4 ms·

I think Neil Young said something along the lines of "I look at radio as gone … Piracy is the new radio, that’s how music gets around." He uses the word piracy

I think Neil Young said something along the lines of "I look at radio as gone … Piracy is the new radio, that’s how music gets around." He uses the word piracy which doesn't apply here, but I think what he says is relevant in this context: a lot of people hear music for free, like it, and then buy it. Maybe they hear it for free on the radio, through torrenting, or through youtube. Although the radio and torrenting does generate revenue as well as promotion whereas torrenting only does promotion.

manmal 10y ago
Or better yet, go to a concert. Most artists could never live off CDs, but from $30 tickets they could.
- x0x0 10y ago
  my startup idea that someone else should totally build: Sell a soundboard recording of the show I went to for $25 on the spot as I leave. I went to the show so I now have an emotional connection to that particular performance. Will this get shared? Sure, but the majority of people downloading bootlegs own the artists' oeuvre anyway.
  - jowiar 10y ago
    At least for Springsteen's current tour, this is almost the case (modulo a couple of days). I think livedownloads.com is the backing entity.
    - x0x0 10y ago
      that's awesome, thanks for the link!
    - peddamat 10y ago
      The fact that larger bands don't up sell a drone video of each show is just leaving cash on the table. I'd happily pay $30-$50 for a video recording of every show I attend.
  - protomyth 10y ago
    Pearl Jam did it except for the venue I went to. I must say I was a bit peeved about that.
- bpodgursky 10y ago
  Touring for your primary income is a brutal lifestyle, especially if you're not in your 20s and unattached to dependents. I don't think it's reasonable to say "oh, if you want to make money with music, you should just spend 6 months of the year living in a van traveling the country".
  - mcbits 10y ago
    I don't see why that's unreasonable. Plenty of jobs in other industries (consulting, sales, construction, trucking...) have a large travel component to them. You don't have to accept work with 50% travel, but if that's where most of the money is for what you want to do, then it should be on the table. Even an author, typically far more introverted than a musician, has to seriously consider hitting the road to do book signings and interviews for any hope of success.

manmal 10y ago

Or better yet, go to a concert. Most artists could never live off CDs, but from $30 tickets they could.

x0x0 10y ago
my startup idea that someone else should totally build: Sell a soundboard recording of the show I went to for $25 on the spot as I leave. I went to the show so I now have an emotional connection to that particular performance. Will this get shared? Sure, but the majority of people downloading bootlegs own the artists' oeuvre anyway.
- jowiar 10y ago
  At least for Springsteen's current tour, this is almost the case (modulo a couple of days). I think livedownloads.com is the backing entity.
  - x0x0 10y ago
    that's awesome, thanks for the link!
  - peddamat 10y ago
    The fact that larger bands don't up sell a drone video of each show is just leaving cash on the table. I'd happily pay $30-$50 for a video recording of every show I attend.
- protomyth 10y ago
  Pearl Jam did it except for the venue I went to. I must say I was a bit peeved about that.
bpodgursky 10y ago
Touring for your primary income is a brutal lifestyle, especially if you're not in your 20s and unattached to dependents. I don't think it's reasonable to say "oh, if you want to make money with music, you should just spend 6 months of the year living in a van traveling the country".
- mcbits 10y ago
  I don't see why that's unreasonable. Plenty of jobs in other industries (consulting, sales, construction, trucking...) have a large travel component to them. You don't have to accept work with 50% travel, but if that's where most of the money is for what you want to do, then it should be on the table. Even an author, typically far more introverted than a musician, has to seriously consider hitting the road to do book signings and interviews for any hope of success.