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
Finally, this industry is starting to draw a bright line between the professional artist and the hobbyist. The band that has a shot at reaching a serious audience, versus the guy who's tinkering on GarageBand after work. They are not the same, even though oftentimes they are using similar tools on the recording and distribution side.
So which side of this line are you on? Perhaps Tommy Silverman needed to say it out loud, but services like Tunecore, ReverbNation, and CD Baby are frequently catering to hobbyists, not pros or artists with serious backing or talent.
And so what? Society is all the better with open channels of distribution, and even the greats have to start at zero. Indeed, there's nothing wrong with free expression and almost-free distribution, but Silverman notes that the lanes are now too crowded. That the traffic jam of crap is making it difficult for real artists to reach real audiences.
The space seems to be in reverse. Snazzy distribution and promotional ideas are more important than quality songwriting, and Twitter followers more important than real fans. In a recent Wired interview, Tommy singled out hobbyists for using Tunecore and iTunes to "clutter the music environment with crap," so that "artists who really are pretty good have more trouble breaking through than they ever did before".
Others are saying similar things. "There's a massive glut of amateur artists and songwriters swirling in a swill of mediocrity," songwriter Beth Nielsen Chapman recently commented on an earlier Digital Music News article.
Turns out that quality is a really important topic to this industry, and even more important among fans. And too much stuff is simply half-baked or unoriginal. Why? It's just too easy to upload unfinished material, and a lot of emphasis remains on quantity, not quality. "A lot of artists don't even master their music anymore," hip-hop artist and producer Tye Banks added. "This is definitely the case in hip-hop."
So what about all of this clutter? Turns out the bigger reality is that everything in media is a traffic jam! It's not just 12-million-odd bands (or whatever the number is) on iTunes, it's the entire media and communications landscape.
But the coffee is suddenly kicking in. Access is no longer being equated with quality, entitlement, or niche success. The Long Tail has been thrashed into obsolescence, and the emphasis is shifting back towards quality, resources, and dedicated teams - whatever those teams may look like in the future.
So who are the success stories of tomorrow, and can they make a decent living? Can an industry be built around these successful artists? Slowly, truisms are starting to emerge in the digital era. And this is not a future being built by hobbyists.
Paul Resnikoff, Publisher.
Comments Closed
Bruce Warila Tuesday, July 13, 2010
"services like Tunecore, ReverbNation, and CD Baby are frequently catering to hobbyists, not pros or artists with serious backing or talent"
Good luck with that statement...
CTyankee Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Its a factual statement, that's what it is. Actually its not very shocking if you ask me. If you talk to Derek Sivers, the guy will tell you that most of the artists never sell anything. It's just a channels to sell stuff, an outlet, not a marketing platform. The same is true for the other D.I.Y. sites.
I know a few artists that just want to see their stuff on iTunes Store, that's it. It's not about career, they have day jobs when it all boils down to it.
It's about time this got recognized. Because it doesn't mean that a real serious or very talented artist can't come up and use ReverbNation to accomplish many things. But let's be honest, just throwing your stuff onto D.I.Y. site is not make you a real artist. It means you're on iTunes, or whatever. It's a starting point if you want to do more, but you really need a lot more to do a serious career.
CraigDiPaolo Tuesday, July 13, 2010
this is the very reason why I think topspin is flawed. The model is protools for marketing, but protools is for recording a finished product, marketing online requires constant interaction, endless decision making, and it's not a computer program. that's why they only accept artists already making a certain amount of money, with marketing partners on board already etc. they don't take off the street bands, so I don't see how that model can possibly get beyond boutique. then, the companies that are accepting off the street bands, are only making a certain amount of money. Tunecore, reverbnation, etc., I've heard they make something like $35 a band per year on average. makes sense when you think about it.
keithmohr Wednesday, July 14, 2010
good article Paul.
Here's the deal.. in the old days... the label built the stadium and filled the seats. All the artist had to do was step up to the plate and hit some home runs. If they didn't hit home runs, they were cut. That's the way it goes.
Now.. it's the artist who has to build their own stadium and fill the seats. And, as long as they are hitting singles and taking walks, they can still win the game. It might not be as dramatic as a 450 foot shot to center, but the job gets done.
It's a different game in a different stadium.. and there are plenty of fans to go around. Just gotta get em into your stadium and play the game like a pro. If you can't throw, catch or hit.. game OVER, and rightly so. After all, who would want to pay to see a self-professed professional play like a little leaguer?
Keith Mohr
President
http://www.indieheaven.com
Simon Adams - MyMusicSuccess Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Its all to easy to play the blame game, and say that good artists get crowded by the mediocre. Quality sells, and the new tools available to musicians make it easier to get to market yourself if you have great music, the determination to promote yourself well, and constantly learn, grow and navigate. Concentrate on nurturing your own "A" game rather than constantly criticising the world around you is good advice.
When change happens, the status quo gets fearful, I can understand that, it's a natural reaction, but change happens whether you like it or not. You can embrace it and take a ride, or sit on the sidelines and watch it run through a puddle and soak you.
