Music Currently.

The music industry is an out of control wild animal. Though this isn’t any breaking news, since the beginning of recorded music there has been money hungry executives, nasty lawyers, and in the end unfair treatment to artists. In the past the skit kinda went something like this..

• New struggling artist starts to gain traction and a fan base
• WIth dreams of a record deal they hear out all offers.
• They hastily sign a contract
• The contract states that the label owns 100% of all music produced under them.
• The contract also states you need to produce 5 albums in 4 years

This happened thousands of times, even happening to huge artists like Lil Wayne, Bob Marley, And even N-Sync. The record labels were ruthless and the fact many of the artists they took advantage of were desperate and uneducated in the business only made it easier for them. And it only kept going. Throughout the 80s and 90s the music industry, especially in LA was a war zone. Artists would threaten executives with guns, show up to their houses, throw massive fits in the office. Rightfully so as they were being robbed of their hard work day in and day out.

Where this all stopped and then began to sprint again was within the internet. While for a time artists were given more rights and control over their process. Sell their own records, host their own shows, own their masters. It wasn’t until music began to take the dip into streaming that artists once again started to lose control. With a small handful of companies controlling how we stream all music it was clearly evident that artists were about to have a hard time. Now in current times you need 3x the amount of popularity to make the same amount of money. And it surely isn’t all gonna come from the music. Social media has forced record companies to look at artists as a whole brand. Music isn’t enough. Commercials, videos, sponsors. All required to be a famous musical artist. And this is where the problem lies. I want to end here so that you can comments. I know we are all aware of how musicians become popular now. It’s about politics and resources, talk more and spend more, you’ll MAKE MORE.