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Author Topic: what's the new paradigm?  (Read 29956 times)

maxim

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what's the new paradigm?
« on: December 13, 2010, 07:10:35 PM »

from http://www.impactlab.net/2010/12/12/growth-in-digital-downlo ad-sales-slows-to-a-trickle/

"Through Nov. 21, total track sales (both albums and individual tracks) are up about 5 percent (assuming 12 tracks equal an album). That gain of 95 million tracks pales in comparison to the 277 million-unit gain achieved in all of 2009. And the revenue those 95 million tracks generated is tiny compared with the financial impact of 47 million fewer CDs sold through Nov. 21....

.......Moreover, the digital album is showing signs of old age. For the first time, digital album sales declined for three consecutive quarters — from the first quarter through third-quarter 2010."

food for thought...

i'm, personally, interested in the current experiences with digital listening among the users of this forum

what are you making?

what are you listening to?

single tracks, ep's, albums?

15 minutes, 30 minutes, 40 minutes, 70 minutes?

no patterns at all?

i listen to a lot of internet radio (but, mainly, kcrw's 'morning becomes eclectic')

i download single tracks and albums off itunes (90% albums)

it seems my audients prefer the opposite ratio (90% single tracks)

i'm thinking of ditching making albums altogether and just record & release

it makes economic sense to cut a few tracks at the same time, while you've got the band and the engineers ready to go, but they don't have to be released at the same time

it's a bit retro, but it may be the new way...

i still prefer "sgt pepper's" to "beatles greatest hits 1967-1970" though...

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Todd Loomis

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Re: what's the new paradigm?
« Reply #1 on: December 13, 2010, 08:19:59 PM »

I listen on youtube.  I jump around from song to song - whatever I feel like listening to.  Every once in a while I'll find something I really love and I'll buy the CD.  I might listen to that CD in my car for a while - but most of the time I'm at home, and there, I still listen to things on youtube rather than on the CD or itunes.  Youtube is more convenient.

Nick Sevilla

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Re: what's the new paradigm?
« Reply #2 on: December 14, 2010, 01:09:11 AM »

Well, for one, the "reporter" only used Nielsen Soundscan as the only source for his / her numbers.

I would take this entire "report" with a heavy dose of salt grains.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nielsen_SoundScan

"Soundscan is the official method of tracking sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada"

It's the "official method", ok, but of WHOM? According to this description... it only tracks CD sales in two countries, out of 149+ in the world. This cannot then be used to gauge any sales on any global distributor, like... most record labels...and iTunes...and anything on the Internet.

"The Recording Industry Association of America also tracks sales (or more specifically, shipments less potential returns) on a long-term basis through the RIAA certification system; it has never used either Nielsen SoundScan or the store-calling method."

So, the RIAA, the Recording Industry Associaiton of America, does not use Nielsen SoundScan. So their numbers are not included in the "reporters" numbers. An inaccuracy has developed. An inaccuracy with one of the largest associations making records in America, which is one of the two countries Nielsen services. Oops... I think the "reporter" could have done what I did and Googled... or even used other search methods to find out more accurate information on his / her subject matter.

Some interesting reading occurs further down the "Wiki" :

"Sales data from cash registers is collected from 14,000 retail, mass merchant, and non-traditional (on-line stores, venues, digital music services, etc.) outlets in the United States, Canada and the U.K.

The requirements for reporting sales to Nielsen SoundScan are that the store has Internet access and a point of sale (POS) inventory system. Submission of sales data to Nielsen SoundScan must be in the form of a text file consisting of all the UPCs sold and the quantities per UPC on a weekly basis. Sales collected from Monday-Sunday or Sunday-Saturday are reported to SoundScan every Monday and made available to SoundScan subscribers every Wednesday.[citation needed]"


So, for any store that does not have nor use Internet Access, and a POS sale system. This would be some mom and pop stores.

And it only says on there that 14,000 stores are affiliated ot the Nielsen system. I don't know about you, but I wonder about Starbucks'... do they get reported, and if so, to whom?

And one more "little" thing :

 http://popdose.com/popdose-cheap-trick-takes-on-nielsen-soun d-scan/

"Now, there are performance and publishing royalties associated with those compilations, so some folks in the band are making money. The other people making money are all the businesses that sell sales data to Nielsen Soundscan, the dominant source of music sales information. (A sister business, Bookscan, handles data on book sales.) Major retail chains sell their sales information to Soundscan, which in turn resells reports to the record companies and others who might want that information.

Read more: Numberscruncher: Cheap Trick Takes On Nielsen SoundScan | Popdose  http://popdose.com/popdose-cheap-trick-takes-on-nielsen-soun d-scan/#ixzz183zV3VEh
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution"

In conclusion,I think, before we all start looking for the next "paradigm" we ought to be looking at a more real landscape. Once we have truer numbers, then we can start to think about what format is more likely selling. And finding out that the companies who sell product are SELLING THE SALES DATA to Nielsen SoundScan... well that to me sounds of a very likely corruptible situation.

