Josh Sallee is Probably 'Cooler than You'

            The 21^st century has propelled society into an innovative world of technology, which conjures accessibility and convenience in almost all aspects of daily life. Nonetheless, even music fans have experienced many ways of listening to their favorite artists and once again the industry is no exception to modernization. Music digitization exudes the ridiculous availability to produce or access new music and Josh Sallee has mastered it.

Sallee performing for the Honor Roll
Accolades release party in Okla. City.
PHOTO: Courtesy of Baleout Photos

            According to “The Dawn of Commercial Digital Recording,” by Thomas Fine, digital audio uses pulse-code modulation and digital signals for sound reproduction. Additionally, this is not a recent development; by the beginning of the 1980s, all major record companies had embraced digital recording in one form or another, which ushered in a new consumer mass medium. However, modern technology has evolved the development into a silky process of recording, manipulation, mass-production and distribution of sound by storing, retrieving and transmitting signals without any loss of quality.

            Edmond native Josh Sallee is not only a student at the University of Central Oklahoma, but a twenty-two year old recording artist who has already conquered and benefitted from the music digitization process. According to his personal Web site, Sallee has already shared the stage with Paul Wall, Bizzy Bone, The Cool Kids, Cypress Hill, Kidz in the Hall, XV, Ke$ha, Mickey Avalon, 88-Keyz, Donnis, Mr. Dibbs, Cubic Zirconia and Mac Miller.

            “Music digitization has made it possible for anyone to pursue a career,” said Sallee. “There are now avenues for anyone to post a song up to or find music to use. Without it, I would still be doing music, but it wouldn’t have reached a national scale as quickly.”

Cover for Sallee's mixtape "Honor Roll Accolades."
PHOTO: Courtesy of Josh Sallee

            Sallee’s remix of Mike Posner’s “Cooler Than Me,” appropriately titled, “Cooler Than Me (Now Remix),” propelled him to his YouTube stardom, which accumulated over 350,000 hits. A 15-song mixtape is ready for download on his Web site, where you can also watch his two music videos and look for upcoming events.

            “Music digitization has positive and negative effects dependent upon how you look at it,” said Sallee. “For labels, it is a huge negative. They no longer have the music industry monopolized. Hardcopy CD sales are lower than they have ever been, but it is positive for people trying to get recognized. People are lazy now; they don’t want to go to the store. They want to click a button and have the music on the iPod. Convenience over innovation.”

            Check out Josh’s Web site for his free mixtape, music videos and update on upcoming events. Also, become his fan on Facebook!

Sallee performing in front of a crowd at The Hidden Castle in Norman in late July.
PHOTO: Courtesy of Josh Sallee