Check out these insights on what it’s like to be a musician trying to make a living out of one’s art. These are for the most part not “major” artists (yet), but probably at a level most of us dream of being, which is that of paying your bills with music.
As one band quite honestly puts it:
What’s interesting is to see how this traditional model, based around radio air-play and record sales and being displaced by music 2.0, is viewed by the bands being interviewed.
Illegal downloading is mentioned quite a bit, but not only in the negative way one would expect from a band – the exposure it gives the groups internationally is something that potentially outweighs the adverse effect of not selling CDs, and most bands recognize that.
Adapting to change shouldn’t be as hard for the bands as it is for the record companies – all the new services available to musicians on the internet are giving them the chance to distance themselves from the pill offered by A&R scouts.
And let’s face it. Bands are making more money off merchandise, licensing and touring than by selling CDs through a traditional record label. Check out Dick Dale if you don’t believe me. As for selling the music, the 16-year olds that discovered Napster are now 25 year-olds with disposable income that are still only a click away from any song they want, but this time on iTunes.
Good stuff.
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