No way out. Apart from selling out.
News: 9th June 2010 by Stef Loukes under Music Publishing, Record Labels, Selling & Distributing Your Music
Freeloading, (the downloading of unlicensed digital content without paying), used to be a critical issue for the music industry. With the introduction of iTunes and other legal forms of obtaining your digital content, it was thought that the issue was finally coming to an end.
Still, from 2000 - 2009, worldwide music sales fell from $26.5 Billion to $17 Billion, and revenues from digital sales were not amounting to the sales gaps created. There's been creative marketing attempts from bands like Radiohead, with their inventive 'pay what you think it's worth' campaign, but nothing has really come close since. In fact, the only way a band can seem to make a profit these days is through film/tv licensing, product placement and corporate sponsorship.
This interesting article looks at how freeloading has now increased reliance from artists and labels on corporate sponsorship, there's some great examples from punk bands and music industry insiders. Well worth a good read!
Related Links
http://www.thebigmoney.com/articles/hey-wait-minute/2010/06/04/no-sellouts-means-more-selling-out
Tags
freeloading, illegal downloading, record labels,
