“Wasn’t it all so gloriously simple back when people listened to top 40 radio and obediently paid $20 for discs at record store chains? Labels set the deal terms for artists; managers handled the “biz”; the touring circuits were maintained by well-mannered warlords that politely divvied up the venues; and everyone had their place in the pond,” Patrick Faucher writes for CNET News.
“So where did it all go wrong with the music business? Somehow, the pond became stagnant over time, mucked up with greed, laziness, contempt and excess. People got bored with music. Then, someone threw a rock into the middle of it called “The Internet” and nothing will ever be the same. Today, anyone can hum a tune, mix it with a rhythm track and some samples on their Mac at home, put it up on MySpace, and end up with a publishing deal from Moby who will then sell it to the next Superbowl sponsor,” Faucher writes.
Faucher writes, “The labels–or their successors–need to get down to sea level, pick up an oar, and help row with the artist into this new ocean of opportunity.”
Interesting full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Bev M.” for the heads up.]
Related articles:
Piper Jaffray: ‘less than a 25% chance’ music labels will heed Apple CEO Jobs’ call to drop DRM – February 07, 2007
Apple inks deal with big four labels: iTunes Music Store prices stay at 99-cents per song – May 01, 2006
Record labels look to raise iTunes wholesale prices, music industry fears Apple’s market domination – March 04, 2005
ABBA
The problem now is that the ‘Labels’ are no longer necessary, but they still have a lot of power, since they own much of the music. At some point, distributors like Apple will recognize that they can deal with the artists directly. When the do, both Apple and the artists will make more money. The problem will be getting the old music out of the hands of the Labels.
MDN Magice Word – dead, as in: The Labels are dead, it just isn’t obvious yet.
You back off of ABBA, TT. ;P
Perhaps everyone would be better off if the big-time recorded music biz just went away. (including iTunes) Once upon a time (100 years ago) a musician’s means of support was live performance and that’s how consumers got their fix. That and playing instruments at home. Music was a personal interactive medium and there’s something to be said for that.
Obviously this isn’t going to happen and I’m not throwing away my thousands of CDs and 3 iPods but if I didn’t have a choice I know I’d go to more local shows which would allow more local musicians to pursue their art.
Even in those days there was a system in place to discourage you making illegal copies of singles by putting your cassette recorder next to the radio. It was known as DRM – Deejays Rambling over Music
Free distribution of music would help encourage live performance, tbt. There is too much money in the sale of plastic boxes and not enough in creating a good show. Some artists can still pull this off, but that’s not where the industry throws its money. Not when it’s so easy to make J-Lo a star and collect gazillions from album sales. Real artists aren’t supported or encouraged to perform any more, and it’s a damn shame.
Of course, local governments do their best to shut down smaller venues whenever they get the chance, too. In Bremerton Washington there had been a healthy local music scene growing for years, but all the best venues that the kids loved have been shut down and they don’t have anywhere to go any more. This is under the guise of ‘keeping kids safe’ and ‘public good’, but the result is that they don’t have anything to do, so many of them just sit around at home and get high. Yeah, they’re so safe now.
What needs to happen is that we need to embrace music as a society again. No one sings any more, hardly anyone owns a piano or a guitar. We as Americans have given it up, for the most part, and it’s sad. It’s not required in school (and it was up until the 80”s when I was in school) and of course it doesn’t fit the standardize testing model that we’ve been saddled with. And the result? Every child gets left behind. This beautiful medium for culture and communication and political commentary is dying right in front of us, and nobody gives a damn.
The music industry is just a symptom, and thanks to iTunes and digital distribution, it will collapse very, very soon. The real problem, the disease, happens every time you let your kid listen to Britney Spears and don’t tell them anything about The Beatles.
-c
MW: ‘plans’ (within plans)
Apple cannot deal with the artists directly until Neil Aspinall dies.
Chrissy
Knowing you and knowing me
you won’t
Take a chance on me
So I guess this is my
Waterloo
Another thought-
There is a difference between musicians and entertainers.
I prefer musicians. Dwight, Bela, Miles, Merle, Jaco, Elvis C. and Diana K., SRV., Alice N, STP, Allmans, Stevie W, Al G, Joni and Janis
But that new video with Shakira and Beyonce is f’ing HOT!!!
