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

tedgioia.substack.com

61–70 of 198 posts

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

#61
post #3

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

You realize you can't just show up to a big venue with your gear and start playing right? It's like wondering why famousactor$ doesn't just make his own movies. Behind every artist there's like 1000 people behind the scenes making it all work.

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

#62

Interestingly, labels playing games about releasing albums is an old trick for various old reasons too. https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2010/apr/15/arti... https://www.buzzfeed.com/azafar/what-happens-when-your-favor... for a couple old references A change in negotiation power seems like a good evolution of the industry for anyone but record industry execs. But this "record industry is committing suicide"…

Hollywood isn't circling the drain? The only way for them to turn a profit is sequels and remakes. The industry that was created by intrigue will be killed by executives trying to make a marvel cinematic universe

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

#64
post #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.

But judging by the 90s-00s Disney Channel stars we're swamped with now, I'd say that all indicators point to yes.

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

#65
post #59

Interestingly, labels playing games about releasing albums is an old trick for various old reasons too. https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2010/apr/15/arti... https://www.buzzfeed.com/azafar/what-happens-when-your-favor... for a couple old references A change in negotiation power seems like a good evolution of the industry for anyone but record industry execs. But this "record industry is committing suicide"…

It's not committing suicide - it's just fighting over the rights to the tide pool where the water receded entirely unaware of the tsunami barreling towards them. When the software world can convincingly create new songs that sound like the hit songs people like, but sufficiently different to dodge copyright law, then it's game over. We don't blink an eye at efforts to do things like complete one of Beethoven's sympho…

My god everything about this eventuality just sounds absolutely awful. Just more and more recycling of the same meme-tastic trash (which isn't that far off from the current state of pop music), writ even more large and just plain worse.

I'd like to think the future is the opposite -- artists/bands managing themselves as disparate entities, forming around small labels or even their own labels, and having someone in charge to bring the resources they need to bear for touring or performance related stuff so that they can focus on their music.

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

#66
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 another level of content recommendation that's unmatched by other platforms. Partially due to the short form content that allows TikTok to learn preferences quickly.

TikTok has session times almost as long as Facebook which means users are watching a lot of videos. I imagine this allows users to be targeted very effectively and that's why TikTok is talked about a lot as a platform that makes random stuff go viral quickly.

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

#67
post #3

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

Facebook/YouTube/iTunes doesn't give your band a $200,000 advance and fund a tour schedule across the USA eastern seaboard.

Perhaps they should rebrand to “angel investors”

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

#68
post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the age of internet virality, who would accept an offer from a promoter that demands >80% of your profit? Unless you are acting for reasons of charity, the answer is no.

In the indie video game world, you can work on your game for a few years, then once its done, tested and polished, a publisher will want 30% for doing a few months of organizing the release. They value their time at perhaps 1000 times more valuable that your own. Its outrageous.

They spend 1,000 times more than you to build out a network. 30% is lower than what Walmart would charge you if you were lucky enough to get listed. Most people raise prices to cover these and advertising costs. If you tried to replicate that network the time/effort would outweigh the costs.

Spending years on an indie game was never going to be that profitable. I hope you build the game for other reasons aside from profits.

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

#69
post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not committing suicide - it's just fighting over the rights to the tide pool where the water receded entirely unaware of the tsunami barreling towards them. When the software world can convincingly create new songs that sound like the hit songs people like, but sufficiently different to dodge copyright law, then it's game over. We don't blink an eye at efforts to do things like complete one of Beethoven's sympho…

My god everything about this eventuality just sounds absolutely awful. Just more and more recycling of the same meme-tastic trash (which isn't that far off from the current state of pop music), writ even more large and just plain worse. I'd like to think the future is the opposite -- artists/bands managing themselves as disparate entities, forming around small labels or even their own labels, and having someone in ch…

There is no eventuality. Relax. Punks are punks because they can’t not exist. You just can’t comprehend what they’re doing next. Neither can I if it makes you feel any better.

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

#70
post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not committing suicide - it's just fighting over the rights to the tide pool where the water receded entirely unaware of the tsunami barreling towards them. When the software world can convincingly create new songs that sound like the hit songs people like, but sufficiently different to dodge copyright law, then it's game over. We don't blink an eye at efforts to do things like complete one of Beethoven's sympho…

My god everything about this eventuality just sounds absolutely awful. Just more and more recycling of the same meme-tastic trash (which isn't that far off from the current state of pop music), writ even more large and just plain worse. I'd like to think the future is the opposite -- artists/bands managing themselves as disparate entities, forming around small labels or even their own labels, and having someone in ch…

More than 20 years ago MP3.com tried to educate and support the independent artist. Some would get popular on the platform and eventually get signed and remove their content from the platform - a contract with a label was and is a huge draw, even if it doesn't provide the support and compensation they expect.

On the flip side, Eve Selis is an example of an artist who broke on the scene during that time and maintained control over her art https://www.eveselis.com/ I agree that it would be great if more artists followed that path.

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