In my quest and mission to inform and of course to put my tuppence worth in in regard to the state of the music industry - I think you have got to look at the state of the business and how the consumer ultimately sees and feels about their music, bands, artists - and dare I say it "heroes"
Does that term even exist in today's MP3 Generation - where they consumer and explore on social networks where it's cooler to be "added" and seen - than to even listen to some artists - I've read on some MySpace music pages that people have had an add - and their only consumption or exposure is the 30sec sample of the mandatory 4 tracks!
So a real fan? A Disposable Hero for a disposable generation! - Well until the next "best" discovery (or plant) is found on MySpace, Facebook....
Look at the history of the biggest selling recordings... (I'm using the US as an example - the biggest territory) it has not really changed over the last 20 years - but what has changed is that the units are still rising...
- THE BEATLES - 170million units
- GARTH BROOKS - 128million units
- ELVIS PRESLEY - 118.5million units
- LED ZEPPELIN - 111.5million units
- THE EAGLES - 100million units (Including the biggest US album ever at almost 30million copies)
- BILLY JOEL - 79.5million units
- PINK FLOYD - 74.5million units
- BARBRA STREISAND - 71million units
- ELTON JOHN - 69.5million units
- AC/DC - 69million units
OK so the argument would be that this is based on the prolific sales of music during the 60s - 80s - Maybe - but why do the sales keep rising?
At what point does any of the bands / artists become less important, lose their "hero" status - Yes Garth Brooks may not be everyone's cup of tea - but hell he brought Country music to the mass market with its fusion of rock and country that had never been done or accepted before - and the key to Garth's success one of the best LIVE showman on the planet - which in turn resulted in him selling over 120million units.
Even the most hardened music enthusiast will have at least one of the above Top 10 artists in their collection, right next to Arctic Monkeys, Boy Kill Boy or Reverend & the Makers - whether that be a CD collection, or listed on their hard drive alphabetically or on their iPod!
Why?
Because they were and still are Heroes - they created music that lasted generations and inspired more kids to become artists than most (OK I would challenge that a 12 year old potential next Lilly Allen is listening to Barbara Streisand's Memories - but Bab's again is a great artist and wonderful live performer!
So what is the root cause and answer...
The current artists and bands are Disposable - here today gone by the afternoon - re-invented by the evening and in rehab by midnight! There needs to be a long term strategy again embracing the current ways that people consume music and art - LIVE is such an important part of the equation - yes its bloody hard work and long and arduous - but the benefits in the long term are astronomical - the Top 10 above all perform (or used to) in Massive Arenas and Stadiums around the world to sell out crowds - in the 21st Century - you can be there in person - or stream the whole event LIVE via a PPV (Pay Per View) - the technology is there now - and can be an additional revenue stream and allows more people than ever to take part in the event - with online chats, become the director and chose which angle you want to see or download the entire concert on MP3 after the concert is finished - the only restriction now is the imagination of what is a fantastic multi-media opportunity
Or we can continue to churn out artists and bands that can be consumed and be "added" for a day and then taken off the next day as they are no longer seen as the latest and greatest...
Disposable Heroes indeed
(I'm off to rehab, then I'm reforming my band - see you on MySpace! - add you if you if you ask?)