Vauxhall95
I Know It's Over...
An interesting article on the leveling of the playing field between the old label system and the new music paradigm. As it relates to Morrissey, he seems to be a staunch proponent of the old system. During the seven year drought, he certainly could have released music directly to his fan base via the internet, but he chose instead to wait for a recording contract. Also, I've read in interviews where he complains that everyone seems to be making music (on this point I agree).
I think the article over simplifies the issue, as I've never heard of the bands they claim to be part of this new music revolution. I think being signed by a label gives you much wider distribution and access to a larger fanbase. Still and all, I do wish the man would embrace the internet and his fan base directly. Why make us purchase another "Best Of" when all we want are the two new studio tracks?
The Musical Middle Class Theory To Rebuttal
Posted: November 2, 2007
WORLD WIDE WEB (Hypebot) – THE NEW PARADIGM PART I - The digital music revolution has fractured media consumption into niches, shifted creation and distribution from the few to the many and nearly leveled the playing field between the powerful labels and the committed individual.
Welcome to the new musical middle class.
Musicians no longer need a big check from a label to record or a big promotional push to launch a career. With free software and a computer great music is being created in basements everywhere. On social networking sites and virally between friends and across the blogosphere unknown music is finding an audience.
Slowly but visibly many of these artists are inventing their careers. Not a career fueled by Krystal and delivered in limos, but rather one earned by practicing their craft, listening to their fans and delivering the results live.
The fans may only number from 20-100,000. But without greedy hands in the middle, the profits are enough. And mercifully, the results of this labor are not as ephemeral as in the past. If the artist's effort continues; fans stay loyal.
There will always be mega-stars and one hit wonders. But how hopeful it is for musicians, fans and for music, that there is finally a place for middle class of musicians proud of their craft and connected to their audience. And what wonderful opportunities await for the middle class of labels and other companies created to serve them.
Hypebot's New Paradigm series continues later this week with: Part II - A Global Perspective and Part III - The New Models.
Part 2
On Monday in the first part in a series called The New Paradigm, I wrote about what I see as "The Rise Of The New Musical Middle Class" some learned Hypebot readers questioned my premise and a healthy debate followed. Join the debate and tell us what you think.
Glenn @ Coolfer - "...I'd be more prone to call it a growing lower-middle class. There is an absolute glut of music online...As the audience becomes more fractured, each player's piece of the pie shrinks... As for increased loyalty, that will depend on the band's use of customer relationship tools. I believe success can be as fleeting as ever - look no further than the manner in which bloggers chew up and spit out bands at record rates..."
Bruce Houghton @ Hypebot - "In my own agency Skyline Music I see it in the organic growth of bands like Hot Buttered Rum and Toubab Krewe - neither of whom have never had real record deals and who now sell out enough 500-100 seat venues to make a decent living touring and selling music and merch direct to fans.
I also see it in former "label bands" like Over The Rhine. They are a fabulous band with loyal fans - but musically they don't fit anywhere neat in terms of radio or other media.
But by continuing to make quality music and using all the Music 2.0 tools, they can hold on to and grow their fans base and make a living doing it..."
Mike @ Radio Nowhere - "The Rise of the Musical Middle Class has been imminent for a few years now, but it's starting to seem like it's going to be permanently just around the corner.
When people talk about bands that are opting out of the old major label way of doing business and using this new-fangled internet to chart their own course, these bands almost always seem to be acts that I've already heard of...because they got some traction in the old system before they opted out of it. Your mention of Over The Rhine is a good example.
Don't get me wrong - I'd love it if 2008 were the year that the new paradigm finally arrived (in fact, I'm staking my own musical career on it), but just because the technology for Music 2.0 is here doesn't necessarily mean that the economics of the situation have changed. The theory makes sense, but in practice, the money and attention that talented musicians need to break out of obscurity still seems to be in short supply.
I think the article over simplifies the issue, as I've never heard of the bands they claim to be part of this new music revolution. I think being signed by a label gives you much wider distribution and access to a larger fanbase. Still and all, I do wish the man would embrace the internet and his fan base directly. Why make us purchase another "Best Of" when all we want are the two new studio tracks?
The Musical Middle Class Theory To Rebuttal
Posted: November 2, 2007
WORLD WIDE WEB (Hypebot) – THE NEW PARADIGM PART I - The digital music revolution has fractured media consumption into niches, shifted creation and distribution from the few to the many and nearly leveled the playing field between the powerful labels and the committed individual.
Welcome to the new musical middle class.
Musicians no longer need a big check from a label to record or a big promotional push to launch a career. With free software and a computer great music is being created in basements everywhere. On social networking sites and virally between friends and across the blogosphere unknown music is finding an audience.
Slowly but visibly many of these artists are inventing their careers. Not a career fueled by Krystal and delivered in limos, but rather one earned by practicing their craft, listening to their fans and delivering the results live.
The fans may only number from 20-100,000. But without greedy hands in the middle, the profits are enough. And mercifully, the results of this labor are not as ephemeral as in the past. If the artist's effort continues; fans stay loyal.
There will always be mega-stars and one hit wonders. But how hopeful it is for musicians, fans and for music, that there is finally a place for middle class of musicians proud of their craft and connected to their audience. And what wonderful opportunities await for the middle class of labels and other companies created to serve them.
Hypebot's New Paradigm series continues later this week with: Part II - A Global Perspective and Part III - The New Models.
Part 2
On Monday in the first part in a series called The New Paradigm, I wrote about what I see as "The Rise Of The New Musical Middle Class" some learned Hypebot readers questioned my premise and a healthy debate followed. Join the debate and tell us what you think.
Glenn @ Coolfer - "...I'd be more prone to call it a growing lower-middle class. There is an absolute glut of music online...As the audience becomes more fractured, each player's piece of the pie shrinks... As for increased loyalty, that will depend on the band's use of customer relationship tools. I believe success can be as fleeting as ever - look no further than the manner in which bloggers chew up and spit out bands at record rates..."
Bruce Houghton @ Hypebot - "In my own agency Skyline Music I see it in the organic growth of bands like Hot Buttered Rum and Toubab Krewe - neither of whom have never had real record deals and who now sell out enough 500-100 seat venues to make a decent living touring and selling music and merch direct to fans.
I also see it in former "label bands" like Over The Rhine. They are a fabulous band with loyal fans - but musically they don't fit anywhere neat in terms of radio or other media.
But by continuing to make quality music and using all the Music 2.0 tools, they can hold on to and grow their fans base and make a living doing it..."
Mike @ Radio Nowhere - "The Rise of the Musical Middle Class has been imminent for a few years now, but it's starting to seem like it's going to be permanently just around the corner.
When people talk about bands that are opting out of the old major label way of doing business and using this new-fangled internet to chart their own course, these bands almost always seem to be acts that I've already heard of...because they got some traction in the old system before they opted out of it. Your mention of Over The Rhine is a good example.
Don't get me wrong - I'd love it if 2008 were the year that the new paradigm finally arrived (in fact, I'm staking my own musical career on it), but just because the technology for Music 2.0 is here doesn't necessarily mean that the economics of the situation have changed. The theory makes sense, but in practice, the money and attention that talented musicians need to break out of obscurity still seems to be in short supply.