On the surface, record labels exist to distribute the music of our favorite artists, but if you look much deeper, their main purpose is to make money, lots of money.

There was a time when the label was needed, but today, artists can record and distribute their content much more easily thanks to the Internet on the home computer. Now artists are beginning to agree, in order for the artist and music to prosper, we must kill the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

No, they’re not calling for a mass murder of its board members. Many artists want to distribute their music without helping the RIAA because they barely see any of the money made through traditional record sales. Some artists even prefer that you obtain their music “illegally” as file-sharing systems spread the name and content of artists much more quickly than the record label. The popularity they receive as a result of mass sharing helps to bring people to their concerts and shows, where they sell tickets and merchandise, the main source of an artist’s income. Throwdown, an underground hardcore group, puts it plain and simple in an interview posted on Punknews.org.

“We have sold around 200k records across 3 releases. We’re not ‘huge’ by any stretch but do alright and live off (and ON subsequently) the road. Fans and friends ask me all the time how I feel about ’stealing music.’ I just told someone yesterday ‘I have a hard time seeing it as stealing…when I don’t see any money from cd sales to begin with. What are they actually TAKING from me?’

If you want to squeeze an opinion on theft out of me, ask me about the dude that grabbed our tshirt off the table tonight in Detroit or better yet.. ask me about record contracts.

I encourage our fans to acquire our album however they please. The philosophy I’ve adopted is that if you’re supporting disc sales, you’re keeping the old model around longer…the one that forces dudes like me to tour 9 mos/year if they want to make ends meet with a career in music. If you wanna really support a band, “steal” their album….help bury the label….and buy a tshirt when you show up at their show and sing every word.”

Unless you’re the latest pop sensation, artists must look to other ways to benefit from their art. It’s why every other hip-hop star comes out with a clothing line, perfume, or cologne. It’s why underground rap artist, Immortal Technique, refuses to sell his albums through a label, releasing his albums for free on file-sharing programs or simply “selling it himself.” He brags often in his music that his method allows him to prosper without selling out, without catering to the wants of the label just sell music.

Nine Inch Nails front man, Trent Reznor, also believes the traditional method of music distribution is broken.”…that infrastructure is broken at the moment. How long before [record companies] are irrelevant? Who knows? They seem to be doing everything they can to make sure that happens as quickly as possible.” Mr. Reznor is not one to talk the talk without walking the walk. He helped to produce the latest Saul Williams album and the duo has decided to release the album for free on the web, giving users the option of a $5 donation similar to the release of the most recent Radiohead album.

Although the public and artists are working hard to circumvent the record label model, it seems we’re still stuck in the old ways. Despite Radiohead’s decision to release the album for free on the band’s site, the group recently signed to the label XL for the traditional release of their album.

So what’s the moral of the story? If you want to really support music, stand up to the RIAA. Go to the concerts of your favorite artists. Buy a shirt or two while you’re there, and grab their album there or download it “illegally”. If you’re looking to hurt your favorite artists, head down to your local Best Buy to buy their latest album there.

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Entry was posted on Thursday, November 1st, 2007 at 9:25 pm under Internet, Legal, Music.  Print This Post

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