Some say that major labels will never die, while others say that they will. I believe that they will never die. The main goal of most bands with forever be to get signed to a major label. Other bands will find success without being signed. An example of such a case would be the band Nine Inch Nails as well as Radiohead. These two bands have gone unsigned, leaving major labels and their deals to go on their own. These bands have inspired other bands to follow by example as well as given many underground bands hope that they will be able to reach the success they desire without a major label.
So the direction that the music industry will be taking in the future looks fairly clear. Most bands of tomorrow and even some of today will no longer seek out major label deals, instead they will become the driving force and major players of their own product, becoming “major labels” of their own. That being said bands will still need help in growing their fan base and selling their products and that is where the internet and “Do It Yourself- Indie World” comes into play. Many people who have a passion for music have created companies that work to support unsigned bands through the use of networks. The positive thing about these companies is that they do not function like many labels; they do not take a large portion of the bands earnings. In the end it is the bands that make money in this fashion, due to their ability to reach more fans in a more frequent and personal manner.
The only negative that comes into play in the “label free future” is that the labels who were once the decision makers kept the “good artists” and removed the bad. In the world of major labels it was and is the A & R reps that found bands that they felt would appeal to a mass audience, and in turn kept untalented bands out of the mainstream and off the airwaves. Presently, thanks in part to MySpace and the internet, every band no matter how talented or untalented has the ability to put their work out there. This could be detrimental for the “Do It Yourself World” and the movement to support unsigned bands. It will then be up to listeners to choose the bands that they like and feel have the talent to reach success. The general public will in the future be the ones to narrow down the massive amount of artists and bands to include those who have talent and are passionate about their craft. After sometime people will see that this is indeed a positive thing; people will soon have more freedom of choice when it comes to music.
Bands of today and of the future should realize the changes that are coming and be prepared for the public to judge for themselves. Bands should no longer be focused on creating a catchy song with mass market appeal for a few A & R reps of a major label in hopes of siting back and riding out the fame to come. While fame is sure to continue for many bands of the future the concern should no longer be about gaining the approval from MTV or other music publications, instead it is the fans that should be the priority. In the future it will be the fans that will hold the key to success. It will be vital for bands to find their audience no matter how large or small and be passionate about their music in order to succeed. Future “rock stars” may even be able to obtain greater respect, fame, and money then those that have come before them because it will be their hard work and dedication that will lead to their success, not handouts given by major labels for fitting into the mold that the label created. Bands of the future will have only themselves to thank for their success as well as their failure because they will be the ones in the driver’s seat. In order to reach success bands of the future must be prepared to become their own company. In order to do this their will be an advantage for those artists who are educated in not only music performance but also in marketing (especially internet marketing), merchandising, and promotion.
What do you think about where the music industry is going? Do you agree? If you are a musician or part of a band, is signing with a major record label your priority?
Post by Mike K - Meet Me
A musician since 5th grade, guitar is my instrument of choice. You'll find my posts on a wide variety of music related subjects.
