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> From: New Orleans Blues Project <bluesprjct AT yahoo.com>
> To: BLUES-L AT LISTS.NETSPACE.ORG
> Subject: Killing the Music - Washington Post Op Ed by Don Henley
> Date: 17 Feb 2004 18:14:10 -0800
> 
> Killing the Music
> 
> By Don Henley
> Tuesday, February 17, 2004; Page A19
> 
> When I started in the music business, music was important and vital to our
> culture. Artists connected with their fans. Record labels signed 
> cutting-edge
> artists, and FM radio offered an incredible variety of music. Music touched
> fans in a unique and personal way. Our culture was enriched and the music
> business was healthy and strong.
> 
> That's all changed.
> 
> Today the music business is in crisis. Sales have decreased between 20 and 
> 30
> percent over the past three years. Record labels are suing children for 
> using
> unauthorized peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing systems. Only a few artists 
> ever
> hear their music on the radio, yet radio networks are battling Congress over
> ownership restrictions. Independent music stores are closing at an
> unprecedented pace. And the artists seem to be at odds with just about 
> everyone
> -- even the fans.
> 
> Contrary to conventional wisdom, the root problem is not the artists, the 
> fans
> or even new Internet technology. The problem is the music industry itself. 
> It's
> systemic. The industry, which was once composed of hundreds of big and small
> record labels, is now controlled by just a handful of unregulated,
> multinational corporations determined to continue their mad rush toward 
> further
> consolidation and merger. Sony and BMG announced their agreement to merge in
> November, and EMI and Time Warner may not be far behind. The industry may 
> soon
> be dominated by only three multinational corporations.
> 
> The executives who run these corporations believe that music is solely a
> commodity. Unlike their predecessors, they fail to recognize that music is 
> as
> much a vital art form and social barometer as it is a way to make a profit. 
> At
> one time artists actually developed meaningful, even if strained, 
> relationships
> with their record labels. This was possible because labels were relatively
> small and accessible, and they had an incentive to join with the artists in
> marketing their music. Today such a relationship is practically impossible 
> for
> most artists.
> 
> Labels no longer take risks by signing unique and important new artists, 
> nor do
> they become partners with artists in the creation and promotion of the 
> music.
> After the music is created, the artist's connection with it is minimized 
> and in
> some instances is nonexistent. In their world, music is generic. A major 
> record
> label president confirmed this recently when he referred to artists as 
> "content
> providers." Would a major label sign Johnny Cash today? I doubt it.
> 
> Radio stations used to be local and diverse. Deejays programmed their own 
> shows
> and developed close relationships with artists. Today radio stations are
> centrally programmed by their corporate owners, and airplay is essentially
> bought rather than earned. The floodgates have opened for corporations to 
> buy
> an almost unlimited number of radio stations, as well as concert venues and
> agencies. The delicate balance between artists and radio networks has been
> dramatically altered; networks can now, and often do, exert unprecedented
> pressure on artists. Whatever connection the artists had with their music on
> the airwaves is almost totally gone.
> 
> Music stores used to be magical places offering wide variety. Today the 
> three
> largest music retailers are Best Buy, Wal-Mart and Target. In those stores
> shelf space is limited, making it harder for new artists to emerge. Even
> established artists are troubled by stores using music as a loss leader.
> Smaller, more personalized record stores are closing all over the country --
> some because of rampant P2P piracy but many others because of competition 
> from
> department stores that traditionally have no connection whatsoever with
> artists.
> 
> Piracy is perhaps the most emotionally gut-wrenching problem facing artists.
> Artists like the idea of a new and better business model for the industry, 
> but
> they cannot accept a business model that uses their music without authority 
> or
> compensation. Suing kids is not what artists want, but many of them feel
> betrayed by fans who claim to love artists but still want their music free.
> 
> The music industry must also take a large amount of blame for this piracy. 
> Not
> only did the industry not address the issue sooner, it provided the P2P 
> users
> with a convenient scapegoat. Many kids rationalize their P2P habit by 
> pointing
> out that only record labels are hurt -- that the labels don't pay the 
> artists
> anyway. This is clearly wrong, because artists are at the bottom of the food
> chain. They are the ones hit hardest when sales take a nosedive and when the
> labels cut back on promotion, on signing new artists and on keeping artists
> with potential. Artists are clearly affected, yet because many perceive the
> music business as being dominated by rich multinational corporations, the 
> pain
> felt by the artist has no public face.
> 
> Artists are finally realizing their predicament is no different from that of
> any other group with common economic and political interests. They can no
> longer just hope for change; they must fight for it. Washington is where
> artists must go to plead their case and find answers.
> 
> So whether they are fighting against media and radio consolidation, fighting
> for fair recording contracts and corporate responsibility, or demanding that
> labels treat artists as partners and not as employees, the core message is 
> the
> same: The artist must be allowed to join with the labels and must be 
> treated in
> a fair and respectful manner. If the labels are not willing to voluntarily
> implement these changes, then the artists have no choice but to seek
> legislative and judicial solutions. Simply put, artists must regain 
> control, as
> much as possible, over their music.
> 
> The writer is a singer and drummer with the Eagles and a founding member of 
> the
> Recording Artists' Coalition.
> 
> © 2004 The Washington Post Company
> 
> 
> =====
> Sally Stevens, Director
> NEW ORLEANS BLUES PROJECT ~ (504) 895-0739
> Music * Culture * Economic Development * Education * Advocacy
> The BLUES HIGHWAY Millennium Trail
> "Community Development Through Music"
> an integrated music & creative industries workforce development initiative
> www.BluesProject.com
> 
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