[LAU] [OT] Future of Music Distribution (and examples?)

[david]

On 9/2/20 8:06 AM, Len Ovens wrote:
> On Wed, 2 Sep 2020, Louigi Verona wrote:
>
>> I would like to discuss a couple of things here: the illusion of a music
>> release and distribution platforms.
>
> All very good points. I could add a few points:
>
> 1) Todays music favours an unknown musician making a backing track for 
> a newly known singer. 

Well, I have a friend that's a singer/songwriter. He writes commercial 
pop/hiphop music. He's not a musician - plays no instruments whatever. 
He doesn't hire any musicians, either. He puts everything else together 
using VTS and software.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rYv2c6Cyqw

https://www.amazon.com/Diverse-Dreams-Logan/dp/B004HKJ6KY/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1313693545&sr=1-1

I don't believe he's ever made any money from music. He wants to, but 
nothing so far. Not so easy for someone living in Hawaii that doesn't do 
Hawaiian music!

> This is what I hear most on the radio. The singer seems to be the new 
> talent for the month and when they can ask for more money... the next 
> one steps up. In general I can not tell one from the other. The fact 
> that it has airplay indicates to me that the marketing is done by a 
> "label". A band, even less a new band, has almost no chance. Yet I 
> enjoy the interaction a band brings. Marketing is important and worth 
> paying for in this case I think... in the same way having a second 
> party do mastering can make a difference.
>
I think that making personal connections with fans is far more important 
than anything else.

I'm a writer (poetry, fiction) and can tell you that publishers do 
little or no marketing unless you're already a risen superstar. If 
you've already established your own "marketing platform" (blog, 
Twitter/FB/Instagram/et al) with an established following and email 
newsletter distribution, etc - they'll look more kindly at your book 
when you submit it. Otherwise, your book has to be really great. 
Otherwise, they won't take it.

One advantage of being a writer vs a performing musician is it takes a 
lot less equipment to write a book. ;)

Musically, playing live is fun. I also like being able to put things 
together at home by myself. :)

> 2) Superstars are a myth. They are top to bottom marketing. I have not 
> yet been anywhere that does not have local talent as good as anything 
> that comes to town for a one nighter at high price or has airplay. 
> Calling a small number of people "super" is just a way of getting the 
> best return on investment. Go watch/listen to your local talent, the 
> cover charge is worth it. If you as an artist are not doing anything 
> live, you should be (we are talking about singles and albums here not 
> sound tracks or jingles which are different animals).
>
Superstars are often frauds. Especially in some genres like pop music. 
For any superstar voice performing somewhere (in the days when live 
performances in front of audiences weren't virus-spreaders), there are 
probably a thousand lesser-known or unknown singers that are better or 
at least as good.

Example: When my sister was in high school, she had a high school friend 
(Karen) that sang country music. Remember the famous country song "Stand 
By Your Man" sung by Tammy Wynette:? My sister's friend sang rings 
around Ms Wynette. Karen was an awesome singer. She had performed 
professionally with her first husband until she divorced him at age 16.

> Anyway, anyone like me doesn't know the first thing about marketing... 
> even enough to know if someone offering that service is any good or not. 

Me, neither.

-- 
David W. Jones
gnome at hawaii.rr.com
authenticity, honesty, community
http://dancingtreefrog.com
"My password is the last 8 digits of π."