Subcription vs. the Fans
Posted in Latest News by scott at 11:37 am
I love the idea of the subcription model. I myself am a fan of many artists. There are several that I would probably pay a monthly fee to get a song or two a month, plus what feels to me a more personal relationship with the artist. Much like the patrons of olde I see the subscription model as a way for “the fans” to be the patron instead of one person (or one record label) supporting the artist. I have asked several fans of bands I work with what they thought of the subscription model and it’s largely these “hardcore” fans that are holding on to the physical model - universally they still want a CD. My hesitation is that the exact person the digital model should appeal to are the hardcore fans. I think it is strange that the industry claims the CD is dead, but the fans still seem to want them. I think part of the problem with the lack of sales recently is that everyone that wanted to has finally replaced their old catalog of vinyl and tapes with CD’s and aren’t buying the third or fourth reissue of the new Elvis Costello catalog or David Bowie catalog.
The other side of it to me is that pop music has become something that is purely of the moment. In the past pop music “could” appeal to any number of people, not just a particular clique (like it does today). Radio has helped to create this monopoly of taste slowly over the decades. I understand that radio is advertisement driven - that’s fair - it’s a business. This explains a lack of taking chances with music (although to some degree - radio has always been advertisement driven and that didn’t stop them from taking chances with rock and roll when it first started, but I digress). Everyone is looking at the internet as the great saviour of new music - it will be, and is very close to being that - but it simply isn’t yet. I’m about as technically savvy as you get, but I still don’t stream audio from the web to the stereo in the living room (it’s hooked up to the Mac in the library - and I can stream itunes to my living room stereo - but I can’t stream Rhapsody or audio from any website to the living room stereo, unless I purchase even more equipment at quite an expense). My point being that there is a gap from where radio is losing us and the internet is gaining us (as LISTENERS).
Personally I can’t wait for the seemless integration of sound and the internet.
The CD wil not be dead as long as cars carry them. Milions of people listen to music while they are driving and often their choice is to play their CDs. So there is still a market for CDs. and as you say getting the type of hook up which allows the vast public to listen in their living room is still not affordable. Back catalogues will suffer for sure though.
Its not just radio that is responsible for monopoly.t.v has a part to play in that too but possibly in a different way? The emergence of reality karaoke talent show contests such as pop idol or x factor have got a lot to answer for! They sure as heck dont encourage new music or artist progression but rely heavily on the cult of personality and appearance. I shudder to think what would have happened to the likes of Bob Dylan,Van Morrison or Joe Cocker in one of these shows? Not that they would ever have been foolhardy enough to countenance appearing in one in their time.
But musically they encourage a bland musical taste in the populace at large whilst holding up a false golden cup for thousands of wanabees who hope for a lucky break to stardome.
As for mainstream music magz? God help us from them telling us whats in and whats out!
I have nothing against mainstream popularity but its the thought of being herded like sheep into going down a narrow path to a pen to be locked in which annoys me!
Which leads us back to the question as to why fans arent buying more music?
Perhaps its because they feel that they are force fed on the same diet of music all the time from a combination of sources?
For a couple of years i was regularly attending local musical venues in a large city and i swear if i heard the same sound of a guitar band once i heard it repeated a hundred times over by other bands all copying the same! Whose fault is that? I would say its a very controlled industrys fault.
That industry taking in all aspects of labels,radio,magazines,and tv all driving to where they think the money is to be made and not being prepared to take a chance on anything which might be remotely difficult to sell. So to me the industry has become more tightly money focussed and less willingto be open to new influence. But is it driving the customer or is the customer driving it or a combination of both? Whichever way the drive is for the wrong reasons i feel.
Comment by Rod — March 1, 2007 @ 6:28 pm