[Kiwiburger]

Myspace is just the AM radio of the 1960's, the FM radio of the 1970's, the Walkman of the 1980's, the Minidisc of the 1990's, etc, etc.

The quality is just as crap, and arguments about the ease of duplication don't make any sense. It's possible to still play cassettes of music taken of the radio in the 1970's. Try playing a current software format in 10 years time ...

If you are an artist, just be glad that you are being heard at all. The competition for 'mind space' is fierce. Not just music but tv, movies, games, advertising, sports, clubs, everything.

The growth in the home recording industry and the proliferation of audio engineering courses doesn't guarantee everyone the right to earn money from your craft. It means there will be a lot of disappointed punters. There is only ever an elite who will make a lot of money out of music - because the public only has a tiny little percentage of their mind space to allocate to music.

The clever people aren't whinging about Myspace - they are exploiting it for all it's worth.

The fashions change, but the basic rules of engagement haven't really changed at all. If you want to make a good living out of music, you have to be better than everyone else, and find new and inventive ways to reach your audience. If they fall in love with you, you have an opportunity to sell them an experience. Whether that venture succeeds of fails is largely in your own hands.