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Is There Big Trouble Brewing?

It seems there is some trouble in the recorded music industry. Sales of recorded music has fallen 5% in 2001, 9% in 2002 and the global forecast is for a drop of 12-14% in the year 2003.

Regulators, especially in Europe have blocked mergers between companies including Universal, Sony, Warner, EMI and BMG, and seem to be holding firm on their positions. The music industry feels that consolidation may be the answer to many of their woes. I don't know if I can agree with this.

Do you remember when you purchased an album that contained 12 or so songs? Usually 70-80% of those songs were great recordings with quality content. Now if you find 10-20% of the recorded content to be of any quality you are doing well.

The recorded music industry likes to blame piracy and the world economy to be the culprit. Could it be the lack of quality in conjunction with out of proportion pricing? Many companies feel that format changes may provide the diversity for multiple income streams. Is that why they continue to introduce recycled music in the new formats?

I myself feel a great resentment towards the music industry. I am sick and tired of paying high prices for low quality and I'm sure many of you feel the same way. If the industry would like to see the new formats have a higher acceptance factor, don't you think they would do so by releasing new material on the newer formats?

I don't get it. Is there anyone out there willing to embrace the new formats so that they may listen to recordings that they have been listening to for the last 30 years? Will the industry ever wake up and realize that the consumer is disgusted with the bill of goods we are presently being sold?
128x128buscis2
sean
6,231 posts
 
Much of the difference in "quality" back in the day has to do with the fact that most performers used to have to fill up an LP, not a CD. As such, 30 - 40 minutes of "quality" music was easier to come by than 60 - 80 minutes worth. Nowadays, if an artist put out a CD with 30 minutes worth of music on it, even if it was "top notch", they would get blasted for "cheating the public". Either way, you can't win for losing.... Sean
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bomarc
501 posts
 
Buscis, no offense, butI think you're suffering from selective memory. The classic albums that you still listen to had lots of great cuts, but the album with one hit and a lot of dregs was not invented in the 1990s. I suspect your taste, like mine, doesn't run to current pop, so neither of us is in a position to judge the classics of the 90s.

As for Sean's "lending library," in the old days you could make a pretty good copy with a little work. Today, making a perfect copy is a snap. So, while I think the industry is guilty of a lot of things, I do agree that copying is a real problem for them.
unclejeff
1,313 posts
 
C'mon, folks. Hell, my Grandmother thought that Big Band, which my Mother liked, was a come-down from Swing. She lamented the drop in music quality that was hidden by the 30-piece band.

Cut the before-was-better crap.

Truth is, there are more diversions. Wanna listen to music? Turn on MTV(remembering that it is the kids who have always funded the music recording industry).

Yes, the industry is selling less. But, also look at the prices. I can get 100 blank Cd's for less than $25.00. This is after the retailer's mark-up. It just doesn't cost that much to mass produce an album. the $15.00 average price we pay for music is just too much, considering the costs. Yes, the artist should get his share--and he does--but that share is pennies compared to all of the middlemen.

The industry should go for market share as there is competition for the entertainment dollar. cut the prices and more sales will exist.
lokie's avatar
lokie
528 posts
 
Seandtatlor99 I think your comment 'The other good news is that technology may allow more artists to bypass record companies altogether and market direct via the web' is the shining light at the end of this tunnel. Like other industries the internet will cut out the middle men. One positive effect, I foresee, will be a more diverse and "naturally" artistic product. What I mean by naturally is the absence of outside influences that the artist has to deal with. Two albums come to mind that captures the soul of the artist- Red Headed Stranger- Willie Nelson and Live at Blues Alley- Eva Cassidy. Had the fingerprints of the record companies been on these two albums I suspect that the magic one feels listening to these artist poring out their heart and souls would have been lost. All that said, lets just hope they can still afford good sound engineers.
ozfly
887 posts
 
Lokie, there are a lot of great local recording studios. They support artists who sell cd's on their tours and these engineers seem to be truer to the art than the big name studios. I was lucky enough to spend some time in one of them and the technology and expertise behind them is really something.

Unclejeff, you are absolutely on target. Want to sell more? Then lower the price. Per Sean's earlier comments, it might be tough to raise the quality (and copying is too easy anyway) -- so price is king.
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