THE SKY IS NOT FALLING
“The music business is on its last legs: done, dead, toast. It’s going down, fast,“ they say. We’ve all heard those sentiments before – repeatedly. In fact, listening to a certain category of industry veterans can be downright depressing. They complain about the changes the business is going through and wistfully wish things were the same as they were in the good old days. Usually, those comments come from industry types whose heyday is past and whose future is bleak (at least in their minds).
But, change is a part of life and you either adapt to it – or are left behind. Even Music Connection is changing. After 31 years as the “Artist’s Bible” in Los Angeles, it’s going national and updating its cyber image with a very cool website. For some of our readers, associates and fans, it’s long overdue, while others feel a sense of loss.
Those feelings are natural any time changes occur. For those in this industry who pine for the past, the loss seems significant. But, if you look deeper, you’ll discover that the people who complain the most are facing the future with petrified thinking. They believe the old way of doing business was not only the best way – for some it’s the only way.
Because of that, artists have to be careful when asking for advice. It’s tempting to pick the brain of an old seasoned pro, especially if they have an impressive track record. But, as harsh as it may seem, you have to consider what they’ve done lately. Have they kept up with the times? How innovative is their approach? Or, is it the same old, same old thing?
Actually, these are great times. There are more opportunities than ever before. Now, you don’t have to be part of the system to be successful. In fact, you don’t even have to follow the old rules. You can break them, change them and create new ones for yourself. Imagination and innovation rule today. You just have to find what works for you. So, the next time you hear someone claim the music business is on its last legs, you can tell them, “No way… The sky is not falling. It’s just a new day.”
June 13th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Hey Bernard,
Great article. Everything must change and hopefully we take along the best of what was previously created and mold it into something better. This is an opportunity and with that comes loss and adaptation. Several years ago I started my own media group selling independent artists music as digital downloads only and supporting them in keeping ownership of their own works. Seeing how I was primarily in the jazz market no one took me seriously and now I’m watching everyone headed in that same direction. I think this is a great time for people to be creative and use their imagination and inventiveness to create a new way of looking at not only the music business but all business. Thanks for all your contributions in that direction as I have had the pleasure of your company at a few of those workshops and also thanks for your profound love and support of indie artists everywhere. Hope to see you in the future and best of luck with the new site!
Ellen Johnson
SoundVisionsMedia.com
June 16th, 2008 at 8:29 am
Poignant, insightful, and relevant article. Looking forward to the upcoming blogs.
June 19th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
I couldn’t agree more! This is a great time to be a DIY (do-it-yourself) indie artist. But to get ahead to have to move with the times. You have to get on the social networks bandwagon. Nothing is going to fall out of the sky. You have to grab it. Seize every opportunity. I commend MC for taking their web presence to a whole new level. And I’m loving the new blogs.
Keep rockin’!
Madalyn Sklar
GoGirlsMusic.com + IndieMusicCoach
June 23rd, 2008 at 6:25 pm
“the people who complain the most are facing the future with petrified thinking. They believe the old way of doing business was not only the best way – for some it’s the only way.”
That is so true, excellent thought. Of the old way of doing business of stealing from others and reaping the profits and awards of such, thus the reason why I started my own publishing company and label. What about what the grammy reports said about artists and songwriter’s who are loseing out on money and royalties. A 21 Billion dollar industry of radio and nobody’s getting paid. http://www.grammys.com read the report, excellent article, ( in the process of becoming a member of the Grammy’s committee ) The music Industry is definitley not falling, it’s just evolving worldy, and spreading fast. I’ts a shame that some musicians and artists signed there lives away for nothing, and take it out on up and comming musicians with talent, that’s the true shame.
Mr. Bernie Bolivar
Million & One Publishing / Million & One Recordings
June 25th, 2008 at 6:34 am
What about people who didn’t like the “old” music business either? Granted, you are simply trying to keep your business alive with optimism, but this is transparent. Don’t take my word for it, read Mancini’s autobiography “Did They Mention the Music?” Read the comments at Sterling’s site musicianscontact.com - these are real musicians. Does anyone even know what that means anymore? Many people never hear a note of live music in their lives. You ought to be careful in using the term “music.” Are you talking about a recording, or an actual human musician? THAT is what is wrong with the present state of our music culture. Recording technology has stolen music from real musicians. Music has been redefined, and with that redefinition, much respect for honest musicianship has been lost. Certainly this has opened the doors of expression for many people who aren’t capable of playing music on a musical instrument, which is more difficult to accomplish, but in a different way. Viva la difference! Consider this - If someone chooses not to become involved with recording technology, NO recording at all, what do you imagine might be the chances for such a person to succeed as a “musician” today? So basically, we’re saying that if a really great musician never recorded anything, we wouldn’t know that they existed? Because that’s where we’re at, people. Do humanity a favor, and go listen to some live music, if you can find it… if you are capable of recognizing it anymore, if you ever knew it at all.
June 26th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
Wow, one thing I hate is people stuck in old programs and spinning in their paradigm like Peter seems to be. Change is inevitable and no matter how easy or hard it is to make music, talent is still the equalizer. It was never cheap or easy, and still isn’t, to accomplish producing and recording great music, and all music is is just sounds produced by humans in some fashion or other. The truth is now everyone can make music and put their stuff out there, but people will gravitate to good sound no matter if it’s acoustic or synth. People love new music and will always appreciate something good no matter how it’s produced or whether or not it’s live. Now the music world is accessible to people who would never have had a chance before. No matter how one produces sound, it ultimately is just a form of expression and many great and talented musicians have provided millions of samples and sounds for others to play with. Granted it is more difficult to be heard above all of the sound flowing out there sometimes, but a determined artist who is truly innovative, creative, and driven will find a way to be heard. And if they do something good they will find an audience and garner attention. Who defines music? The musicians? The music teachers? The schooled professors of music? The producers and labels? No….. none of them define it, the listeners do. Go out and see two DJ’s play an array of music without a whole band and as long as they rock the house it doesn’t matter, is that live? Live music will never die, and music will continue to evolve along with technology naturally as it always has. I’ve been to a lot of really crappy live shows where the sound sucked and the band/musicians sucked worse, thank heaven for technological advancements in music like “auto tune” and “quantization” or we would hear more crap, some live acts could use a little of that kind technological of help on stage.
July 19th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
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