BigChampagne's Ultimate Chart (a/o February 10th):
1. “What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger),” Kelly Clarkson
2. “Set Fire to the Rain,” Adele
3. “Turn Me On,” David Guetta
4. “Rack City,” TYGA
5. “Good Feeling,” Flo Rida
6. “Smooth Criminal (Glee Cast Version),” Glee Cast
7. “Young, Wild & Free,” Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa
8. “Domino ,” Jessie J
9. “Sexy and I Know It,” LMFAO
10. “Ass Back Home ,” Gym Class Heroes
Are most musicians today merely hobbyists? Yes, according to Thomas "Tommy Boy" Silverman, who poked another hole in digital utopianism over the weekend. "80 percent of all records released are just noise — hobbyists," Silverman told Wired. "Some companies like Tunecore are betting on the Long Tail because they get the same $10 whether you sell one copy or 10,000."
And the swiping continued. "Who uses Photobucket and Flickr? Not professional photographers — those are hobbyists, and those are the people who are using Tunecore and iTunes to clutter the music environment with crap, so that the artists who really are pretty good have more trouble breaking through than they ever did before."
Tough talk, though this is part of a longer-running debate - one that has infuriated Tunecore CEO Jeff Price in the past. Silverman has largely used Soundscan stats to prove his point, a measuring stick that Price feels is flawed and incomplete.
Part of the problem is that the album is rapidly becoming an outdated format, something that Silverman acknowledges. Still, Silverman maintains that 10,000 albums (physical+digital) represents a critical threshold out of obscurity, a level most artists rarely reach. "If you can't sell 10,000 albums in digital and physical combined, you're still relatively obscure," Silverman stated.
Of course, Silverman is quite the operator, and this interview was well-timed just before the New Music Seminar in New York - an event Silverman co-founded. As a self-appointed messiah of sorts, Silverman is also trying to lead struggling artists to the promise land with some different solutions.
That includes a totally different type of artist deal, one predicated on broader revenue sources and equal revenue-sharing - unlike hopeless recouping arrangements created by labels. "Every artist is a business, and has its own corporation under this model, and all of that artist's creative equity goes into that — not just music, but everything they do," Silverman described. "And the investors who are investing and trying to promote on the other side — they own half. So it's more like a business. An equity partnership."
Comments Closed
DontJump Monday, July 12, 2010
Lots more music on iTunes, millions of hobbyists, OMG! And so what Tommy? How is this hurting the band that is talented, has resources, and is working hard to cut through?
Jim T. Monday, July 12, 2010
Tommy is right. Internet has enabled more crap. We need better filters.
Tunecore is really taking advantage of unsigned artists.
MisterSoftee Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Couldn't. Agree. More.
Tunecore has tons of hobbyists, but Jeff Price wants everyone to think that he is actually making artist careers. It's fiction.
jbedbus Monday, July 12, 2010
Music is, always was and always will be art before commerce. Silverman is EXACTLY the kind of no-talent hack who should not be making a single penny from the efforts of musical artists. He is the reason I pray everyday for the continued destruction of the industry. And I'm an atheist.
Keep eating yourself, Silverman. Long play the common band!
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Scott Feldman Monday, July 12, 2010
I can see why people are either thrilled or appalled by comments like Tommy's. But from my perspective, I tend to agree with the guy. If you're willing to work hard, put in the time/hours, and dedicate yourself to the art -- then definitely put yourself out there on iTunes. Of course, I'd rather you use Nimbit instead of TuneCore, but that's a shameless plug for another time.
I think the greater point to be made is that just because you can do something, it doesn't mean you should. And that small actions, collectively can actually harm the greater good. I wouldn't want to discourage anybody from writing and recording music, but having some kind of filter in place, some type of gatekeeper, does serve a purpose.
Again, it's a difficult line to ride between "filtering" and "censoring," and that's not the debate here.
In any other industry this is a totally obvious sentiment. When we're not feeling well, we don't go to doctors who're actually auto mechanics during the day and doctors on the side.
