The Sorry State of the Music BizI think it's safe to say that yesterday's VMAs show was a spectacular disappointment. And I don't point the finger only at Britney's horrid performance. For a network that rarely plays music videos, I'm not sure what MTV expected by trying to put together a set of what was supposed to be entertaining performances. There's a reason why MTV doesn't play music videos as much as the network should - because the business behind the music has completely failed, whereas reality tv (while the popularity has declined) is where the money is. Other than a very small handful of performances, last night's VMAs were boring, at best. The music biz has always been about the glitz & glamour. In its 90's hey-day, the biz could get away with the ridiculous spending on its artists, i.e. large advances, crappy but expensive CGI-graphics in music videos, expensive travel tastes, etc. But it seems the biz can't come to grips with the fact that its "business" is no longer the what it once was. It can't afford to cut a 6-figure check for an artist when the labels themselves can't sell records to profit from. A few labels are fortunate enough to have heavyweight established artists who could easily put out "Mary Had a Little Lamb" in an updated version and still remain popular. However, these same labels don't have enough new artists and don't try to develop the ones they acquire. Instead, the labels end up w/a very large catalogue of one-hit wonders when they could have invested the time and proper budget to help the artist produce talent-worthy tracks and drop them as singles in a timely fashion. I believe the only reason one-hit wonders exist is b/c the artists' labels have betrayed them tremendously by not dropping the second single after the first single hits big. It seems incredibly stupid for the labels not to make a strong effort to make an album a true success w/endless promotion and marketing as they already have money invested in the artist as soon as a contract is signed. Although the free-sharing of music over the internet was initially the main cause of the fall of the music biz, the labels have had plenty of time to brainstorm new ways of running their precious business. Unfortunately for them, they haven't and are still stuck in their old ways. A tiny percentage of the profits from ITunes & ringtones won't keep a business afloat. Luckily, artists aren't dumb and the established ones have taken it upon themselves to create new ways to add to their diminishing cash flow: clothing brands, commercial advertisement, perfumes/colognes, make-up lines, acting roles, the production of tracks for other artists, etc. Whether they're actually good at any of these is seriously questionable. But hey, at least they're smart enough to realize that their music careers aren't going to be paying their bills (I mean that figuratively). I truly believe in the power of music. I believe in the creative arts and the unique talents the arts require for a music artist to become a great entertainer. This is why I had worked at 4 record labels over a period of time. But my experience in the business gave me an insight that I would have rather not gained. Putting all cynicism aside, I'm going to keep the faith that the music will make a real come-back, unlike Britney's uninspired one. 
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04:52 PM
Music Biz...
Rick Rubens comes from the non-conformist world of music. Columbia hired him to get in touch with a new musical vertical. He gets it. Columbia does not, which is why he is now there.
I don't think it's fair to say compensation equals apathy. He could have gone anywhere and been compensated greatly. The point of the article, and my reference to it, was how is it in this day and age of the open music forum that we have such mediocre content?
Rick has a bigger job to do than changing the culture at Columbia. It's the music culture in general that is suffering. For all the exposure the internet has allowed artists why is there such bad music? Why has MTV gone from bad to worse? Why are there so few good shows to see? There has always been fluff in the industry but not to this extent. And to hide behind the fluff and lack of talent by having flashy (and worse yet BORING) award ceremonies is absurd.
We are in the middle of a convergence and it is both exciting and scary. (scary if the industry goes down it's current path/exciting if it grows/changes from these past couples of yrs) I hope the industry (and musicians) can get back on track and go back to making music that tells a story. Isn't that the point? Isn't that what we love? (I saw you listed John Mayer as a fav-my friend produced his two albums-there are good people in the biz in spite of the machine)
In the meantime we will weather the outfit malfunctions/lip syncing/makeout sessions/Tommy&Kid trashing it out; all as a means to distract from the real problem.
Jane, don't get jaded. I can tell you love music and are just disillusioned with your exposure to the machine. Keep believing. I saw you are in your 20's so you bear the responsibility to be positive!!
02:26 PM
Rick Rubin
Yeah, I posted that on the What To Read last week. Actually, a little inside knowledge about that acquisition: he was thrown a crapload of money to be there and it's utter BS that they don't use "titles" there. That label especially is obsessive about "titles." I know because I used to work there. Maybe I'm a bit jaded but I think little will change there. He may help make bigger hits but they'll still be behind the times business-wise. XOXO Jane
02:17 PM
Music industry changing...
The NYT Magazine (Sept. 2, 2007) had a great article on Rick Rubin and his new role as co-head of Columbia Records. Check it out. He makes sense of these times in the music industry. He is one of the few innovative minds who is looking for resolve. As a whole, the industry is in what could best be described as The Dark Ages.
10:57 AM
VMAs = Very Mundane Awards
Ugh, last night's show was so BORING! I turned it off halfway through. Brit's performance gave whole new meaning to "energy lacking." Sarah Silverman's potty-mouthed schtick was old 5 years ago, and her jokes were lame. WHY is she still tapped to host every award show? Like Killa, I thought JT's shout out to play more vids when the Hills girls were still up there was pretty hilarious. After all, it is the "VMAs" not the "RTVAs" (Reality TV Awards).
10:52 AM
Agree
I felt the exact same way while watching the VMAs (thank God for the FF button on TiVo). The music industry has effectively transformed marginally talented artists into tarted up product--the best of whom toe the line and deliver passionless choreographed performances (Chris is the exception). The sad thing about Britney is that she burst under pressure and we are watching the woeful aftermath of an American Idol. I guess we'll have to find our talent on entertainment on YouTube, the new and improved MTV. At least real people get to have a say in what's good.
09:51 AM
My favorite....
part of the VMA's was when it was over! Nah, but seriously it was bad. I did however love how Justin Timberlake kept throwing hints to MTV "play more videos" and especially his message when The Hill's girls where on stage " play more videos we don't need The Simpsons, and Reality TV"