Imagine a store that does not have any information, cooks some up, to sell it to Nielsen, so they can make their quarterly profits look better... yummy. Add to that no information from the RIAA, and toss in 149+ countries of which Nielsen knows NOTHING AT ALL, and we get a pretty accurate picture... that it is in fact an unkowable thing, how many sales actually occur.

Logical
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Silvertone

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Re: what's the new paradigm?
« Reply #3 on: December 14, 2010, 07:06:43 AM »

I don't need to read any reports to know how bad it is in our industry. I have friends with gold and platinum track records that can't get work.  I look at my bottom line now compared to 5 years ago, 10 years ago, 20 years ago and 30 years ago.  I look at how many full length albums I use to master compared to all the singles I master today.  I look at how the market has been flooded by amateurs who hang the same "shingle" in their window as me... even though I have 30 years experience under my belt.

It use to be "feast or famine" was the mantra for the self employed, now it's "crumbs and famine".

New paradigm: "Head between your legs, breath deep"

In the US, the big boys who run the show are taking us all down... while they get richer and richer... IMHO... let the revolution begin. I know I'm ready for it, are you?

I just sayin'...
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Larry DeVivo
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To see some of our work please click on any of the visual trailer montages located at... http://robertetoll.com/  (all music and sound effects were mastered by Silvertone Mastering).

MagnetoSound

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Re: what's the new paradigm?
« Reply #4 on: December 14, 2010, 07:11:02 AM »

Silvertone wrote on Tue, 14 December 2010 12:06

... let the revolution begin. I know I'm ready for it, are you?




Hell, yeah! But what does that mean in real terms?


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Silvertone

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Re: what's the new paradigm?
« Reply #5 on: December 14, 2010, 07:49:36 AM »

MagnetoSound wrote on Tue, 14 December 2010 06:11

Silvertone wrote on Tue, 14 December 2010 12:06

... let the revolution begin. I know I'm ready for it, are you?




Hell, yeah! But what does that mean in real terms?






In real terms... pay down your debt and stock up on your firearms.

I do have a solution that would help this country...  How about universal health care for all instead of tax cuts for the rich?  I'm tired of paying 1000.00 a month for my health care and 30.00 co-pays while I pay for the teacher, the policeman, the fireman, the federal, state, country, city workers and grandma and grandpa's (the ones who vote down "socialized medicine" of course are the ones who get "socialized medicine") to get free health care.

The music industry is just a small cog in the bigger picture of what is happening but everybody who is "fat" in this country are just fine with the status quo. And since "the fat" are the ones who run this country we are all pretty much screwed.

Until everybody has to pay for health insurance nothing will change... oh and by the way, here's how they work, they increased our health care by 18% last year and 17% this year... how nice as I make the same money I did as 30 f*cking years ago!

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Larry DeVivo
Silvertone Mastering, Inc.
PO Box 4582
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
www.silvertonemastering.com
To see some of our work please click on any of the visual trailer montages located at... http://robertetoll.com/  (all music and sound effects were mastered by Silvertone Mastering).

Fig

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Re: what's the new paradigm?
« Reply #6 on: December 14, 2010, 11:08:17 AM »

maxim wrote on Mon, 13 December 2010 18:10

 

what are you making?


EP-Album length projects with bands.  Most are independently released on CD, occasionally a vinyl release.  Most of them play live and they sell discs at their shows.  I'm sure these same folks have websites and FaceSpaces but my studio has nothing to do with any of that.


Quote:


what are you listening to?


CDs and vinyl.  I have portable players and a laptop, but prefer to not experience music in that way.


Quote:


single tracks, ep's, albums?


I've never downloaded a song from the internet.  I shop at record stores.  That said, I've only purchased two albums in two years.

Quote:


i'm thinking of ditching making albums altogether and just record & release


As an artist or a studio?


Quote:


i still prefer "sgt pepper's" to "beatles greatest hits 1967-1970" though...





I should HOPE SO!!
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mazoaudio

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Re: what's the new paradigm?
« Reply #7 on: December 14, 2010, 12:24:15 PM »

Silvertone wrote on Tue, 14 December 2010 06:49

MagnetoSound wrote on Tue, 14 December 2010 06:11

Silvertone wrote on Tue, 14 December 2010 12:06

... let the revolution begin. I know I'm ready for it, are you?




Hell, yeah! But what does that mean in real terms?






I do have a solution that would help this country...  How about universal health care for all instead of tax cuts for the rich?  

The music industry is just a small cog in the bigger picture of what is happening but everybody who is "fat" in this country are just fine with the status quo. And since "the fat" are the ones who run this country we are all pretty much screwed.

