"music Is Dying"? Options

[Todd Simpson]

APPLE recently bought BEATS audio to leverage the streaming BEATS player as they transition away from file based music (along with everyone else) and towards streaming music. When asked why they bought beats, apple execs said it was because.....

"Music is dying," said Cue. "It hasn't been growing. You see it in the number of artists. This past year in iTunes, it's the smallest number of new releases we've had in years."

There has been an undeniable contraction in the "Music Biz" since the web took over distribution and physical media started to go extinct. There is simply less money to go around and fewer people willing to pay for music. More and more, music is seen as a commodity, like free wifi.

I have read various viewpoints on this from "demand money for your music!" to "never demand money for your music!" and it seems like there is no one "right" answer. But I can say that it's important to be able to "read the tea leaves" as it were to see where things are going. Which is to say, file based music is going away and stream based music is replacing it. So getting your music on the streaming services is important despite the fact that you don't make any money from them. It's just part of gaining the all important "audience" You should still offer music for sale of course And (like Ola Englund does) offer "SPECIAL EDITIONS" with your presets/midi/raw tracks and anything else that can add value.

Here is a link to the article in question What do you think?

http://readwrite.com/2014/05/28/apple-beat...~oFNeAqGZEsANV7

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[Mertay]

As do numbers show I also agree. Think I said it before but again, I advise to compose music artistically not for entertainment.

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[Mith]

I think a big part of it is the music industry got too big. artists making mulit millions of one song. I think its more aligning itself more with other artistic jobs or for that fact even other jobs in general.

The other way of looking it is even tho bigger bands arn't making as much. Smaller lesser known bands are also getting more recognition. One could see it as leveling out the field a little and maybe even removing the big business side out of music.

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[Gabriel Leopardi]

Music is not dying, the world is changing, and the changes are getting faster and faster so we must be ready for that. I can see how Spotify and services like it are getting bigger very fast and it's easy to see how streaming music is definitely killing file based music.

I think that Todd is right about the importance of audience for musicians. This is something that has been happening in the last 10 or more years. Since the album's sales started to decrease.

In my own experience, with my band Cirse. We make money playing live and selling merchandising. If we don't play live, we don't have incomes.

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[Todd Simpson]

Well said I used that phrase to mostly shock folks a bit as it shocked me a bit when I read it in the article. It's a direct qoute from the bit I linked to.

Music itself is not dying and will never die. It's been with us since forever ago and will remain forever to come IMHO

But yeah, it's the world that's changing. In particular, any industry that can have it's products distrubuted via the web, will have them on the web and there will be a bootleg segment of whatever product. Music included.

Movies are the next big industry to face the oncoming "Napsterizing" of things as it were. As broadband penetration increases, people are starting to stream/download movies. Many of them are doing it "on the sly" with pirate apps like POPCORN TIME that lets you stream first run movies for free by taking care of all the data wrangling in the background.

Personally, I think it's a net positive that the web/net has revolutionized music. More folks have heard my music and heard of me in particular than ever would have known about me without the web. I'd be teaching lessons to a handful of students at a local music store and shipping out tapes via snail mail if it wasnt for the web

Todd

Music is not dying, the world is changing, and the changes are getting faster and faster so we must be ready for that. I can see how Spotify and services like it are getting bigger very fast and it's easy to see how streaming music is definitely killing file based music.

I think that Todd is right about the importance of audience for musicians. This is something that has been happening in the last 10 or more years. Since the album's sales started to decrease.

In my own experience, with my band Cirse. We make money playing live and selling merchandising. If we don't play live, we don't have incomes.

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[Becca]

Adapt or die. That's the choice we face as musos. It used to be album sales generating money. A tour would push the album yet the live show almost always lost money. Now it is the income from live shows that fund bands. We as artists have to be creative. Todd is a great example of how the Net Gen of artists need to be. An active web presence showcasing lots of your stuff is essential. Merchandising is also extremely important. We need to look long and hard at ways to persuade say, 5000 people a year to hand over a tenner or so to keep you funded for creating music. Of course there will still be mass market bands raking in the cash but we need that freedom from companies to allow truly self expressive music to be made.

