It’s the music, stupid …
p2pnet news view Advertising | Music:- Has anybody heard the Josh Freese album?
The Internet not only allowed anybody to make and distribute music, it allowed them an opportunity to try and sell it.
Suddenly, we’ve got millions of mini-Madonnas, familiar with her biography from music television, they figure if they just get in enough people’s faces, evidence their raw desire, they will be successful.
But that was a different era. One of gatekeepers, wherein it was incredibly difficult to pass through the filter. Furthermore, Madonna knew her audience, she started off in clubs. Today’s “artists” have got no understanding of the marketplace, they just know they can send their message to zillions of people instantly, and doggone it, statistics tell us if just a tiny percentage of people bite, they’ll be a success.
But that’s spam, not music. Spammers don’t sell unproven items, they’re moving Viagra, other discounted/grey market/fraudulent iterations of what many people already desire. It’s kind of like knock-offs. You want that twenty five dollar Rolex. But you don’t want a twenty five dollar watch with a no-name brand and a bland look that will deliver no recognition from acquaintances, no bang for the buck. Unless, of course, that watch is truly unique. In which case, you’ve got the new Franck Muller. Then again, how many new Franck Mullers are there?
In other words, it’s the music, stupid.
In the old days, the days of the gatekeeper, the filter, we had what were called “turntable hits”. Labels paid radio to play ‘em, but no one bought ‘em. And, in case you missed a memo, record companies have historically been in the business of selling records, radio airplay doesn’t pay. So what you end up with in this case is a sea of red ink.
Still, one thing the old system did was to squeeze out the riff-raff. Sour grapes was only heard by friends and family. Now, people go online and tell you how the big boys just won’t pay attention. Ever think you’re not good enough?
Never. These people are delusional.
The quality level required to interest those not related, those not sleeping with you, is unbelievably high. How many people get to be quarterback of an NFL team? Fewer than fifty start. And so many fans bitch, teams complain that their starting quarterback just isn’t good enough, that they can’t compete with Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Is there a shortage of people desirous of the job? Hell, there are fatsos sitting on the couch watching the big screen right now who would quit their gig and run to the stadium, if capable, to be the quarterback of their favorite team, ANY team. But they know they’re just not good enough. They’d be laughed off the field. Done after one hit. But somehow, people who create music believe they’re entitled to an audience, that the public must pay attention, that they must be heard.
But they’re not.
So they resort to extreme marketing.
Mr. Freese has never done anything solo musically that’s garnered any attention. Furthermore, he’s a drummer, a player in a band who’s not known for his sense of melody. But, now he can draw attention to his solo efforts via innovative marketing. But can he get anybody to listen to his music?
How about that guy Moldover, with the theremin built into his CD case. Hell, most people his age don’t even want the CD, unless it’s as a souvenir of the live gig. I watched his YouTube video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8UzSVFUIc0), but I didn’t listen to his music.
There’s an interesting story in today’s “Wall Street Journal” entitled “Extreme Job-Hunting”. One guy wore a sandwich board, another taped his resume inside the cab he was driving, another wore a t-shirt advertising her availability on bike rides. Did any of them get jobs? No! One had even graduated from MIT! They learned some lessons, just like by wading into the Internet pool with your music you can garner information, hone skills, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to be successful!
Even better, there’s an ancillary article, entitled “Brave or Brazen? Bold Tactics Don’t Always Get The Job”. In this case, NEVER! Job-seekers who show up at offices unannounced not only get bounced, they get blackballed, the recruiter will have nothing to do with that person going forward. As one recruiter said regarding a job-seeker who sent out a meeting-request invite via Microsoft Outlook: “I just thought it was inappropriate and too aggressive. It would be like walking into someone’s office without an invite.”
Like e-mailing someone who doesn’t want to hear from you, who hasn’t given permission. Just because you have Jimmy Iovine or Irving Azoff’s e-mail address, that doesn’t mean they’re going to pay attention to you. You’re just a nuisance. If anything, the Internet has made those with power even more reluctant to interact with the unknown. You never know who’s a crank, who will end up knocking on your front door and barging into your house when you’re in your PJs, demanding you listen to his substandard material while he hangs out in your living room.
