Live data from Hacker News

Record labels dig their own grave, and the shovel is called TikTok

tedgioia.substack.com

1–10 of 198 posts

Re: Record labels dig their own grave, and the shovel is called TikTok

#4
post #3

I don’t get why artists even use record labels anymore. Is there something that Facebook/YouTube/iTunes etc doesn’t provide?

Upfront funding to get you going. Recording, traveling, promoting all costs money. We're getting better with cheaper tools, and cheaper promotion platforms (tiktok and all), but still there is a need for capital

Re: Record labels dig their own grave, and the shovel is called TikTok

#5
post #3

I don’t get why artists even use record labels anymore. Is there something that Facebook/YouTube/iTunes etc doesn’t provide?

It is a lot more complex than it seems from the outside.

If you want to play a live show somewhere big (reach the most fans, sell merch and earn the big bucks), Live Nation owns the venue. Live Nation is Clear Channel and Ticket Master. Live Nation also owns radio, where your show would be advertised.

The big labels all have deals with Live Nation.

It is all super super shady.

Re: Record labels dig their own grave, and the shovel is called TikTok

#6
post #3

I don’t get why artists even use record labels anymore. Is there something that Facebook/YouTube/iTunes etc doesn’t provide?

Upfront funding to get you going. Recording, traveling, promoting all costs money. We're getting better with cheaper tools, and cheaper promotion platforms (tiktok and all), but still there is a need for capital

>> The singer Halsey put up a TikTok last week complaining about her label’s obsession with TikTok. “I have a song I love I wanna release ASAP,” she told fans on the platform, “but my record label won’t let me. I’ve been in this industry for eight years and I’ve sold over 165 million records, and my record company is saying that I can’t release it unless they can fake a viral moment on TikTok.”

-------

The article is talking about how Record Labels are no longer doing upfront funding. The artist has to become a viral sensation on TikTok __BEFORE__ the record labels put up the money for them.

Re: Record labels dig their own grave, and the shovel is called TikTok

#8
post #7

I think I'm just an old guy at this point who doesn't get it but what is so different between tik tok, youtube, bandcamp etc? Can't you view popularity metrics on all of these platforms? Why are they so focused on this one platform?

TikTok is where the teens are apparently, and so they want to capitalize on that.

Whether it actually coverts to dollars may remain to be seen.

Re: Record labels dig their own grave, and the shovel is called TikTok

#9
post #7

I think I'm just an old guy at this point who doesn't get it but what is so different between tik tok, youtube, bandcamp etc? Can't you view popularity metrics on all of these platforms? Why are they so focused on this one platform?

Because TikTok is mainly (not "only", just "mainly") about people watching short-form content like stupid dancing/music memes, "edgy" political commentary, "challenges" and other low-quality garbage content consumed primarily by teens since humans left trees. And teens are the primary target audience for a certain segment of the music industry.
Post reply on HN