Let the ''music industry'' die.

[Jacobtm]

Music has existed since pre-historic times. Humans will make music as long as the species persists, and there is no danger to music itself if record companies aren't profitable.

The ''music industry'' right now is responsible for producing, marketing, and selling absolute crap. And the music industry is dying.

I say good riddance. Let real musicians thrive, let these artificial Hillary Duff types wither without millions in marketing building them up.

Music will be much better off when the ''music industry'' is dead and buried.

[Napoleon]

Agree in full.

[RI]

People will buy crap music whether or not the music industry exists. Furthermore, there is no reason to think "real musicians" would somehow benefit from its dismantling.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Agree in full.

[Jacobtm]

People will buy crap music whether or not the music industry exists. Furthermore, there is no reason to think "real musicians" would somehow benefit from its dismantling.

The music industry doesn't just give people what they want in terms of music, it also creates tastes.

They take cute child stars from the Disney channel who aren't musicians, hire professional songwriters to write ring-tone approved hits to satisfy 12yo girls, and then promote the sh**t out of the song by having it featured on commercials, on MTV, on the radio. The stars appear on billboards, they're guest stars on TV programs, TMZ and Access Hollywood start discussing them.

They become manufactured celebrities.

Basically, their budgets and ties to other corporations allow them to market their music effectively, regardless of the actual music. They spend tons of money to create the stars, have their music written for them, and market them until they're sucessful.

Without all those marketing dollars and corporate cross-sponsorships paid for by the music industry, many of the crappy stars out there today wouldn't exist.

You'd have more musicians who don't get to succeed just because they have some multi-million dollar marketing team behind them. You'd have more musicians who succeed just because people like their music. Musicians who aren't picked because they're a cute 12 year old girl who can be coreographed, but because they're people who've been making music that appeals to people.

Of course people have different tastes, and no one will like everything. But without the distorting influence of crazy marketing $$$, music will be based more around real musicians and less around these fake made-in-a-lab stars that're pumped out now.

[Free Palestine]

Agree in full.

[Frodo]

Agree in full.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

It would be no great loss if the money-handlers go out of business. 

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Once upon a time, the music industry made its money off of sales of sheet music, then it was sales of recorded music, and if it isn't already there it will be making money off of merchandising.


You've got it backward Jacob:

They take cute child stars from the Disney channel who aren't musicians, hire professional songwriters to write ring-tone approved hits to satisfy 12yo girls, and then promote the sh**t out of the song by having it featured on commercials, on MTV, on the radio. The stars appear on billboards, they're guest stars on TV programs, TMZ and Access Hollywood start discussing them.

The licensed products, commercial endorsements, and guest star appearances of its featured are where the music industry can make its money these days as 99¢ iTune singles ain't gonna make them a lot of money.  They no longer need or want moody temperamental artistes who take three or more years to make an album so they can get it just right.  (Besides, the album is essentially a dead art form right now.)

[Link]

Once upon a time, the music industry made its money off of sales of sheet music, then it was sales of recorded music, and if it isn't already there it will be making money off of merchandising.


You've got it backward Jacob:

They take cute child stars from the Disney channel who aren't musicians, hire professional songwriters to write ring-tone approved hits to satisfy 12yo girls, and then promote the sh**t out of the song by having it featured on commercials, on MTV, on the radio. The stars appear on billboards, they're guest stars on TV programs, TMZ and Access Hollywood start discussing them.

The licensed products, commercial endorsements, and guest star appearances of its featured are where the music industry can make its money these days as 99¢ iTune singles ain't gonna make them a lot of money.  They no longer need or want moody temperamental artistes who take three or more years to make an album so they can get it just right.  (Besides, the album is essentially a dead art form right now.)

Thank you for interjecting some sanity into this topic.

For artists, at least, touring is where the money is.  Interestingly when people have the chance to engage in free market capitalism and actually attend a concert they most often choose to see Bon Jovi of all things.  I have about as much faith in free market capitalism in the music industry as I do with free market capitalism in the real estate market.  The average consumer is a tasteless buffoon.  I don't know why all these threads heaping blame on music industry execs are getting spawned lately.  To my young friends if you want to download free music because you are a cheap b@st@rd just say that.  I did it before I started making some cash flow.  I'm not going to hate.  Just don't pretend you are engage in some epic battle for the ages trying to bring Mozart back.  No one is buying it.

[Lief 🗽]

I agree. Abolish copyright.

[dead0man]

Music will be much better off when the ''music industry'' is dead and buried.

Indeed, Dinosaurs will Die.  But you can't kill copyright, artists deserve to get paid.  The problem is the industry (and maybe the verbage of the law) not the idea of copyrights.

[Jacobtm]

Music will be much better off when the ''music industry'' is dead and buried.

