This stuff goes on all the time in the industry, it's certainly not limited to EMI. For this reason, and many others, the industry only has itself to blame. It's just too bad that the behemoths have a tendency to drag down smaller fish as well.
The Record Industry's Decline
- Thread starter barry_abs
- Start date
This stuff goes on all the time in the industry, it's certainly not limited to EMI. For this reason, and many others, the industry only has itself to blame. It's just too bad that the behemoths have a tendency to drag down smaller fish as well.
Martin Dust
Techno Zen Master
Are you sure that they get paid out on projections?
You state they need no sign off but how do they answer to the market, artists accountants and lawyers?
In short, the logic of the system you are suggesting makes no business sense at all, I can't believe that it's actually true.
I used to work in a lower tier in the 'industry' and this is just the tip of the iceberg for ridiculous stuff that happens every single day. It's a huge house of cards that has been allowed to coast along incompetently for years. In many cases, projections are considered gold standard in terms of bragging rights. It's exactly the same with video and hugely depressing on every possible level.
Nobody answers to the artists, the lawyers are in place to ensure everything moves along smoothly and unquestioned and accounting is so screwed already up that none of this matters in the first place.
that's been the case for a while now...
Alfons
Way of the future
I think it's been a part of the reason behind vinyl releases for the last 2-3 years, but I also think that peope still think that "real" labels release on vinyl not just mp3 (even if those people just buy/steal mp3s), that will change in the next few years I think.
Martin Dust
Techno Zen Master
I don't doubt that it's a complete house of cards, anyone who spends 700K a year on cabs really does need a good kicking but I don't believe people got paid on projections nor that "no-one" is answerable, shit like this sticks out like sore thumb but anyway...
for sure.
i think that view of whether a label is "real" or not is partly because there is a financial risk in putting out a vinyl release, and mp3 only releases don't carry that risk. it's much easier to fake the funk if that funk is free.
how many labels have stopped releasing vinyl and gone mp3 only?
not many, it's probably easier to keep the vinyl pressing low and do mp3 as well.
there is a financial risk in releasing anything in any format, if time effort and money go into it.
i think people who like vinyl like vinyl and will buy it, i love it, love playing about with it, i don't ever want to start djing with mp3s, they don't do anything for me.
I'm still not sure about neuton's claims, i think there is a bit of bias as they have dropped off, but i'm sure good releases still sell on vinyl and vinyl is collectable, if it's presented right.
Interesting show on Radio 4 about EMI this morning, featuring a fairly extended interview with Guy Hands.
The upshot seemed to be that, as has been said in this thread, EMI was a terribly inefficient company, ill-prepared for the tougher times and changes facing the music industry. The presenter was fairly supportive of the measures made by Terra Firma to cut excesses post takeover. Various guests, mostly media consultants and managers, were much more sceptical. To me, it seemed that those who have been inside the industry for a while (the consultants who had been working in music for X years, plus the managers and artists) are yet to wake up to the realities.
Guy Hands was emphasizing the profitability of the publishing arm. It seems to me, that for big labels the focus will increasingly lie in publishing, merchandise and events. You only have to look at the number of dates Britney's playing at the O2 or the massive contracts being signed with Live Nation to see that big money is still out there in music, just that the source is different. Some of this would seem to present a better deal for the artists even...
Where all this leaves smaller labels I'm not so sure.
Anyway, its on listen again here.
The upshot seemed to be that, as has been said in this thread, EMI was a terribly inefficient company, ill-prepared for the tougher times and changes facing the music industry. The presenter was fairly supportive of the measures made by Terra Firma to cut excesses post takeover. Various guests, mostly media consultants and managers, were much more sceptical. To me, it seemed that those who have been inside the industry for a while (the consultants who had been working in music for X years, plus the managers and artists) are yet to wake up to the realities.
Guy Hands was emphasizing the profitability of the publishing arm. It seems to me, that for big labels the focus will increasingly lie in publishing, merchandise and events. You only have to look at the number of dates Britney's playing at the O2 or the massive contracts being signed with Live Nation to see that big money is still out there in music, just that the source is different. Some of this would seem to present a better deal for the artists even...
Where all this leaves smaller labels I'm not so sure.
Anyway, its on listen again here.
UFO over easy
online mahjong
surely not... would be the most gutting news ever if true but i can't believe it
hint
party record with a siren
Yeah - I agree... edited my post anyway cos I have no idea if it's accurate yet.
crackerjack
Well-known member
free net label for digital cumbia: http://cabeza-netlabel.blogspot.com/
I like the way that soulseek/blog sharing can make collections of songs into "albums" that are just as real as any legit but obscure collection of mp3s riped from cd/vinyl/cassettes. It's like how when someone makes a top x of x list and it includes a rip of a radio set or a mix made by a blogger somewhere. the fact that this evolved into net labels, where "albums" only exist in how you market them isn't surprising.
What's worth buying ?
It depends of course ...
But one thing is ...
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/03/27/arts/entertainment-us-deluxe.html
It depends of course ...
But one thing is ...
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/03/27/arts/entertainment-us-deluxe.html