The Industry is Dead. Or Is It?

You hear a lot of people talk about the slow demise of the recording industry, that digital music is killing CD sales, and that free music is destroying record labels. While this may be true, The record industry has been "dying," since day one. Even in the 20's at the height of record sales, the recording industry felt it was being threatened by the newly discovered radio. Yes the radio made music free to listen, but did it completely wipe out the industry? No. The recording industry got what it wanted a few lawsuits later. In 1999, the recording industry faced a big scare with the creation and diffusion of Napster, an online service that allows one to download and upload music for free. Yet again, a few lawsuits later the recording industry scared people into buying music again.

Today, many people still download music for free through illegal services, whether it be a file sharing service, or a torrent. But, is the industry really suffering, and do people really care? In Tim Worstall's article, "Did Napster, Torrents, File Sharing, Kill the Record Industry? Who Cares?," He answers just that.

The truth that Worstall points out is that the masses really have no concern for their effect on the recording industry. People want their music fast, easy, and cheap if not free. Consumers only care about what they're consuming and how they consume it. There is little regard for the producers of anything in any industry, but especially in media. What about the well being of business, their employers, their wages, or the value of the individual? Are loyal music lovers just inhumane, media junkies willing to trample over the recording industry?

Large music corporations have indeed struggled throughout history, but they always seem to come back despite the diminishing market for music. Worstall's article addresses a very valid issue. I agree that most mindless consumers care nothing about the producers of what they are consuming, but what about the other side? In the community of music lovers there are people out there willing to purchase music because they know they effect that each purchase can have. It is imperative to keep record labels and distributor companies afloat, and on top of that allow the local record stores to thrive in their communities. Worstall mentions Sony, and EMI, whom without the music industry would not be what it is today. However, the truth is that independent music lovers view these companies as corporate sell-outs only out for your money. Music lovers love the little guy. They love the small, personal record labels staying true to their roots. Worstall approaches this issue with a very business-like mindset. He writes as if it is the people's fault for the downfall of music. Even I know that in business the customer is never wrong.

My answer to this: Music needs to become more marketable. If the big companies want to survive they must meet the needs of their consumers, and use a more personal approach to how they market artists an labels.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2012/02/21/did-napster-torrents-file-sharing-kill-the-record-industry-who-cares/

Jack is Back

Jack White has returned to the music scene as a solo artist, and his new collection of songs is nothing short of stunning. White has led numerous bands, including The White Stripe, The Raconteurs, and most recently The Dead Weather. Every time an album comes out with Jack White's name on it, it is nothing short of stunning brilliance, and his solo effort is no different.
The new album, Blunderbuss, hits stores March. 20, but listeners have already gotten a taste with the release of the single, Love Interruption, and as of Saturday night, Jack's performance on Saturday Night Live.

For this very special blog entry, I will not be analyzing and critiquing an article as I usually do, rather I am going to critique Jack's performance and what has been heard of the new album as he returns to the music scene.

As an artisit, Jack White is about as creative as they come. He's talented, he's creative, and he's a little bit wacky. His performances and songs include all of these elements to make one interesting spectacle. The Saturday Night Live performance was no different. Jack put on his finest, old time country suit with oversized lapels and shiny shoulder and chest patches to pull it all together. He stood with a road-worn acoustic guitar like a troubador, backed by a fully female band. For his first song, he play the single, Love Interruption, and no matter how many times I've listened to it, it still amazes me. A dark picture of what love can be, and a poetically crafted vision, Love Interruption is an somber, yet angst driven anthem for the broken hearted and slightly sadistic. It's beautiful in its darkness.

For his second song, Jack played an unreleased track called Sixteen Saltines. This song goes back to his heavy, gritty rock 'n' roll roots, reminiscent of his days with The Raconteurs. But what was even more surprising than the excitement of a new Jack White song was the fact that he switched bands in between songs. He went from having a fully female band, to having a fully male band. An interesting switch, but then again it is Jack White, and whatever creative, weird thing he can do, he is going to do it. Sixteen Saltines was gritty and fast paced, and anyone who loves Jack White's former projects, will love this song.

I like the way Jack presented himself. First as a well dressed, singer-songwriter, with a fully female band, then as an angry rock star, clad in all black with a raucous male band behind him. To me it was a representation of who Jack White is as an artist. He is constantly between two musical worlds, one where he plays he beats on his guitar like he's in a backyard brawl, and the other where his instrument and his voice are his lady, soft and sweet and always by his side. These juxtaposed worlds are what make Jack White, Jack White and it's why he is so respected in modern music. He can play any kind of music, anywhere, anytime. He can take a garage sale guitar and make it howl like a vintage Gibson. Blunderbuss is sure to please any Jack White fan because of the exposure it gives into the mysterious world of Jack White.

http://www.spinner.com/2012/03/04/jack-white-snl-saturday-night-live/