cm:
Great article, which IMHO accurately reflects much of the current frustration and challenges facing artists.
I think another very key quote from the article is:
> > >There are three things musicians want from a major label: money for recording
and touring, national marketing muscle and wide distribution. If another system
could be developed that offered musicians this trinity, then perhaps when their
contracts expired they would think twice about remaining with major labels. < < <
To a degree, the outlook of internet/data-broadcast distribution does have the prospect of helping to level the playing field in some of these areas, but it will be a long time before the need for serious financial resources and muscle disappears. The ultimate continuing success of the majors will probably be guaranteed by the fact that most of the listening/buying public are lazy to a degree. They will continue to be exposed to, and buy, those artists whose material is made most conveniently accessible to them - big ads, promotions, tours, flashy websites, colorful packaging, multi-source availability, etc. As the majors realize this, those that intend survive will redirect their marketing and support efforts toward maximizing the returns from those artists for whom their investment brings the greatest financial returns - in all of the distribution modes, whether hard copy or software.
From the viewpoint of the WAVX investor, however, it appears that the Embassy concept puts us in a key position to participate in most of the evolving music distribution concepts, which is highlighted if one rereads Steven Sprague's e-mail on the music business after reading the NYT article:
Message 9383933
He clearly indicates that there is a lot that will be happening in music distribution before the surviving business models and artistic models are fully defined, but that we clearly have a part to play in most of them - more evidence of universality potential. IMHO that he also correctly points out that we must remember, however, that even though music is a high visibility and sexy content distribution area, it is just one of very many, and probably not the most important.
The site reference for the NYT article is:
nytimes.com
It's definitely worth reading.
Steve |
