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Posted by: Todd Simpson May 31 2014, 01:14 AM

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-beats-eddy-cue-jimmy-iovine?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzEmail&utm_content=395530&utm_campaign=0#awesm=~oFNeAqGZEsANV7

Posted by: Mertay May 31 2014, 01:36 AM

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

Posted by: Mith May 31 2014, 04:59 AM

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.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi May 31 2014, 05:04 PM

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.

Posted by: Todd Simpson May 31 2014, 07:29 PM

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

Posted by: Becca May 31 2014, 08:01 PM

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.

Posted by: Todd Simpson May 31 2014, 10:16 PM

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

Posted by: tonymiro May 31 2014, 11:42 PM

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

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Jun 1 2014, 09:23 AM

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!

Posted by: bleez Jun 1 2014, 10:43 AM

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

Posted by: Becca Jun 1 2014, 12:31 PM

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.

Posted by: klasaine Jun 1 2014, 04:34 PM

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.

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 1 2014, 05:09 PM

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.

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!

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Jun 2 2014, 07:36 AM

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.

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 2 2014, 10:07 AM

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

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jun 3 2014, 03:24 AM

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.

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Jun 3 2014, 07:39 AM

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!

Posted by: klasaine Jun 3 2014, 08:09 AM

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

Posted by: PosterBoy Jun 3 2014, 08:43 AM

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)

Posted by: AdamB Jun 3 2014, 11:52 AM

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.

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 4 2014, 05:19 AM

Another fine point VIDEO GAMES and other licensing opportunities are yet another crucial part of your success. Just like with building an audience of fans, you may have to give away some tracks to get them included in games/movies/etc. until you develop a track record. At that point you can start charging fees and it can be very lucrative But like anything else, it's a long slog and the prize is at the end of the rainbow, not the start.

Todd

Posted by: PosterBoy Jun 4 2014, 08:24 AM

I instantly disagreed with AdamB and his point but it did get me thinking.

I think he is sadly right, for this generation. How many people put on an album and sit and actively listen to it, not having it on in the background whilst doing something else, but just sit and listen to the music as an activity?

We used to do this, but then we got too busy with other distractions like the internet etc

We just don't have that sort of attention span to do this anymore, we might be able to listen to one track without our minds wandering somewhere else.

So while I disagree and think that music is important and powerful enough to be a stand alone art form without having to incorporate something else for it to be a viable purchase, I don't think we are capable enough to appreciate it for what it is anymore as we continue devolving.

Posted by: AdamB Jun 4 2014, 03:28 PM

I take your point but I think that it's easy to say 'things were better when...'

I can see where you're coming from with the distractions, however I don't really agree. I think people don't realise how much control they have over themselves and their environment. There's nothing stopping people from listening to music as a sole activity - if you're not doing that, it's because you are choosing not to do it. People in general are choosing not to do it. And I think that's the important point - people are choosing.

There's nothing physically stopping you from sitting down at home, turning off the TV/computer/phone etc. and just putting on an album and listening to it. You are choosing not to do that. You can blame external influence, but you have free will. Do what you want to do!

What I think is more true, is that people now have activities to do instead that resonate with them more, and if music is to continue to be culturally relevant it has to keep up with that change. You can't just point at the past and say 'it was better back then when what we had was the beatles on the wireless', that time has gone and nostalgia is standing in the way of you enjoying the now.

Instead of musicians lamenting no-one listening to their album on Spotify because it's one of a trillion high quality albums that were all released on the same day, they should make a new audience for their music. My example is make an interactive music experience and release it on a platform like Steam. You'll have zero competition, a captive audience waiting to be exploited and a truck load of fresh ideas that can be explored with your music that cannot be explored through traditional music or film, and most important of all - you'll make something that no-one else is doing. That's what creativity is about.

Posted by: tonymiro Jun 4 2014, 03:55 PM

A ha. It wasn't that long ago that many thought that the 'correct' way to listen to music was live performance, whether at a concert hall or around the piano in someone's front room after dinner. Recorded music could only be some reductive pale imitation of the live event.

Move on a few years and popular radio for many years have played single tracks from albums and only rarely will play an album in its entirety from beginning to end. John Peel was a bit of an exception in the UK as he was a great one for putting on an album and going to the bathroom whilst leaving it playing...

