| Author | Topic | | AnonJr
Absent-minded Webmaster
USA
621 Posts |  Posted - 01 Jul 2007 : 22:01:31  
| TechDirt passes on this article:
(Again, be advised that if you go to their site, not everybody makes nice comments...)
quote:
Music Retailers Flip Out That Prince Wants To Give Away His Music
from the it's-madness! dept
http://techdirt.com/articles/20070629/163147.shtml
For years, some have been saying that the real problem holding back the music industry from embracing digital distribution hasn't been the record labels so much as the record stores. In fact, in the Rolling Stone article about the suicide of the recording industry, one of the key stumbling blocks was that the music retailers threatened the record labels if they embraced digital distribution such as Napster. So, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that music retailers are spitting mad over Prince's plans to give away his latest album. Prince has actually been on the cutting edge of new music business and distribution models for many years, so this doesn't come as much of a surprise. What's interesting, is that he's actually linking two troubled industries: recording and newspapers in a way that helps both. His latest CD will be available for free with a newspaper in the UK -- and the newspaper is thrilled because it's going to seriously increase circulation for that week. This is a perfectly reasonable idea: it adds value to the newspaper and makes it a more worthwhile purchase, while at the same time getting Prince a lot of attention and many more people hearing his latest works (which opens up many more opportunities for him to make more money through concerts, back catalog, merchandise, appearances, sponsorships, etc.).
However, the music retailers are freaking out that someone else might distribute music instead of them. Apparently they haven't been paying much attention to all that online distribution of music that goes on these days and the fact that the business model of the traditional record shop is pretty much dead and buried. Instead, they blame Prince for actually getting more fans to hear his music. "It would be an insult to all those record stores who have supported Prince throughout his career," claimed one. Another said: "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince should know that with behaviour like this he will soon be the Artist Formerly Available in Record Stores." Of course, that's the funniest one, since it's pretty clear that Prince has already realized he's better off without the record stores. Then there's the head of HMV: "I think it would be absolutely nuts. I can't believe the music industry would do it to itself. I simply can't believe it would happen; it would be absolute madness." Basically, what you're reading here is an industry in complete and total denial over the fact that their service (delivering plastic discs to willing buyers) is a business model that's increasingly obsolete.
He's not the only one who's been trying to find ways to embrace digital distribution and find new ways of staying ahead of the game, but he is one of the few to be able to pull it off. I wonder if its because he's his own label.... |
There's no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you.
- Will Rogers |
| AXEMAN2415
Guitar Weenie
USA
740 Posts | Posted - 01 Jul 2007 : 23:31:34
| I do think that's part of the reason: Prince owns his music and the label he distributes his wares. He used to have very serious problems with Warner Bros. because Prince wanted to put out more albums per year than the obligatory 1 album per year. Imagine that, a record company that doesn't want more music from an artist.
When the automobile was invented, the manufacturers of horse drawn carriages and the makers of horsewhips were up in arms over the new contraption. It seems that history is repeating itself.
I've always believed that the current model of the music industry has had very little concern for the artist. While I understand that it is a business, and one that makes money, if the artist cannot be the artist, then a business is all that it will be.
Many artists, unfortunately, do not help themselves by creating situations that force the Record companies to fix many artist's messes. So on that point, I have little sympathy for certain artists. However, when your stock-in-trade is in human personalities, I guess you kind of have to realize what you're investing in before you do.
Say whatever you want about Prince's lifestyles and behaviors. But his business savvy has always been top notch. It is no wonder that this guy has managed a successful music career since he was 17! |
"C'mon Dave, Gimme a break!" |  |
| AnonJr
Absent-minded Webmaster
USA
621 Posts | Posted - 02 Jul 2007 : 19:29:06
| I didn't realize that he's been around that long. Learn something new every day. 
Did WB really have a big issue with him putting out more than 1 album per year? What was their complaint? |
There's no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you.
- Will Rogers | |
| AXEMAN2415
Guitar Weenie
USA
740 Posts | Posted - 02 Jul 2007 : 20:37:21
| | Yes, WB did have a problem with Prince's proliferation. I am not sure exactly what their complaint was, but does it really matter? |
"C'mon Dave, Gimme a break!" | |
| AnonJr
Absent-minded Webmaster
USA
621 Posts | Posted - 02 Jul 2007 : 21:05:35
| In the grand scheme of things it doesn't really matter. But it does help us understand where the mental disconnect is in some of these executive minds.
In the long run, I think this is why more and more artists are moving to their own studios and working on retaining control of their work. I think its great that within a typical credit card limit a band can build themselves a studio and make their own work. (Making money on said work is a whole other topic though...) |
There's no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you.
- Will Rogers | |
| AXEMAN2415
Guitar Weenie
USA
740 Posts | Posted - 02 Jul 2007 : 22:51:00
| quote:
I think its great that within a typical credit card limit a band can build themselves a studio and make their own work.
I might also add that there is no guarantee of a quality work as a result of an independent release. While I think it is wonderful that any musician can, with virtually little funds, produce and distribute their own work, it does allow for the mediocre to swamp the field. At least the mainstream recording industry has quality going for them.
No, I realize that not every professional grade recording is quality. Nor am I under the illusion that every recording artist on the rolls of the RIAA has talent. However, in an industry that is money driven, you cannot expect to produce crap and make money for too long.
That to me is the downside of inexpensive self-production. Precisely because the overhead is relatively low, and there's no one to answer to, you can put out crap, and a lot of it, and obscure the real talents out there. |
"C'mon Dave, Gimme a break!" | |
| AnonJr
Absent-minded Webmaster
USA
621 Posts | Posted - 04 Jul 2007 : 06:33:19
| | I think YouTube has already demonstrated this with video... |
There's no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you.
- Will Rogers | |
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