There is a distinction between the record industry and the music business. The medium (CD, LP, etc.) exists as a vehicle. And that is what labels, distributors and brick-and mortar retailers are in the business of selling. But the music is an intangible, and as we see, it is quickly becoming divorced from these little wafers of plastic and vinyl.
Granted, mp3s sound shitty in comparison to records and even CDs, but their value is in their convenience, and that they can be a more direct mode of communication between artist and audience. (not to mention they can be found all over the place for free or close to it).
I don’t think CDs or LPs will be totally wiped off the planet, but they’ll be out there only as a premium product, within a very select market, for fans who want something extra. The music itself will be available with abundance from countless sources. I’ve seen the analogy comparing it to bottled water. I mean anyone can go to the sink and get as much water as she wants for free, but yet through intelligent marketing, against all practical logic, folks still buy the bottled stuff by the truckload because it has it’s own set of perceived benefits. And music on a physical medium that we can touch, feel, see and experience (with superior sound quality) will have a place. Or think about it like a t-shirt. You can get a blank one for a dollar at the thrift store, but I will gladly fork over $10 for one to help a touring band out, and other people will pay hundreds for a fancy designer shirt that basically performs the same function.
The other side of the coin is “Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?” I think downloading is really lazy for the most part. I am very nostalgic for the days when I would save up my allowance and go ride my bike down to the record store to buy that old Black Flag tape. Back then, you had to have a certain level of commitment to the record before you even bought it. And sometimes you gambled and lost (Fine Young Cannibals). I think a lot of people put downloading to good use as a tool to try before they buy and help make better decisions with their money, and there is nothing wrong with that. But on the other hand, I’m sure most folks are totally OK with being cheap and lazy, and there really isn’t any way to stop that from happening.
Record labels as we know them (including mine) are most likely headed towards the same fate as the ice wagon. The wolves of obsolescence are howling at the door. It's sad, and folks tend to balk at change, but it's a fact of life, nature, evolution. They are dinosaurs. The distribution channels are inefficient, the pricing strategy is unfair on both ends, and the whole system is all fucked up and bloated. The whole methodology is being shaken to its foundations, and honestly what I see happening is that the whole industry is going to have to shift from product based to a service based approach.
OK so this is where it gets interesting. What new problems and opportunities arise as music itself comes full circle, and returns to a primarily intangible state of being, as something that simply exists out there in the world without being doled out to us on a $18.99 platter?
Well, first of all, there is an opportunity to make the physical medium something that stands on its own two feet, as a piece of art, or a novelty or whatever, so that when folks buy a record, sure it’s about the music, but the thing itself will have to be something special and collectible enough to warrant the price tag. That is the only way I see the product aspect surviving, but then that’s only going to be a piece of the pie, that, on par with t-shirts, stickers, and posters or whatever.
But what else now? Will the label simply be an irrelevant useless middleman mucking up the stream? If music is free and out there for the fun of everyone, then what’s the point? Well, the internet is absolutely mind-boggling. It’s literally an open door to the entire world. At least as far as information and entertainment is concerned, anything and everything is just a few keystrokes away. Honestly, its way too much for anyone to handle. So, as is human nature, folks are going to find or create their own comfort zones, and really, we’re all panning for gold, trying to find that tiny nugget of value among so much clutter.
At this moment, the record company ceases to be about records, and becomes a signifier for people to follow, a true label, just like the good housekeeping seal of approval. “Hey, we like this band, and we will put our mark of quality up there.” But then also, it will be a sponsor, and help these guys with advertising, marketing, and exposure. It can act as the nexus point for a network between artists and fans. And then, by association, a label helps the audience filter through all the junk out there to find something special, hopefully. And so therefore the focus shifts to that of a service. As the doors are being opened, it can be the label’s job to throw out the welcome mat.
Obviously, this more intimate business model won’t really work for a giganto corporate media conglomerate, that’ll just as soon sell you a CD as it’ll sell you a tube of toothpaste. The concept of the poochy faced pop star being blasted into everyone’s ear via ClearChannel and selling ten million records are gone. People are way to savvy to follow that line these days, one can hope. This is built for the niche markets, the places in our economy where people still have passion, integrity and ideals. The initiative is to create self-sustaining pockets of interest, where all sides work together, share a common philosophy, and are focused on the same goal. That way, everyone has a vested interest in what happens, and we can all share the reward. The fans will have music that they truly care about, the artist will have a devoted audience, and the label will be there, as a service provider, to keep the system together and keep the pathways open.
1 comment:
this has been a topic of discussion around myself lately. specifically the part about the product having it's own draw, i.e. a record or CD. i work at one of the verrry few record stores left on the south side, in tinley actually, and people reminisce about album art and packaging. i'm the same way, even at a mere 25 years old. i have ebayed several vinyls that i own on cd because it's a "clear vinyl" or the packaging was different. one record i recently purchased was put together by hand with a spray-painted lightning bolt of the sleeve. THAT'S why i wanted it. i won't play it, i've had the cd for years, but it stands alone as a product. speaking of ebay, i can see that as the next "record store," sadly. i agree that labels are important, and service is important. i also agree that a common interest is necessary to keep everyone in check. you have a good label, as far as i know, based on the music. and, that seal of approval really does mean something to those shopping for something in the vein of something they know. and, you're right, back in the day the label was one of very few things we had to go on when chosing a band.
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