Music 1.0 is dead.

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by FOTD

Glad I grew up in the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's when music was brought to us by the best capitalism had to offer in great producers and wonderful distribution through labels and radio.
The computer industry has just dumbified the magic.

I agree.  In fact, I am not really sure exactly what the subject of this thread "Music 1.0 is dead" really means.  I assume it is regarding some digital music format.  I still listen to all my favorites via ancient vinyl LP or CD, and currently have no interest in any other format.  I don't own an Ipod, in fact I have never had a cell phone, or subscribed to any form of pay television in the past 15 years.  And think of all the $ I have saved.

[perspicuity85]

quote:Originally posted by we vs us

Man, the radio is usually just crap. The Clear Channels of the world have worked hand in glove with the major labels to homogenize everything out there into the same old pop shiite.  And to rotate the same five songs all day long ad infinitum.  I'll be happy to see the internet bring the whole ossified, cynical enterprise down around their ears.  

Interesting topic here.  Media market segmentation is at an all-time high, and will probably only continue.  There is more accessibility to more bands via the internet than anyone could have dreamed 20 years ago.  The so-called "mainstream" radio stations are competing for ratings with satellite radio and the internet radio you mentioned.  Since satellite and internet radio are still considered to be somewhat edgy new products by a large segment of the population, it's no surprise that the musicians and genres considered to be edgy and hip are featured on this edgy, hip new radio medium.  Theoretically, the late adopters on the product adoption curve still only listen to conventional "local" radio stations, and therefore often only are exposed to music that has already diffused through the adoption curve.  Basically, these days, you need to use media that has a target marketed audience if you want to find hip new music.  Conventional radio stations can't afford to distribute music that isn't proven to generate high ratings.  They can't afford to be hip and edgy, which is unfortunately what many music listeners are actually wanting.  The really seasoned music listeners are willing to spend a considerable amount of time searching for music.  People that don't have such taste just listen to any old thing that's on the conventional radio.  That's why many unoriginal bands are filling conventional radio waves these days.  They're proven products- they've already peaked.

[sgrizzle]

His point was that selling people a single for $10 or an album for $20 at a brick and mortar store and then not letting them share it with friends(who didn't get a copy of something on cassette or reel-to-reel?) is largely over. People would rather pay $20/mo to listen to everything that is out there or $5 to make their own CD.

Nine Inch Nails put out a 36-track album for $5 and made a ton more profit directly tot he artist. The record labels and the RIAA are literally keeping almost every dollar from the sale of CD's for themselves. There is very little motivation for good artists to put out a traditional CD anymore.

[we vs us]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

His point was that selling people a single for $10 or an album for $20 at a brick and mortar store and then not letting them share it with friends(who didn't get a copy of something on cassette or reel-to-reel?) is largely over. People would rather pay $20/mo to listen to everything that is out there or $5 to make their own CD.

Nine Inch Nails put out a 36-track album for $5 and made a ton more profit directly tot he artist. The record labels and the RIAA are literally keeping almost every dollar from the sale of CD's for themselves. There is very little motivation for good artists to put out a traditional CD anymore.

Which is good, as far as it goes.  I mean, we're talking about NIN here, who's been selling big since the late 80's and has an established (and cultish) fan base.  Also, a pretty tech savvy fan base.  I somehow can't see a major country artist trying that stunt. Point being that the NIN success is very specific to NIN, and not necessarily every artist.

That said, I completely support thhe models that NIN (and Radiohead, btw) have been experimenting with, because it DOES show that profit can be made without the middle men. It also shows that there are enough fans who buy digitally to support a major artist solely via the web.

[sgrizzle]

And while steve never has (and maybe never will) own an mp3 player, cell phone, electric steak knife, or waffle iron, the vast majority of Americans do. When looking to buy a new car, 40% of americans factor in how it will connect to their mp3 player. 80% of americans have a cell phone and over 75% of those have used them for "non-phone" functions like internet access and messaging.

