Tag Archive for 'Media'

RIAA Chief Wants to Put Filters On Every PC and Network

Published on February 18, 2008 in Blog. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Spotted On: ArsTechnica

The RIAA’s head, Cary Sherman, wants to put encryption on our computer that will force us to decrypt music before listening to it. In other words, the filter will scan all your incoming data and then either allow or deny your ability to listen to it. since this idea likely won’t be popular (who’s going to willingly put a filter on their computer that blocks the files they are downloading?), the next suggestion is to put the filters in our modems.

Despite the predictable public backlash against these tactics (in an environment where the RIAA already has public approval that rivals the US Congress), some ISPs are moving ahead with these filters. The technical specifics are a bit thick, suffice it to say that various file encryptions can bypass these filters unless entire protocols are blocked.

Here’s a video of Mr. Sherman lauding the glories of filtering:

Bottom Line: Being out of touch with your consumers’ needs does not improve your financial picture, or your credibility.

Record Label Uploads Whole Catalog to Pirate Bay

Published on February 15, 2008 in Blog. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Spotted on: Torrent Freak

Here’s something novel:

Dependent Records recently uploaded their entire catalog on Pirate Bay (Dependent specializes in aggrotech, electro-industrial and futurepop). Well, sort of. Apparently a group pretending to be Dependent posted the albums on the p2p site.

The quote from label head Stefan Herwig – well, an impersonator – is “I closed down my record label Dependent Records for good. But since I want my music to be heard by the people out there, everything I have ever published is now available on The Pirate Bay.”

While artists are turning to file sharing networks for promotion, it;s unusual to see a label do this (although there are some net labels giving away music, such as Kikapu and Lacedmilk).

Herwig (or his imposter) feels that p2p technologies are killing labels, not boosting sales. However, this article claims file sharing is a boon for new music. Perhaps availability adds to desirability.

Do you think file sharing is boosting or dropping album sales?

Kids Today, “Greatest Generation Gap Since Rock N’ Roll”

Published on February 1, 2008 in Blog. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .

Reprinted with Permission: Digital Music News – Paul Resnikoff

By the late 90s, investors, entrepreneurs, and even music industry executives sensed a profound shift ahead. The early days of the internet witnessed a massive stock bubble, and the creation of instant millionaires, billionaires, and outrageous valuations.

Of course, that bubble popped, though society, communications, entertainment, and relationships have all experienced incredible shifts over the past ten years. And those born into a world saturated with the internet, mobile phones, and iPods represent an entirely different demographic. Plenty of older people are tech-savvy and facile on the internet, but teenagers are digital natives, and the vanguard of a completely different consumer class.

That was the focus of a recent Frontline special called “Growing Up Online,” which aired on PBS last week. “It’s been said that the internet represents the greatest generation gap since the advent of rock n’ roll,” the program asserts, hardly an overstatement for anyone connected to teenagers today.

“Growing Up” focused heavily on social networking, IM, mobile devices, and online video, all cornerstones of a “virtual society … largely hidden from parents and teachers”. Well-known names like MySpace and Facebook dominated the discussion, while older players like Yahoo, AOL, and MSN received scant attention.

According to Frontline, approximately 90 percent of teenagers in the United States are online, a figure that continues to grow. “This is the first generation to come of age immersed in a virtual world, outside the reach of their parents,” the program asserted.

For the music industry, that “society” is roiling once-solid physical and album-based models. Frontline did not focus on music-related topics, though the implications of an always-on, ultra-savvy class of internet consumers are already being felt. “It’s hard not to wonder whether a generation that uses the internet to ‘learn’ about the world for ‘free’ … will be willing to pay for content online (whether that be music, television, movies, etc…),” blogged Richard Greenfield of Pali Research.

Kicking and screaming, traditional media conglomerates have been forced to adapt to that reality, with mixed success. Of course, teenagers are only one part of a massive digital disruption, though “Growing Up Online” offers a lucid look into a quickly-changing consumer class.

Review by Paul Resnikoff.

“Growing Up Online” is available online here.

Welcome to the Age of the Free Album

Published on December 28, 2007 in Blog. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Spotted on: Techdirt

A new idea has surfaced in the music business this year: giving away tons of free CDs. First Prince did it through UK newspapers, causing quite a stir in the industry. Now Big Head Todd and the Monsters are giving away 500,000 copies of their new album to radio stations and fans, splitting the cost with radio to get the copies out there. The albums will be available as giveaways from radio stations, and on the band’s site. The album is available as a free download for fans, and according to the BHTM site, the physical album is “Available SOON from our merchandise store for just $5 or FREE with any merchandise purchase of $15 or more.”

At first glance this appears to be another groundbreaking model for the industry. BHTM used to be on a major label, and has the industry recognition and viability as a touring outfit (they are preparing for a 60 city US tour as we speak) that comes with major label artist development and promotion.

