An Excellent New Read: "A Brief History Of Why Artists Are No Longer Making A Living..."

Audiophiles who pursue and enjoy technical excellence as inseparable with artistic excellence are on the decline. The current resurgence in interest in analog vinyl is, IMHO, a revolt against convenience but it is also an anomaly and will not survive the relentless advances in technology and the cultural shifts that it will bring.



That is a very interesting paragraph. While I count myself among those who pursue technical excellence, I don't know anyone else personally; it's too expensive; people I know would rather go on a cruise.

They are the multitudes who spent their entire lives with vinyl; they're into digital because they know how expensive a high end rig is, and that's the only reason to go to analog. The mantra that vinyl is warmer, will not penetrate their deaf ears; while this may be true, it's not warm enough for them to spend the minimum 3K to make it better than digital, and 3K is conservative; real audiophiles know that.

Once those "newbees" who bought into cheap analog rigs, realize they have to pony up a few more K to run with the big dogs, they either pony up or fold. Since they don't know about the expertise required for "analog nirvana", in addition to the extra K; they're going to fold, and that's why this resurgence is temporary. Reality is what is; not because I say it is, but because it is what it is.

This is just a single article about one band but it seems to refute the premise of the original article on which this thread was based......except that the band sought after a more traditional Stax style SQ:

https://theindustryobserver.thebrag.com/the-teskey-brothers-a-diy-success-story/

If you haven't heard this band.......you should.

@n80 Thanks for the link. They do indeed seem like a great band.

@orpheus10 


"Once those "newbees" who bought into cheap analog rigs, realize they have to pony up a few more K to run with the big dogs, they either pony up or fold. Since they don't know about the expertise required for "analog nirvana", in addition to the extra K; they're going to fold, and that's why this resurgence is temporary."


It seems to me like it all that may still be up in the air. To hear millennials tell it, they are much too debt laden (school, housing) to hold any illusions of being able to ever "upgrade" into anything beyond what may amount to them as a passing "nod" in the general direction of culture.

If the lawyers that run the world could ever figure out what to do with the elephant in the room, China, then they all might otherwise  feel that their copyright strategies might work at least well enough to go ahead and announce the worldwide cessation of CD production like they've been wanting to since 2015. But, in the current political climes, it doesn't exactly look like that might happen anytime soon. 

BTW Bill, my reference above to ’the lawyers that run the world’ was certainly not aimed at, or meant to resemble, you in any way. Some years ago I would’ve owned up to certain amount of perceived disdain on my part for the group I’m referring to, but anymore I’ve actually come to view all that they do as a necessary outgrowth of this increasingly interconnecting "global village" that all nations continually have to bump up against. The group I’m referring to operates under the auspices of the UN and I realize they are trying to coordinate the international effort to bring everybody collectively into the 21rst century. Although from your description of your background, yours and theirs seem rather different to me, but in any case, I do apologize if I have, or have appeared to have, thrown around the phrase recklessly...did not mean that to come off as any kind of backhanded remark toward you or anyone else here, FTM.

Regards

Thanks for posting a link to the article.  Ian makes some interesting points, but he also misses a few points.

First, recording software like Garage Band created a glut of dubious releases?  He presents nothing to back this up.

Second, he treats WWII as the beginning of time.  There were professional musicians prior to WWII.  I think musicians need to quit fretting about technology and look at solutions across history.  How did Caruso make a living?  How do current popular hip hop bands like Migos generate most of their income?  They are not exactly selling physical albums like hot cakes.  How is a band like Wilco able to keep chugging along?  I think the common thread between all of them is hitting the road and playing live early and often.

We live in an age where most people want to pay their ten bucks a month to stream their music.  You're not going to change those people.