(no subject)
I'm working on the first installment of my senior thesis for my pop-music and subculture senior seminar class. I decided to write it on the the different aspects of the independent music business. I've been researching indie labels and artists for the last few hours and have found out so many interesting tid-bits of information that I am compelled to share!
I had no idea that Sub pop records started the grunge era by signing Nirvana back in the 80's. Sub pop started off as Subterranian Pop, a cassette fanzine, and eventually began to distribute band singles to willing subscribers via the postal service (they called this service the Singles Club). Through this, they released Nirvana's first single Love Buzz. Those 1000 original copies of the song go for thousands of dollars now. Although we think of Sub Pop as one of the most well known independent labels (it has signed The Shins, The Postal Service, Band of Horses, Sunny Day Real Estate, The Thermals, Rogue Wave, The Rapture...etc etc etc) Warner Bros owns 49% of the label!
For one of the four major commercial labels (Sony, BMI, WB, Universal) to own a huge portion of an indie label is very typical, which was shocking to me! Although independent labels like to claim that they want nothing to do with commercialism and mainstream music corporations, they are often owned by them! Even if indie labels don't have any affiliation with major labels, they still spend tons of money on image-oriented, market-driven endeavors (MTV videos, etc) that eventually cause their bands to get sucked up into the mainstream and eventually into the hands of major labels.
It is interesting how everything is so tightly correlated...
I had no idea that Sub pop records started the grunge era by signing Nirvana back in the 80's. Sub pop started off as Subterranian Pop, a cassette fanzine, and eventually began to distribute band singles to willing subscribers via the postal service (they called this service the Singles Club). Through this, they released Nirvana's first single Love Buzz. Those 1000 original copies of the song go for thousands of dollars now. Although we think of Sub Pop as one of the most well known independent labels (it has signed The Shins, The Postal Service, Band of Horses, Sunny Day Real Estate, The Thermals, Rogue Wave, The Rapture...etc etc etc) Warner Bros owns 49% of the label!
For one of the four major commercial labels (Sony, BMI, WB, Universal) to own a huge portion of an indie label is very typical, which was shocking to me! Although independent labels like to claim that they want nothing to do with commercialism and mainstream music corporations, they are often owned by them! Even if indie labels don't have any affiliation with major labels, they still spend tons of money on image-oriented, market-driven endeavors (MTV videos, etc) that eventually cause their bands to get sucked up into the mainstream and eventually into the hands of major labels.
It is interesting how everything is so tightly correlated...