The Problem With The Music Industry....

Just read an article titled "The Problem With The Music Industry and Steps To Take To Improve It" which raised some really good points and spurred the following thoughts from me...

The author writes, "...the music industry is being flooded with sub-par product. Unfortunately for the music-buying public, the level of artistic quality inherent in the overall group of artists signed to major labels appears to be in a steep decline."

I agree with the author's statement, and in my eyes a lot of it comes down to "music"  being changed from an art-form into a "commodity" over the course of the last couple of decades. In the commercial sense, songs have always been crafted to fit a particular commercial model (length, appropriate subject matter, style, etc.) but now, well, things just seem out of control.

These days, more than ever before, the commercial success of a song has to do with a lot more than the quality of the song itself...the song has become a commodity... a trinket... and it's existence is no longer the sole purpose or point of being an 'artist'.

As jaded as this may sound, commercially speaking, a song isn't as valuable as it used to be.

The author writes, "...it is imperative that the major labels focus on customer service and give music consumers more options." 

...and then he writes, "The Record labels should move away from the CD format. The labels should move to an 80% digital distribution format, which will eliminate manufacturing costs. And as a result, they can pass the savings on to the consumers in terms of lower prices... Theoretically, as many of these costs go away, they should no longer be charged to the consumer - or the artist."

I grant you that I am biased due to the fact I'm in the CD manufacturing industry, but there's such a huge contradiction in what the author writes, it has to be pointed out.

He is saying that it's imperative that the consumers be given more choice, but he's advocating restricting the choice when it comes to the type of music media the consumers can choose from. This is based on the author's belief that reducing costs (ie: eliminating CD manufacturing costs) will translate into savings for the end-user. Is it naive to think that record labels are going to pass along savings instead of sticking the money in their own pockets, especially considering how far their sales and profits have fallen in the last ten years???

His first statement is absolutely correct... let the consumer be King, so give them the media they desire. I have always been an advocate of artists treating their careers more like a business... and rule #1 in business is to "know your customers". Some people prefer CDs, and some prefer to go a strictly digital route which can be achieved with Digital Download Cards or using a service such as iTunes. So, give them what they want.

The savvy modern performing artist (be that indie or otherwise) can easily and cost-effectively keep relatively small inventories of 'product' and replenish them as needed... as a lot has changed in the last few years on the CD manufacturing side of things, including short-run eco-friendly packaging such as Eco-Sleeves and Digipak.

It was a good article a well worth the read... definitely some food for thought!
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