Members Jeff da Weasel Posted April 2, 2009 Members Share Posted April 2, 2009 Let's say you work in the music industry, and your boss says to you, "Your only goal is to sign an artist that will bring in immediate revenue. Anyone you sign needs to show a positive effect on the bottom line within six months, or they're cut, and you're fired too." Pretty scary, huh? So, what do you do? Do you go back to your boss and say, "Hey boss, wouldn't it be better if we tried to really work with an artist and help develop their craft, and create an artist/band that has serious long-term selling possibilities that far eclipse this short-term thinking?" No. The boss fires you immediately and brings in a more agreeable minion who can start tomorrow. So, you do what schlubs at labels have been doing now for the last 15 years: you sign an artist ONLY for the prospect of selling what they have available NOW. Your only job is to not lose money THIS QUARTER. You understand the boss, right? The company is bleeding money, and unless he brings some in TODAY, he's also going to be fired. But here's the punchline to this sad joke: labels have always made most of their money on catalog sales and greatest hits packages. They continue to sell Dark Side of the Moon, Zeppelin IV, Elton John's Greatest Hits and the like at astoundingly high numbers compared to the music of new artists. The end result is that if you think the record label business is bad now, give it a little while and see what happens. In my opinion, there is basically NOTHING being placed in the mainstream today that stands a chance in hell of being a long-term, continual seller. So not only are artists not putting out stuff that's as good as it could be now, but the labels have forsaken their own future as a result. Fast forward 5-10 years, and I'll be the least shocked person in the world if there literally are NO large record labels any more. You can view this as a bad thing, but in some aspects, it offers a more level playing field for those of you who would have never had success with a major label in any case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gdoubleyou Posted April 2, 2009 Members Share Posted April 2, 2009 True! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mudcat007 Posted April 2, 2009 Members Share Posted April 2, 2009 True! +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted April 2, 2009 Members Share Posted April 2, 2009 Brilliant analysis of the state of music that could appear on the back page of, say, EQ Magazine!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MichaelSaulnier Posted April 3, 2009 Members Share Posted April 3, 2009 There will always be teens... and therefore there will always be a need for teen oriented music. As far as buying that music from the conventional record industry... Well, that's probably a "buggy-whip" of a business at this point. My two teenage daughters and their friends haven't bought a cd in recent memory... and they view anyone who does as woefully uninformed about the "free" ways of getting it. They HAVE however spent a bunch of cash on live shows, t-shirts, and similar items. I can't say my daughters and their friends represent all of "teendom"... but I bet the majority think and act along the same lines. M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members scarecrowbob Posted April 3, 2009 Members Share Posted April 3, 2009 This is massively oversimplified, but ... I'm trying to negotiate with a local business guy to start doing 360 deals for unsigned bands. I would feel kind of dumb if I started signing folks that won't recoup for five years or so. If just because the band would starve to death. I don't think things are all that bleak (for the recording side of the world's artistic production), though. Because once the recording becomes part of the band's overall business, then spending money on a recording becomes part of marketing the band and recoups on those same lines. The revenue streams are scarce goods like concert tickets and T-Shirts. And, yes, cool-ass plastic toys. I love toys. Hopefully, we can get our bands to be profitable businesses in themselves, even on the small scale of making music profitable for the musicians and, amalgamated across a bunch of groups of folks, profitable for ourselves as record producers, managers, and engineers. Who knows. The whole deal could fall tomorrow. But I think that there is a massive vacuum, and it will be filled with... ... enough of that... Why, yes, I -do- light candles in my shrines to Tom Dowd and Ahmet Ertegun. Every Day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Billster Posted April 3, 2009 Members Share Posted April 3, 2009 But here's the punchline to this sad joke: labels have always made most of their money on catalog sales and greatest hits packages. They continue to sell Dark Side of the Moon, Zeppelin IV, Elton John's Greatest Hits and the like at astoundingly high numbers compared to the music of new artists. Punchline #2 - None of those albums were debuts. How many albums did the Who release before Tommy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted April 3, 2009 Members Share Posted April 3, 2009 I have been saying precisely This for years Jeff! Idiot Suits..I have NO RESPECT for any of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blue2blue Posted April 3, 2009 Members Share Posted April 3, 2009 People are people... they will always go back to the music they grew up with. Look at all the forty-somethings who love KISS. They were one of the most gawdawful excuses for rock and roll to come out of the 70s. They made Grand Funk Railroad look like a bunch of heavyweights. But look at all the normally wised-up folks who fall all over themselves going on about KISS. It's human nature. Hell... I'm the same way about the Beatles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Krypter Posted April 3, 2009 Members Share Posted April 3, 2009 I think Green Day has what it takes to last. They'll be considered classics in the future. Promise. Other than that, i cant think of anyone who will stick around. Coldplay maybe, but i dont think their music has a greta feel to it that will be as good 15 years down the road. Thing is, im convinced that the $$ will be in live shows from here on out. It'll be about what kind of awesome and entertaining show you have to draw a crowd. Look at Gwar. Their music is....ok...but their live shows are just so awesome and funny and unique, that they still pack places when they play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cry Logic Posted April 3, 2009 Members Share Posted April 3, 2009 "...In my opinion, there is basically NOTHING being placed in the mainstream today that stands a chance in hell of being a long-term, continual seller..." Isn't that what our parents generation said about Rock music? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members coyote-1 Posted April 3, 2009 Members Share Posted April 3, 2009 I sorta take issue with that. There will always be teens... and therefore there will always be a need for teen oriented music. It's my opinion that much of the 'teen' market is adult-driven."What does little Debbie want for Christmas this year?""She wants a bike but her parents are getting that for her. I know, let's get her the... what's that new boy band?" Thus we move from the Osmonds to Menudo to Hansen to, uhhhh.... the Jonas Brothers. Long as they can convince clueless adults that this is what kids want, the $$$ continues to roll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members franknputer Posted April 3, 2009 Members Share Posted April 3, 2009 I think Green Day has what it takes to last. They'll be considered classics in the future. Promise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Krypter Posted April 3, 2009 Members Share Posted April 3, 2009 YEp. I knew i was gonna get some groans from that. But hey, being a metal head i still recognize amazing song writing when i hear it. And those cats can write really good hooks. Problem is that musicians are notoriously snobby. So, when you have success that Green Day has had you get this whicked backlash. Either they "arent punk enough" or "too poppy" or just lame because they had that one song that all the "emo" kids like" All of which are incredibly bad critisisms. But if you are a seriousl song writer i dont see how you cant at least respect the sheer amount of catchy hooks they churn out every album. Not to mention they've been going strong since.....god.....what....1993? Like 16 years! Like em or not, but your kids will be picking up "Dookie" when they reach thier teenage years and go on about how "they dont make music this awesome anymore man......" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bp Posted April 4, 2009 Members Share Posted April 4, 2009 If Green Day only used BeOS, then they'd be a classic act! btw- how've you been? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members js1 Posted April 5, 2009 Members Share Posted April 5, 2009 But here's the punchline to this sad joke: labels have always made most of their money on catalog sales and greatest hits packages. They continue to sell Dark Side of the Moon, Zeppelin IV, Elton John's Greatest Hits and the like at astoundingly high numbers compared to the music of new artists. Nope, not always. Since the CD, yes. Before then, no. js Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.