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I’ve embraced many of the things that those on the tech side of the music business want musicians to embrace. But what many of you forget is that IT IS MY CHOICE whether I choose to give away my songs or sell them. IT IS MY CHOICE how and where to distribute my songs. IT IS MY CHOICE to decide which websites get to exploit my songs. Like it or not, the right to control one’s intellectual property (like songs) is a constitutional right. It is also part of every international human rights agreement. Technology company funded blogs that think there should be no song copyrights are actually advocating violating my constitutional and human rights!
Many in the digital music industry rightfully condemn the past exploitation of artists by record labels. But at the same time they seem to be doing the same thing. Trying to bully artists into giving up their rights so that companies like MegaUpload or YouTube can make money is the same thing.
With exploitative record contracts The Old Boss tried to take your songs a dozen at a time and pay you pennies. The New Boss wants to take ALL of your songs, past present and future and pay you nothing.
Originally posted by DeadSnow
The entertainment industry was never designed to benefit the artists, they barely make anything and to be honest with you I'm only in it for the sponsorship, free clothes, creating awareness etc.
Originally posted by DeadSnow
The record label always wins even if the album doesn't sell over 100k. Those rich lists they put up on forbes..well don't buy into the hype. You can sell 3 million records and not even come close to having a million dollars in net worth.
Was the old record label system better?
I mean it didn’t seem like the artists were literally starving and living in their vans like now? I mean even the independent bands seemed able to stay in a hotel every once in a while and being a “Freegan” was a lifestyle choice, not a necessity.
Sadly I think the answer turns out to be yes. Things are worse. This was not really what I was expecting. I’d be very happy to be proved wrong. I mean it’s hard for me to sing the praises of the major labels. I’ve been in legal disputes with two of the three remaining major labels. But sadly I think I’m right. And the reason is quite unexpected. It’s seems the Bad Old Major Record Labels “accidentally” shared too much revenue and capital through their system of advances. Also the labels ”accidentally” assumed most of the risk. This is contrasted with the new digital distribution system where some of the biggest players assume almost no risk and share zero capital.
Originally posted by ShadowAngel85
Yeah that's why all the Beatles, all the guys from Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and all others are filthy stinking rich.
And of course the musicans don't make most of the money. Why should they?
The labels do: - provide them with money in the first place to buy some instruments (when they sign a contract)
- help them finance their album so it doesn't sound like it was recorded in a garage
- provide all the advertisement
- release the album to the stores, produce the records, usually are behind finding cover artists, booklet autors, producing the whole package
- export it to the world
Do you think this can be done with 5 dollars? There are hundreds and hundreds of people involved in helping a group of 4-6 people to release their music to the public in every part of the world...and gasp...those humans want to make some money too. I know it's a weird concept you may not understand, they aren't robots and while CDs and cases may be prroduced in a factory it's not done by Androids and Robots.
Originally posted by DeadSnow
Albums are also leaked on purpose by the record labels themselves for reasons I don't yet understand maybe to lower sales and keep artists under control.
Originally posted by Maxmars
reply to post by DeadSnow
I suspect you will like this article. I hope you have a chance to read it.
Art and commerce, from a purely ideological perspective is tragically misunderstood. And "getting rich" i suppose goes hand in hand with wanting to be 'a star' or celebrity; so I'm not sure there's a lot of room to argue for or against the idea of who deserves what and why. It's all a matter of choice... I suppose.
I’ve embraced many of the things that those on the tech side of the music business want musicians to embrace. But what many of you forget is that IT IS MY CHOICE whether I choose to give away my songs or sell them. IT IS MY CHOICE how and where to distribute my songs. IT IS MY CHOICE to decide which websites get to exploit my songs. Like it or not, the right to control one’s intellectual property (like songs) is a constitutional right. It is also part of every international human rights agreement. Technology company funded blogs that think there should be no song copyrights are actually advocating violating my constitutional and human rights!
Many in the digital music industry rightfully condemn the past exploitation of artists by record labels. But at the same time they seem to be doing the same thing. Trying to bully artists into giving up their rights so that companies like MegaUpload or YouTube can make money is the same thing.
With exploitative record contracts The Old Boss tried to take your songs a dozen at a time and pay you pennies. The New Boss wants to take ALL of your songs, past present and future and pay you nothing.