H20nly wrote:^ If artists at Prince's level don't give a shit who will? Who is really in a position to tell the mighty Apple iTunes (amongst others) what they can and cannot do, or even should do, and actually have anybody pay any real attention. I know if I tried to tell them how they're gonna run shit that there wouldn't be write ups about it, LSZ would NOT start a thread and other than me and the other peeps in LiquidLab no one would notice that doesn't know me personally or come in some kind of direct contact with us.
If Prince, Lady GaGa, Madonna, Stevie Wonder, NAS, The Rolling Stones, Jay Z, Daft Punk, NOFX, Barbara Streisand, Metalica, Zamphir (pan flute in hand) and the likes all banded together and put a proverbial foot down you would see some directions and ideas shifting and under consideration etc. Its a Pyramid scheme so only those who have drank from the very top can change the bottom... because the bottom won't change itself... at least not intentionally.
meh. I don't know what I really think should change, but I think that money machines should be challenged lest they bleed the landscape dry.
You're talking about a bunch of artists who greatly benefited from the old world music industry and while they may have been financially raped based on percentage they still managed to make mass fortunes that they could continue to live off of until the day they die even if they stopped all new moneymaking ventures starting today. I have no delusion they're fighting the industry for the future of the little guy. It's all about their ego and probably resentment over past practices.
It's like Odessa continuing to go around the world hunting down Nazis into their 90's. I'm not saying knock it off or let it go. Have at it. But largely nobody gives a shit anymore beyond a train wreck like fascination of possibly getting a glimpse of a genuine living Nazi. Similarly nobody gives a shit about established rock stars battling it out with major record labels or distributors beyond seeing who comes off as more of a whiny bitch.
The majors will continue to crank out their factory made shit, but more and more artists will start doing everything themselves and make the decisions and *gasp* can even sell their music on iTunes right next to the majors (but not Prince). Artists like Prince should stop whining about the industry that ultimately made them rich and famous and put more positive vibes and words out about helping people to become successful musicians that don't need a label.
I have the opposite view of you. Change isn't going to happen from the top down between rich musicians and rich labels. Change is going to happen from the bottom up and already is because the rich are too busy battling it out to see the little guy shoving them out of the way.
