Well I said it in 2001 or so when I started High Cotton Records - the day of the Major Record labels are numbered. Well we're losing another MAJOR this week - EMI. What does this mean to the average consumer - not much really other than there's one less player that can try to develop bands, fund their entire promotion, marketing and distribution (as it NRC's - or Normal Retail Channels even matter). And one less company to pay big radio huge dollars for ADS - yes, on the inside music companies and radio stations refer to "songs" as ADS - as somebody is paying to get the newest music out there.
But for those of us that live in middle America and/or Small Town USA - we're not going to notice as we're still going to have those local stations that play the SAME songs all the time and less and less companies are able to pay to get NEW music out there - so you're going to have to look elsewhere- the only real problem is WHERE - there's so many choices to find music and even MORE music to choose from today than ever before.
We're never going to stop seeing the top 5% of acts that will still be on radio, TV, touring, etc - and we'll see more and more blow up on YouTube. Just suffice it to say the Music Business although in a major INCOME decline as CD sales tanked last year even worse than years before but also ONLINE SALES took a HUGE DIVE as well - as there's just too many ways to get what you want to hear for FREE so for those artists or songwriters out there thinking they'll be cashing huge BMI/ASCAP checks - think again. Get with Sound Exchange and start to focus on Mobile Media - if you can hit THAT market - folks will find you on your others sites or get intrigued enough to hit the iTunes store.
The moral of this story - do it yourself - but do NOT think you don't have to put in the time - the reason why music was so good in the earlier days was that people WORKED at it! Thousands of hours honing their craft - the only difference today is that you have to hone your craft and THEN know how to get it all out there yourself - or find these smaller and faster/forward thinking small and nimble companies that can help you get your music out! But it all depends on GREAT SONGS and TOURING - if you have GREAT SONGS - the message will go viral and you'll take off - and keep MOST of your money instead of giving MOST of it to the MAJORS where they want a 360 deal - where they get a large piece of the entire pie!
SM @ MSO
But for those of us that live in middle America and/or Small Town USA - we're not going to notice as we're still going to have those local stations that play the SAME songs all the time and less and less companies are able to pay to get NEW music out there - so you're going to have to look elsewhere- the only real problem is WHERE - there's so many choices to find music and even MORE music to choose from today than ever before.
We're never going to stop seeing the top 5% of acts that will still be on radio, TV, touring, etc - and we'll see more and more blow up on YouTube. Just suffice it to say the Music Business although in a major INCOME decline as CD sales tanked last year even worse than years before but also ONLINE SALES took a HUGE DIVE as well - as there's just too many ways to get what you want to hear for FREE so for those artists or songwriters out there thinking they'll be cashing huge BMI/ASCAP checks - think again. Get with Sound Exchange and start to focus on Mobile Media - if you can hit THAT market - folks will find you on your others sites or get intrigued enough to hit the iTunes store.
The moral of this story - do it yourself - but do NOT think you don't have to put in the time - the reason why music was so good in the earlier days was that people WORKED at it! Thousands of hours honing their craft - the only difference today is that you have to hone your craft and THEN know how to get it all out there yourself - or find these smaller and faster/forward thinking small and nimble companies that can help you get your music out! But it all depends on GREAT SONGS and TOURING - if you have GREAT SONGS - the message will go viral and you'll take off - and keep MOST of your money instead of giving MOST of it to the MAJORS where they want a 360 deal - where they get a large piece of the entire pie!
SM @ MSO
