The music business has changed. Some say it’s dying. On this page, I present you with a few interesting videos on today’s music industry.
1. Moby’s views – an interview
It’s a real sad situation particularly from the Record Label’s perspective. Moby says that the demise of the record business is one of the best things that has ever happened to music. He says that anyone who gets into music to get rich is simply an idiot. Strong words. But is it a harsh reality we have to face? According to him, record labels will have to re-invent themselves more as music companies.
Moby started something called Moby Gratis which allows film makers and artistes to use his songs for FREE. He says it’s a great way to get his obscure music out there which would otherwise wouldn’t really find a home.
Moby says that a lot of problems that the record companies now face are problems that they brought upon themselves. Although the music was cheaper to make the price kept going up.
You may not agree with everything he says but I think he makes a lot of good points. Watch the video below.
2. Why the Future of the Music Industry is Bright
Here’s an interview of Russell Rains, a lawyer and Director of the Digital Media Management MBA Program at St. Edward’s University in Austin, TX.
He talks about digital distribution and that it’s really not a passing thing. People are not going back to buying CDs. According to Rains, it’s sad that some people still think so. He talks about the reality of the music business, and how obviously people are not buying albums today but buying individual songs.
He says that the future of the music industry is one where people legally subscribe to music. That’s how the music industry will survive. A subscription model.
According to Rains, it’s naive and counterproductive to think that musicians will make money, largely from the live performance, the way it was before.
One good point he makes, one that I like is the fact that today’s artiste can make use of the Internet to market his or her music. Today’s artiste can compete without the distribution networks of the past thanks to the internet and digital distribution. However, he says he doesn’t thing that’s the death of the old network. He remains optimistic and says that the future looks great and everything is wide open. Watch the video below.
3. The Death of the Album and the Future of the Music Industry
In this video, Wallace Collins, an entertainment attorney based in New York, discusses the generational shift that has taken place, that divides the CD-buyers from downloaders, and draws parallels between today and the early days of rock-and-roll in which singles drove the music business. The young people are not buying music today. He says the record labels are being forced to look at things differently. He is afraid that if the artistes are not getting well paid it may lead to the music being mediocre. Without money the artistes won’t be able to devote all their attention to the music since they will have to work other jobs to make money.
He says that downloading music for free is the same as shoplifting. He hopes that people will learn to do things the right way and that parents teach their kids not to download music for free. (I don’t think this is going to happen on any large scale.) He talks about the fear of being arrested or sued for illegal downloads and the effect that can have.
Collins says the mistake the record labels made was not working with the Internet when it came along. It’s now very difficult to take control. Watch the video.
The way forward
These are just a few of the many online videos which talk about the music business and its current state. They talk a lot about the problems but what are the solutions? How does an artiste make it today?
Well it’s really not gloomy. The music industry is not dead, it is simply evolving. What worked before no longer works today. Today’s independent artiste like never before has the opportunity to achieve success in the music industry. But it’s important to learn the new way of doing things. You see, while record labels are scared to death, many indie artistes are thriving.
Music Business/Industry News
In search of music business news? You can find it all here. In this section, we partner with Google to bring you stories from news sources worldwide. Learn about issues facing different sectors of the music industry today and tomorrow. Learn about the latest developments. Find news on breaking technology, labels, albums, record companies, artists, and more. You can bookmark this page and keep returning for the most up to date music business news.
In addition, I invite you to share your views on the news. Is there a story that you find interesting? Post your commentary. Others can then comment on what you have said.
In addition to music business news, you will be able to read various music business/music industry related articles. You should find them very useful. You can post your views on these articles below.
Further Reading:
- Music business tips
- New music business information and tips
- Music home based business ideas
- Guide to music marketing and promotion
- Independent music promotion tips and guide
- List of music careers. Music industry careers
- Music industry internships guide
Return to songwriting home page.