Though the title is a bit unwieldy, The Future of the Music Business tells you everything you need to know about what's between
its covers. The music business today is a completely different animal than it was back in the day pre-Internet. Then there were dozens of record labels releasing vinyl albums from a multitude of artists encouraged to experiment and uncover new sounds and novel directions. Now there are only three major record labels, and artists are typically pigeonholed: if you don't sound like Muse or Madonna or Kings of Leon, you don't have much of a chance of landing a deal. Which is where the Internet and the ability to distribute/record music on an independent level comes in.
This
book explains the process and provides important steps in
- Selling music online
- Using blogs and social network sites
- Developing your own online record label
- Creating an Internet radio station
- Opening an online music market
- Raising capital for recording projects online
- Creating a hit song digitally
- Taking advantage of wireless technologies
This updated third iteration also includes information on what to do if someone steals your music. how to protect the name of your band and/or label, how to find/obtain a music lawyer to handle your business, and how to score a recording deal with an indie label.
As stated earlier, it's a completely different marketplace from the analog world of yesterday. Today, you must do virtually all of the work yourself, and it can be a complex maze you must traverse. This book provides an excellent roadmap through the traps and dead-ends.