To be fair, I'd actually say the "music hobbyists" are actually entrepreneurs starting with what they have, getting in the corridors and growing like mad. We could have said that Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Bill Gates, Thomas Edison, and many more like them were hobbyists too. They were visionaries with a passion, and without creators like this the world would be a poorer place.
More power to the entrepreneurial musician, dont listen to the naysayers, and never ever ever ever give up...
Ehren Wednesday, July 14, 2010
What separates the hobbyist from the "real" artist is success. I'm reading the Merge Records book right now, and there's a comment about how Superchunk might not have even tried to make a career out of their band had people not taken an interest in their (self-produced) single, "Slack Motherfucker." I think that's true for a lot of people. I mean, Emily Dickinson was basically a "hobbyist," as she never had a huge publishing deal or fame in her lifetime. Everybody starts out as a hobbyist, unless you're some manufactured band like the Monkeys or some boy band. You start out with day jobs and a garage, and if you have talent and luck and somebody with some business/marketing savvy with you (even if that person is you), then you get enough success to become a "professional."
There are doubtless plenty of people out there who don't want to practice or hone their craft or leave their day jobs. But these people are easy to spot, and are not cluttering the landscape. And there are definitely some people who are currently making millions because they're professional fame-seekers, and not "real musicians."
I find this distinction between "hobbyist" and "real musician" is a bit insulting, and priveleges the idea that we need a cadre of high-priest tastemakers to pick out the "real" talent and serve it up to America. That's the idea that has been proven obsolete.
Frank Wednesday, July 14, 2010
What a complete joke. Consumers have complained for decades about the utter garbage put forth by the industry, but now the industry is the standard-bearer of quality and talent? Give me a break.
As a real music fan, I am happy as a pig in mud these days. I am finally free to choose my own meal from the buffet line; no more spoon-feeding from non-creative white collars who steal the money from the musicians who actually create the musical food that sustains me.
I welcome the day when no one but the artist gets paid for their artistic work. Long live DIY, long live the hobbyist, death to the white collars!
Hugh Wednesday, July 14, 2010
It's not a zero-sum game. A new artist, a hobbyist perhaps, is not directly taking away from a truly talented professional artist simply by distribution through a DIY channel. Sure clutter and congestion are issues but they also represent opportunities. Give the fans the tools to sort through the clutter and help them find new or lesser known artists that appeal to them. Let them be the judges of what they want to hear. At the point the cream will rise to the top and those that want to drink skim milk can have that too.
I think back to Eva Cassidy. She was negotiating with a label. They tried to pin her down as to what type of artist she wanted to be. Jazz? Pop? She said she wanted to do songs that she loved regardless of their style. They balked and she walked. In today's world, Eva could go DIY. She worked at a garden shop as her day job. Would she be "cluttering" the market? After her death and the subsequent release of her recordings, she became a top-seller worldwide.
belohorizonte Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Hello Everyone! I've been reading many of these comments this morning, and I hope you will consider my thoughts on the matter.
First, I don't think anyone is saying they are the "priest" of good taste, or that they necessarily can pick the good stuff (this is not what Tommy is really saying I don't think). But we know that just turning on the hose, so to speak, is not a good idea! Do you want to hear MySpace bands A-Z? Very few want this. And, look at how successful many filters like Pandora, Last.fm, and Sirius have been. They are sorting through this, and showing us the big opportunity. Yes, it is the fans who really decide, but not many fans make this a full time job. So, they turn a service off it is bad, or maybe vote thumbs up or thumbs down occasionally, but most are not sifting through the chaos.
Second, I don't think cream really rises to the top on its own. Instead I believe it needs help to really get to its position at the top. This is true for most great art. That is why we see so many talented artists going nowhere. It is very sad, but this is the situation.
Then third, I definitely feel that there is a great deal of clutter, and I think this is a very real part of music today. It's not iTunes really - that is search-driven - but on social networks, Twitter, and everywhere that bands compete. Everyone has a shot at this, and everyone is going for it 24-7. It's good, but makes it much, much harder to market music you believe in and match it to a devoted listener.
Thank you!
beniborja Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Having spent a sizzable part of my existence on this planet listening to bad demo tapes and watching mediocre shows , I know for sure that we always have been immersed in a sea of music-junk produced by the so-called hobbyists.
What is different today is that the amateur musician is busy uploanding his stuff on Myspace, You Tube ,ReverbNation and the like ,for the world to hear instead of shopping his demo around. So the junk that once filled cabinets in producers,managers and labels officesis now available to anyone.
That could not be such a big deal if the music industry understood that separating the wheat from the chaff is they're core-competence. Marketing is vital for sure, but it can be obtained elsewhere. Validation, the distiction of having passed though a filter is what the music business has to offer to artists.
