The music industry is changing right before our eyes.  With the advent of streaming, major labels are losing market share with their traditional music marketing efforts.  Almost any music headline today laments about how a certain “A-list” artist is not selling as many albums as in the past.  While this in general is a good thing–many consumers are no longer willing slaves to the corporate music industry model–the downside is that making money for independent artists is becoming more and more elusive in the new music industry paradigm.  Whether we like that or not, it is an inevitable change that needed to happen, and one we all need to deal with.  The corporate music players have been riding the gravy train for too long.  As independent artists, it’s high time that we take some of our market share back!

The signs are obvious.  One is the incredible lack of creativity in the corporate music world.  Yes, there are great artists and producers, but the “creative” model that spawned a birth of incredible acts in the 70’s has morphed into a copy cat scenario of musical sequels.  Seriously, ask yourself how many times the Marvin Gaye estate has to sue somebody for infringing on one of their copyrights?  Whether it’s Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams or Ed Sheeran, these are today’s name brand artists that are simply lifting their material from previously copyrighted works.  While musicians tend to be known for a little “creative shoplifting” these guys take it to a whole new level, ultimately removing any source of real musical genius for a quick buck.   The irony of these artists being revered as “musical geniuses” at all is Thicke enough to cut with a knife!  This is today’s music industry–how can we produce the same product (read: shit) that just went platinum?  Any musical integrity remaining has vanished.

Another issue that is hidden beneath the water line is the amazing amount of incestuousness within the music industry.  The reason Robin Thicke is known at all is because of his father, Alan (star of Growing Pains).  Miley Cyrus? Meet her father and country music star, Billy Ray Cyrus.  Red Foo (LMFAO) is the son of Motown legend Berry Gordy.  Jakob Dylan (The Wallflowers) is the son of the iconic Bob Dylan.  Enrique Iglesias is the father of Julio Iglesias.  The list goes on and on.  Yes, some of these of kids have some real talent–look at the Marley children for example.  However, the bigger picture is that these “showbiz kids” are crowding out a limited talent pool simply because their parents lineage and Rolodex, and many are missing the talent part!  They are simply getting a free ride where most of us have spent a lifetime working hard to get anywhere.

Like many other industries, money can seriously influence the outcome.  This has to change.  Just like it has been screwing up the healthcare industry for the last 30-40 years, it is happening to the music and entertainment industries as well.  The idea of “art” is lost amongst dollar signs.  The trickle down effect causes the industry to be flooded with cookie cutter artists, which in turn influence a somewhat cookie cutter audience.  It’s even influencing commercials!  How many times have you heard a well known musical riff that is altered just enough so as to not infringe on the songwriter (or pay royalties), so that advertisers can catch your ear?   This is all one giant marketing calculation and it is going nowhere fast.  At the end of the day the trend is lowering the bar of music, and commoditizing a once creative product into a generic staple.

As real musicians in this new industry paradigm, we have to work to counter this trend and help finally put out the smoldering fire of the old music industry for good.  Average is not going to cut it in the future–one has to really contribute to stand out.  Play an instrument?  Spend time cultivating it.  Work to be the best performer in your area, so that when you are called into the studio or stage, real talent has shown up.  Writing a song?  Don’t settle for second best, and don’t cheat!  Spend time on the product and work on producing real music, for real people.  Copyright infringement is not an option–seriously, where’s the musical integrity in stealing someone else’s work?  Be creative and take chances–this is after all an artwork.  Impress people.  Strive to be different; challenge yourself to craft music from the heart and shape your creation into something that is unique.  Allow the audience to be exposed to something truly new and help change their perspective.

As a potential “expert” in the music industry, take the time to introduce friends and family to new artists, new music portals and ultimately a newer, higher ideal of what music should sound like.  Reference and remind people about historical legends–not just Jimi Hendrix, Prince or Duke Ellington, but Bach, Mozart and Beethoven.  Explain and point out different time signatures and tempo modulations; illuminate the mind of the novice listener so that they can explore this new world with a better understanding of what is happening in the music.  Reveal to your audience the banality and soullessness of corporate music.  You’re not going to change everyone’s mind, but you are going to affect a percentage of folks, who in turn will learn to appreciate better music and pass it on to their crowd.  Most important, as musicians remember that we are all in this together and can really affect the change we want to see if we are conscious of it!  Make sure to do your part.