The effects of corporate music

I didn't open and read all the posts so this may already have been mentioned.

http://www.cdbaby.com/

This place sells independent releases, lets you sample it and has some really interesting browsing methods check out the flavors section

As the French say, you cannot mix business and art. What has happened to radio has happened to school music programs, has happened to the whining bullies of the recording industry, blaming their abject failure on MP3. Consentration of ownership kills beauty, courage and freedom. Look at the news and look at our candidates. As with news and alternative radio, the internet is the refuge of the small, the brave and the seekers of beauty and truth. A few inner cities have enough free spirits unafraid of the future to cultivate something like culture.

Corporate weasels in the music business is nothing new. Even back in the days of AOR, the vast majority of radio stations fell into the catagory of top 40 in whatever genre they covered. But at least there were a few people who wanted to break the mold and try to do something new and innovative. Unfortunately, labors of love have become almost non-existent.

I'm a huge Disney fan (in addition to being a music lover and audiophile) and it's sad to see what's happened to the amusement parks and animated features. Bottom line thinking has swamped the legacy that the artists and craftsmen left behind.

From my perspective, the shortage of true innovation has come from the faster/cheaper mentality of the corporate world. Companies view themselves as being at war with their competitors and are unwilling to take the risks or the added time necessary to come up with something new. The result is a repackaging of the same old crap (usually in a watered-down form).

Listen to some of the kiddie punk band like Blink 182, Sum 41, Lit, etc. They all sound the same and are pathetic extensions of the punk bands of the 70's. Yet they're being marketed as the cutting edge of alternative music.

I agree that music radio sucks and has for quite some time. The reason, I believe, is that the value of a radio station is so high that only large corporations can buy them.

Large corporations don't like to take chances, so they hire program consultants to put together playlists and they are very leery about playing any artist that is not a proven commodity. So, we just get the same old artists over and over.

As far as new music is concerned, I think there is more than ever and this site is a good place to start finding it. Look at the thread "What Music Do You Want to turn people onto" Look at some of the answers and go check them out on Amazon.com or some other site that has sound clips. When you hear something you like buy it.

Although I haven't tried it, my Daughter likes Launch.com. You provide feedback on songs you hear and then it starts to learn your tastes and suggests other stuff.