[combfilter]

Originally Posted by zboy2854

Compared to today, absolutely. Sure, labels were always relatively ripping off the artists, but from a creative standpoint, the '70s were the heyday for artists. Labels gave them unprecedented creative license. Today, if you're on a label you're lucky if they let you make a record at all, and if you do you're luckier still if they let you make the kind of record you want to make, and if you do you're even luckier still if they even release it.

Not to mention back in the '70s, you didn't have to be some videogenic, image obsessed act, you could make great music and it was enough, even if you were butt-ugly. Today, as far as the label system goes, not a chance.

Then there's the whole idea of allowing artists to fully develop and blossom. Not anymore today. Imagine if acts like Neil Young or Bruce Springsteen came out today. Those guys took a few albums before they broke big in the mainstream. Today, if the first album (which you're lucky to have released) doesn't pop out of the gate, you're almost guaranteed to be dropped.

Amen.

Great post.