by Sickbitch
As the 21st century opens, a new and exciting means of transferring information is blossoming. It is now possible to make, distribute and publicise high quality music at very little cost. Many of the services provided by the music business are no longer needed. More and more musicians have discovered a way to get there music heard without relying on anyone but themselves.
The future is bright for music – listeners can find and hear new music by more new artists than ever before (most of whom give you mp3s for free) and are far more likely to find something that they actually like. Artists can only benefit from their audience being better informed.
Only the fit will survive – if people really like you at least some will want to buy their own copy of your music and artwork, and many will want to see you perform live (which they will still pay you for). If you are exceptionally good you will still be able to become rich if you are fortunate and determined. Remember – even if you are Jimi Hendrix, music doesn’t owe you a living, it was around before the “music industry” and is not dependent on your finances. Those who were more interested in money than music will not like this happening. Let them go – who suffers if we only hear music from those who love to make it, who would make it FOR IT’S OWN SAKE rather than for some other reason?
For too long the expansion and imagination of musicians the world over has been stifled by outside influences with financial rather than artistic motives.
The “music industry” or “business” offers marketing machinery at an extremely high price, and with little regard for artistic integrity. They now face the prospect of either redefining their role or becoming rapidly obsolete. Each internet user starts off on a pretty even footing – anyone can make a website if they really want to. To succeed relies solely on what YOU do.
A number of high-profile artists have spoken out against file-sharing, citing copyright laws and suffering artists, despite the apparent lack of decline in record sales. A number of easily-bypassed filters have been added to popular file sharing applications. The music business is attempting to copy-protect it’s “products”.
These are futile and desperate efforts from a spent force, in the face of a technology that it will never understand.
The message is clear: evolve or die!
The days of pop stars and celebrities may be under threat, but the soul of music can never be suppressed.
Music will always be available for free via the internet, one way or another. Artists can still sell professional copies of their material to those who want it (which if you are good will be a much higher and more diverse number because of the internet).
So what was all the fuss about again?
Disagree? Voice your opinion below
Check out these sites first:
Epitonic
Peoplesound
Live365
MP3.com
Related
- Moby on RIAA: “Suing Music Fans Not a Sustainable Business Model”
- Music TV battles to survive in Internet age
- Has the music business escaped the denial phase?
- Business Week: Finally, a Fair Fight with Big Music
- BT Enters Software Business to Protect Film, Music
