Beyond Talent: The Business of music Documentary

[guitarville]

Interesting video. Thanks for posting. When I was a contractor, I'd try to hire musicians because they really needed to keep a steady day time job and they appreciated their paycheck.

[1001gear]

Pop music is about the masses. The more average the more sales the more period. Ironic that the evolution of connectivity is killing evolution.

[veracohr]

Ironic that the evolution of connectivity is killing evolution.

But you can equally blame the people who are more willing to choose money over originality, and even that isn't just an individual failing, it's endemic in our culture.

[1001gear]

But you can equally blame the people who are more willing to choose money over originality, and even that isn't just an individual failing, it's endemic in our culture.

 

Many hapless victims of their universe. In too many ways it's an artificial jungle and you gotta go with the food - especially if they feed you.

[Vito Corleone]

But you can equally blame the people who are more willing to choose money over originality, and even that isn't just an individual failing, it's endemic in our culture.

 

I would go beyond saying it's endemic to our culture, but is more ingrained than that. It's a part of human nature. Which culture, either now or in the past, has been more willing to choose "originality" over money?

 

Of course, the other big failing of human nature is to believe that everything was always somehow better in the past.

[WRGKMC]

Of course, the other big failing of human nature is to believe that everything was always somehow better in the past.

 

Good point. I'd also add how much of society is fear driven. Back when I was a Kid, it was the Bomb that scared the hell out of everyone, with good reason if you were around during the bay of pigs. In high school, it was the Viet Nam Draft. Those were hay days for creativity you just aren't seeing much of now. Music was a big escape from reality from those fears, but that feeding on peoples fears is no longer the latest Sci Fi movie. Its the real epidemic that's hidden just below the surface most people just dot see because they don't want to face their own fears and put them in place.

 

From Lawyers, Politicians, Advertisements, Climate warming, News Outlets, Terrorists, Ebola Reality TV or just about anything else you hear about its all about someone pulling on that same chain trying to scare people to make them do what "they" want them to do. Its a form of control and its the underlying cause of so much violence in the world today. People can only take so much fear before they invert and turn that fear outward at others.

 

When it comes down to a regular day in your life. Do you hang with Ebola Patients, Do you have a Terrorist living next door, Do you have Hurricanes, Drought, Floods and Tornadoes ripping your face off you every day? No way. Its nearly 100% fear tactics used to control you and you know what, for most people it does. Fear of disaster, jail, financial loss or death is a strong motivator. With 350 million people in our country you may have one person who gets kill by some whacko that blames it on his faith or catches Ebola. The News amplifies it playing it 24/7 until you think its all there is going on out there.

 

You spend most of your time filtering through this crap to figure out what's really relevant in your life and what is complete baloney.

[philboking]

 

Good point. I'd also add how much of society is fear driven. Back when I was a Kid, it was the Bomb that scared the hell out of everyone, with good reason if you were around during the bay of pigs. In high school, it was the Viet Nam Draft. Those were hay days for creativity you just aren't seeing much of now. Music was a big escape from reality from those fears, but that feeding on peoples fears is no longer the latest Sci Fi movie. Its the real epidemic that's hidden just below the surface most people just dot see because they don't want to face their own fears and put them in place.

 

From Lawyers, Politicians, Advertisements, Climate warming, News Outlets, Terrorists, Ebola Reality TV or just about anything else you hear about its all about someone pulling on that same chain trying to scare people to make them do what "they" want them to do. Its a form of control and its the underlying cause of so much violence in the world today. People can only take so much fear before they invert and turn that fear outward at others.

 

When it comes down to a regular day in your life. Do you hang with Ebola Patients, Do you have a Terrorist living next door, Do you have Hurricanes, Drought, Floods and Tornadoes ripping your face off you every day? No way. Its nearly 100% fear tactics used to control you and you know what, for most people it does. Fear of disaster, jail, financial loss or death is a strong motivator. With 350 million people in our country you may have one person who gets kill by some whacko that blames it on his faith or catches Ebola. The News amplifies it playing it 24/7 until you think its all there is going on out there.

