Raging Against the Machine, Amazon #2 Digital Retailer, Clear Channel Drama, and Where Are the Superstars?
Posted March 27, 2008 — in Music News
Bob Lefsetz Rages Against the Machine: The industry music critic tells the Washtington Post that he really isn’t making money. He sometimes gets checks from Celebtrity Access and Yahoo! which reprints some of his screeds. “I live on a no-cash basis,” he says. “I live in a rent-controlled apartment in Santa Monica. . . . I don’t have kids or all these other expenses people have. If I’m going to dinner, somebody else is picking up the tab.” No doubt, Lefsetz knows how to strike a chord among his readers whether right or wrong. “I’m not angry; I’m just passionate about music and trying to speak the truth about it” says Lefsetz. Read the full article here.
Clear Channel Drama: Buyout firms Bain Capital and THL Partners sued a cadre of giant Wall Street banks yesterday to force them to finance the $27 billion takeover of radio company Clear Channel Communications according to the NY Post.
Reznor vs. Radiohead: Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails have been taking turns giving the music industry the finger. Both bands are coming up with innovative ideas and both are receiving major press. Trent recently sucker punched Radiohead calling their promotional strategy insincere. Who is really the better innovator? Read the full commentary here.
#2 Digital Retailer: Amazon is sitting right behind iTunes as the #2 digital retailer, and a total 239 million digital tracks have been sold this year. Amazon’s Baltaxe says the best defense against piracy is a good offense. “Songs sold without DRM, at high quality, with album art, that’s the best way to get people to buy music instead of stealing it.
Where are the new superstars? I don’t want to beat a dead horse, but here we are in 2008 and we still don’t have any new artists seriously breaking through. Look at the radio charts and you will find support acts, no headliners. Music is in third place behind movies and video games because it still cannot gain the public’s attention. The best remedy for the ailing music biz is a slew of artists popping through the pile of mediocrity, let me rephrase, the pile of shit. I agree with Clive Davis that artists need to start teaming up with good songwriters. Artists today are no doubt different than yesterday, meaning newer acts just can’t lock down great songs, let alone dress themselves. Please don’t tell me that I’m searching in the wrong places and that you found the Ark of the Covenant, it’s all bullcrap. Email tips@kingsofar.com with a link to your myspace.
I use to be against songwriters for the smaller bands. But the more I realize the hot ones have them, I think it is needed. And I think majors will want them if you get that far.
Comment by tim — March 27, 2008 @ 12:23 pm
newer acts just can’t lock down great songs, let alone dress themselves…where is the “flannel shirts” the “clown masks” the “pink tu-tu’s…where is the BALLS that use to be in rock music.it’s 19 months to the end of this decade, and so far we have Hanna Montana, The Jonas Brothers.
Comment by larry anderson — March 27, 2008 @ 12:56 pm
Larry, thats absolutely right. Bands today dress like they work at the GAP. Everybody can buy GAP clothes. The creators of video games spend alot more time then bands looking at themselves in the mirror trying to put some themselves together.
Thats why there arent superstars, they hold no influence. Songs hold no influence, the way they dress holds no influence, live performance holds no influence. Probably the only superstar act is maroon 5 and they arent really superstars, but probably the closes thing you would see today!
The Rolling Stones, The Doors, Zeppelin, The Crue, U2, Bon Jovi, STP—–> all were showman and did it up. This is why people arent running out to buy music! Its not infectious!
Comment by brian — March 27, 2008 @ 2:00 pm
Better Gap clothes than Spandex. Where does the quality of the music fit into all this? Why does the circus need to come to town to play a great tune?
Comment by Brett — March 27, 2008 @ 2:20 pm
Musicians today think it is cool to dress down rather than frilly. I remember when The Killers tried to dress all frilly, that didn’t last long. They are great no matter how they dress. The last time I checked some pair of jeans can cost over $200-$400. People in the know can tell. If throwing a long scarf around your neck does it for you then fine, it still doesn’t have anything to do with a great song or performance. ie..Glen Hansard at the awards.
