In this “insta-fame” world we live in, an artist can be both relevant and irrelevant all within the span of a single year. Sudden fame and then equally sudden invisibility, is most noticeable in the music industry. Back in the old days, like five years ago, we used to actually buy whole CDs. Now, with the rise of iTunes and the enormous amount of money that can be made with a hit single, an artist can need a comeback after only having one song. 2009 has seen two major “comebacks.” First, Maxwell returned after a long hiatus to a patiently waiting audience. Next, we had Whitney Houston dropping new material after a seven-year absence.

Maxwell’s recent success is only slightly shocking. Both radio and the audience have changed a bit since Maxwell first hit the scene. Fortunately, despite the narrow playlists of most stations, radio made room for him. More interesting, is the return of Miss Houston.

Truthfully, I didn’t expect to see Whitney pull through what appeared to be very tough times. I hoped that it would happen, but after about four episodes of “Being Bobby Brown,” I was nervous. Now, after listening to Whitney’s new music and watching her purge with Oprah, I believe that she’s made it through. Sure enough the personal issues were alarming, but even in the midst of her troubles Whitney released good music. Check out “Fine” and “If I Told You That” on her 2001 greatest hits collection.

Many articles have been written debating Whitney’s relevance. In some ways, the amount of interest in her should have answered that question. I took a look at the top selling albums of 1985, the year Whitney released her debut album. Whitney’s album was the best-selling record of that year. Heart, ZZ Top, John Cougar Mellencamp and Dire Straits followed her. So, what is that some of you are asking about relevance?

If Heart drops a CD this year that debuts at #1 with 300,000 copies sold, that would be a comeback. Whitney doing that with her latest project is at best a rebound. Twenty-five, or so years after her debut, she's doing okay. Ciara debuted with 82,000 with her recent effort. LeToya Luckett sold 33,000 of her latest in its debut week (I was one of the few, it’s not bad). Both of those artists are just a handful of years into the game, with sales that don’t equal the amount of attention they receive. Still, some, including columnists at ew.com, question if a debut at the top of the charts is enough for Whitney? Give me a break. I suppose once you’ve sold fourteen million copies of one album, you’re expected to do it all of the time.

Speaking of comebacks, there are a couple I’d like to put a bid in for. In no particular order, I’d like to see the following artists back on the charts - Shanice, Dionne Farris, Lisa Lisa and Brownstone. Can anyone of you reading help make that happen?

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