Top iPad Music Apps (a/o May 23rd):
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That's according to NPR, which polled a number of industry experts to determine the real cost behind a top-charting hit. In this case, it was Rihanna's recently-created "Man Down," a big-budget, blockbuster-style blowout that remains unproven.
Seem ridiculous? Indeed, the cost includes a small army of writers (an 'all-star writing camp'), costs related to 'flying the artist around' and of course, 'courting radio programmers with fancy dinners'. All part of a big-label, big-budget style that seems reserved for the tiniest cadre of artists. "It was at least forty guys out there," said writer Ray Daniels, referring to the camp, which also involved several high-end studio rentals. "I was shocked at how much money they were spending!"
Actually, one of the biggest chunks goes to radio - or more specifically, buying a slot in the rotations of various conglomerates (whatever the kickback mechanism or influence vehicle). That validates information from earlier sources to Digital Music News, who note that getting mainstream radio rotation is virtually impossible these days without major label backing.
Comments Closed
lifer Friday, July 01, 2011
Excellent description of the lowest common denominator business. They are very good at making sure a few well-positioned operators get a cut of the described fees. The stockholders (owners) of these major labels are not among them.
@AiXeLsyD13 Friday, July 01, 2011
Eric Carroll
Someone should play me $18K to write crappy songs. I don't need a "camp".
lifer Friday, July 01, 2011
Yeah, but can you write crappy songs that will get recorded by major label artists?
Or are you clever enough to get the parents of the next Rebecca Black to give you money to produce her?
Do you really aspire to write crappy songs? Yeesh.
ILoveFlute Friday, July 01, 2011
...one time, at writing camp...
@simplyshimona Friday, July 01, 2011
Shimona Kee
in this case most of us will never make it! :(
@WeLoveLovato Friday, July 01, 2011
Demi Lovato
wow dang
o______O
@InkRecords Friday, July 01, 2011
Ink Records
Adds some insight into the amount of money spent for 3 minutes & 30 seconds of music for a superstar like Rihanna.
@bigneckrecords Friday, July 01, 2011
Big Neck Records
Wow that cost is just offensive.
@IconStudiosAtl Friday, July 01, 2011
Icon Studios Atlanta
Guess how many were flown in from Altanta. Labels still throwin' money away. smh
TommyKib Friday, July 01, 2011
So internet and local privately owned radio are indeed their worst enemies! YEAH!
@David_J_ Friday, July 01, 2011
David Joseph
how can anyone compete with this...
JD Friday, July 01, 2011
Grow up. These writers/producers deserve ever penny they receive. They've worked their asses off to get to the top of the food chain. I am happy for their successes, regardless of the style of music.
Sure the majors can probably cut a few costs here and there, but that's their choice not yours.
If you want to complain about salaries, let's discuss the NBA.The music business is pre school compare to that.
Seth Keller Friday, July 01, 2011
I don't know if all these writers are brilliant but they understand the pop world now (including how to dress and talk) and are young enough to get the gig. I don't think anyone can deny that they worked for it.
There's a very specific style to pop today. It's not about writing timeless songs. It's about writing hooks, and, sometimes melodies, over tracks that fit the current sound.
When the style of CHR music changes they may find themselves uninvited to participate and the work will start all over for them far from the top.
mac the knife Monday, July 04, 2011
YOU need to go back to school dude. At least NBA stars are the best in their business... very different from music.
mack the nkife Monday, July 04, 2011
Hey, DG... YOU need to go back to school dude. At least NBA stars are the best in their business... very different from music.
MisterSoftee Friday, July 01, 2011
Sorry, have you heard this song "Man Down"? We need a million for that?
NO.
Let's stop pretending these are brilliant writers. I can fart into a microphone, put an LMFAO beat on it and 'feature' Nicki Minaj, pay $1mm for radio and get a hit. It's the marketing spend!
MDTI Friday, July 01, 2011
Where is the cost of the video-clip ?
It is funny how musician seem to discover the cost of the work they do. In cinema, people rave on big budgets, everybody says "wow, it has costed xxxx billions, a new record is broken", in music, people are not educated and misled by the image of musicians, so when a budget gets to be known, it appears like a scandal. but that's just what it costs and what "you" (yes you, the next big blockbuster) could get (well, as long as it lasts, lol)...
soap box Tuesday, July 05, 2011
See now, when I used to work at a major label the budget for the video department was bigger than the budget for radio. Which was surprising to me, but it was mostly production costs. Now these days a lot of cuts can be made for indie artists, but do you think that Kanye, Lady Gaga, or Beyonce are going to take a reduced cost video? Not likely.