Comment by Leslie Bennett — March 27, 2008 @ 2:50 pm
Leslie, of course an artist always needs a great song, thats a constant variable, a given. But an artist with a great song and has nothing else to offer is a ONE HIT WONDER. Nothing wrong with a one hit wonder, in fact, the last decade all we see are one hit wonders. Its just ashame that an artist cant offer anymore than one great written song.
The killers dress frilly and they are showmen. They come from Vegas understand that fashion and music are both important. The second record was mediocre which started there downward spiral!
Comment by brian — March 27, 2008 @ 4:13 pm
did we really think there would be no price to pay for tearing down the music industry by everyone stealing their music ? the lack of new superstars is the price….it takes alot of money and time to make a great record, so from now on we may see some good records, but not many GREAT ones
Comment by barrym — March 28, 2008 @ 5:34 am
I’ll be the first to call ‘bullsh!t’ on barrym. The music industry dumps more money and spends more time than ever trying to ‘break’ minimally talented artists.
Think of what most people would consider some the ‘great’ albums from back in the day — Thriller, Joshua Tree, Appetite for Destruction (a fave of this blog) — and consider how much money and time were put into creating and promoting (these days, ‘hyping’) those albums. And then compare that to the latest flop from Britney, Christina or whatever pop tart you chose.
The problem is money, but it’s not that labels aren’t spending enough — it’s that they think they can create (ie: buy) raw talent. Not to mention, they don’t understand what they’re selling. They look at selling CDs as “moving units” (like soap or jeans). Music is art. Try scribbling on a canvas, putting it in a fancy frame and selling it to someone as the next Picasso — good luck with that.
Comment by Jalan — March 28, 2008 @ 10:13 am
Music from new artists comes from inspiration. Who are young artists influenced by? Pete wentz?
All these young bands play pop punk. Young bands a decade ago were influenced by vocalists with great voices with a keen sense of melody who wrote great lyrics concerning their life. Vocalists like kurt cobain, vedder, weiland, layne, axle rose, maynard. These lead singers held a lot of influence and kids wanted to emulate them.
Now we have no true superstars. The singers today play some selected dates at warped tour and go back to mommy and daddys house. Its just different today!
Comment by liz — March 28, 2008 @ 10:41 am
“The problem is money, but it’s not that labels aren’t spending enough — it’s that they think they can create (ie: buy) raw talent.”
Perfectly said. I’m surprised the music industry has gotten by on “polishing turds” as long as it has.
Comment by Jon Cole — March 28, 2008 @ 10:51 am
What about Winehouse?
Comment by Matt — March 28, 2008 @ 10:57 am
“did we really think there would be no price to pay for tearing down the music industry by everyone stealing their music ?”
The seeds of the music industry’s destruction have been sown ever since it’s inception. It just took a really long time for the karma to come back.
Everything from ripping off artists to gouging consumers have come back to haunt them!
Comment by Universal Indie Records — March 28, 2008 @ 11:34 am
As regarding to the last section of this days post - Great call on artists working with songwriters. I really don’t understand what some musicians shame and fear of teaming up with songwriters is. The greatest artists of all time all had other great songwriters that they worked with. I personally just see it as a way to get the most possible perspectives on your idea. Here in Dallas, where we’re based out of, there are at least 10 bands I can think of in our circle - where we all work ogether when we hit a dead in. Given - not all ten bands at one time are all in the same room, but for instance - if I’m in a dead spot on a section of a song - I think to myself - Who can I call that can give me the most perspective.
Beau
Rescue Signals
Comment by Beau Bretz — March 28, 2008 @ 12:01 pm
* Sorry for the typos - I was in a rush to get my point of view across. Give it up for A.D.D.
Beau
Comment by Beau Bretz — March 28, 2008 @ 12:06 pm