--Scott
Scott Feldman
Director of Marketing - Nimbit
scott@nimbit.com
Ian Nilsen Tuesday, July 13, 2010
I agree that there is too much music out there that has not been thought of well enough beforehand. However the music industry has always been about making money (lots of) and not really about the music in the end. So much good music was never allowed to get released, because it was so hard to be fortunate enough to 'sign' a deal that effectivly handed over just about everything to the record companies. Today, music publishing is the only overall part of the business that really makes a profit for the big players, and thats because they have tied down so many songwriters for life and beyond. Today you release yourself, own your own rights, see how it goes, spend the money you earn on more music, all without having to sign a single line of these pretty awfull contracts we had to earlier. And because you now earn so much more per unit, you effectivly only have to sell tenfold less units to somehow earn the same money.
have started an online vanity label for nothing, paid for by many hours of work.
Did this 4 hour session with a friend, he then got thousands on fans on facebook, shipped several houndreds of digital downloads in the first few days, cost of all, a bottle of red wine. And we had so much fun. Then came the video, now we are doing his EP.
tonio Monday, July 12, 2010
Very interesting article and I agree with some of his points. It seems like there's a lot more people making music these days. Improved (and cheaper) technology has made it easier for people to create music and promote it. There's less overhead and risk involved, as a result musicians who aren't as talented can have a presense.
Topdoginuk Monday, July 12, 2010
Very interesting perspectives on the digital music creation & distribution here. The way I perceive this notion of crap music is, if people are willing to spend time trying to create a track via their own home 'hobbyist' studios then, good on 'em. I seem to remember Daniel Beddingfield doing this yet, he was a very successful artist along with his sister.
Yes, it's true that there is now a lot of crap tracks on the digital channels, including a few of mine! But, you've only to look at the thousands of hopefuls auditioning for XFactor to see that people have dreams but, for every great artist found, you have to wade through thousands of auditonees. For every success there are thjousands of dreams and hearts broken. So, in the real world of music, we have to accept that we have to find the needle in the Haystack. That goes with the job. Filtering is just another nasty attempt at dominating the industry.
I sold 6 copies of my track 'Helloween' by the Mixicans via Amazon. It is true that Tunecore maybe taking advantage of unknown dreamers but, I'm willing like many other people, to give my luck a try. Okay, I may not have got my Tunecore costs covered yet but then, who knows what is the right track at the right time? I may disagree with Tunecore having an annual renewal fee for each track/album though 'cos this doesn't give the track a chance to be heard among the trillions of others out there.
I am working as a lone soldier on a cheap DAW setup. Mixcraft 5.1 and a new Kaossilator Pro loop creator. It's a tough job to do when you have no one to teach 'ya. I rely on Youtube but, it has limitations. So, the moral here is, if my music attempts were filtered, the public may be denied an opportunity to hear my tracks as I improve. So, I say to those trying to dominate via filtering, you are not being fair. People like Leona lewis would never have been discovered and, we have too much similarity with music now. The explicit use of language and the R&B coverage is to repeatative. We need the bedroom producers & we need to recognise they need help not isolation.
Tony Martin.
anthony.smartin@tiscali.co.uk
www.youtube.com/topdoginuk
Brent Monday, July 12, 2010
Hell yeah there is a TON of bad music out there. There are more than 9MM "bands" on myspace. How can those waters not be soiled with crap? Yes the industry will benefit from filters, but that's not iTunes job. iTunes is designed to sell music and they've opened their shelfspace to anyone that has a product that they're willing to sell in their store front. Consumers obviously don't mind that much, it's the most successful MP3's sales outlet.
To me, both parties are right. Silverman is right (roughly) that 80% of created music is from hobbiest and it's not that great. Tunecore is right in that artist should be able to put it on the digital shelves of any store willing to sell it. No harm.
Still, a solid filter is always rewarded. I must admit, we reject over 80% of the music that's submitted to Audiosocket because it's not up to snuff. Our clients demand excellent music both in production and performance. It's the brand we've built. Others have done the same. Pandora doesn't allow any old "hobbiest" get their tunes onto the radio station. Neither do traditional radio stations or record lables (big and small). If you want a filter stick with a brand you trust. If you want to thumb through any old product that happens to be out there, go to the iTunes store and search away. That's one great thing about the net.... you've got options
May the cream rise,
Brent
Brent McCrossen
CEO - Audiosocket
http://www.audiosocket.com
Topdoginuk Tuesday, July 13, 2010
In response to Brent McCrossen, I'd like to ask, if you close the door to 80% of people creative endevours, how do you find talent without promoting a narrow field of sameness? I certainly understand what you are expressing in terms of the flooded market and poor quality but, like I said in my previous comment, surely it's part of the job of seeking the needles in the Haystack?
