Lipsman.com - Main

For Only 59 cents a Day, You Can Save a Starving Record Exec

9-time Grammy nominee Janis Ian strongly refutes most of the claims by the record industry that free downloads are ruining the music biz. She makes many good points and pretty clearly articulates how the record companies are doing their best to hurt themselves while at the same time taking advantage of the musicians.

I have to agree that it's not Napster, etc. that have hurt music sales but the limited access to new and interesting music. The consolidation of the radio industry has left all major cities with very genre-specific, narrow-playlist stations playing only those that have been "chosen" by the record labels.

But I don't have the time to attend a bunch of live shows to find new bands, and I am not going to spend $15 for a CD that I've heard good things about but never actually heard. Maybe a friend can loan it to me, but maybe I don't know anyone who has it. Am I going to buy it? Probably not! But if I can hear it, then I just might.

I am waiting for the day in which the Internet and other technologies allow future musicians to completely bypass the traditional distribution channels, allowing the artists to profit more from their work while at the same time getting the music to the fans for less money. Everyone is happy (except for the record execs)!