As for radio promotion, I did this for years and a fancy dinner isn't going to get a song played, it just develops the relationship. Every business has a sales staff on the streets and labels are no different. A radio station - no matter the format - has limited slots for new music each week. Generally 2 - 4. And the options for those slots are endless, many stations would have around 20 - 30 that they were even considering, a smaller short stack, and a box off to the side filled with the ones that didn't make the cut. So anyone that thinks its likely that a song will just sneak through without someone evangelizing for it, is just naive.
Speaking of naive, anyone who thinks that you can throw marketing money at a song and it would automatically work does not know what they are talking about. I've seen tons of priority records - at every label - with money and effort behind them just fail to connect at radio. Good songs. Songs with hooks. There is a luck and timing element that factors in more than anyone would like.
Justaguy Friday, July 01, 2011
I think they deserve what they make too. Pop music gets a bad rep because it's... well.. popular. It appeals to a lot of people which often requires diluted, easy to digest melodies and lyrical content. That doesn't make it EASY to write! On the contrary.. I could sit there and play 2 chords on my guitar and sing really badly and hide behind opaque metaphor and the opposing spectrum of music taste may farewell consider it super original, and deep and legit art. It's all how you look at it. Writing good pop music is hard. That writing/producing/engineering takes years and years of practice, loads of talent/intincts and technical knowledge. Don't disrespect what you probably don't know too much about.
MDTI Friday, July 01, 2011
it can indeed be hard to sound simple !
Seth Keller Friday, July 01, 2011
I understand there is an art to it, but it's not as hard as you would think to write songs similar to what's on today's pop radio. Occassionally you have a brilliant timeless pop track (Gnarls Barkey's "Crazy" comes to mind) but most of what's written today by committee for CHR is reliant on the track being "hot". After that it's the undeniable hook. The melody is optional. I would argue that not too many people go around humming "Blow" by Kesha or "OMG" by Usher.
If you have the track and the hook, then you need the hook up. If you're not tight with the producers and A&R reps who make this specific type of music, you won't get a look.
I know some 20-something guys who write great pop songs with melodies and work with 20-something producers who write tight dance/pop tracks. They're way outside the LA/NY scene in Nashville and won't even get a chance to submit their versions of current pop. They'd have to break an artist themselves to get noticed (ie, Bruno Mars).
Paul Porter Friday, July 01, 2011
First of all love your site. The NPR story part two runs next week. I should be a big part of that and the podcast story breaking down the under the table radio cost.
Look forward for your info.
@audiosocket Friday, July 01, 2011
Audiosocket
Do you believe this or is it just an example?
@jbwagner Friday, July 01, 2011
Josh Wagner
I like the ratio of marketing cost to creative cost - 12:1
@the_skyscraper Friday, July 01, 2011
Brent Stiefel
This surely doesn't apply to all tracks but is interesting nonetheless.
@mojosarmy Friday, July 01, 2011
Mojo
The words "Hit Factory" came to mind.
@Hail_the_steel Friday, July 01, 2011
Steel Tormentor
"mainstream radio rotation is virtually impossible these days without major label backing"
screw that support the underground!
@tedgioia Friday, July 01, 2011
Ted Gioia
Question: How much does it cost to make a hit song?
Answer: $78 K to record but $1 million to promote?
Hi Saturday, July 02, 2011
I hope nobody thought the music business was fair and an even playing field for everybody.
@Ryan_Schmidt Saturday, July 02, 2011
Ryan_Schmidt
I usually spend 1/100th of this per record
@MadisunLeigh Saturday, July 02, 2011
Madisun Leigh
$78 K to record but $1 million to promote?
@BigJuice216 Saturday, July 02, 2011
Alex Hitchens
$20K for a producer??
Bilal Tuesday, July 05, 2011
What is the differerence between a producer ($20K) and a vocal producer ($15K)?
Econ Sunday, July 03, 2011
So they're spending half a mil getting radio to play the song and then they whine that internet streaming, which reaches 2% of the audience, isn't paying enough??
Limiting the supply of internet streaming outlets actually makes the cost of getting the song on terrestrial radio HIGHER.
@cucuzzza Sunday, July 03, 2011
g
Destroying our youth, priceless
@OpenSourceMuzic Monday, July 04, 2011
OPEN SOURCE MUZIC
Should it really cost $1m to have a hit pop song?
@RockMafiaHawaii Tuesday, July 05, 2011
RockMafiaHawaii
...ahhh WOW !
@future_of_music Wednesday, July 06, 2011
Future of Music
Well, great..
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