The other day I wrote a short piece in which I noted that I buy all my music, and do not download it from the internet unless it is something out-of-print and not available. Today, there is a very very interesting post and reply tothat post on the LondonJazz website that I think everyone interested in this topic should read and think about:
http://londonjazz.blogspot.com/2012/05/jacks-been-thinkingabout-online-music.html
Clearly I am with the original author, Jack Davies, on this. I think the response is off-base and naive. I do not think people will pay for what they can get for free if that is their mindset, I don't think giving away music is a good marketing move to increase one's "tribe" and customers at a show, and I believe that taking music for free is analogous to walking off from a brick and mortar Barnes and Noble with a book. Why is it okay to get music for free over the internet but not books? No one seems to suggest that as an option to buying a book. Finally, as more and more people buy music on the internet, and now get free downloads, we will see the demise of music stores and the comunity they create.
Please read the column for yourself, and let others know about it as well -- it is both well-written and well thought out (as is the response), but also a very important topic of great concern for the music industry in general and jazz music in particular.
Thank you
I hate to break it to you, but not only is the business modal of giving away your music for free and letting your audience decide what to pay for it hugely successful across the board, but it's also a concept being used for books as well.
ReplyDeleteI think this site is really hip, and this particular book I'm sharing with you speaks directly to this topic in an incredibly eloquent and informed way: http://leanpub.com/dubber
Check out Andrews blog, he shares his results with the world to prove that this business modal is not only successful for him, but with a compelling product can be successful for anyone.
Feb 16th 2011 - Borders Bookstores filed for Bankrupcy and announced the closure of 200 stores plus an option for 75 more due to losing $2 million per week. http://blogs.wsj.com/deals/2011/02/16/is-borders-closing-a-store-near-you-heres-the-full-list/?mod=e2tw
I would call that a pretty decisive nail in the traditional book store coffin. Look at Barnes and Noble, who you cited in your post, who posted massive 4th Q losses in 2011, and who's shares plummeted over the past 12 months due to lack of sales and a sinking ship of a business model.
Don't get me wrong, I remember tower records. When I was in music school it was one of three record store locations that you could find me at on a daily basis searching for interesting music. But I'm not holding onto that out of date notion that that will exist for anyone ever again. It won't. And instead of campaigning for the return of an out of date technology, I'm really trying to encourage people to look forwards instead of backwards. Because if we don't look forwards we're going to have wasted all this time complaining and campaigning for something that doesn't exist, when we could have been pioneering and enjoying the ride.
We're not seeing the demise of music stores, that's already happened. They are over and finished. I was shocked beyond measure when my album was not only released on physical CD's in Japan last month, but that two branches of tower records still exist, and my record made it onto a display case at the end of the aisle with a listening station for people to preview the music. To my knowledge there are only tower records in Ireland, Japan, and Mexico. Hardly the global covering of retail outlet power that it used to command. It's a thing of the past, and something I'm truly amazed to have seem my, or any, record in.
My response to Jack's post is not coming from a place of baseless opinion, it's coming from a place of honesty and success with that business model. I'd be more than happy to send you a free copy of my book when it comes out in a couple of months. It chronicles the process of discovering what it is to be a musician or artist in this modern day climate, and publishes detailed results of the business end of the concepts. Drop me a line with your mailing address and I'll add it to my advance press mailing and get you a hard copy or PDF as soon as the book is ready. It's 98% fact and pure statistics that make up the results. My opinion is just my opinion which anyone can take or leave. But solid research and evidence to back up the process, is what makes it such a strong case for young musicians or artists of any age to adopt these concepts and enhance their careers.