Forward a little bit more and I'm old enough to remember the furore that surrounded 'Classic FM' and their tendency to play oly the popular movement from a classical work. Back then there were a lot of classical music listeners who were up in arms about this saying it was the death of music and pandering to the lowest common denominator...

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 4 2014, 08:56 PM

Some great replies I have to say that I think the "best" way for folks to listen to music, is any way that they like. Some folks, listen while playing a video game, some folks listen while watching a movie, either to the music in the movie or to a playlist playing during the movie while they text on their phone and play Call of Duty on the side.

People have different ways of taking in music that all work for them in one way or another For the practicing musician, allowing for this is crucial. It's important to try to provide your music in as many formats/platforms as possible so that the listener can enjoy it on their terms IMHO.

Sure, payouts from streaming are pathetic, physical sales have never been lower, listening is no longer it's own activity. The only constant is change and it's accelerating The good news is, there have never, ever, been more outlets for folks to discover music. There have never, ever, been such a low barrier to entry and distribution of your music. So, while some things may have changed for the worse, I'd say the changes for the better far outweigh them

What do you guys say?

Posted by: klasaine Jun 4 2014, 09:17 PM

I have no desire anymore to discuss the 'state' of music and/or the music business.
Whatever it was then, whatever it is now and most likely whatever it will be ... was/will has never been precisely or properly anticipated. Also, what it was, what it is and what it will be has and will probably continue to work for me.

I will say this though ...
If you want to actually 'be' a musician(?), you need to listen - I'm not talking about practicing or playing - just plain old listening as an activity, by itself and for itself. Active listening.

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Jun 5 2014, 09:07 AM

Listening is an activity in itself indeed I remember my mom coming into my room when I was a teenager and asking - what are you doing? I said, I am listening to music. She seemed baffled all the time, because she couldn't understand how one can just sit and do nothing. But I wasn't doing nothing, I was listening to music ACTIVELY

I still do this, but usually I don't have that much time as I did back then, so I will listen to new music on the street - I walk a lot - or when I clean the house.

How do you guys listen to music and when? Are you able to fully focus on it?

Posted by: Becca Jun 5 2014, 10:54 AM

If I really want to play an album I still have to actively listen to it. I have to make time in my day to do so. This is especially true of an album I am hearing for the first time. My preferred method is in the lounge, feet up and a cup of coffee. Bliss. Otherwise I am usually listening to stuff I already know in the car to and from work.
There is no doubt that listening habits have changed. I can be a passive listener but to really enjoy a new piece of work, It has to be my old fashioned way for me.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jun 5 2014, 03:54 PM

yeah! this is what I used and still do. Just sit to listen to music. I remember one day when my mother came into my room and saw me sit down in front of the player listening to music and asked: "music makes you forget about everything, doesn't it?". The reason of the question was that I was extremely hungry before we arrived home, but I also had a new CD, so when I arrived home I started to listen to it and forgot about the necessity of eating...

Posted by: klasaine Jun 5 2014, 04:03 PM

I 'actively' listen at home a bit. Not nearly as much as I did when I was a kid (or before married, fatherhood, homeownership) but I still do it.

One of the benefits for a musician living in Los Angeles is that we have to spend some time in our cars in traffic at least a few times a week. That's where I do the bulk of my 'real' listening.

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 5 2014, 06:25 PM

I do the same thing, as I"m guessing many here do

But we are musicians so it's a bit of a different thing than your average listener.

For most folks these days, listening to music just isn't it's own thing. But as was mentioned, if you plan to be a musician, you do need to be able to listen actively without distractions

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Jun 6 2014, 07:19 AM

Great points from everyone and Todd has spotted a great difference between people that make music and the rest of the folks. Our nature pushes us to listen to things differently indeed

For instance, I bought new strings for my guitars yesterday and I sat quietly in the evening and cleaned them all and changed the strings. In this time I played the acoustic album of a good friend - I posted some of his music in the forum before, but now that he released his album and remembering this discussion that we are having here, I wanted to be able to really listen to his work. I must say, I had A GREAT hour in which those sounds totally mesmerized me.... Here's the promo to his album: