On 16 Jul 2002 at 11:55, Kate Bennett wrote: > well it is positive to me that many are migrating towards those > smaller labels because the accounting that requires an album sell in > the gazillions at the majors is so limiting to the diversity of > music...it seems like rome is burning to me.... >
I agree. It is positive and really it is what has fueled the industry for some time. The Big Four have gotten to the size that they are by acquiring small labels instead of developing within. Nonesuch, Wilco's new label, is afterall a part of the Warner Music Group and is distributed by WEA. It's just that they plan projects and spend according to their reasonable expectations of success. They don't think Wilco will sell platinum either and likewise they don't spend as much as Reprise would. They are also very good at maintaining a roster that is in-line with their core aesthetic. And there is a vibrant indie label scene right now and has been for awhile; it's just not producing rock music. It's more about turntablists, underground dance culture (house, drum+bass, downtempo, etc.), rap, world beat, and many others. Rome is burning, but it's a good thing. Mostly because it will force the multinats to sell off their music divisions if they can't make them profitable. (There is a lot of hot talk right now about Vivendi breaking up Universal. EMI is interminably on the block.) And hopefully this will lead to fewer lawyers and accountants in A&R and marketing meetings. There is one caveat though. Artists have to be willing to accept what it means to sign with a smaller label. Despite what they may say, many want to be stars. They shun the majors publicly but they really want what the majors will help provide for them - a huge audience and multi-million dollar marketing budgets. It's the reason why a lot of smaller labels won't sign name artists who are passed their peak. They say they don't want to be with majors anymore but they expect their new label to spend like one because of "don't you know who I am." I've had plenty of first-hand experience with this, and believe me, it ain't pretty. > brenda also wrote > Aimee's situation was quite different...her > subsequent releases on Geffen lost money. > I should add that this was at a time when a record could sell 150,000 units at a major and be profitable. It really wasn't until the late 90's that things started to get so out of control in terms of needing to sell a million units to be considered a success. Back then I don't think anyone expected Aimee to sell gazillions. B n.p.: Les Nubians - "Autour de Minuit" -------------------------------------------- "Radio has no future" - Lord Kelvin, 1897