I used Nine Inch Nails as a reference because it is current and sold like mad. Probably half if my music purchases of recent (maybe more) have been from non-label groups. The only radio stations I listen to are independent (irok radio and z104.5) especially since kmod became clear channel sellouts.

While some groups might not sell millions today on the internet, with over 50% of teenagers owning an mp3 player, the shift is well on it's way. The speaker refenced in the original article pointed out how record labels have fought against digital music for ten years and with no real support from any label, it's here. iTunes is the #2 music retailer in the country, second only to wal-mart.

[cannon_fodder]

The web and open distribution have democratized music.  In the wonderful days of yore AOX is hungry for 4 or 5 mega corps dictated what you could hear.  On radio and in mega venues... it is the same today.  

But on the web, at Cains, at SXSW and at any given pub tonight you can find the rest of the music.  The difference is those bands actually have a shot to make it big WITHOUT super-mega-corp giving them their blessing.

This means a wider variety of music can make it, but we may have to sift through the crap ourselves to find it.  Then again, even when super mega corp is packaging music for us there is plenty of crap (Brittany, Backstreet Boys, and most everything released after 2002).

[FOTD]

When Buddy Holly died, they all thought the music had died. Then we got the 60's, the greatest period in American art.

Then we got commercialization as the dollars flowed to the music industry. I do not know what the democratization of music means. But the magic of the creators went down hill with the compression of time and space mostly brought on through digitazation.

Simultaneously, radio died and distribution went hay wire. The baby boomers went gray and there was no more beauty and magic in the vibe. The grunge, the heavy metal and the goth of the next groupies was no match for the creative genius of jazz, folk and rock and roll.

The beat generation had the benefit of being in the right place at the right time. The death of the superstar has brought us to this moment which lacks sensitivity and beauty. Of a different time and a different place, there are those amongst us who have witnessed and been party to the best of times. Long time gone....

"Broken lines, broken strings,
Broken threads, broken springs,
Broken idols, broken heads,
People sleeping in broken beds.
Ain't no use jiving
Ain't no use joking
Everything is broken.

Broken bottles, broken plates,
Broken switches, broken gates,
Broken dishes, broken parts,
Streets are filled with broken hearts.
Broken words never meant to be spoken,
Everything is broken.

Seem like every time you stop and turn around
Something else just hit the ground

Broken cutters, broken saws,
Broken buckles, broken laws,
Broken bodies, broken bones,
Broken voices on broken phones.
Take a deep breath, feel like you're chokin',
Everything is broken.

Every time you leave and go off someplace
Things fall to pieces in my face

Broken hands on broken ploughs,
Broken treaties, broken vows,
Broken pipes, broken tools,
People bending broken rules.
Hound dog howling, bull frog croaking,
Everything is broken."
B. Dylan

[tulsascoot]

I'll say that there was a lot of good music in the 60s, however, I believe that some of the best songwriting has happened since 2000 (including jazz). The new digital era has pushed artists who want to get in the limelight to make good music. And if you can't get picked up for some meaningless hit single (the odds are stacked against most artist doing this), you have to prove yourself to the digital media buyer, and prove yourself in a live venue.

There's a lot of good stuff happening in music today, and the internet has made it more accessible and more competitive.

I think we may be getting off topic, but I love talking about music, and this is a good discussion.

And mrhaskell, Jeff Buckley was a great musician and songwriter, you should check out his whole body of work. You'll probably be pleased you did.

[FOTD]

quote:Originally posted by tulsascoot

I'll say that there was a lot of good music in the 60s, however, I believe that some of the best songwriting has happened since 2000 (including jazz). The new digital era has pushed artists who want to get in the limelight to make good music. And if you can't get picked up for some meaningless hit single (the odds are stacked against most artist doing this), you have to prove yourself to the digital media buyer, and prove yourself in a live venue.

There's a lot of good stuff happening in music today, and the internet has made it more accessible and more competitive.

I think we may be getting off topic, but I love talking about music, and this is a good discussion.

And mrhaskell, Jeff Buckley was a great musician and songwriter, you should check out his whole body of work. You'll probably be pleased you did.

more competitive? art? scoot along.....