– a Six Part Series
by Jeff Price
Part VI: The Hills are Alive…
Read Past Chapters
Part I: Music Purchases and Net Revenue For Artists Are Up, Gross Revenue for Labels is Down
Part II: The Impact of DMCA Streams and Why They Should Be Considered
Part III: How a Skewed Perspective Delegitimizes Artists
Part IV: The Growth Phase is Over? Improved Label Margins
Part V: When Good Laws Turn Bad
Now for the glass half full perspective. Music is special. It speaks to us all. We all want to hear a great song and share the ones we love with others. We are fans of music and we value it. We spend money and/or time hunting for and listening to music that moves us.
Despite all the challenges, mischaracterizations and confusion, the music industry is finally beginning to reach its full potential.
More people in the world are choosing to hear and engage with more music and more artists then ever before. More music is being used in the ever-expanding video outlets of TV, Webisodes, Films, YouTube, Video Games and other User Generated Content websites.
The industry has been democratized and technology has allowed all to be welcome. Editorial gatekeepers no longer solely control what music the world gets exposed to, we can choose to make that decision for ourselves. If we like something we have the ability to share it with millions at the click of a button.
There is no cost to manufacture inventory, it simply replicates on demand and is never out of stock. You no longer need to buy yourself onto shelf space, all are welcome. The cost to record has lowered and barriers to entry for distribution have been removed.
More artists are making money, getting known, monetizing their fame through opportunities that just five years ago were unthinkable.
Try as they might, the flood of creativity and the shift cannot be stopped. Due to technology and new business models, control of the music industry is moving from record labels, MTV, commercial radio and brick and mortar retail stores to artists, Google, Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Pandora, ISP providers and all of us. The consolidation of the music industry and the editorial control over what artists are allowed in and what we get to hear is gone. We can make our own decisions now. We have new choices to pursue our dreams of being an artist or discover and share music in ways never thought possible.
Campaigns should be embarked on educating artists about their rights. Laws should be changed to allow easier collection of royalties and the ability to be included in even more opportunities. There should be government grants in the U.S supporting the arts – just like every other first world nation around the world.
This is the story the media should talk about. This is what the music industry should embrace. The world of artists has finally expanded to us all.
Read the entire series
Part I: Music Purchases and Net Revenue For Artists Are Up, Gross Revenue for Labels is Down
Part II: The Impact of DMCA Streams and why they should be considered
Part III: How a skewed perspective delegitimizes artists
Part IV: The Growth Phase is Over? Improved Label Margins
Part V: When Good Laws Turn Bad