 

You spend most of your time filtering through this crap to figure out what's really relevant in your life and what is complete baloney.

 

 

****

This is what you get for paying attention to corporate media. Stop doing that. You'll be a happier and better person for it.

[Folder]

 

I would go beyond saying it's endemic to our culture, but is more ingrained than that. It's a part of human nature. Which culture, either now or in the past, has been more willing to choose "originality" over money?

 

 

 

Cultures are made up of individuals who have values and different cultures can emphasize different values. When I was growing up we were told that the Russians and Chinese hated rich imperialist Americans. But cultures can change. Now the Russians and Chinese are striving to be rich.

 

As far as choosing originality over money I think there have always been people who were perceived to be on either side. I remember when I was a kid people might accuse a certain artist of "selling out" because they had a big hit record or their latest album didn't sound anything like their previous work. But who's to judge who a sell out is? How many artists out there think to themselves "Yeah, I'm gonna choose money over originality" I doubt very many. Neil Young was sued by his record company for not making music they thought was commercial enough and I think most artists are just trying to make the best possible music they can make and hope that people like it and it will get exposed to as many people as possible.

 

I haven't watched the documentary but I think one thing that has changed in recent years is our culture is being heavily influenced by big money and big business. The system (music industry) has changed and the culture is just following suit.

[Vito Corleone]

 

Good point. I'd also add how much of society is fear driven. Back when I was a Kid, it was the Bomb that scared the hell out of everyone, with good reason if you were around during the bay of pigs. In high school, it was the Viet Nam Draft. Those were hay days for creativity you just aren't seeing much of now. Music was a big escape from reality from those fears, but that feeding on peoples fears is no longer the latest Sci Fi movie. Its the real epidemic that's hidden just below the surface most people just dot see because they don't want to face their own fears and put them in place.

 

From Lawyers, Politicians, Advertisements, Climate warming, News Outlets, Terrorists, Ebola Reality TV or just about anything else you hear about its all about someone pulling on that same chain trying to scare people to make them do what "they" want them to do. Its a form of control and its the underlying cause of so much violence in the world today. People can only take so much fear before they invert and turn that fear outward at others.

 

When it comes down to a regular day in your life. Do you hang with Ebola Patients, Do you have a Terrorist living next door, Do you have Hurricanes, Drought, Floods and Tornadoes ripping your face off you every day? No way. Its nearly 100% fear tactics used to control you and you know what, for most people it does. Fear of disaster, jail, financial loss or death is a strong motivator. With 350 million people in our country you may have one person who gets kill by some whacko that blames it on his faith or catches Ebola. The News amplifies it playing it 24/7 until you think its all there is going on out there.

 

You spend most of your time filtering through this crap to figure out what's really relevant in your life and what is complete baloney.

 

In the beginning days of broadcast media, the news divisions of the networks were created as part of the federal mandate in exchange for the use of the public airwaves. And they didn't care about news ratings because All In The Family and Ed Sullivan brought in the income.

 

All that changed when news networks became businesses in and unto themselves. Now they had to turn a profit. Two problems, however. First of all, there's very little news that is of national interest. Hence the overwhelming emphasis on national politics and disasters. And there's even less news that could fill a 24 hour program schedule. So it's about repeating the same stories over and over, endless "analysis", and a focus on the personalities of those supposedly delivering the news. And milking the small niches who are consumed by politics and/or fear who are the only people who will watch such nonsense all day long. Usually older, retired folks. The average age of the viewers of the cable news networks is around 70.

 

As far as creativity vs. money goes...the popular items in all forms of art have always been the mindless crap. "The Great Gatsby" was considered a failure and didn't become popular until after Fitzgerald's death. Mozart died a pauper and Salieri far "outsold" him during their lifetimes. The stories of those who weren't famous until after they died are numerous. So much of what is now considered creative that pushed art forms forward weren't highly regarded in their time. I have to reason to think that won't continue well into the distant future.

 

Were the 60s a better hey day for creativity? Perhaps. But I'd likely chalk that more to a spoiled generation of boomers who had time on their hands to be creative and focus on such things rather than trying to escape from fears.