I can save the music industry.
So I've been thinking a lot since SXSW and I think I have a way for some bands and labels to survive.
There's a man named Greg Stolze who makes table top games (think Dungeons and Dragons) and uses a really unique way of getting his products out. He releases everything open source, but before he will give it out he holds it for ransom first. For instance if he decides that his new game is worth $1000 he will set up a place for his fans to donate money until his goal is reached. Once it is reached, the game is released on his website and is free forever.
So this could work with bands as well. They could pick an amount that they think their new album should be worth. Set the price and then not release more than a single track (even to radio) until the goal is reached. Once it is reached the entire album would be download-able for free. The physical copy with artwork and liner notes would only be for sale after it has been released from ransom. Record labels would need to be a lot more secretive with new albums, but they should be doing that anyway.
Imagine the Radiohead method, except a little more aggressive.
This will help build community among fans, loyalty to the artist, and raise awareness about the cost and effort it takes to get an album produced. Most of the profit for the artist wouldn't come from this, but it would keep labels from going in the red. The majority of an artist's money would need to come from touring and merchandise sales, but the anticipation from fans surrounding the release of the new music may actually increase the hype before the tour. I'm imagining a bunch of kids waiting around their computers at 1am for the last donations to be made and then rushing to web forums to talk about who got to hear the whole thing first. We love waiting in lines in the rain for XBoxes and iPhones, why can't we try it out with music?
Obviously this won't work for everyone. New bands are excluded, back catalogue is excluded, lazy bands that are just after money are excluded... But for some people this would be perfect. Imagine Kanye West demanding 1 million from fans before he gives them his new album. Once he gets it the whole thing will be free. Imagine REM trying this. Maybe Animal Collective.
Let's discuss. Maybe I'm missing something important here, but I feel like it would work. Especially if the artist lists in detail where the money is going during production
There's a man named Greg Stolze who makes table top games (think Dungeons and Dragons) and uses a really unique way of getting his products out. He releases everything open source, but before he will give it out he holds it for ransom first. For instance if he decides that his new game is worth $1000 he will set up a place for his fans to donate money until his goal is reached. Once it is reached, the game is released on his website and is free forever.
So this could work with bands as well. They could pick an amount that they think their new album should be worth. Set the price and then not release more than a single track (even to radio) until the goal is reached. Once it is reached the entire album would be download-able for free. The physical copy with artwork and liner notes would only be for sale after it has been released from ransom. Record labels would need to be a lot more secretive with new albums, but they should be doing that anyway.
Imagine the Radiohead method, except a little more aggressive.
This will help build community among fans, loyalty to the artist, and raise awareness about the cost and effort it takes to get an album produced. Most of the profit for the artist wouldn't come from this, but it would keep labels from going in the red. The majority of an artist's money would need to come from touring and merchandise sales, but the anticipation from fans surrounding the release of the new music may actually increase the hype before the tour. I'm imagining a bunch of kids waiting around their computers at 1am for the last donations to be made and then rushing to web forums to talk about who got to hear the whole thing first. We love waiting in lines in the rain for XBoxes and iPhones, why can't we try it out with music?
Obviously this won't work for everyone. New bands are excluded, back catalogue is excluded, lazy bands that are just after money are excluded... But for some people this would be perfect. Imagine Kanye West demanding 1 million from fans before he gives them his new album. Once he gets it the whole thing will be free. Imagine REM trying this. Maybe Animal Collective.
Let's discuss. Maybe I'm missing something important here, but I feel like it would work. Especially if the artist lists in detail where the money is going during production