San Diego, California, USA
| StoreTags: release, label, diy, download
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Just thinking out loud here...
With the changing landscape of music distribution and promotion (myspace, cdbaby, tunecore, itunes, snocap), it strikes me that most artists will start having a hard time justifying releasing their music on a label in the near future (though possibly not for major labels as the sheer exposure given by a major can launch a career overnight). But while a label gives exposure, it seems that individual acts/bands can adequately do for themselves what a smaller label might offer (recording, promotion, etc.), especially as the music industry as we know it looks to be heading for a collapse as fewer and fewer acts are actively promoted to ensure profit margins and the recycling of past successes wears on listeners.
As Dick Dale says: Do it yourself.
How do you see it? | |
Comments
02/02/08
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appollo51
the key seems to be distribution and promotion...
you are right, the music industry in its current guise is
undoubtedly headed for
collapse...doing it yourself is the way i go,
however, everybody knows that the real money that many musicians make
is not through actual sales of music, but extraneous stuff like buttons, tshirts and
of course posters for the highschool and college age set...
02/02/08
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j_chot
dick dale is....well a dick.
but DAMN!!! that video was inspirational!
02/02/08
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appollo51
alas
the magic word is
Autechre
02/02/08
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j_chot
fuck you socialist
02/02/08
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frnortnr
i think small labels are still fine......
but yeah, i've diy'd it so far, and am pretty happy with what's been happening. and i'm lazy!!!!
02/02/08
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em978
i think musicians have a tough time justify charging people for their music since, very few people buy music anymore.
02/02/08
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astroboy
the answer is:
DIY Label
02/02/08
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elronhubbard
astroboy said: "the answer is:
DIY Label"
you just blew my mind.
02/02/08
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Fredo
the answer is:
foggy
I don't think the music industry is going to collapse. It's just going to change. But smart money folk are always going to be where there is money to be made. Period. They were there before, they are there now, they will be there in the future, finding innovative ways to make moolah.
There are some things that can happen when you have a label behind you that are really hard without... Labels have powerful relationships with iTunes, with music venues and festivals. If you can find an INTERESTING label and you are sure that they are very interested in your music and will put in the resources to get it out, I think, provided you are offered an ok deal, it's not a bad idea.
Signing with a major does not mean they are going to get you out there. You have to promise them back a lot of profits, so if you sign with one I hope you sound like Beck. Signing with a really small label is just as iffy as the business is going through some seriously choppy waters and many small labels will most likely fold.
My recommendation is to keep your music and just try and get it into the hands of a good syncing company or into the hands of music supervisors. Also perform as much as you can and try to build some noteworthy attraction to your music.
02/02/08
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astroboy
elronhubbard said: " astroboy said: "the answer is:
DIY Label"
you just blew my mind."
mission accomplished
02/02/08
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j_chot
em978 said: "i think musicians have a tough time justify charging people for their music since, very few people buy music anymore."
I haven't had that much trouble selling demos.
it's all about the hustle, homie.
02/02/08
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quip
DIY
we don't even play sponsered shows here in leeds.
fuck the corporations.
02/03/08
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em978
j_chot said: " em978 said: "i think musicians have a tough time justify charging people for their music since, very few people buy music anymore."
I haven't had that much trouble selling demos.
it's all about the hustle, homie."
are you making enough money to support yourself?
02/03/08
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kwality
I think a combo of the two is a good idea - sign tracks to labels you think you can work with and enjoy their contacts/itunes accounts/press hookups and then make sure you're pushing yourself just as hard with other songs/projects. I think many artists complain about labels not pushing them enough, but they have to understand it's not just up to the label. Is your website up to date? Do you reply to people quickly? Can you string a sentance together? Do you have interesting techniques that can be spoken about? Do you give good interviews? There's more ways to be heard these days, the only problem is you have to be an expert in them all!
I'd also think of a gimmick too! Sign copies, do limited editions, link with a t-shirt company, offer shares in your project... anything to set yourself apart from all the others making music.
02/03/08
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j_chot
em978 said: " j_chot said: " em978 said: "i think musicians have a tough time justify charging people for their music since, very few people buy music anymore."
I haven't had that much trouble selling demos.
it's all about the hustle, homie."
are you making enough money to support yourself?"
that's sort of an unreasonable expectation, unless your music is totally fucking awesome/you are willing to tour all the time/your merch is hot.
if you live in oakland, you're doing something wrong....
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