http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/how-the-universal-emi-deal-will-change-the-music-industry-20111123 (http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/how-the-universal-emi-deal-will-change-the-music-industry-20111123)
Boooooooooooo!!!!!
This is finally happening? I think it got blocked and fell apart like 3 times. It's old enough that we studied it in my entertainment music law class in October of 2010
Note: I don't say "finally" with any level of excitement. I didn't read the whole article, but won't this result in the sale of the Abbey Road studio?
record companies are fucking obsolete. am I alone in thinking this? with home studio possibilities being so affordable now for musicians and creative types the only other aspect that has to be handled is publishing and licensing for the most part. in that article it says
"Sony has also offered $2.2 billion to buy EMI's publishing division, which owns the copyrights to 1.3 million songs..."
artists can do this shit by themselves easily. you can publish I think 15songs or so at a time or do it individually for the same price. which is probably a couple hundred bucks or less. nothing ridiculous. I know a guy who can publish shit and he paints houses for a living but has the studio for fun. very affordable if you're really into selling your music. then licensing. david byrne said that's hands down where he makes the most money when it comes to music.
my friend works with the dude from the von bondies, the dudes who did the "rescue me" theme song. they just licensed a song to a casino in detroit. my friend got 25percent of the song credits or whatever. they licensed the song for 10k. he got 2500bucks for playing 5 bass notes. that's where the money is. but it goes against the whole artist thing because once you license it out you don't have say over it anymore, it's not yours for a year or whatever. there's contractual bullshit to deal with, but it's basic. some musicians are fucking douchebags, the dude from the von bondies is a major one I hear. all about the money. people get off on that shit I guess. it takes a certain kind of person to deal with people in the music business.
the record companies own so much of these people's music it's depressing. the musicians do all the work. record companies are like shady banks that give you a loan but if your numbers aren't right they drop you and you drowned. fuck them.
What about bands who are starting out? How can they afford the raw materials to press CDs and what not? iTunes I guess?
(that's a real question, Im not being sarcastic)
Quote from: e_wind on Nov 23, 2011, 11:53 PM
What about bands who are starting out? How can they afford the raw materials to press CDs and what not? iTunes I guess?
(that's a real question, Im not being sarcastic)
CD's are done son. it's all about vinyl and digital now. there are alternatives to itunes I guess. but long run, selling your soul to these record companies isn't that appealing anymore. it only seems to be popular amongst the "American Idol" breed. Taylor Swift is a good example of what record companies represent to me. they get some young face who makes their own music then they bleed them. try and make as many songs as they can itunes singles, etc. then when they're established they try and cross them over to movies, commercials, and other bullshit to make a quick buck while ____ is still relevant. the only thing that is beneficial about having a label backing you is the promoting they do for you. it's like giving 50percent+ of your profits to an advertising company. it's bullshit if you ask me. you sell less records but make a larger profit doing it yourself. if done correctly.
as to where that starter money comes from, who knows. around here the average, low end rate for bands playing local bars is like 300bucks a night. maybe 400bucks if you're good. and that's just local bars, open mic, cover band pay. if you can draw 50+ people to a show at a bar you're doing alright and can probably afford to press a record/get it mastered, etc.
it's kinda mind blowing how many different ways there are to do this shit now. with all that shit and maybe a side job it's easily doable.