The only thing that works is music. The music must sell itself. The marketing must be SUBSIDIARY to the music. Just because you can advertise yourself on Twitter doesn’t mean ANYBODY cares!
Going one step deeper, let’s investigate the Jill Sobule model. Wherein you scoop up a bunch of revenue from your hard core fans in order to make an expensive record so you can finally break through. I love Jill, her music is great. But did she ever stop and rethink her paradigm, her career path? That maybe the fault wasn’t the label, but that she doesn’t fit into the system? It’s one thing if you roll up revenue to record and reach your hard core base, as Marillion has done for years, but if you think that just because you’re now armed with money you’re going to break through to the masses, you’re delusional.
Dan Zanes couldn’t break through as a rocker, but he’s a king in the world of children’s music. Maybe you’ve got to change your direction, your niche, as opposed to just banging your head up against the same damn wall.
As for Radiohead and its innovative “In Rainbows” name your own price giveaway … It only worked because it was RADIOHEAD! People were already willing to PAY for their music.
So, you route yourself into forty cities in forty days and send out a press release. Who gives a shit? What’s that got to do with your music? You’re better off staying at home, writing better material, than trying to flog crap to those who just don’t care.
And the media ain’t what it used to be. So, you get a newspaper to do a story. Does anybody read the newspaper anymore? The “New York Times” reviews records … who you gonna trust, them or Pitchfork?
Everybody selling feels entitled.
And potential consumers just don’t give a shit, they’ve turned off marketing messages. Not only by wannabe rock stars, but major corporations, fielding teams of seasoned marketers. Maybe you know something these marketers do not, if so, go to work for Wieden+Kennedy or TBWA, don’t think just because you’re an innovative seller/marketer that anybody wants to hear your music.
Look at it this way… Do you think you get to play for the Yankees via sheer desire? That if you could just get in front of a Steinbrenner they’d let you pitch? Tell that story to a friend, he’ll think you’re crazy. Not only do you need talent, and decades of practice, you must not only be good, but EXCEPTIONAL! If you think it’s any different in music, you’re dreaming. And I’m here to pop your bubble. If you want to make it in today’s no radio world, first and foremost, you must have the chops. And almost NOBODY plays at this level. It’s not only cutthroat in terms of getting people’s attention, it’s cutthroat in terms of talent, and skill!
There are a zillion YouTube clips telling you how to play classic tunes on guitar, the wizardry revealed can be impressive, but none of these people WROTE THE SONGS! Anybody can drip paint on a canvas, but Jackson Pollock came up with the idea! It’s not so hard to play “Stairway To Heaven”, but to write it is almost IMPOSSIBLE!
Bob Lefsetz – The Lefsetz Letter
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win ~ Mahatma Gandhi
September, 2009
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September 2nd, 2009 at 3:39 pm
I do remember when Melissa Etheridge walked all over Toronto streets while playing her music.
Of course, I thought her way of “announcing herself to the world” was brilliant, in terms of a way of advertising herself to the masses without having to spend a dime to do it. However, this thought was actually the SECOND thing that went through my head at the time. The first thing I couldn’t escape was that her MUSIC WAS GOOD. THAT’S what did it for her.
September 2nd, 2009 at 4:35 pm
A bit harsh Bob.
I’d prefer to say “don’t expect to make it just because you release it.” Part of the problem is filtering no longer exists, so there’s a flood of music available and many people are not really into filtering themselves. They find out through friends, whereby someone took the effort to sift through the corporate-wannabe’s mimicking NickelBack or some rap-metal combination.
I write music, but I don’t spam, in fact even my family members do not know my myspace name. Why? Because I know my stuff ain’t worth listening too. More people read the rehashed versions of what is posted on P2pNet than those that listen to my songs. That’s OK.
I don’t expect anything! I don’t spam.
But, your comments are wrapped with such emotion you take away anyone’s desire to write, no matter the quality. That’s wrong! If someone feels better by writing, then they should write. Just don’t expect anyone to really listen unless it is really good, even then, it is tough to be found in a sea of music on the web.