Indeed, Dinosaurs will Die.  But you can't kill copyright, artists deserve to get paid.  The problem is the industry (and maybe the verbage of the law) not the idea of copyrights.

Dead0 I had no idea you were a 90's teen. Got any Propagandhi bootlegs you wanna share?

But about copyright, I don't know who said anything about that to begin with. I wasn't talking about abolishing copyright.

But if we're on the subject:

Talk to any young musician, and few of them ever expect to make money from sales of recorded music. Most are at peace with the idea that their recordings shall be free, and most offer them essentially as promotion for their live shows.

Hell, you didn't pay NOFX anything for that jam.

[Kung Fu Kenny]

Agree in full.

[The Mikado]

Disagree.  You know how much money it takes to subsidize an 87 piece symphony orchestra?  Or a full-fledged opera company?  They need to pay dozens and dozens of people, maintain dozens and dozens of extremely expensive instruments, etc.  They aren't surviving off of those ticket sales alone, the album sales (via iTunes and actual physical albums) are necessary to stay afloat.  If everyone is pirating the Boston Pops or the King's College Choir or whatever there's basically no way they can make up the loss.

[Mechaman]

Disagree.  You know how much money it takes to subsidize an 87 piece symphony orchestra?  Or a full-fledged opera company?  They need to pay dozens and dozens of people, maintain dozens and dozens of extremely expensive instruments, etc.  They aren't surviving off of those ticket sales alone, the album sales (via iTunes and actual physical albums) are necessary to stay afloat.  If everyone is pirating the Boston Pops or the King's College Choir or whatever there's basically no way they can make up the loss.

Do you think the people who listen to the Boston Pops or the King's College Choir are the kind of people who don't pay for music?
Just saying.

Anyway, I pay for every damn album I've ever listened to.  Some of you may think that's retarded but I prefer holding the damn thing in my hands and having the physical liner notes with the album.  With that said I won't condemn people who download (free) music as long as the artists are okay with it.  I believe that there will still be enough people (like myself) who do buy the actual cd so losses aren't massive on CD media.

Just my two cents (that will probably be gone by this afternoon when I visit the CD shop).

[The Mikado]

Disagree.  You know how much money it takes to subsidize an 87 piece symphony orchestra?  Or a full-fledged opera company?  They need to pay dozens and dozens of people, maintain dozens and dozens of extremely expensive instruments, etc.  They aren't surviving off of those ticket sales alone, the album sales (via iTunes and actual physical albums) are necessary to stay afloat.  If everyone is pirating the Boston Pops or the King's College Choir or whatever there's basically no way they can make up the loss.

Do you think the people who listen to the Boston Pops or the King's College Choir are the kind of people who don't pay for music?
Just saying.

No doubt, but this was in response to Jacobtm's "Let the music industry die" hypothetical, not the current state of affairs.

[Mechaman]

To my young friends if you want to download free music because you are a cheap b@st@rd just say that.

And if you are going to say "cheap bastard" then just say "cheap bastard"!  This isn't the damned Barney and Friends forum y'know?

[Free Palestine]

To my young friends if you want to download free music because you are a cheap b@st@rd just say that.

And if you are going to say "cheap bastard" then just say "cheap bastard"!  This isn't the damned Barney and Friends forum y'know?

You can never be sure what words will get you death points, Mechaman.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Agree with you 100%. Its bullsh*t to here stuff like Simon and Garfunkal and then compare it to what all my peers listen too....what has happened?

[Silent Hunter]

You'd have more musicians who succeed just because people like their music.

How would most people hear of them without the marketing though?

The Beatles and Elvis were as much "manufactured" as modern bands.

[Free Palestine]

You'd have more musicians who succeed just because people like their music.

How would most people hear of them without the marketing though?

The Beatles and Elvis were as much "manufactured" as modern bands.

Presumably, in a post-corporate entertainment world, you'd still have mass media outlets pertaining to music.  And, generally, Internet.

[Silent Hunter]

You'd have more musicians who succeed just because people like their music.

How would most people hear of them without the marketing though?

The Beatles and Elvis were as much "manufactured" as modern bands.

Presumably, in a post-corporate entertainment world, you'd still have mass media outlets pertaining to music.  And, generally, Internet.

When would you say "corporate entertainment" began? Just for the sake of argument.

[redcommander]

You know it looked as if music was heading a similar path towards death in the late 1980's, but then look at what happened in the 90's. There was a shift back towards more musical diversity and originality. Yes there will always be crappy music on the radio, because most Americans will buy it, but there are signs that there is a revival in actual talent in the music industry again. If you want real music to become popular than buy it and request it on the radio. Don't support singers who you think don't deserve success.

[DrScholl]

Which music is "crap" is entirely subjective. If people are still buying music, the industry should remain, it employs a great deal of people.

[Silent Hunter]

If you want real music to become popular than buy it and request it on the radio. Don't support singers who you think don't deserve success.