At around the turn of the century, during the rise of
Napster and the music swapping websites that evolved from it’s debris, it
became clear that the music industry was changing in a big way. Or to be more
accurate, the music industry must change
in a big way. With Internet piracy much too widespread to effectively crackdown
on and the relentlessness of those dedicated to what they call the ‘free
exchange of information’, it seemed that the industry as we knew it had gone
completely awry, possibly beyond repair.
Even now, the debate rages on over the importance of what
can loosely by considered ‘free speech’ and the importance of protecting
intellectual property rights. But the good thing about a being at an
ideological/ethical stand still, is that it often forces a compromise. Over the
past five years, we have the emergence of streaming services such as Pandora,
Spotify, Songza, and so forth. These services offer the experience of listening
to new music for free, and compensate the bands in some capacity (though the
fairness is debatable). If you’re band isn’t already nationally recognized,
chances are that you’re not selling any records in the suburbs of Bismark,
North Dakota unless that’s where you’re from. In which case, move. At least get
down to the Mt. Rushmore area. Maybe you can get a residency in the gift shop
singing parodies of pop songs adapted semi-educational ditties about American
history. The point is that no one is going to buy your music if they can’t
listen to it first, let alone if they don’t know you exist.
This is not a new concept. Supermarkets give out free
samples of new food products all the time and many of those who take them just
want a taste but will never consider purchasing, some won’t like it, some take
advantage and use it as a free snack time, but some people buy the product. The
supermarkets/food companies do this because it is overall beneficial. It’s part
of a business model that works. So don’t
think of it as other people getting your music for free, think of it as your
band getting free exposure. To read more, click the link below:
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