And generally suck ass
April 23, 2006Neil Young’s newly recorded protest album “Living With War”, including a song calling for the impeachment of President Bush, will be posted for free Internet streaming next week, his label said on Friday.
Starting April 28, fans can log onto Young’s Web site, and listen to the 10-track collection in its entirety, free of charge, said Bill Bentley, a spokesman for Warner Music Group’s Reprise Records.
Now that’s where music will be heading in the future. You see, in the Western world, a lot of people are too cheap and lazy to actually buy music the way it’s supposed to (either via an iTunes-like online shop; or the real way, via the record store). Those people just download off of p2p, don’t give anything back to the artists, and generally suck ass. Now, these people stand in a shrill contrast to real music lovers like myself, who will buy music no matter what; whether CDs are €25,- or €15,-. People like me will always buy music the legal route, because we understand that artists need to make money too, and that by buying an album you show your gratitude towards the artist. You give credit where it’s due, so to speak.
That other group, however, will not be buying any music anytime soon, because music off of the internet will always be cheaper. Now, the most sensible ting to do, then, as an artist, is to make your music available for free on your website, so that you can market other stuff, i.e. merchandise.
Music | 
I’ve heard that in China, where piracy is rampant, that local stars can’t count from any revenue from album/cd/mp3 sales at all so they are forced to basically give away the music and make their money by touring.
It’s tough to think about talented artists haivng to resort to that. It seems like it’s too far of a pendulum swing from the situation a few years ago where you could release a few albums, rake in royalties, and retire to your ranch in neverland.
Still, if I had to pick one, I’d pick the one where bands had to work for a living like the rest of us.
I think the larger problem — one that is often unnoticed, is that radio stations and record labels are finished with allowing consumes to actually like a band long enough to gain a strong following. Bands are allowed one or two hit records and, if successful, put on the back burner in favor of a similar band (e.g. Green Day to Blink 182)
Giving away songs for free on their site is just one way for a band to take some sort of control back over their own destiny.
Comment by vince — April 23, 2006 @ 6:32 pm