The Future of Music: My Personal View (1 Viewer)

[ElevSkyMovie]

I suppose word of mouth helped the "Oh Brother" album out quite a bit, however, CMT played the crap out of the "Constant Sorrow" video, so I suppose it helped a lot as well.

 

[TheLongshot]

As did the soundtrack to "Oh Brother". What a lousy record.

What ya talkin about? That was great stuff. Course, I knew that from watching the movie. Again, just because it is popular, doesn't mean it is crap.

Jason

 

[Lee Scoggins]

The big 5 labels will eventually split up into smaller labels with their own special niches of music. The labels will realize that putting 99% of their marketing effors ant budgets to a select few artits and trying to "hit a home run" with them is costing them more money than it's making them. With the creation of smaller labels and the breakdown (to an extent) of the big 5 labels, we'll start to see more development and patience towards new artists.

That would be great for artists but I can envision some foot dragging on the Big 5. I hope they make the contracts simpler and allow for artists to have equity in their own product as well.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

Here is an update on Big 5 consolidation that touches on some of the discussion of this thread:

http://www.stereophile.com/shownews.cgi?1739

 

[Marc Colella]

Thanks for the link Lee.

I feel that merging from within the Big 5 (down to 4 or 3) will be worse for consumers.

The last thing we need is a near-monopoly situation in an industry that likes to take advantage of it's customers.

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

There are parts of the industry that could use some merging, as they currently peform redundant tasks, namely in the distribution end. The problem is that in order to have access to the distribution system, you must also be part of the label front end, either with a major directly, or more likely, through one of the thousands of indies with major distribution.

The last thing we need is a near-monopoly situation in an industry that likes to take advantage of it's customers.

What industry doesn't try to take advantage of its customers? Like every other major industry, they answer to the stockholders, not the end user. If you want to complain about industries taking advantage of their customers, let's talk oil and gas, and explain to me how a rise in the cost of a barrel of oil that won't see the light of day for two years can change the price at the pumps today.

 

[Marc Colella]

What industry doesn't try to take advantage of its customers? Like every other major industry, they answer to the stockholders, not the end user. If you want to complain about industries taking advantage of their customers, let's talk oil and gas, and explain to me how a rise in the cost of a barrel of oil that won't see the light of day for two years can change the price at the pumps today.

Well, maybe I should have stated "...takes unfair and illegal action towards it's customers".

In any case, I think Jeff has a major beef with oil and gas prices. And I agree with you 100%.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Well, maybe I should have stated "...takes unfair and illegal action towards it's customers".

I suggest that this still applies to a good many industries: telecommunications and energy for just a couple of easy examples.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

There are a number of oligopolistic industries. Sometimes this is due to the level of capital investment required of certain industry sectors which favors larger firms.

There is indeed as Jeff suggests much room for savings in the music industry and the consolidation may be a positive if it leads to healthier companies. The extra financial health may ultimately help newer formats and improve artist development.

Still, my sense is that this will be short term manuevering and not really solve the long term problem. I suspect that a new business model is required that involves more artist participation and more local and regional A&R. Of course, I strongly believe the labels need to offer most music in MP3 format as soon as possible to stem the losses in CD sales.

Marc, I'm glad to see your movie is finally coming to DVD. I have heard good things about it.

 

[Marc Colella]

Marc, I'm glad to see your movie is finally coming to DVD. I have heard good things about it.

Me too. It really is an amazing film. Maybe I should finally change my signature.
Hmmmm... what else hasn't been released?