Download Only Song to Crack the Top 40 391
nagora writes "The BBC is reporting that next week's UK music chart may have the first sign of the end of the recording industry as we know it. From this week (7th Jan, 2006), all downloaded music sales are counted in the official UK chart, not just tracks which have had a physical media release. Now, an unsigned band called Koopa is poised to enter the top 40 without any old-world recording, distribution, or production deals. Band member Joe Murphy says "If someone comes along and gives us an offer, we'll talk to them." before continuing on to add the words the recording industry has been having nightmares about since the introduction of the mp3 format: "If we can get enough exposure and get in the top 40 by the end of the week, do we necessarily need a large label? Probably nowadays, no you don't." Is this finally the crack in the dam we've all been waiting for to wash away the entrenched monopolies of 20th century music production? Or just a sell-out waiting to happen?"
Comment removed (Score:1, Interesting)
Re:Don't stop at just the labels... (Score:5, Interesting)
Why shouldn't an artist continue to reap the rewards of a creation of theirs for the entire lives?
Likelihood of selling out? (Score:3, Interesting)
Unless they're REALLY hypocritical, which is always possible I suppose.
This must be last years news. (Score:1, Interesting)
2006!
Already a sell out? (Score:5, Interesting)
Their whois points to a local web design/media branding firm, maybe they just laid it on a bit thick. From their myspace:
"Listen to KOOPA and you realise that this is not that watered- down, manufactured sound designed to impress your younger brother, little sister and please your parents."
Hint: it's not cool to say you're cool.
On they other hand they supposedly come from my home town (Colchester, UK), and are gigging here tomorrow. Might as well check them out for real...
Re:Don't stop at just the labels... (Score:5, Interesting)
So, being from the USA... (Score:4, Interesting)
If it'll help get them in the top 40 without major label backing, I've got two bucks (or whatever 77 pence is in dollars nowadays), but I don't really like the song very much
Had to be done (Score:3, Interesting)
This move to include download sales is not just a natural progression to indicate popularity of artists, but a commercial necessity for the music companies. How can they promote a platinum-selling artist who has only really sold a handful of albums?
Of course, if they really want to gauge the popularity of artists, they could also start to look at how many people are searching for their music at BitTorrent sites or on Limewire. Eventually this will also have to go into the mix if they want an accurate gauge of what people want to listen to.
Still need good production and promotion (Score:3, Interesting)
Of course there will be times when a band/artist gets enough right to make the charts (or even just a decent living) independently. However, there's an obvious problem with this idea that bands should just record their own music, put it out there and then allow market forces to pick the best stuff.
What if they can't afford a decent studio, or don't have the discipline to do enough takes until the sound is right, or the drummer sucks? Good production has turned a lot of bad music into good. An artist can be incredibly gifted musically but that doesn't mean they know the best way to record their music, or the point where a guitar solo stretches from cool to self indulgent wankery.
I think the tide will turn, but it needs to involve more people than just the artists themselves. I think we'll need to see a bunch of small to medium level labels dedicated to talent scouting, production, recording tech, management and marketing before the biggies start to get squeezed.
Re:So, being from the USA... (Score:2, Interesting)
I'm not a big music fan, but the song was lively and enjoyable. The song was avialable in DRM-free mp3 (alas no ogg) so I bought it. It is undoubtedly worth ~$1 to speed along the distruction of the existing media cartels.
Some of Koopa's other song samples didn't fit with my tastes, so thy might be a one hit wonder for me. That's ok so long as that homerun hit breaks the RIAA's windshield parked in the back lot.
Re:Don't stop at just the labels... (Score:3, Interesting)
there can be real value in big labels... (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Already a sell out? (Score:3, Interesting)
Perhaps I'm just being too cynical but the only difference I can see between these guys and a signed equivalent is that they don't have anyone distributing shiny dics for them. The marketing crap is all there 100%.
Re:Wow, great, something new... (Score:1, Interesting)
Phish only released albums through major labels, so I'm not sure what crack you're on there.
Maybe your point is that if bands want to make money they should ignore their albums and form a jam band, rather than pursue any other genre of music. Want to make concise pop songs? Too bad. Challenging dynamics or lyrics? Sorry, that's not the kind of stuff that'll endear people to follow you around the country taking lots of drugs. Want to create the best album of all time? Sorry, that's not important. No, all musicians should make long meandering music whose only "challenging" aspects are the use of slightly obscure scales that can easily be ignored when you're dancing around while hallucinating (and aren't really challenging, so much as interesting to musos).
People who say "get your profits from touring" have a very naive understanding of the life of a musician or else very narrow taste in music (both stylistically and geographically). A lot of good music doesn't suit well to touring. Live music is great but music recordings are very important art form in themselves - I've never seen My Bloody Valentine live and I'd lose all respect for someone who says MBV should have received any money for the album "Loveless". Also, musicians who haven't already made it usually have day jobs and touring means at least inconvenience at work and possibly losing one income and replacing it with the touring income, which usually isn't that lucrative.
If you stop trying to cheapskate your way out of paying for recordings, you'll benefit in the end. That money opens up a lot of possibilities for a musician. They might improve their home studio, buy more or better instruments or afford some professional mastering or studio time. If they're suited to touring, the income from their recordings could lessen the risk and burden of touring and make them more prone to go on the road. The bottom line is this - if you find music on the net that you like, it behooves you to give the band some compensation. Not only is it the moral thing to do but it directly benefits you. If you pay someone for making something you like, the odds improve they're going to make more things that you like.
Re:Don't stop at just the labels... (Score:3, Interesting)
Therefore, if the right of attribution is alienable, there is no reason that a system without copyright would include a system of attribution.
Re:Don't stop at just the labels... (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Already a sell out? (Score:2, Interesting)
I think you're right - it is a manufactured media phenomenon. But the manufacturer is the band manager. He's clearly figured out a way to get publicity:
In other words he has done the marketing work of the record company, and used the Internet to do the distribution work. Clever stuff. As you have found, it shows through in the web page, where the marketing speak of a typical record company has been carefully emulated.
The labels don't have a monopoly on "bollocks" yet.
Re:Don't stop at just the labels... (Score:3, Interesting)
What we're finding out now, is that, at least in the eyes of the state, like a salmon returning to it's birthplace, copyright is returning to its original purpose and it's all about money and monopoly control.
What I'm still undecided about is whether 'copyright is a bad seed and its basic nature will always win out'.