Quote:
Originally Posted by bilbobaggins  But lets take piracy out of this picture (or curb it at least) to determine what the real market value should be
Here's a post I made earlier that attempts to do just that.......
"
In the past 10 years we've had
more computers
more internet access
more iPods (some 225,000,000 of them!)
more phones with memory
more single downloads
more bands with better visibility than ever before
more people going to more gigs
an economic boom
cheap credit
more disposable income than ever before
The world's economy doubled in size from U.S. $30.21 to U.S. $60.59 trillion
Yet the music industry is effectively halved? |
Indeed - and I like the way you presented this. It begins to account for ALL of the market dynamics. If we could just drill down to the specifics, I think this would turn from a "problem-oriented" discussion to a "solution-oriented" think tank. IMO, that is something the RIAA hasn't even STARTED until now.
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Originally Posted by bilbobaggins But I think the fairest way to correlate the two, (piracy & revenue) is to look at the growth in gigs.
Find out what the growth was in the gigs and I reckon you'll probably get the fairest indicator of what the music industry *should* have grown by without piracy. |
Again, you've pointed out an interest dynamic. Clearly, there is an increased market penetration. Folks are finding "their" bands more accessible. But it doesn't necessarily mean that revenue would be equally proportionate.
One consideration is that, since we are in a culture of "expendable entertainment", music sans live performance is viewed as "static" and, therefore, having little intrinsic value. Video (Live Performance) has indeed killed the radio star?! I don't know. Just thinking aloud.
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Originally Posted by bilbobaggins If you are saying that....the market value of recorded music is nominal or free, then you have a valid point.
Then ask yourself why is the market value perceived to be nominal or free? |
See above note. But, again, I am choosing my words carefully. PERCEPTIONS can be altered. You can't promote lunacy like Cribs, "Bling", and a parade of haute coutoure then cry broke. People will NOT empathize and I don't blame them. This is just one of the MANY marketing disasters on the part of the labels.
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Originally Posted by bilbobaggins NO, and there is a very good reason behind this. Bands are probably one of the riskiest endeavours that one could ever invest in.
The record companies take a HUGE risk, and I argue that because of piracy, they are less likely to take a risk in developing the more creative artists in the future. |
I don't buy this one so much. The job of the labels is to do what any other company does: Create and market a product that is DESIGNED to be successful. (And if they have common sense, also have some degree of longevity.)
Take the MEGA-STARS out of the equation and what kind of grooming is the LABEL doing with the artists? What are the A&Rs doing to raise the QUALITY of the artists? The average mean of talent is DROPPING in a market where you can afford to be as picky as ever. The elevated risk is associated with the fact that labels are throwing crap at the wall and seeing what sticks. The old formula still persists: Garbage In = Garbage Out.
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Originally Posted by bilbobaggins I would much rather pay 99c to help quality artists than see them languishing in mc Donalds
Now that's equitable don't you think! |
Let's not confuse OUR sentiment with that of the buying public. We are far more educated, sympathetic and subjective than they are. And, not to be an ass, but our opinion doesn't really count for much in this area.
Do I think that Dave Matthews or Alicia Keys should be flipping burgers? HELL NO! But, I don't feel the same about the majority of other gimmicky artists that saturate the market.
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Originally Posted by bilbobaggins The pirate parties manifesto.......
"we want to create a fair and balanced copyright"
a few paragraphs later......
"All non-commercial copying and use should be completely free, file sharing and P2P networking should be encouraged rather than criminalized"
also......
A quick search of TPB yielded
ALL of the UK top 10
7 out of top 10 films (U.K)
Call of duty-modern warfare, logic, Native Instruments, some waves stuff etc etc...... |
I totally track what you're saying. But this is like reading back
Mein Kampf and using it as an overlay to the general public. These are a zealous group of folks who, due to their beliefs, propagate illegal activities. Right now, there is a WEAK counterpoint coming from the RIAA and SAG - and even fewer "solutions" to address the problem.
I sincerely am on the side of the artists. In fact, "I are one." But that doesn't mean that we act irrationally or emotionally to a legitimate problem. As so many others have stated, it's time to stop CRYING and starting SOLVING THE PROBLEM.... Most likely, we'll have to do so from a grass-roots position because labels just aren't getting it.