Spotify CEO: musicians can no longer release music only “once every 3-4 years”

Post by harikb » Sat, Aug 01, 2020, 1:18 AM UTC

crazygringo wrote: post #401

alchemyromcom wrote: post #139

I wish more people, especially tech CEOs, could understand the incredible sacrifice of time, money, and energy it takes to make an album people actually enjoy. Everything you listen to, unless you are willing to listen to raw demos, is a miracle. I've worked both as a sound engineer and and a software developer. It's orders of magnitude easier to make working software than it is to make a hit record. The way tech com…

> It's orders of magnitude easier to make working software than it is to make a hit record. That's apples-to-oranges. Obviously a "hit" anything is hard in any field, by definition. A hit app is just as hard (even harder, probably, since there are a lot less hit apps than hit songs). But producing a single track? Seriously, it's not that hard. Yes, it takes a team of people and a lot of creativity and skill, but I do…

Post by sukilot » Sat, Aug 01, 2020, 1:23 AM UTC

shakezula wrote: post #305

AsyncAwait wrote: post #181

Earlier quoted context omitted.

See, but that's the thing. Many artists don't work in this way where they'd have a major project that is this single to get our in 3 months and that's like me having a sprint deliverable and that's that. They'll write songs when there's inspiration, but maybe nothing for six months after. Then some don't feel right so they get thrown into the bin etc. An album release is very much "when it's ready". Forcing it on a s…

Spotify isn't saying that if an artist doesn't put out material every 3 months they'll be de-ranked. That's absolutely not the idea here. What they're saying is that in the current climate, you have to fight for attention, and rapid, small releases achieve that. A quick check of Dawn of Solace's Spotify page and tour schedule shows me that they're active but probably not making full-time jobs out of this. And that's…

Post by sukilot » Sat, Aug 01, 2020, 1:29 AM UTC

egypturnash wrote: post #346

AlexandrB wrote: post #253

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's irrelevant. Both software and music are: * infinitely reproducible for near zero marginal cost * subject to changing tastes and style * easily obtainable through illegal means This is especially true for games. Many software companies seem to have solved this dilemma by becoming surveillance or advertising companies that happen to make software. Games have solved it by peddling an increasing quantity of paid,…

If you stop playing the huge AAA games and start playing smaller ones, you see another solution: lower prices for games that can be finished in an amount of time that fits into the busy life of an adult, and very often a grant from a national art fund . Not for American games, of course, we basically destroyed the National Endowment for the Arts, thanks a lot guys.

Post by sukilot » Sat, Aug 01, 2020, 1:32 AM UTC

apocalypstyx wrote: post #288

lux wrote: post #210

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Musician and software developer here, and I'm calling BS on that. Here's a transcript of a talk I gave last year on "code as art" (apologies if this sounds like self-promo). You can skip the first half and scroll down to where it says "Which leads me back to code as an artform". There are a lot of ways to demonstrate that code IS art, and this was just a quick 5-minute overview of the subject. Cheers! https://www.joh…

As an acquaintance of mine put it the other day on this exact topic (who happens to be a writer/graphic artist/programmer): "First STEM says that the humanities are worthless. Then they say how, really, STEM should get all that glory too because, really, it's the same thing -- but better." Or this quote: "Great paintings, for example, get you laid in a way that great computer programs never do. Even not-so-great pain…

Post by dahfizz » Sat, Aug 01, 2020, 1:38 AM UTC

chrisseaton wrote: post #479

ZoomZoomZoom wrote: post #403

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>How do they capture revenue from people like me in your model? It's not like bands stopped selling CD's/BluRays's, collectible box-sets, stickers, pins, access to behind-the-scenes videos and mailing lists. But the most someone like you can do for an average band/performer is promote their art through any channels available. The most valuable resource you have is your attention.

> selling CD's/BluRays's, collectible box-sets, stickers, pins Hmmm... it's a shame they're trying to sell stuff like this. I want to support artists but the last thing I want is junk.