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Is the music industry failing? Or is it just that the guys in suits aren't needed as much now?

Singles sales have gone from 31m in 2003 to 162m last year. That's over 5 times as many.

Bands don't need so many people involved to get records out now. So the middle men are surplus to requirements. Bands need to realise that a bit more. You can do a lot with word-of-mouth now if you're good enough.

Of course there will be decent bands struggling and falling under the radar. But hasn't that always been the case?

That fella White Town, he had a number 1 in 1997 with a song he made at home in his bedroom. Not sure he's ever done anything live.

Saw him play to a room of 40 people just two weeks ago, acoustic only - no mics or amps.

Wow. Didn't know he was still doing stuff! Was he any good? Did he play Your Woman?

Did he do IndieTracks one year (or is that this year?)?

Aren't those 'single' sales just random album track downloads? It could just mean that people downloading entire albums is plummeting.

Sales of the physical albums continue to thrive, concluded a presentation by Sony Music Entertainment and trade body U.K. Music called 'Not All Consumers Are the Same.' The latest IFPI data for 2009 shows U.K trade revenue is 73% physical, 19% digital and 8% performance rights.

Total unit physical sales UK IFPI (2009)
single 3M
albums 90M

Small-sized independent recording companies operate as part of very localised independent networks of cultural production and distribution, often with little contact with the higher tiers of the industry, share 28.4% of world music market.

I don't think 'that mindset' is being embraced in any kind of widespread area enough to cause anything yet. It did happen decades ago in the c86 scene and it was great.

Also, I don't think bands embracing the cheapest format available to them and spending their time/imagination/money on enhancing their creative output instead of looking for kitsch, aesthetic formats that are outside of their and their labels price-range is anything but a good thing.

We live in age where we're spoilt for choice with formats - CD, tape, vinyl, download, USB - and yet people still feel unsatisfied...mental.

If anything is "causing the music industry to fail", whatever the fuck that means, I would hazard a guess that it's the piss poor quality of releases and lack of any real creative ambition from bands and labels to make something that is truly special.

'the mindset' being the industry standard head-in-the-sand luddite view that CDs are king.

Ned Ludd and he was fictitious!


\a level history blog

Hmm...do you know what Luddite means?

Calling someone who's arguing the case for CD over Vinyl and tapes Luddite is literally laughable. That isn't Luddite. One of the main reasons that I like CDs is that they're compatible with computers (for now) and modern technologies, as I made clear.

Walking 'round in daft, unpractical, outdated clothes, holding boxes full of vinyl, on your way to DJ at a retro indie night...that's Luddite mate

I wasn't referring to your good self as a Luddite I was directing that at the elusive 'Music Industry' and their severe lack of foresight in embracing modern technology. CDs should be long buried in favour of digital formats.

As for your closing comment; so long as your trousers cover your knackers surely that's practical enough?