State of Mind of The Art

Spotted on: Ars Technica

Although still unconfirmed, rumor has it that EMI is seriously considering pulling their funding from the RIAA.  According to a recent Variety article, EMI has taken early steps to exit from the IFPI, the international version of the RIAA.  Part of the move is a demand by EMI that the RIAA and IFPA produce a proposal on restructuring by March 31.

Citing the massive cost of participation in these trade organizations, it seems EMI is very unhappy with the results being produced by the RIAA and IFPI.  The public relations nightmares these organizations have created has been a major contributor the devaluation of music.  If file sharing wasn’t labelled an almost terrorist act, it could have a huge impact on the perceived value of music.

More as this develops….

Spotted on: The Long Tail

Chris Anderson deserves a parade in his honor.

This brilliant post completely uncompresses the major label view of the music business with the actual music business.

“…it appears that every single part of the music industry except the sale of compact discs is up.

• Concerts and merchandise: UP (+4%)
• Digital tracks: UP (+46%)
• Ringtones: UP (+86% last year, but probably just single-digit percent this year)
• Licensing for commercials, TV shows, movies and videogames: UP (Warner Music saw licensing grow by about $20 million over the past year)
• Even vinyl singles (think DJs): UP (more than doubled in the UK)
• And, if you include the iPod in the music industry, as I’d argue a fair-minded analysis would: UP, UP, UP! (+31% this year)”

With statistical data to back up the claim, it’s clear that all the hoopla around the death of the music industry is a death cry form major labels. They could revamp their business models, and in fact they could have ten years ago when they knew this was coming. It’s as if these major companies have absolutely no relationship to reality.

The end of Chris’s article seems almost directed to this blog: “…for those who say that this avenue [giving away all music free] is only available to artists at the head of the curve…I’d point out that the other group poorly served by the labels are those at the bottom of the curve…”

As the major labels fail and become some new form of entertainment companies (most likely a clearinghouse for content or booking agencies), music will lose almost all of its value. Once we (the audience) are no longer pressured to buy, or told we are criminals for our actions, music will begin to regain its value.

While touring and swag are viable outlets for artists to generate revenue, the question becomes: where can smaller artists play, and is gigging still viable?

What is your take on the state of music sales, given this exciting and inspirational update on sales figures?

Music is not a commodity. It’s not something that people buy, or consume. It’s not a revenue stream, or a career choice. It’s an expression of the depths of peoples’ humanity. It’s an experience.

Our ears bring us some of the greatest pleasure. Life is a song that plays all the time: running water, the hum of an air conditioner or computer, traffic, the soft breaths of our loved ones while they sleep.

And music touches, moves, and inspires people. It defines cultural movements, joyous occasions, painful break ups - music evokes powerful memories and responses in us. A song can forever bring us back to specific moments in our lives, to sights and smells of times that have passed us by. Music transcends time, and walks with us through our lives.

We live in an era where the palette of music we can paint onto the canvasses of our lives is a rich spectrum. Any sound we are looking for can be found and heard. The experience of listening has no price, and the soundtracks of our lives are personal. We listen to music with a focus and generosity we give few other things, for music only lives in the moment.

Music has no past, and no future. It exists only now, in the same moment our lives are occurring. It moves with us through life, and as we breathe in and out, music pulses and lives in the same moments we do.

We can break down music to an academic concept or a product, and we can break down the people who listen to it as statistical information. In the end, we listen to music because it moves us. It touches our hearts. It adds a richness to our life experiences, and expands the intensity of our lives. We are not numbers on a sheet, and we are not sales figures. We are human beings, and the music we listen to is one of our most intimate and personal experiences. Even in a crowded room or concert, it speaks to us directly.

Music is a conversation. Spoken by one human being, and heard by another. The listener gets to say how the music moves them. And while we tend to describe it in terms of good or bad, ultimately only the listener can say if a piece of music moves them, and what the experience of it is. As long as it evokes a powerful response, any piece of music has fulfilled its intention. It is when the listener reacts with apathy that a piece has not touched them.

Sometimes I forget why I make music. I get caught up in trends and analysis and perspectives that I lose sight of why I got into this game in the first place. I lose sight of the fact that music has the power to inspire people, and that it is a force that shapes our lives. Music is a shared experience, and once it leaves the studio, it’s a gift to the world, something that no longer belongs to the artist.

This is what called me into making music in the first place, and to support other artists in sharing theirs with the world. When we are dust, our music lives on. Many artists left this world long ago, and their music continues to impact the lives of people today. There are albums that are 40 years old that are discovered by every new generation, and continue to impact people’s lives with the same power they did they day they were released.

I don’t make music for glory, or money, or fame. I don’t seek to release music for recognition, power, or credibility. I want every musician to know that their art has indelibly touched someone’s soul, and to give listeners opportunities to find the song that will forever bring them back to those magical moments of their lives.
We have all been touched by music. I invite you to reply to this post, and share why you listen to music, and the ways that it touches your life.

It’s been a while since we’ve posted here, and the draught has finally ended.  We figure the best way to get back on track is to bring something newsworthy, relevant, and cool.

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Watch how the salt takes on shapes based on the frequency. -Spotted on Google Video.
Warning: Contains super high pitches.