Digital music spells doom for talent
http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/08/03/22/10199276.html

03/21/2008 11:47 PM | By Scott Shuey, Chief Business Reporter

I remember complaining to friends back in the '90s that Nirvana had killed music. The Seattle-based grunge band itself wasn't to blame, but music labels looking for the next top-ten hit had learned that good music lurked in the average American garage. Unfortunately, in their race to reproduce the success of Nirvana, they didn't look anywhere but in the garage.

The result was a lot of bad music, most of it now forgotten. While I don't follow music now as closely as I did 15 years ago, the same thing is going on today. It's not an artiste that is driving the demise of talent but digital music. While labels focus on how to make money on MP3 sales, everyone seems to have forgotten to put money into making good music.

If you want proof, just look at American Idol, or any music-based reality show you prefer. The formula is simple: take a bunch of nobodies in the hope that some of them can sing and sell their music in the hope that people will buy it. The result is the same as 15 years ago. The music is rubbish. Back in the '90s, the record labels could put out any rubbish they wanted, and listeners would still be forced to buy it - if they wanted anything to listen to at all, that is.

Now we have the MP3, and everything, new and old, is available. It can be copied, transferred, uploaded, and downloaded endlessly without ever having to pay for it, which is something I'll never complain about. I'm still angry about paying for the MP3 versions of songs I already have on vinyl and cassette.

But the music labels are furious, too. Music sales have dropped like a rock, and no one seems to know how to stop the free fall.

In a panic

Media reports about recent industry deals just show that music labels are in a panic. Universal announced last week it's trying to team up with Apple to sell its music prepackaged on an Apple device. Even if you buy the device and the music, you'll still have to pay a subscription fee if you want to keep listening.

The industry's current lack of talent even showed up in the media reports about the deal. Journalists, trying to show the depth of Universal's catalogue listed such massively popular but older groups such as U2. In an effort to show the currently lineup, groups such as the Killers and Amy Winehouse get listed. OK, I like the Killers, but they're not in the same league as U2, and Winehouse's career is in doubt long before it's fully established. If that's all Universal can pony up as an example of the current catalogue, it faces bigger problems.

The deal also shows the frustration at the industry's shortcomings, and even their lack of understanding of the current market. Universal, and most of the other major labels, are now looking to get a share of the sales of MP3 players, such as the iPod and Zune. The labels are positing the argument that consumers don't want the players, they want the music on the players. Therefore the label should get a slice of the revenues.

That's just stupid. I like my iPod, and if the labels were actually putting out quality music, then there might be more new music on it.

"That's just stupid. I like my iPod, and if the labels were actually putting out quality music, then there might be more new music on it."

Hear Hear!

hear hear !!!!!!

or is it here here
I'm lost again...

Yikes... for someone to make a sweeping statement like "the music is rubbish" both for now and 15 years ago... that's harsh and I disagree. I get the point that he's making, but he'd have more credibility if he didn't make such an overgeneralization.

"I'm still angry about paying for the MP3 versions of songs I already have on vinyl and cassette."

Then get off your ass and look for something besides the RIAA's garbage you idiot!

Modern music doesn't suck, just the mainstream crap from the major labels.

There is nothing wrong with garage bands. You got to rehearse and learn new material somewhere.

The Beatles would have started out as a garage band, but they didn't have a garage, so they played in Pete Best's basement.

Basement band.

Hence the Fender Basement amp.

Good one, leflaw. But I'm not done yet.

music labels... had learned that good music lurked in the average American garage.

Armed with that knowledge and having millions of garages to choose from, the A&R reps were sent out across the land, seeking to contracturally obligate those responsible for the good music they would certainly find lurking in garages across the country.

The A&R reps returned with the best bands they could find, based on their insight into what constituted a great act, while unknowingly limiting themselves to those bands which had not sufficiently soundproofed their practice area.

The result was a lot of bad music, most of it now forgotten.

It would be interesting to see an actual study of music and its quality/success compared by decade and career strength/failure.

I think talent is doomed due to dumbing down and a host of other factors, but not necessarily because of digital production/music per se. Much of the production of bad music is probably due to the fact that great talent is discouraged from working in an industry that's so loused up. You gotta ask yourself who would benefit from this situation and how, strategically?

Who gains when music and song quality is lowered? How and what do they gain? Personally, I think it's part of the assault on freedom of expression and goes right along with a host of other ills that end up benefiting a few at the expense of the many.

If mediocrity is on the rise (gag) then why is it? What's driving it?

NDK proves a good point
Much of the production of bad music is probably due to the fact that great talent is discouraged from working in an industry that's so loused up.
I have orignal beats I don't even bother releasing because it won't get it's proper recognition.