What's the future of the CD?
CD sales are falling through the floor. People are still buying CDs at shows, but I think we only have a few years before they start bringing USB drives on their keychains or some other cool technology like a music-library-aura that floats around peoples heads. Besides, CD quality (16bit, 44.1KHz) was standardized 30 years ago.. it sucks so. I keep thinking they're going to come up with a custom itunes client that artists can set up and people can access through local wifi and add tunes to their ipod touch or iphone at concerts. (Don't you hate it when you come up with good ideas from which to make money, that you have no potential -or inclination to pursue.)
I went to an estate sale the other day and the woman who died left behind 4 crates of records (Perry Como, Big Band, Ray Conniff, etc. ) It occurred to me my estate sale will have no such content. (Even most of my CDs cases are empty. Where did all the disks go? )
Maybe I need to keep a backup DVD and my password in a safety deposit box. That way my kids can sell my music library rights when I die.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
What's A Songwriter To Do?
I started writing songs when I was 13. Learned to play piano for real in the 10th and 11th grade. Played in bands through high school, college and single life. Kept writing and recording. Got married and lost the band gig. Kept writing. Raised kids, kept writing, even for them for awhile. Started writing professionally. Studied the model. Write. Cowrite. Get a publishing deal. Get cuts. Get airplay. Make boat-loads of money. Retire.
Side stories: Napster, mp3 format, broadband, Clear Channel, Record companies alienate (and criminalize) consumers, Major record company model collapses. Goodbye publisher-paid demo. Hello songwriter-paid demo. Hits don’t pay writers $500K anymore... or at least few and far between.
Bands aren’t discovered anymore. They have to build an audience, and then they can bargain for a deal. Trouble is, the deal they’re bargaining for isn’t such a deal anymore. CD sales are going away and the only way to monetize track sales is online.. which the record companies still haven’t figured out.
So where’s the future? Who the heck knows. If the rate of change continues, the industry will look completely different in 2 years, and then again in a year and a half. NSAI is battling in Washington for songwriter rights, and the record companies are battling for theirs at the expense of the artist and the songwriter.
The model has changed and will continue to change. Music sales may never come back to the levels they were, and because of that the major labels may lose their hold on monopoly and distribution (if they haven’t already).
On the bright side, the promotional playing field is leveling. Satellite radio is broadening the venues to hear cool stuff. Indie musicians seem to be making a living, better than before this all came down. Big stars, not so much. Sure, there’s Coldplay, but they could probably do what they did on the latest release without a label, next time.
So what’s a songwriter to do?
Let’s see... Figure out what’s next? Lobby Washington or champion those that do? Worry? Find cheaper demo studios and/or get more efficient at producing them? Network. (trying to replace all the people we knew who’ve left the industry)
I don’t think so. Sure we may need to spend some times in those areas. For some of us, more than others. For some none at all.
Some of these things might be good. Some of these things might give you an edge. Get you in the door. Break through the noise. Grease the palms.
But all of these things add up to squat, if you aint got at least one thing....
Great songs.
Write on.
Side stories: Napster, mp3 format, broadband, Clear Channel, Record companies alienate (and criminalize) consumers, Major record company model collapses. Goodbye publisher-paid demo. Hello songwriter-paid demo. Hits don’t pay writers $500K anymore... or at least few and far between.
Bands aren’t discovered anymore. They have to build an audience, and then they can bargain for a deal. Trouble is, the deal they’re bargaining for isn’t such a deal anymore. CD sales are going away and the only way to monetize track sales is online.. which the record companies still haven’t figured out.
So where’s the future? Who the heck knows. If the rate of change continues, the industry will look completely different in 2 years, and then again in a year and a half. NSAI is battling in Washington for songwriter rights, and the record companies are battling for theirs at the expense of the artist and the songwriter.
The model has changed and will continue to change. Music sales may never come back to the levels they were, and because of that the major labels may lose their hold on monopoly and distribution (if they haven’t already).
On the bright side, the promotional playing field is leveling. Satellite radio is broadening the venues to hear cool stuff. Indie musicians seem to be making a living, better than before this all came down. Big stars, not so much. Sure, there’s Coldplay, but they could probably do what they did on the latest release without a label, next time.
So what’s a songwriter to do?
Let’s see... Figure out what’s next? Lobby Washington or champion those that do? Worry? Find cheaper demo studios and/or get more efficient at producing them? Network. (trying to replace all the people we knew who’ve left the industry)
I don’t think so. Sure we may need to spend some times in those areas. For some of us, more than others. For some none at all.
Some of these things might be good. Some of these things might give you an edge. Get you in the door. Break through the noise. Grease the palms.
But all of these things add up to squat, if you aint got at least one thing....
Great songs.
Write on.
Monday, July 7, 2008
The Original Five
We had the original five all at home and at the table this weekend. All the kids were home for the 4th. My daughter, who just got married. My number 2 daughter who’s recently graduated from Grand Valley State University and is working on plans to go to Africa for a year, and my son who recently graduated from High School.
My Son-In-Law was also home and I got to sit with him and watch that amazing Nadal - Fedderer match. Nadal definitely paid the price for that win. Wow!
What a great weekend in Michigan. (We haven’t had too many of those) Perfect to celebrate the freedoms we enjoy here, and those who paid the ultimate price to purchase it.
My Son-In-Law was also home and I got to sit with him and watch that amazing Nadal - Fedderer match. Nadal definitely paid the price for that win. Wow!
What a great weekend in Michigan. (We haven’t had too many of those) Perfect to celebrate the freedoms we enjoy here, and those who paid the ultimate price to purchase it.
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