This machine kills...?
I work in the music industry because I support artists and their art. I work with their best interests in mind, and try to remain conscious of what other influences and pressures they are under in regards to their label, manager, agent...how much they have to tour, how many records they are contracted to sell...endorsements, radio play, merchandising - its all part of the mix.
Everyone knows labels are drowning under the weight of P2P file sharing, blogs dropping records eons before the release date - most people don't care...but the labels are scrambling, and have shat out something called a "360 deal". You may have heard about a big one recently.
The NY Times just wrote about it this week...obviously a self-conscious and subjective approach...but it lays out the groundwork.
Of course, Bob Lefetz has something to say about it...and how.
He's livid, and I'm...unsure. Don't get me wrong, I GET IT; I get why the labels are freaking out and why bands are desperate for a sense of security, for some feeling of accomplishment and career-building. I get where the concern for Artists lies - that's my camp...I can't help but feel this is bad news. Why is that? Your 2 cents, please?
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I leave you with something I've been loving this week - a band called The Mae Shi, and their track "Eat The Prize". Fitting, nes pas?
Have a good weekend, superfriends.
posted by Eli at 7:41 AM
2 Comments:
It's cool too see you're view of the argument, as you are for all intents and purposes part of the industry. The fact that you are in it for the artists and their best interests in mind seems to be a rarity in the industry, since generally, the industry is all about perpetuating their business. So it's good to know that there's the possibility of labels and what not who actually care about the music, the art.
I agree that in the grand scheme of things, that the 360 deal is total bad news bears. But they are a reality of the modern times. Just as major labels need to realize that P2P isn't going anywhere, and that the internet can be their friend. I think the 360 deal will have success for a short period of time, but really, the clock is ticking on the way the music industry works... at least it looks that way to me...
But personally, I think the majors are just dinosaurs. Blockbuster in a world of netflix. With Amazon going the way of itunes and Music World shutting it's doors, I think the major labels and their distribution partners should pull an about face, or just retire in sunny florida. They had a good run.
Incidentally, as an art/comics professional, I feel the same way about major comics publishers, and actually download more comics than I buy...
so i was thinking about this on my traffic jam home while i was listening to the radio...
i think that within the behemoth of major label music these 360 dealings are fairly dubious. to me it seems like the artists are the last ones benefitting from these deals. and i doubt that their "people" (agents, managers, etc...) are really trying to talk them out of it. this benefits them as much as it does the label.
i feel like labels should do what labels do and use the internet to their benefit rather than fighting it. i do still think there's money to be made in the selling of music...hell, i just bought 7 albums in my accounting class this morning... and there are still some people who value physical media.
i also think this idea of creating bands and brands is fairly disgusting. sure it promotes a life long career but it doesn't promote artistic achievement as much as financial.
personally i think the indies have it right (indie artists, labels, managers, agents, etc...). Look at labels like arts and crafts. by embracing the collective model and the internet they are able to create artistically diverse and interesting work without resorting to the creation of a product while still selling physical media.
i really think the best advancement to date is the
"buy the vinyl get a one time digital download" of the album"...i'm hugely a fan of that.
anyways, i'm rambling but i think the indies do best! i truthfully can't remember the last time i spent money on a major label release.
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