Death of the Music Machine

bob82274 · « **on:** 23 Jan 2003, 06:28 pm »

I came across this earlier today and thought I should share it.

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.02/dirge.html

Basically it says that the big 5 labels will collapse this year. While I don't think that it will be this year I do think if they don't do something intelligent that it is the beginning of the end.

I can say that I wouldn't mind it if it all collapsed. We know about the little indie labels that produce really good music that has high production values.

hairofthedawg · « **Reply #1 on:** 23 Jan 2003, 06:50 pm »

Thanks for the info....smiling, or

get rid of the suits, take it back to music

nathanm · « **Reply #2 on:** 23 Jan 2003, 07:10 pm »

OH NO! If the record labels collapse where am I gonna get my Britney Spears and NSync CDs!?

I'd be glad to see them survive, but only if they started acting like "nice guys" and stop being such pricks with their business practices. (Sorry folks, how many $25 mediocre CDs do you expect me to buy before I get jaded!?) It would be a service to all of humanity if shitty pop singles were not shoved in front of the public. Wouldn't it be far nicer to make a bundle of money by selling a smaller amount of CDs from a WIDE VARIETY of talented acts instead of selling a billion shitty Mariah Carrey discs? What if you could actually turn on the radio and hear a different song from a different band every day? Can you imagine!? No more record labels calling the shots and saturating the airwaves with their vaccuous dreck.

But it won't happen. Evil never dies. Even though Sauron's earthly countenance was destroyed in the wreck of Numenor, he came back and wreaked havoc again. So too will the major labels rise again to offer plenty of fetid turd piles to the hungry flies.

hairofthedawg · « **Reply #3 on:** 23 Jan 2003, 07:35 pm »

You would really be glad to see them survive? Not me...I would prefer guys like Brian Wilson putting out their own stuff. Granted, the quality may or may not suffer, but I would get to hear the artist rather than having crap forced upon me. Just send britney and mariah to the porno bins where they belong...there is quite an appetite for that as well.

MediaSeth · « **Reply #4 on:** 23 Jan 2003, 07:48 pm »

One of my favorite record label names is "sympathy for the record industry" and I like to think they mean it ironically.

They bite the hand that feeds them. They shoot themselves in the foot. They put their other cliche's on disc and pass it off as music. This is a great time for DIY and indie releases. They can sell direct online or distribute their artists to independantly owned record stores. I love going through the "local bin" at mine.

nathanm · « **Reply #5 on:** 23 Jan 2003, 08:44 pm »

I'd like to have the positive aspects survive. Somebody has to pay the bills that allows a band to make recordings in the first place. Not to mention touring. But as far as all the little weasely people and other hangers-on who are making big money while the bands struggle, I'd like that to take a hike! I'd rather the money not get spent on excessive advertising and radio bribe money.

I'm all for independent release, but if you become successful enough your band isn't gonna have time to sit around mailing out CDs. It would be nice to have the label take care of that drugery.