MUSIC INDUSTRY FACT OF THE DAY - December 10, 2009

MUSIC INDUSTRY FACT OF THE DAY - by John Hartmann

The Record business owes its demise to the criminal infrastructure created by its founders and the failure of the postmodern executive corps to address digimodernization in a timely manner.

The big four stalled at Napster and allowed download distribution to be developed by others. By trying to preserve the highly lucrative CD market they let the big cyber-bucks get away.

The labels' desperate attempt to create a marriage with artists and managers will end in divorce. I'm not saying that 360 degree deals won't work; but why does an artist need a record company to have one? Jimmy, Doug, Lyor et al are lost in the digi-fog and running blind from behind. They have no money to build acts and even if they deliver radio, who is listening? MP3 is here to stay.

The labels have always been the traditional enemy of the artist. They didn't want to be fair and honest in the past and now they demand a place at the artist's table with an equal piece of the pie. However the Internet is the new A&R and promotion mechanism and it is free. The labels have little to offer a new artist. Greed will marginalize their role in The Music Renaissance.

Every act should own their own masters and publishing; these are the permanent assets of their business. They must also have a good live act and a booking system. The Internet enables artists to market their products directly to their fan base. The only accounting will be to themselves.

The remonetization of recorded music will not be dictated from corporate boardrooms down, it will be built by the artists and managers from the cyber-grass-roots up. This liberation is making music bigger than ever. And, it puts the profit where it belongs; with those who earn it.

Never in the history of recorded music has so much been enjoyed by so many and paid for by so few. There is no longer room for a middle-man in this game. Its between the artists and the fans.

Join the revolution at http://www.holodigmmusic.com/