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Justin Timberlake Made a Fortune Giving His Album Away

businessweek.com

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Re: Justin Timberlake Made a Fortune Giving His Album Away

#3

Post by Shivetya »

Avshalom wrote: post #2

not that 32,000 is anything to sneeze at but it appears he actually made a fortune selling his album. EDIT: which is to say the actual headline is: "Spotify probably better hypemachine than Clear Channel, at the moment"

32K which was merely the predecessor to that album's sale is icing on the cake. Sure they could negotiate more for per play of each song but to me its sounding like advertising that pays you back.

Re: Justin Timberlake Made a Fortune Giving His Album Away

#4

Post by rasur »

Avshalom wrote: post #2

not that 32,000 is anything to sneeze at but it appears he actually made a fortune selling his album. EDIT: which is to say the actual headline is: "Spotify probably better hypemachine than Clear Channel, at the moment"

Drug dealers have a ploy: "The first one's free, the rest you pay for". Always seemed to work out well for them financially (I'm obviously ignoring the other aspects of the ploy here).

EDIT: For typo

Re: Justin Timberlake Made a Fortune Giving His Album Away

#7

Post by din-9 »

coryl wrote: post #5

It seems like music is the loss leader these days, I'm curious to know the pay day from touring.

I believe touring and merchandising have always been where bands/artists can make the most money. If you have not read it, Courtney Love's essay from more than a decade ago that coevered how bands get paid for albums might be eye opening http://www.salon.com/2000/06/14/love_7/

Re: Justin Timberlake Made a Fortune Giving His Album Away

#8

Post by forrestthewoods »

Avshalom wrote: post #2

not that 32,000 is anything to sneeze at but it appears he actually made a fortune selling his album. EDIT: which is to say the actual headline is: "Spotify probably better hypemachine than Clear Channel, at the moment"

A fortune? A million CDs at ~$10 a pop minus apple's cut (digital) and multiple expenses/middle man cuts for physical it probably made 5 to 7 million dollars.

Given the number of people involved in the creation of a CD that's pretty good but not exactly a fortune. Many fortunes will be made from this endeavor, and they'll be from things other than direct sales of music content to consumers

Re: Justin Timberlake Made a Fortune Giving His Album Away

#9

Post by alan_cx »

coryl wrote: post #5

It seems like music is the loss leader these days, I'm curious to know the pay day from touring.

From what I can tell, and the model I would advocate, is that recorded music is advertising for a live tour, which does make the money.

And, IMHO, that is how it should be. A recording, to my mind, is faked music, produced to an inch of its like. Its like air brushing. A real artist, or musician, can perform live, and that is where they should make their money, performing their art. That is the artist. Buy a MP3 or CD and you are buying 5% artist, 95% corporate skimmed off "tax".

Granted a lot of pop act's tours are fairly faked up, but at least you see the buggers put in the effort!!!

IMHO, "piracy" keeps these artists honest.

Re: Justin Timberlake Made a Fortune Giving His Album Away

#10

Post by simplexion »

alan_cx wrote: post #9
coryl wrote: post #5

It seems like music is the loss leader these days, I'm curious to know the pay day from touring.

From what I can tell, and the model I would advocate, is that recorded music is advertising for a live tour, which does make the money. And, IMHO, that is how it should be. A recording, to my mind, is faked music, produced to an inch of its like. Its like air brushing. A real artist, or musician, can perform live, and that is where they should make their money, performing their art. That is the artist. Buy a MP3 or C…

Hoodie Allen agrees with this.
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