You make good points, as I said just a little harsh.
September 2nd, 2009 at 5:02 pm
” You make good points, as I said just a little harsh. ”
Ever see an episode of American Idol ?
Sometimes ‘Harsh’ isn’t harsh enough.
September 2nd, 2009 at 5:27 pm
I can’t stand those “Idol” shows because they are a sham to begin with. Ever wonder why they take so long to say who’s gone and who stays? They also have this stupid scream track that is almost constantly running, no matter what is happening on the stage.
Ever noticed why they have someone like Simon on each show playing the harsh-man? Because it is a character that the AUDIENCE likes to see, regardless of whether the group/person has any talent or not.
“You suck” is NOT the way to get things done. You can’t say “sorry man, you can’t code like Linus Torvalds so you’re fired!” You can say “you could use some skill honing and you’ll do much better, but don’t expect to be the next Linus or Andrew Morton.”
There are better ways is all I am saying.
Tough love is not always the best kind of love!
September 2nd, 2009 at 6:24 pm
I dunno, Robert, I think the message was more about the increasing need for really good music formed from originality and distinction and not expecting the Internet to do all the magic for you, and less about discouraging people from writing or performing.
I don’t think reminding everyone that the numbers will be against you in the beginning, and that many new launches DO JUST SUCK is anything but a statement of fact. Is it harsh? Maybe, but reality is harsh, and failure to grasp reality can lead to hurting yourself far more than any words written in the above post.
As Dredd outlined, for many people, sometimes much harsher is needed.
People seriously self-delude in surprising numbers. You can see the evidence for yourself at any karaoke bar, never mind American Idol!
September 2nd, 2009 at 6:58 pm
” You can see the evidence for yourself at any karaoke bar ”
—- shudders —-
September 2nd, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Bob, do you have any comment for the “Beat-to-bit” article by Dmitry Silnitsky? It was posted here on p2pnet.net
September 2nd, 2009 at 8:07 pm
@Dredd:
September 2nd, 2009 at 10:50 pm
I really like your post. It makes sense, but it is not exactly correct. Look at the artists that are out now. A lot of them do not have exceptional singing talent. Most of them are relatively mediocre singers. While the NFL quarterbacks are the best in the nation, the recording artists out now are not. Do the Stanky Leg? IMO, that is the worst song ever. And not one person I know personally likes it. I’ve heard many independent artists (some who I know personally being in the entertainment business) who can sing (or rap) a whole lot better than the mainstream artists today. People who will blow people like Beyonce and even Jennifer Hudson out of the water. It seems as if 30 years ago, you actually needed talent to produce a record. But today’s musicians are so talentless it hurts. Ever listen to Britney Spears sing for real? It does not sound pretty at all. Given the state of the music industry today; given the large numbers of talentless people who are producing and selling songs, I don’t blame people for being delusional about their talents. You don’t need real talent to succeed in today’s music business.
September 2nd, 2009 at 11:04 pm
@Guru:
The post was mostly about trying to strike it out over the Internet, not about the assembly line trash The Labels have been pushing for so long.
September 3rd, 2009 at 3:19 am
There is a lot of free, share friendly music out there under creative commons and what have you, and in my opinion there are two things keeping them from becoming heard around the world.
1. Lack of targeted promotion
2. Lack of originality
In other words, the internet makes it possible for anyone to promote themselves online, but most forget “promotion != spam”. I always get invites from musicians on you tube – music I can’t stand. Not even close. Did they even look at the type of music videos I favoritied? This shot gun approach will only irritate potential fans and ruin your online reputation. What we really need are places online where diy-digital music can be reviewed and filtered through. You might be able to spam 100 you tube users, but you’ll get much more attention by sending a press release to the owner of a music blog you read. Blogs can act as gate keepers, while attracting an audience with similar music tastes. Less people might read your message, but more people will wind up listening and becoming fans.
