Music is a fast moving trend-setting culture but the majority of thebusinesses that manage that market have walked slowly along the roadof change. Instead they've chosen the tactic they don't really need tochange. This attitude is not just prevalent at large record labels butat the adjacent industries as well. Radio programmers printpublications. TV shows -- many of the related businesses who play asupporting role in an artist's career have not been able to shift. Theresult of this neglect has two damaging consequences –- the significantloss of the public's interest in the music market and therefore theloss of the business itself.
We could easily blame our woes on the folks who download music illegally but we'd really all just be fooling ourselves. The problem is far greater than that. Studies show that music is being appreciated more now than ever before. If industry problems were simply based on the fact that some were stealing music radio listenership would be high music magazines would flourish and television would showcase far more talent.
But in reality the numbers of music listeners at radio are way down much of music print is out of business and artists performing on TV earn extremely low ratings. This means the industry has failed to change and present an exciting music market. Instead consumers are creating their own excitement about music without us.
And though the lack of sales isn't unique to North America the music market has suffered far more here than anywhere else.
So at the end of the year when hindsight has better vision who is doing it right in the record business?
No question that the digital world has turned the marketplace literally on its ear. And within that world many bloggers have emerged as discerning taste-makers who show a skillful and even-handed ability to bring great music to the public. Some of the more interesting names in this world include and.
in Seattle in Minneapolis and in Atlanta are three other good examples. But compared to the thousands of radio stations broadcasting these are just a few glimmers of lights in a very dull world. Satellite radio does present a new point of view but it comes with a price tag most cannot afford.
Television tells a different story. Shows like Jon Stewart's and have earned widespread interest underscoring that hip and irreverent is not only "in," it's impactful.
Unfortunately there's really no equivalent for music audiences on the air now except perhaps.
And digital retail has gone far to reach into the lifestyle of consumers to generate excitement. Now with and all fighting for market-share it will be interesting to see how these companies continue to compete to be more responsive to the lifestyle of their audience in the coming year.
Maybe the leadership in 2008 will find the new pair of glasses needed to bring energy into this depressed marketplace. Maybe but it hasn't done so yet.
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http://www.kcrw.com/etc/programs/ob/ob071212change_or_die
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