I feel that if people try to 'cream off' and segregate an elite group of musicians, they run the risk of being to narrow in their genres and variety. Alienating those just starting out or, those trying to tread the waters, is not really conducive to the creative plethera of unknowns. I'm not sure that to cherry pick is entirely the correct approach but, the nature of the market dictates the course but perhaps it's a reflection & manifestation of poor sales of music in the last 10 years.
The XFactor programme is a great example of how the judges have to work hard and sensitively to eliminate candidates. This is an example of accepting the 'needle in the haystack' scenario. As a buyer of thousands of albums and singles, I can say, I intend to wade through the 'crap' and I enjoy doing so.
Tony Martin
anthony.smartin@tiscali.co.uk
www.youtube.com/topdoginuk
Ian Nilsen Tuesday, July 13, 2010
I agree about 110% with Brent.
I also think that after this initial craze, much of the 80% of songs that should have been kept in the drawer OR worked much more with, will start to fade.
I dont think sites like MySpace will be around forever as well.
and for the music industry, they have made so many people dream about becoming popstars and those people all believe now is the time. Of course that wont happen. It can't.
Some of these millions of singers and bands just forget one or two things all to often, one being well written songs.... and a good production. Good songs tends to last forever in one way or another.
But who to filter all this?
Record companies? , the average guy can't even pass the receptionist if they tried for a year... and if they succeed in getting a deal, they will probably earn next to nothing in the end and do get stuck with some pretty bad contract. We have all been through this.
In the end, the net also allows serious smaller units, bands & labels to release some pretty good and original music, test it out, see how fans react and the rewards are just so much higher, both financialy and personally in the end.
keithmohr Wednesday, July 14, 2010
I think what i-tunes should do is automatically REMOVE any song that doesn't sell at least 100 downloads in a calendar year. That'll weed out all the wankers.
Indie artists are addicted to production, but allergic to promotion. They need to get good at BOTH. To simply produce, produce, produce is not helping the music landscape or impacting culture with anything remotely valuable.
I can go to Home Depot, buy a gallon of white paint, and throw it against the wall and call myself a painter.. However, what I see are indie artists who call themselves frickin Van Gogh or Picasso.
No.. you are not that my indie friends.. You are a paint thrower.
Keith Mohr
President
http://www.indieheaven.com
Artist Wednesday, July 14, 2010
I don't know many running around calling themselves anything.
Just folks putting there stuff out there, without concern for self proclaimed art critics like you.
Now go hide yourself, and next time you want to come off like some bigshot confrontational point maker, remember you are supposedly behind a Christian message, which would not include belittling of others.
You are no judge of art.
You are no guru of music.
Anthony Martin Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Keith, I think that's very unfair to call people 'wankers' when they don't achieve annual sales of 100 per year on iTunes. We hear what you are saying but, it's not right to call people this. Your points are as valid and should be taken into the centre for debate but, the music industry is not the dominion of elite groups or, open to individual critics that seek to impose an approval for what they alone perceive as 'good'. I think what we can see is, if an artist spends a great deal of time, skill, effort and, is willing to finance an upload to the digital channels, it's only he who suffers as a result of poor sales. He'll either have to improve or, pack up. I can say this because I am one of these people! You can check on my credentials here: www.youtube.com/topdoginuk for my music knowledge. I have uploaded a few tracks under the name of 'Mixicans'. They are quite poor and I have acheived little in terms of sales. I intend to learn from my experience and, I'll attempt to improve on the tracks I am developing now. I shall also remove my crap tracks eventually so I don't hve to pay a renewal cost to Tunecore! What I won't accept is, having to seek peoples approval BEFORE I upload music. I will gauge my 'success' or failure by my feedback and sales.
Thanks for your input.
Anthony Martin
anthony.smartin@tiscali.co.uk
TheTruth Wednesday, July 14, 2010
lol this is stupid fucking shit honestly. The internet musicians have better shit than most signed artists do today. Honestly Lady Gaga, Kesha, Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, most pop culture music is just a business man looking at a pretty girl or handsome guy and saying to themself.. Alright how can i market this talentless fuck today? What most pop artists don't is talent, Our generation of music is total shit, save for a few here and there. The internet is helping artists that actually have talent surface.
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