MUSIC INDUSTRY | creative deconstruction

Fan Participation and the Democratization of Music

Posted on 28. Feb, 2010 by refe.

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Digital technology continues to transform the music industry. Most believe that this transformation is causing the industry to evolve into something new that will resemble nothing that has come before it. Others are beginning to suggest that perhaps the music industry is instead reverting back to a state closer to how it all began. What [...]

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Music and Tech Recap – January 2010 Edition

Posted on 08. Feb, 2010 by Gabriel Nijmeh.

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2010 got off to a quick start with CES in early January, another Apple love fest and Midem 2010, the annual music biz conference held in Cannes, France. Although it was reported that attendance at Midem was down from previous years, there was still a lot of interesting panels, news and announcements made over the [...]

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Can Music Stand on Its Own in Today’s Entertainment Culture?

Posted on 03. Feb, 2010 by refe.

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Did you watch the Grammys? I didn’t.
Music’s self-proclaimed “biggest night” celebrated it’s 52nd year this past Sunday with one of the most colorful, over-the-top spectacles in the broadcast’s history. Pink pulled a Cirq Du Sole while dripping wet and suspended from the rafters. Lady Gaga played a duet with a rock and roll icon who more recently [...]

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Why You Should Be Excited About the Independent Music Industry in 2010

Posted on 22. Dec, 2009 by refe.

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Many bloggers and artists seem to be ending 2009 on a note of cynicism. While the year began with a sense of excitement about new possibilities available to artists, the independent music community has begun sounding unusually negative lately, even jaded. It’s like everyone is racing to be the first to declare the DIY revolution [...]

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Backlash: Does Fan-Engagement Do More Harm Than Good?

Posted on 16. Nov, 2009 by refe.

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You can’t really go anywhere in the music industry today without hearing the phrase ‘fan-engagement.’ While most bands have (hopefully) always made an effort to connect with their listeners and fans in a way that goes beyond the music itself, social media has thrust the practice into the spotlight in a big way. Services like [...]

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The Problem With Music Streaming and Why It’s Only the Beginning

Posted on 08. Nov, 2009 by refe.

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There isn’t usually much to talk about when a product is perfect. People may rave for a while, but there’s little to discuss aside from the accusations of a few inevitable dissenters. A product or service that is truly newsworthy, however, is one that is almost perfect – but not quite. An excellent product that [...]

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The Declarations of Independents

Posted on 21. Oct, 2009 by refe.

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Rich Huxley is a member of the gloriously independent Hope and Social, a founder of Alamo Music – the UK’s first fan-owned record label, and a record producer.
The case for independence:
One of the questions I like to ask when I meet people through music is: “How many artists do you know personally who have a [...]

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Sufjan Stevens on the Existential Crisis of the Album

Posted on 19. Oct, 2009 by refe.

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The album has reigned as the prince of popular music formats for nearly a century. Yet, it’s become unclear how long this reign will last. Digital technology has transformed the way many listeners experience music and fueled a resurgence of the short-form single.
For the past several years bloggers, critics, industry pros and consumers have contributed [...]

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New Music Seminar Chicago – “Everything You Know Is Wrong”

Posted on 07. Oct, 2009 by refe.

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The music industry has gone through significant changes in the past decade, and many of the major players have been slow to understand or embrace the changes. Fortunately there have been many encouraging signs recently suggesting that’s slowly beginning to change.
I attended the New Music Seminar in Chicago yesterday and had the opportunity to hear some good discussions about the past, present [...]

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New Forrester Report Presents ‘Music Product Manifesto’

Posted on 04. Oct, 2009 by refe.

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The latest music business report from the Forrester Research Group hasn’t produced the kind of buzz that the last one did. That’s likely because while the previous report did have some solid ideas, it wasn’t the answer people were looking for.
The report is called Music Product Manifesto: The Product Features That Will Save Recorded Music. [...]