And I also must stress that a lot of the music you people are putting online isn’t good. My typical experience with independent music released online: It’s played well, and it’s recorded with the latest equipment and production techniques, but it sounds exactly like four or five other bands I know. There are plenty of electronica artists releasing stuff on the internet archive that are virtually indistinguishable from each other (they even use the same set of pre packaged drum kits that came with their loop software). And boy have I had enough of the “apple garage band” sound. While it’s a great tool to make quick music, most artists don’t mess with the program enough, and become dependent on the pre set sounds and loops that come with garage band, making endless variations on the same song.
The real problem is that all you musicians are cowards! You don’t have the courage to form an opinion of good or bad, so you are forced to judge your own music by how close it sounds to the music that’s already proven to be successful. But you forget that all of your favorite artists became famous for something new they did – something original that only they can do. Nobody can write a Beatles song except the Beatles. And thats important, because if your music doesn’t stand out, it’s not even going to attract people’s attention, much less reach them. We are all influenced by the music we hear, but we’re called to continue the past, and not duplicate it. Make music that sounds like nothing else. Fuck styles, genres, ect. Just make music that comes naturally, and you’ll have a style all your own – that’s what counts. Honesty.
September 3rd, 2009 at 12:22 pm
” The real problem is that all you musicians are cowards! You donât have the courage to form an opinion of good or bad, so you are forced to judge your own music by how close it sounds to the music thatâs already proven to be successful. But you forget that all of your favorite artists became famous for something new they did – something original that only they can do. Nobody can write a Beatles song except the Beatles. And thats important, because if your music doesnât stand out, itâs not even going to attract peopleâs attention, much less reach them. We are all influenced by the music we hear, but weâre called to continue the past, and not duplicate it. Make music that sounds like nothing else. Fuck styles, genres, ect. Just make music that comes naturally, and youâll have a style all your own – thatâs what counts. Honesty.”
Ok, now replace the word “Musicians” with “RIAA Member Labels” and you have summed up, in a nutshell exactly the
problem with the industry today. This is why they are going broke. Unfortunately, the Labels suffer from the same
cognitive dissonance problem that individual musicians that lefsetz is referring to suffer from.
The individuals refuse to believe that they suck.
The Labels refuse to believe that they suck as well, but have the money to buy a scapegoat in
courts worldwide.
As long as the RIAA members hold all the keys to all the doors there never will be another ‘Beatles’, or any thing
else with the slightest hint of originality.
September 3rd, 2009 at 1:33 pm
Oh yeah agreed, no good can come out of the music industry today. The problem with the music industry is “the music industry” and no talent or originality can come out of it. That’s one reason why they aren’t making the profits they used to make.
However, I seek to be a harsher critic of independent music. You can complain about the big bland music coming out of the big 4 and the RIAA associated labels all you want – those artists won’t change their approach to music. They’ve already been brainwashed with the old fashioned business model. They are a lost cause. But I believe in independent music. I believe supporting independent artists who embrace file sharing is the right thing to do. But I think they need to hear the truth – free music on the internet can be just as bland as the cruft heard on mainstream radio. I hope, after realizing this, independent musicians become motivated to create truly groundbreaking work.
Tough love.
September 3rd, 2009 at 1:50 pm
It could be that many Indie acts dream of making it big, and it is those that Bob is giving tough love to. There are several on MySpace that added me and well… they sound like they’re trying to be what RIAA groups want. And I’m not impressed.
Then you get a few others, Indie, who sound awesome! And these groups, while not super talented, deserve a lot less harsh criticism than the corporate wannabe’s.
It really depends on the group and what they are doing. It’s difficult to write a generalized article as Bob has without having it not apply across the board. It can’t, which is what I was really trying to say. Not all spammers suck, not all indie suck, not all corporate suck either. Not all labels suck!
So if an aspiring young or old artist decides they want to write music, starting with Apple’s GarageBand and just adding loops, and they say “hey check me out” you could really bash them down. And you would have destroyed someone’s dream, which could have been achieved with constructive criticism and some good advice.
The people who think they are great but suck and spam, well they don’t care no matter what you say, they’ll continue as they are, no matter how harsh you are.
That was also my point. The harshness really won’t work on those whom it should and it will work on those whom do not deserve it, but instead deserve constructive criticism and encouragement.
That’s my 2cents worth anyway.