No Money, Mo' Problems: Why Even Successful Bands Struggle Financially

[El Zorro de la Estrella]

So yea, I bumped into this article and felt it merited some good discussion:

http://www.altpress.com/features/entry/no_money_mo_problems/

It really brings up a variety of things, so please do read it.

I guess firstly, where/how do y'all get your music? CD/ITunes/DL/etc.

Secondly, do any of you go to shows/concerts?  If so, you buy any merch (merchandise)?

Thirdly, just some discussion of the article I guess.  I mean, if this doesn't seem like a good topic a mod can axe it but...

I guess to me it was a very revealing article.  After reading about how little cash bands actually made off everything, and the lengths they have to go to just to LIVE, well,

it really made me think.

IDK, if anyone else wants to take part in this topic I'll expand on my thoughts later...

[Vulvokunvrii]

well it was an interesting topic...kind of. I dont buy music, but when i do, its from some kind of website, and another one called Amazon.com.

No i have not gone to any concerts so i havent bought any products.

It's not quite surprising to me a little because most of the money goes to sports players; in my opinion, sports players dont deserve that much money. Doctors, Teachers and musisians deserve more pay and attention. Becasue when sports decline (whenever that is) what will happen and where will the money go?

[DZComposer]

Record companies screw artists. It's been like that for decades.

Those days are numbered, though, as the required hardware to release albums is rapidly coming down in price, and digital distribution is the future. The big labels simply aren't needed anymore.

[El Zorro de la Estrella]

You make some good points.

However, distribution is only part of the puzzle.

To get over, bands gotta tour.  I thought they made dec money (ie enough to live an okay life) through touring and merch sales.

But after reading the article I find that I am wrong.  I never knew there were so many different costs to tour. 

I knew about, ya know, gas and food and lodging and buying merch TO sell, but didn't realize that there were so many other things.

For some reason I didn't think they had to pay for stage production stuff (ie lighting, smoke, lazors  , etc.).

And then of course there are the multitudes of lawers and managers and stuff to pay.

And that's where the costs mount up, as the article says, mid-level bands are lucky to break even if not headlining, and even then they barely come out ahead.

They also cover why labels can't help pay touring expenses as much, which goes into the fact that album sales as a whole are drying up.

Now, that probably proves your point DZ, my man, but it also shows how much of a double-edged sword digital distribution can be;

bands may see more of the revenue of their album sales, but without the labels' monetary help touring becomes more difficult.

This is doubly so with album sales dropping; as the bands see more of the profit from their albums but are now selling less, thus cutting into said profit.

And this is where labels can be saviors.

See, even in these poorer times, the labels can get tours setup and advertised much easier than solo bands.

From reading the article it really seems like the only way to truly support your fave bands is to purchase their merch, as that is where most of their profits some from.

Also: I quite liked the part that talked about "Selling Out" and how it is a very ironic term in this era.

Even the dudes who supposedly never sell out are writing jingles for commercials, and the guys who do sell out are able to live happier and make more awesome tunes for us, the fans, to enjoy.

[Sabre]

Record companies screw artists. It's been like that for decades.

Those days are numbered, though, as the required hardware to release albums is rapidly coming down in price, and digital distribution is the future. The big labels simply aren't needed anymore.

Same with films and TV. Now the internet and games are here they are buggered and they know it. That's why things like the calafornia (violent) games ban is being pushed, and why bad anti piracy laws are being pushed through. They are bad for their stated purposes but they exsist to try and keep so called old media rolling in it.