Until everybody has to pay for health insurance nothing will change... oh and by the way, here's how they work, they increased our health care by 18% last year and 17% this year... how nice as I make the same money I did as 30 f*cking years ago!



Right On Larry!

You are  (sadly) correct sir (and screwed)
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Les Ismore

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Re: what's the new paradigm?
« Reply #8 on: December 14, 2010, 02:36:18 PM »

the new paradigm:

every man for himself!


I don't even attempt to support myself with music anymore. It just isn't realistic. I continue to record an album here and there for people and do more of my own music (that I have always put on the back burner for 25 years because I was too busy doing other peoples albums.)

But seriously I just don't think it's a realistic business model anymore.
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maxim

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Re: what's the new paradigm?
« Reply #9 on: December 14, 2010, 03:58:10 PM »

thom wrote:

"As an artist or a studio?"

as an artist/producer

i'm also going ALL digital (not even promotional discs)

itunes/amazon only (perhaps, not even amazon, most sales seem to come from itunes)

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littlehat

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Re: what's the new paradigm?
« Reply #10 on: December 14, 2010, 04:24:00 PM »

A- When SoundScan first rolled out it greatly improved the accuracy of POS information. The RIAA doesn't abide by it because it skews sales figures towards reality and away from the RIAA standard that was rigged to benefit labels and defraud artists.

B- The new paradigm is this: Give your music away to consumers and live off of live performance, licensing, and merch money.
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mgod

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Re: what's the new paradigm?
« Reply #11 on: December 14, 2010, 07:42:14 PM »

Silvertone wrote on Tue, 14 December 2010 04:49


In real terms... pay down your debt and stock up on your firearms.


Its pretty disturbing how many people I hear talking this way lately, people you'd never expect to be looking out for an upcoming revolution.

I think the downtrodden were so used to it before the last Depression that they took it in stride - more of the same - but we had the benefit of the post-FDR nation. Now we are suffering the benefits of the post-Reagan nation.

Its historically interesting to me that a lot of the American kids who created the world of contemporary music were largely educated under a 91% top tax rate.
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Todd Loomis

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Re: what's the new paradigm?
« Reply #12 on: December 14, 2010, 09:19:01 PM »

mgod wrote on Tue, 14 December 2010 17:42


Its historically interesting to me that a lot of the American kids who created the world of contemporary music were largely educated under a 91% top tax rate.


  A long time ago, I believed in EQUAL tax among all brackets...  taxes didn't seem like a reasonable way to redistribute wealth.  The more I think about it lately though, maybe it is the only way.  Here's a top tax rate history:

              http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxfacts/displayafact.cfm?Doc id=213

  The margin between the richest and poorest in this country continues to grow.  Huge profits are being made, and it seems that very very little of it ever trickles down.  I think a lot of the wealthy think that nobody else is doing anything to work for a living.  I read an interview with Luke Scott (baseball player) recently (HERE).  He talks about everyone wanting everything for free, but nobody wants to work for anything.  He believes that is the drive behind Obama's ideas...  like what?  Health care?  Yeah, that 7 year old kid with cancer?  His whole family is being driven into bankruptcy because of a system that won't care for him.  Ask society to chip in and provide a health care system like most of the rest of the world...  Na...  he just wants everything for free.  He ought to work for it.

  What a joke.  Some people are just plain stupid - or completely out of touch with what reality is like for 98% of the rest of the world.  That "holier than though" mentality that trickles down from the upper class on occasion is nauseating.  I believe strongly in work and work ethic.  Pretty much everyone I know is working there ***es off - 40-60 hour weeks - and they just barely get by and live month to month - no savings - no retirement plans or options - no equity.  I do know a few that do better, and a few that do worse - but I would say in the big picture, most people are pretty hard working decent people and it sickens me to see that work completely ignored or insulted - especially by someone playing baseball for a living!  So sad...

  Lastly, with the recent tax cuts being allowed to continue for the rich...  and the GOP plans to fight against health care (and the recent ruling in court that it is unconstitutional), it's quite obvious that trickle down is a complete lie/joke.

Arf! Mastering

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Re: what's the new paradigm?
« Reply #13 on: December 14, 2010, 09:49:06 PM »

Listen to some of FDR's speeches from 1933 to 1935 - it's frightening how similar the two sides are between then and now. FDR refers to those who want the "old ways" of every man for himself and who claim that the prosperity of the rich will filter down to the rest of the citizenry, as opposed to those who believe in "social justice" (referred to in today's rightist jargon as "socialism") where the wealth of society filters UP, because of the resulting liberation of creativity and a better standard of living of the whole population.
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Todd Loomis

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Re: what's the new paradigm?
« Reply #14 on: December 14, 2010, 10:10:37 PM »

hehe...  watch this vid where they're discussing some of FDRs policies related to today: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd4l6fkxAO8   Good fun...
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