Music and the "crisis of proliferation"

[Backbiter]

Sounds a bit pretentious but very interesting stuff here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-34268474

When there's too much of something, the price plummets. We are seeing it with oil at the moment, and this French guy predicted it would happen to music. Back in the 70s he predicted there would be so much music out there it would lose its value. Back then, when I had about 30p pocket money a week, it was quite normal to pay 50p for a single and £3 plus for an album. I bought dozens of both, and all my spare cash went on records.

In today's terms, that would be like paying a fiver for a single and £30 for an album, when these days you can pick up both for nothing. OK, you might pay £5-7 for a CD, but CD sales are a fraction of what they used to be, while an artist's cut is a fraction of that, so you see why the music business is in a real crisis.

We are lucky that so many people still make records, as they really aren't that profitable, and most must lose money.

 

[Gem]

Which is why so many of them tour/go back to touring, there is no money in making music/selling it and it's been that way for a while. The vast majority of an artists' income comes from live shows and considering I usually go to about 10 concerts a year I'm selfishly happy about that, means I get to see my favourite acts more.

 

[Beerqueen]

I wrote in my diary around 1980 that I couldn't afford an album as it was £10.99 whereas the best seat in the house at Stamford Bridge was £3.20!  

 

[ForeverCarefree]

Spotify is the death of the music industry as we know it.

That said the amount of profit artists made from physical sales from places like HMV was minute anyway.

If I really like an artist I still buy the CDs because I think paying for digital music is sh*t.

 

[undertow]

The music industry is the death of the music industry as we know it. It's all about marketing while mass producing warm sh*t to fill your ears. I cannot die fast enough.

There'll always be demand for good music and creative musicians.

 

[Beerqueen]

Spotify is the death of the music industry as we know it.

That said the amount of profit artists made from physical sales from places like HMV was minute anyway.

If I really like an artist I still buy the CDs because I think paying for digital music is sh*t.

I agree,  I like to have the physical CD of an album I like even though I rarely play it as a CD.

 

[Stim]

Artists make very little money from album sales, physical or digital. Labels and the like hoover most of that up and they are left to survive off concerts and merchandise sales (which I'd hope the label don't take such a huge cut of).

 

[Backbiter]

Which is why so many of them tour/go back to touring, there is no money in making music/selling it and it's been that way for a while. The vast majority of an artists' income comes from live shows and considering I usually go to about 10 concerts a year I'm selfishly happy about that, means I get to see my favourite acts more.

This is true and is great for regular concert goers who live not too far from decent venues. The temptation must be great, though, for artists with a big back catalogue to just give up the hassle of writing, recording and releasing new stuff and just go on cheap acoustic tours with no back-up band and pocket a couple of grand each gig. Likewise some labels must have massively cut back on recruiting new artists as any record sales won't - or are unlikely to- recoup the initial investment

 

[ForeverCarefree]

This is true and is great for regular concert goers who live not too far from decent venues. The temptation must be great, though, for artists with a big back catalogue to just give up the hassle of writing, recording and releasing new stuff and just go on cheap acoustic tours with no back-up band and pocket a couple of grand each gig. Likewise some labels must have massively cut back on recruiting new artists as any record sales won't - or are unlikely to- recoup the initial investment

I think for prolific song writers the urge/need to continue writing new music comes before the money. 

I think quite a lot of artists are just happy to be able to make a living from making music rather than worrying about cheating the system (if that makes sense). 

Social media/YouTube/SoundCloud has become a great way for bands and artists to get their name out there without needing a record deal.... If anything it's easier now to be a DIY artist than it has ever been. 

 

[Gem]

This is true and is great for regular concert goers who live not too far from decent venues. The temptation must be great, though, for artists with a big back catalogue to just give up the hassle of writing, recording and releasing new stuff and just go on cheap acoustic tours with no back-up band and pocket a couple of grand each gig. Likewise some labels must have massively cut back on recruiting new artists as any record sales won't - or are unlikely to- recoup the initial investment

Hop on the bus to The O2 Arena in Greenwich and a fairly easy train journey to Wembley, fantastic for me.

 

[JM7]

I remember the days of paying £15/16 at HMV for an album on the 90's. What an absolute rip off. The rich idiots who launched their own streaming service (can't remember what it's called) are just annoying that they are not ripping us off as much. If they had their way, we'd still be paying £15 per cd.

Spotify and YouTube is brilliant. It's cheap and cost effective. Musicians will make money, it's just might actually have to out some effort into it rather than just relying on ripping the public off.