Freeing Musicians From Music Industry Tyranny

News Type: Opinion — Seeded on Wed Jul 25, 2007 2:30 AM EDT

Article Source: The Seminal

arts, music, supreme-court, marilyn-manson, music-industrytimes-square

Is the traditional structure of record companies and the studio system relevant in a digital age? Are audiences more interested in diversity than the uniformed banality of boy bands?

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Vanessa Wilson's Column, All of Newsvine
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{"commentId":900926,"authorDomain":"stuartscadronwattles"}

I'll Go On

This is more about the record label system and less about the digital age. I like the author's analogy of the film industry, BUT: Taken further, the analogy takes us to all-powerful agencies, where executive representation gets to decide who works with whom, when, and for how much compensation. The sad fact is that there are always people who will own distribution and marketing, and they will always make more than artists, because not only do they control the pipeline, they also get to set the mathematics of how it flows.

{"commentId":900926,"threadId":"130656","contentId":"856922","authorDomain":"stuartscadronwattles"}

2 votes

#1 - Fri Jul 27, 2007 4:28 PM EDT

{"commentId":901345,"authorDomain":"vanessa-wilson73"}

Vanessa Wilson

Too true. There seems to be less venues today for musicians to play, experiment and reach new audiences. I think this is were digital distribution might help the cause.

{"commentId":901345,"threadId":"130656","contentId":"856922","authorDomain":"vanessa-wilson73"}

1 vote

#1.1 - Fri Jul 27, 2007 6:59 PM EDT

{"commentId":901612,"authorDomain":"theseminal"}

The SeminalDeleted

{"commentId":903673,"authorDomain":"stuartscadronwattles"}

I'll Go On

Yes, the digital tech helps not only the venue problem, but also allows a savvy group to maintain, grow and communicate with a base of fans, without much of a (or any) staff-- all functions that used to be performed by people connected with the record label (and "charged back") to the artist.
The structural change proposed in the article, however, would allow artists the freedom of association that would IMO create better musical work. But it DOESN'T give them access to producing $, either audio or video, or touring $. And that's where those pesky "I own a piece of Prince" people come in.

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#2 - Sat Jul 28, 2007 10:02 PM EDT

{"commentId":904401,"authorDomain":"miasma"}

miasma

Is the traditional structure of record companies and the studio system relevant in a digital age?

Not for me.

Are audiences more interested in diversity than the uniformed banality of boy bands?

The one's worth reaching are.

{"commentId":904401,"threadId":"130656","contentId":"856922","authorDomain":"miasma"}

#3 - Sun Jul 29, 2007 9:41 AM EDT

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VANESSA WILSON

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Freeing Musicians From Music Industry Tyranny

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