Elapointe Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Great blog. In my extremely humble opinion as a semi-outsider of the music industry (our company is not in the "label" business), this is a non-issue. More stuff on iTunes, Myspace, etc. means nothing. It's not clutter if you can't even find it (specific artist searching does not count). It's no different than 15 years ago when local acoustic musicians used to play the corner coffee house (still happens but I am using past tense anyways). That also competed against real concerts happening on the same night. Meanwhile, these local coffee house artists have to start their career somewhere so they get their 15 friends out to a show and hope to spread the word. The same thing is now happening on the Internet. But who's paying attention? The same 15 friends who want to help spread the word. If the artist doesn't focus on quality (and play lots of shows), then the same thing will happen as 15 years ago... nothing... so it becomes their loss. Really, what's the issue here? Quality will rise to the top and yes, some sort of management will always be needed to help that happen (you get a lot more done in life with people around you than on your own - that's just how life works). It's time we embrace technology and go with the flow.
Jason Spitz Wednesday, July 14, 2010
This article is correct in its basic assumptions -- that democratization of recording and distribution tools has created a glut of content. Hobbyists, promising newbies, and seasoned pros all share the same channels for reaching an audience.
But all this means is that the path to being a successful musician is now akin to building any sort of small business. You create a quality product, find a small (usually local) market for it, and grow your business bit by bit until you can scale up to something larger. Yes, there's "a swill of mediocrity", but if your music is good enough (and your marketing is smart enough), you should be able to rise above it and bring a loyal fan-base with you.
Services like Reverbnation don't "cater to hobbyists" -- they simply built a cheap, easy-to-use platform, and hobbyists flocked to it. The same tools can be used to great effect by serious musicians trying to build their fan base or market their product. It's up to the bands (or their handlers) to use the tools in smart/creative ways to engage their audience, grow their fan base, and figure out how to make money off it. Unfortunately, this means there's no template for success and no easy path to riches. But on the positive side, it means that there's no "Man" to rage against, and creativity & innovation are rewarded more easily.
The final question, "Can an industry be built around these new successful artists?", is a sticky one. Yes, but not exactly a centralized "industry" with big players. I think it'll be a more loose-knit network of boutique service providers -- marketing, web design, merchandising, etc -- who will cater to bands and managers. Serious businesspeople working with serious artists who have serious fan bases. No mega-huge companies, but an ecosystem of mid-sized, sustainable
firms. That's the model for the new industry. Hobbyists will buzz about on a lower tier, and some may bubble up to the "big (aka medium) time", but "natural selection" will separate the wheat from the chaff.
Mitchell Fox Wednesday, July 14, 2010
FROM MITCHELL FOX mitchell.fox@comcast.net
Wow...the big boys are acting like little spoiled brats. Since when did people "like Tommy Silverman" listen to others regarding what was "good or bad" as it applied to music they, themselves like(d) and the promotion, marketing and sale thereof. Now all of a sudden, these guys feel threatened because they have some fairly stiff competition, even if it is perceived as a sheer numbers game, with less control over how the game is played and how the playing field is slanted. Although success in the last iteration of the record business was dominated by big budget bullies, the here and now has opened the markets to anyone willing to create and submit that creation for "approval" by the masses, even if that comes one person at a time. "Good or bad" "Professional or hobbyist" Says who? Stopping whining and get back to making great music. As we all know, if we make something that we care about enough to share with others, it becomes "good" when people can relate to it and, in turn, like it and, hopefully buy it in one form or another and share it with their friends, who then share it with their friends and so on. Sounds like the old guys are scared to death of lack of control more than anything else. Sorry boys, the genie is out of the bottle.
presnikoff Thursday, July 15, 2010
appreciated.
Darcy Wednesday, July 14, 2010
It's quite revealing that the only specific complaint made is that about the production- aside from that, it just seems the members of the old guard aren't fans of some of the acts getting all the attention these days. So what? I don't see their complaints as anything more than the whining of spoiled brats who used to get to call the shots, and suddenly aren't in control anymore. Such arrogance! Maybe guys like Silverman don't really know all there is to know about good music, or what people want to hear.
This is the result of decades of a small group of people, powered by their deep pockets, getting used to being able to focus the collective attention of the music-consuming world on whomever they decide deserves it, and in a few short years, having it taken away from them. Somewhere along the line they started to imagine that this role was theirs by right. What a horrible feeling it must be, to wake up from that daydream.
As for whether there's money to be made from it- I'm sure there is, just not in the amounts there have been before. If that's enough to get jokers like Tommy out of the biz, wonderful.
Tom Crosthwaite Wednesday, July 14, 2010
You're right Paul. This is not a future being built by hobbyists.
Agent Koala Thursday, July 15, 2010
Who cares?
You can choose to "believe the hype" and lap up the marketeers offerings like sheep or you can adopt a pious attitude and stick to the obscure underground sound of that band that will never ever be seen on the Vegas circuit - music will be produced of varying quality whether there is a music industry behind it or not
A simple song with an acoustic backing may well outlast a fully overblown production and still listened to in 50 years
iDream Studios Friday, July 16, 2010
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