I’m sorry Tower, but you don’t have to be gay as an Easter bonnet to appreciate ABBA. They wrote some of the greatest melodies in music.
I don’t think that was a condition in the court settlement.
I have seen Elivs Costello perform live many times, that last was a solo show at The Ste. Michelle winery. He is a consummate artist, but he is also a natural born entertainer. SRV is my personal guitar hero (as well as his mentor, Albert King) and there are few musicians who could entertain like he could. STP… well, Scott should be in the encyclopedia under “Rock Star”. He’s amazing (at least when he’s not beating his wife).
@ChrissyOne – you are so right. You don’t have to go back more than a couple of decades (a lifetime in the computer and iIndustries but a moment in music history) to a time where most dance clubs had regular bands. The only places that had a DJ were those that couldn’t afford to pay musicians.
If you go further back, records were used to support the sale of sheet music. People were focused on playing the music, not listening to it.
Exactly, and these days, the DJs are the stars. Not that I have anything against DJs, I know quite a few in this town. But the kids have no idea who actually produces the music they hear at parties, they only know who spins it. Actual musicianship has become almost a novelty in many circles.
I’m mourning the loss of Brad Delp. Very sad. Long Time fan.
Off-topic still – I’m waiting impatiently for MORE movies and old tv shows on iTunes.
P.S. . . . and Agnetha is hot, TT. Whoa, mamma.
This one reminded me that I wish Asteroid
wouldn’t have been vaporware. I wanna be a
star
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The recording labels bring far less value to the music business than they suck out of it. The Internet promises an opportunity to shed this excess baggage.. hopefully some artists will lead the way.
Mudflapper-
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are you saying you’re not gay?
Anyhow, the ABBA reference was a joke.
those dam melodies get in my head and won’t go away…until I hear a BeeGees tune!
And when I discern the difference between entertainer and musician, it is not a slam at entertainers.
Many musicians can attest to a fact, one that I call ‘The Curse’, and that is there is always, ALWAYS, a tune going through your head, and one way to ‘exorcise this demon’ is to play music. Whether for money, fame, or pure enjoyment depends on the individual.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to find a BeeGees cd…
All in fun, TT.
I suggest “Jive Talkin'” You *cannot* fuck with that bass line.
-c
And I suggest everyone listen to “Bill Gates” by Critters Buggin’ at least once in your life.
^_^
Chrissy
Two questions about that bass line.
Was it Maurice?
What was that overdrive effect?
(I used to have that vinyl around here somewhere…)
With regard to the current situation, the music industry went wrong by choosing denial as a strategy in the early to mid 1990’s.
The internet? A fad. Hard drives? Way to small to ever hold a meaningful amount of music. Digital music? Make a file formats exclusive to each label (I do have to give them some credit here in that there was an abandoned effort at cooperation on this first) with draconian DRM. MP3’s? No one will ever listen to those. Denial fed by the fact that, as many have pointed out, they were satisfied with their archaic system that allowed them to get rich off the backs of artists and fuck the majority of them right up the zune output orifice. This totally explains their mindset with regard to DRM.
If these stupid ludites had embraced the idea, cooperated, and backed off the short term greed (wanting to sell a few songs at an inflated price vs selling a lot of songs at a price that consumers will jump at), they could have had their own successful version of iTunes. Of course, we all know that even in the face of iTunes, they want to fuck it up, so they never would have done this.
Where did the music industry go wrong? Easy question with an easy answer, DRM and greed! When they get so greedy they sue your dead grandmother who never used a computer in her life, that’s simply WRONG!!!
“The labels–or their successors–need to get down to sea level, pick up an oar, and help row with the artist into this new ocean of opportunity.”
Ya, if they can get their heads out of their asses long enough to see that the boat has already left the dock.
@ TT
1. Yes.
2. You know, I’m not sure. It certainly have a nice growl to it. Did he use a Rick? Kinda sounds like one.
In addition to MySpace.com there’s also http://www.sellaband.com/ on which you can also participate in promoting/helping new artists. You buy parts (shares) and that money is used to get an artists into a recording studio. Since you’re shareholder you will have your share of the profits as well…