How Has Record Label Consolidation Affected The Industry? |
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Nov 21 2011, 08:21 PM
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Here's an interesting article I found on the Net, it concerns music industry:
How has record label consolidation affected the industry? In 2002, five major labels controlled 75 percent of the world market for recorded music. In late 2003, Sony and the Bertelsmann Music Group (BMG) announced plans to merge their operations into a joint venture, leaving only four major record labels to sell and distribute the vast majority of music. The merger is pending regulatory approval in the United States and Europe. As labels consolidate they look for savings by merging operations and cutting staff. Divisions are brought under the control of one executive and the number of staff is cut to create a more efficient work force. Even divisions with major stars are not immune from this corporate belt tightening. In preparation for its merger with Sony, BMG announced in that it was laying off 110 of 170 employees from the conglomerate's Arista label, despite the fact that the Arista team had had major hits and Grammy nominations for artists like OutKast, Avril Lavigne, Sara McLachlan, Pink, and TLC. When Arista's President L.A. Reid was let go earlier in the year, it was reported that the label was struggling to turn a profit. For industry insiders, the move reinforced the message that in the record industry, success is measured by the bottom line. Even for companies that aren't merging, the decline in the market has meant cutting staff and artists in order to stay afloat. When Warner Music Group was sold to a private consortium lead by Edgar Bronfman Jr. in early 2004, it announced that the new owners were trimming 1,000 positions in the company in order to cut costs. As recently as March of this year, EMI announced that it would cut 1,500 jobs and one-fifth of its recording artists. Any comments guys? -------------------- - Ivan's Video Chat Lesson Notes HERE
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Nov 21 2011, 10:09 PM
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Times are definitely changing, we have to adjust and so do them!
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Nov 22 2011, 11:00 AM
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From a different perspective, and for once I'll try and be brief (well brief for me):
For studios - Majors have changed how they pay, on what terms and what work you are likely to get. We get paid considerably less, are sent more and more 'remasters' to do or projects that require considerable intervention. Audio fidelity standards have fallen. Not because of the change to the structure of the large labels but due to the rise of the 'generalist studio'. Those are the studios who offer to do the complete recording/tracking/mixing/mastering for a single fee. Standard has dropped becuase very few of these generalists actually have the technical and specialist experience and equipment to do these different roles properly. When they do they lack the objectivity that different people bring to these different parts of the process. Distribution has certainly changed - Digital releases are much easier to put out and this has lead to a huge increase in the volume of what is available. Arguably digital distribution is contracting in to a small number of very big (re)distributors like cdbaby and itunes plus a lot of tiny one off indies. Now, as Todd says, the issue is how you get people to hear and buy your music. Traditional broadcast channels (radio, MTV etc) still rely on the majors for most of their programming. Many of these broadcast channels will not accept digital only releases for broadcast. With digital only you struggle to get your performance and recording rights for broadcast as the digital nearly always omits important information. Physical distribution (CDs in shops) is actually more difficult as some of the indie distributors no longer exist. What is released has changed - As I said we are sent more and more 'remaster' work. Big labels have focused more and more on re-releasing old material and cut their A&R development significantly. Gone are the days when a big label would let you develop as a band over several LPs - now each and every release needs to be commercially successful or your contract will be revised/cancelled. -------------------- Get your music professionally mastered by anl AES registered Mastering Engineer. Contact me for Audio Mastering Services and Advice and visit our website www.miromastering.com
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Nov 22 2011, 11:42 AM
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QUOTE (Ben Higgins @ Nov 22 2011, 09:28 AM)  Yes. 'Be like water, my friend' - Bruce Lee I was going to say that - but since i knew it from you  it was only fair to let you post it 
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