i am getting bored with 'people' saying that the fans are killing the music industry by downloading shit for free...what is suppose to drive me to buy a band's cd? so i can put money into the pockets of the idiots that run their label...that sounds like fun...if i was a band i would release some kind of financial statement to my fans spelling out how their money is going to help me...i hear from some bands that they make almost no money of cd sales, that is why they tour...i am not sure if that is true, but perhaps i will look into some research to discover the real truth...if it is true, i feel no remorse for taking what is on the internet because i would gladly pay 30 or 40 dollars to see a band i like in a live setting...what i don't like and won't do is buy fucking tickets at three times the price from some idiot with a high speed internet connection that buys a bunch of tickets and sells them after the show is sold out...i think the music industry is in shambles and all your hear is negative from labels, but the one shining light is that bands still release solid shit...i have faith in the world that if you produce a quality sound, you will be fine...so until i discover the truth, i say download as much as you can and let the executives cry about only making a few million in profit instead of a few hundred million...but, be sure to support your fav bands when they come around...sing their songs and show them love, that will keep music alive.
m.
1 comment:
It's always a good idea to question practice. However you spell it.
It is true that bands such as Brand New and Pearl Jam even, don't realize the benefits of CD sales through direct cash flows. However, keep in mind the little guys, especially those which you and I listen to do realize and enjoy the fruitful profits of CD sales.
I treat the three as distinct circumstances. Pearl Jam, has evolved into a message, they have been politicized and I think some of this shows in their music, especially recent tracks. Yet, it is difficult to say that if their new album sold more copies, they'd make more money. What is known, is that if their CD doesn't sell, they likely will be dropped from the label. This would never happen, because of their stable supreme-being-reputation.
Brand New on the other hand is more of a cult following band. Maybe a message (religion), maybe an infatuation with JL, but in the end they do sell an immense amount of records. I am certain that their label makes a wise investment in them, and shows them the money prior to CD sales. No real bonus for selling the expected amount of CDs. JL is right, they sold X CDs and it's done, on to the next one! It's nice to be modest.
Then you have Hey Rosetta!, 'up and comer', obviously there is little reason to invest a large amount in such a band. After being signed to a label, they have released their second album and since it is doing well, they will see the direct benefit of the cash flow related to CD sales. TW would recommend that you purchase his album. Why? First, if CD sales do better than expected compared to previous sales (unmonitored), he will get paid more. I believe that it's a first time reward return on investment thing. No doubt, for the next album, the label puts an X CD # in from of him and says, hit this mark and you get a bonus. Otherwise, up front, here you go.
I must clarify that I am not, nor ever was in the music industry. I just like black box engineering, knowing the output and the input and guessing what occurs in the middle (or black box). Note: this has nothing to do with plane crashes!
In either of the three cases, you may be wondering, how many CDs of each I own?
PJ - some live and a few newer, no old
BN - Deja
HR! - all, including EPs
I should own BN's new album, 'the devil and god...', also, I should buy the 'into the wild' sound-track, because it's a solid album.
Further, you might wonder how I decide if I am going to purchase an album...
There are two criteria:
1) The entire album is considered excellent, with the exception of one or two full or half songs.
2) The artist exists. No dead, or broken bands allowed! Unless of course there is a fund set up for the children of a drugged out band that all decided to kill themselves, or blah blah... exceptional circumstance, yada yada.
Take care my friend. Enjoy the music.
Drew
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