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[Todd Simpson]

Thanks!! And very well said!!!!! You nailed it and put in all in a nutshell. You really do need to convince about 5,000 people a year to give you a ten spot for your music/merch/lessons/etc.

That way, you can actually live while trying to work out the next step. Otherwise, just making a living will suck the life/energy/creativity right out of you in many cases

I never thought of myself as the poster child for the "next generation" but I'll take it!!:) Seriously, I wish I could take credit for my approach but I've borrowed so much from others (Ola Englund, Keith Merrow, My buddy Matt Rowles that runs IndieAtl.com, etc. ) that I must give props the folks who blazed the trail that I am trying to follow


Todd

Adapt or die. That's the choice we face as musos. It used to be album sales generating money. A tour would push the album yet the live show almost always lost money. Now it is the income from live shows that fund bands. We as artists have to be creative. Todd is a great example of how the Net Gen of artists need to be. An active web presence showcasing lots of your stuff is essential. Merchandising is also extremely important. We need to look long and hard at ways to persuade say, 5000 people a year to hand over a tenner or so to keep you funded for creating music. Of course there will still be mass market bands raking in the cash but we need that freedom from companies to allow truly self expressive music to be made.

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[Saoirse O'Shea]

Apple have a particular view point and arguably quite a vested interest so are hardly a neutral party.

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[Cosmin Lupu]

Adapt or die. That's the choice we face as musos. It used to be album sales generating money. A tour would push the album yet the live show almost always lost money. Now it is the income from live shows that fund bands. We as artists have to be creative. Todd is a great example of how the Net Gen of artists need to be. An active web presence showcasing lots of your stuff is essential. Merchandising is also extremely important. We need to look long and hard at ways to persuade say, 5000 people a year to hand over a tenner or so to keep you funded for creating music. Of course there will still be mass market bands raking in the cash but we need that freedom from companies to allow truly self expressive music to be made.

Best thing I read today

EVERYONE I know in my country at least, is complaining endlessly about how things suck - GET OVER it and see what you can do about it. The world is changing and if you don't move with it, you will become a frustrated individual that loses all touch on things.

Make music and see what you can do to get it out there, promote it and get the attention of people. Read about fellow musicians that have managed to make a living out of music - how did they do it? What did they try to do AROUND the music they create? Lessons, crowd funding, sponsors? There are solutions and ideas, as long as you look out for them!

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[bleez]

I still prefer to have the music I like actually in my possession. preferably a CD but at the least a file. There must still be tons of people the same who like to 'collect' music rather than stream it all.
I cant see me changing that anytime soon. I dont care if the world changes..... screw the world

Apple have a particular view point and arguably quite a vested interest so are hardly a neutral party.

+1

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[Becca]

I still prefer to have the music I like actually in my possession. preferably a CD but at the least a file. There must still be tons of people the same who like to 'collect' music rather than stream it all.
I cant see me changing that anytime soon. I dont care if the world changes..... screw the world


+1

Ha ha. Yes, I agree with you Bleez. I am one of the collectors of music too. I still miss vinyl and the wonderful cover art that it came in. I have noticed that my kids and their friends listen to music in a totally different way to how I would. When they listen to stuff it almost never even gets to the end of the song before they click on the next one. It used to drive me nuts!
Thankfully they are older now and more selective in their music. My youngest has just come back from Uni for the summer and has brought back a (gasp) record player!
There may be hope yet.

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[klasaine]

I still prefer to have the music I like actually in my possession. preferably a CD but at the least a file. There must still be tons of people the same who like to 'collect' music rather than stream it all.
I cant see me changing that anytime soon. I dont care if the world changes..... screw the world

Me too. CDs and vinyl and if it has to be a file then some type of loss-less audio.

Streaming is great for reference, research and when I'm not at home (or not in my car).
MP3s are great for taking a huge collection with you.

*Musos have never been in the majority in regard to 'how' we listen.

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[Todd Simpson]

I agree I would say they are anything but a "Neutral Party" They are trying to position reposition themselves to a dominant position in the streaming world, just as they had a dominant position in the music download world. It's a big transition to make, and their future largely depends on it. Their hardware is just a playback mechanism for their download/stream services for a vast swathe of users.

Apple have a particular view point and arguably quite a vested interest so are hardly a neutral party.

I"m actually in the other camp on this one. Though most of my peers do seem to prefer physical media. Personally I let go of all that years ago and was doing streaming via my iphone/laptop etc. (in to nice studio monitors, not earbuds of course) for years. For casual listening, I actually prefer a curated stream. It's been a great way to discover new music as well that I might not have otherwise heard.

I've heard my collection, so I get bored easily and like to find new stuff constantly But I still like it when older stuff comes on in a stream playlist But as always, to each his own!

Me too. CDs and vinyl and if it has to be a file then some type of loss-less audio.

Streaming is great for reference, research and when I'm not at home (or not in my car).
MP3s are great for taking a huge collection with you.

*Musos have never been in the majority in regard to 'how' we listen.

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[Cosmin Lupu]

I also think that a CD, along with the other little trinkets in a box you get from your favorite artist are a very special thing The artwork booklet and all that - you just can't get that on a digital format. It's like telling me that it's nicer to read a book on the computer rather than holding it in your hand - it is less practical but it is DEFINITELY not the same feeling.

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[Todd Simpson]

VERY TRUE!! Also, once one develops a fan base, a certain part of that base will want the "Special Edition" version of a given release. OLA ENGLUND again comes to mind I've bought two of his "Special Edition" cds since they come with his drum midi and other files. He's an "indie" artist, not on a real label and charges $65!!!! for a special edition cd!! And I paid it!

Those are great profit centers for artists with even a smallish following. Also, limited edition shirts, swaq, etc. For hard core fans, nothing is better

I also think that a CD, along with the other little trinkets in a box you get from your favorite artist are a very special thing The artwork booklet and all that - you just can't get that on a digital format. It's like telling me that it's nicer to read a book on the computer rather than holding it in your hand - it is less practical but it is DEFINITELY not the same feeling.

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[Gabriel Leopardi]

VERY TRUE!! Also, once one develops a fan base, a certain part of that base will want the "Special Edition" version of a given release. OLA ENGLUND again comes to mind I've bought two of his "Special Edition" cds since they come with his drum midi and other files. He's an "indie" artist, not on a real label and charges $65!!!! for a special edition cd!! And I paid it!

Those are great profit centers for artists with even a smallish following. Also, limited edition shirts, swaq, etc. For hard core fans, nothing is better

Exactly! Special editions are now like another item in the merchandising store. Those fans who buy t-shirts and other items also want to have original albums. The business became smaller but it's still there, it's just a matter of how creative you are.

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[Cosmin Lupu]

The business became smaller but it's still there, it's just a matter of how creative you are.

I couldn't have said it better myself

As I have stated before - artists are usually LAZY people who think that they deserve everything laid down on a silver platter in front of them, just because they are good with an instrument. WAKE UP call! 2014 just came without the silver platter. Work to get your own silver platter!

Gabi - would you please share some Cirse tricks you have pulled so far, to get through in difficult situations - I am sure everyone can benefit and in the history of the band, I am sure you had to deal with tough things!

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This post has been edited by Cosmin Lupu: Jun 3 2014, 07:40 AM

[klasaine]

It's never been easy and there was never a silver platter. That's why so few are actually successful.

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[PosterBoy]

I think music is undervalued nowadays, it's everywhere, you can't get away from it, from parking garages to supermarkets, it's saturated every possible place in our everyday lifes.

I'm not surprised I find that I very rarely play any of my music collection at home, I'd rather sit in silence, that's more scarce.

I remember looking forward to sitting listening to the Top 40 countdown on a Sunday evening on the radio, because that would be the only time I could guarantee hearing my favourite song in the charts without buying it, (until I recorded it to cassette, killing the music industry)

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[AdamB]

I think music needs to evolve into something more than just a track you listen to or a show you go to. Art has to explore new ideas, and I believe the only way to do this when you get to an art as mature as music is through a new medium, such as interactive experiences.

I think video games are the way forward, but I don't feel anyone has yet made a truly interesting video game that achieves what I think is capable by combining interactivity, narrative and audio, I think it's still to come.

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