Looking closer, even at dirt cheap prices (including postage), the investment here would be a minimum of $200,000. Apparently, fans are jumping at the bit to get the free album, a testament to the credibility of BHTM. But what does this action say for the rest of us in the industry? Although not as widely recognized as Prince or Radiohead (and few artists are), BHTM has the credibility and resources to launch this kind of campaign. For the rest of us who have not had major label development, access to create a quarter million in investment, tons of willing radio contacts, and the ability to book a viable 60 date US tour, this tactic may not be fruitful in the short term.

Based on the flopping CD sales over the holiday season, CDs are set to lose major amounts of retail shelf space next year, except in major retail outlets like Wal-Mart and Target. Consider that without retail shelf space, physical distributors will rapidly become obsolete. These days, selling 100,000 copies of a CD gets you high up on the charts. Give the sorry state of CD sales, it appears that musicians will need to have some kind of sure money maker (like touring) to buffer this kind of massive promo giveaway, unless one is willing to invest tens of thousands of dollars and ‘see what happens’.

So what about the horde of mid level musicians that don’t have the clout to give away half a million (or even ten thousand) CDs? It’s a brilliant marketing ploy, but without the ability to book a viable tour with sweet guarantees and juicy crowds or the guarantee of radio play it becomes a major loss leader in an industry that is rapidly losing revenue streams.

Giving away albums to generate buzz has become the modern equivalent of the single. Let the fans hear the music, and give them the opportunity to support the band live, or by buying merch or CDs. This tactic will drastically undercut the Big Four’s ability to set prices and control music distribution over 2008.

Bottom Line: It is beginning to appear that the only way to transform the music business is to devalue music and start again with a whole new model, where art is free and the money comes from something else.

A World Without the RIAA

Published on December 5, 2007 in Blog. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , , , , , .

Spotted on: CMJ

The RIAA is funded by the big four record labels, to the tune of around $130 million per year for each label. EMI was recently bought by a private group, and are now considering drastically cutting their investment to the lobbying and enforcement arm of the music industry.

Given that the RIAA’s legal moves over the last few years have been disastrous at best, it’s a great sign for artists that the RIAA’s financial base may diminish significantly. The amount of money that the RIAA has spent suing mothers and college students as been astronomical, and has led to a severe loss of credibility toward the record business in the public eye. Let’s take a moment to look at what a world without the RIAA might look like.

Without constant legal pressure to buy, audiences would begin to feel confident that albums they buy are supporting artists’ careers (this is part of consumer confidence). File sharing would continue, but people would be more willing to buy music they love knowing that they aren’t labeled as criminals anymore. The business model of turning artists into products, overcharging for albums, and using hype instead of quality would fail.

The music industry would become a free market, where any artist with great music and dedication could create a viable career. Rather than a few mega platinum artists, we would begin to see a massive amount of artists selling between 50,000 – 200,000 units on releases. This level of sales can cause an artist to be dropped from a major, but on an indie label, this is a great living for an artist, and a massive success for the label. Royalty rates for artists would also become much higher. Some artists already see similar profits selling 200,000 units with an indie label that they would see selling a million on a major.

New contracts would become the industry standard, similar to Polyvibe’s practice of leasing artist’s copyrights rather than owning them. Artists would have freedom to call the shots in their careers. The industry would shift to artists owning their masters, with labels existing to empower artists rather than to exploit them. Album advances would shrink; the amount of money owed to labels would shrink, too. In the major label world, an artist owes almost every penny the label spends on them. Label investment in artists would become the cost of doing business, rather than a loan.

The practice of shelving albums would become non-existent, as artists would have the ability to have promises for release dates in their contracts. Polyvibe currently includes release dates in our contracts, with a provision that if deadlines are not met, we will set a new release date. We even promise in our contracts that if we do not release an album within a set span of time after receiving masters, the artists is free to go elsewhere with their album. This type of provision would be standard fare, as well as other artist protection clauses.

Marketing, promotion, and booking companies would become the major players in breaking artists. The media will flock to what people want instead of what the Big Four tell them to promote. New and far reaching models and methods of grass roots promotion will become the norm. Music quality will again become the primary factor in an artist’s success; promotion and hype will be a second tier service. Radio will begin to offer a wider variety.

Without the ability to force legislation in their favor, major labels would become the victim of a music economy they no longer control. Consider that what allows major labels to force low quality music down our throats at high prices is their ability to grab politicians ears, to threaten us with lawsuits, and their near domination of media exposure and radio. We are now at the tail end of a 60 year monopoly on the music business. Rats swarm off of sinking ships, a perfect analogy for the exodus of mega-artists from major labels (getting off the ship, not the rats). In this new music environment, there will be dozens (maybe hundreds) of popular labels, and everyone will have the opportunity to create success.

Bottom Line: Without the RIAA, the major label business model will be obsolete, and a new paradigm and renaissance for music will appear within five years.