This is why artists struggle...

lunabass · Post by **lunabass** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 1:03 am

515 views and 15 replies so far to this thread. i'd have never found out about your release if it wasn't for someone selling your track on ebay

DJ Mike Beeds · Post by **DJ Mike Beeds** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 1:41 am

LOLz, I agree with lunabass. By the way, interesting article about viral marketing... *keeps it in mind*

onestep · Post by **onestep** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 5:41 am

lunabass wrote:515 views and 15 replies so far to this thread. i'd have never found out about your release if it wasn't for someone selling your track on ebay

hmm... i wouldn't be surprised if the original poster is also behind the so-called ebay bootleg. just saying. seems like a somewhat clever/desperate attempt at viral marketing to me.

Johnisfaster · Post by **Johnisfaster** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 5:59 am

maybe artists are struggling today because they get bent out of shape over every nickel and dime that should be in their pocket. the more bent out of shape you get the less time you have for living and loving life which includes making decent music that excites people which in turn puts a few dollars in your pocket if you're lucky.

we are returning to the early days where music was shared for the hopes of a tip.

point being, maybe artists are struggling to meet their financial goals because their financial goals are no longer realistic.

pepezabala · Post by **pepezabala** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 8:10 am

jonny72 wrote:A lot of the problems are with artists and labels not moving with the times.

Why are they sending out promo copies on CD? I can't believe any half decent radio station in the world is still using CD's, most likely they rip it upon receipt and bin it and the same goes for a lot of DJ's. I'm sure most would prefer a WAV version instead, which they could always burn to a CD if necessary. Best thing is you could easily encode the WAV files so if a copy does make it in to the wild you can track down the source of the leak.

Believe it or not, lots of people ask for CDs, "I want to listen to it in the car", "I hate listening to music on the computer" is what they usually say, and if you want someone to play your music or to book you for a concert you usually will try to serve their needs ....

But it's way better now than years ago. Internet has reduced the mailing and promo-production costs significantly.

mkelly · Post by **mkelly** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 9:03 am

There's always someone out there who will want promo CDs. I've bought a few of them in my time.

So here's an idea - send out some promo CDs, and then put some more for sale on Ebay yourself. At least you'll make a bit of money out of it.

And make sure there's more tracks available on Beatport/whatever than on the promo CD.

90's child · Post by **90's child** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 9:26 am

http://www.residentadvisor.net/feature-read.aspx?id=960

Welcome to the music industry in 2008. It's totally about live gigging.

aeon · Post by **aeon** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 10:30 am

i found a copy of my first album on ebay for US$300.

i've probably got 50 first-run cds sitting in a box somewhere. perhaps i can retire.

hambone1 · Post by **hambone1** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 10:33 am

90's child wrote:It's totally about live gigging.

+1.

IMO, that's what music's all about.

And the talented performers with solid business acumen and common sense will thrive financially.

contakt321 · Post by **contakt321** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 2:34 pm

While I agree that physical promos are costly and unneeded, unfortunately most writers that have been around for a while and at the bigger magazines, newspapers and blogs prefer physical promos still. Same thing with DJs of certain genres.

Incy · Post by **Incy** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 3:10 pm

hehe. nothing wrong with being a dreamer. without dreams, what have you?

often however, that dream is part of the sales package presented to the music oriented consumer known as the hopeful artist, i.e. the pretty bow tied so lavishly on top of that 'investment' you made in bits of your kit/computer/promo cd's that says 'you can do it, you rawk'.

A cold call from a sale guys from Sweetwater asked so uninterestingly from his script, "so, what kind of music do you make/are into, man" Apparently, the dream itself is listed on your packing slip. I asked Sweeter never to contact me again through any medium. Still I wonder, where did that employee's dream go? Did he finish two semesters at Berkeley in Boston before he dropped out? Did he knock up his gf? Why is he settling to push kit for the man? Is that his way of clawing into the music industry ?

if one wants sacrifice all to butter the parsnips of industry, certainly that's their business.

least Ableton doesn't have this approach to manipulate their buyers into thinking they will be superstar dj's if they buy their product. though there is some evidence that both industry and consumers alike affect market culture. an example would be if for instance a user of Live is referred to as "a producer." in effect, one may be producing; however, it's equivelant as calling a three chord guiltarist a musician.

Incy · Post by **Incy** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 4:45 pm

and don't take me seriously, I'm bored today.

but this article supports my assertions

http://lateralaction.com/articles/kurt- ... p-success/

FrancodeLeon88 · Post by **FrancodeLeon88** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 8:01 pm

That Morgan Geist Article was almost unreadable.

He came off as a pouty ass baby.

If you don't like what you're doing anymore, than stop doing it. If you just want to record music, than just record music. Focus all your efforts there. Figure out how to become market viable. Remake your life to fit your desire - you've already done it at least once (no one comes out the womb a working musician).

It just sounds like he's tired that the industry isn't giving to him like it has for the last ten years.

Baby.

How can you talk like that, with no gratitude for your life's blessings, in front of an audience that wants to read about you?

And I really liked Metro Area.

"
maybe artists are struggling today because they get bent out of shape over every nickel and dime that should be in their pocket. the more bent out of shape you get the less time you have for living and loving life which includes making decent music that excites people which in turn puts a few dollars in your pocket if you're lucky.

we are returning to the early days where music was shared for the hopes of a tip.

point being, maybe artists are struggling to meet their financial goals because their financial goals are no longer realistic."

Way to go Johnisfaster. I agree. I think the playing field is leveling. More people will make music. The truly amazing will stand out.

That Cobain article was interesting - but, I don't think it was as calculated as the article makes it seem. Nirvana had an idea of what they liked, and it so happened to appeal to the audience of the times. It was what was needed. But I don't think they manufactured that success.

I don't think they had a band meeting where they were like "Okay guys, I know that catchy hooks isn't really popular in our genre, but let's do it, so that we can enjoy crossover success, and appeal to a broader audience, who, we're supposed to spite."

I think the band meeting went something like this: "Hey, that sounds good." "Yeah, keep that." "Awesome, let's get drunk."

I always say I was born lucky. I DJ, but can only make a living at it because my personal tastes seem to reflect the tastes of a broad number of people. It was luck that I came out this way. I could have just as easily come out loving death metal, but I doubt that I would be making a living as a DJ.

DJ Franco "Death Metal" de Leon
www.FRANCODELEON.com

djsynchro · Post by **djsynchro** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 8:10 pm

dj superflat · Post by **dj superflat** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 9:18 pm

this is why musicians -- sorry, "artists" -- whine, rather than just getting on with it. you're admitting you're about commerce, just aren't happy about the current rules of the game. hate to break it to you, but you've got it so much better than all the true "artists" completely jobbed by their management and/or labels back in the day. by those standards, things today are grand.

moreover, you've got ways to make money that just didn't exist even 10 years ago. it used to be CD sales and touring (including the merch). now, it's serious payment for TV, film, games, even if you aren't signed yet or well known, plus more for a guitar hero download than you used to make for selling a CD.

so, on balance, i really think musicians are better off today than even in the heyday of big deals (whenever that was). even if the true million dollar payday seems more remote than it might have seemed in the past (it was pretty remote the, too, the difference between 1/10 percent chance and 1/20 percent chance doesn't seem that meaningful), far more people can have careers, make seriously decent livings, and (perhaps most importantly) really do what they want rather than be completely beholden to the label.