely love Jewel. This Way may be my favorite album of hers, but 0304 was a lot of fun while it lasted. I prefer Jewel doing the indie/folk thing, but I obviously love my pop. I don’t do country so I skipped those albums, and the lullaby one as well. 

I def can say I fell off the wagon after she came out with the country album. Not hating on country, but it hasn't been as great as it used to be in 90's (in my opinion). There are some hits here and there, but it's not like it used to be when Shania Twain, Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson and Wynona Judd (to name a few) were around. 

 

52 minutes ago, Mariaahfan said:

Alanis' first albums might've been in Canada only. I just remember moving from Seattle to Vancouver and my older sibling got the cassette tape and we'd listen to Feel your love 

I hate that I've never listened to her  first two albums. Are they good? I might wanna listen :gagacrash_driving_run_hit_lady_sunglasses:

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