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Why a Music Tax Is a Bad Idea
An anonymous reader writes with a followup to the story posted last week about Warner Music's plan for a music tax for universities. "There's been some debate about this plan and Techdirt has a detailed explanation of why a music tax is a bad idea, noting that it effectively rewards those who failed in the marketplace, punishes those who innovated and sets up a huge, inefficient and unnecessary bureaucracy. Meanwhile, plenty of musicians who are experimenting with new business models are finding that they can make more money and appeal to more fans. So, why stymie that process with a new bureaucracy that simply funds the big record labels?"
Because it doesn't make any sense, and damn it, that's the American way!
So, why stymie that process with a new bureaucracy that simply funds the big record labels?
I think you've answered your own question. Warner Music isn't proposing this for your benefit.
It's not a "Music Tax", it's a "Record Company Bailout"
You answered your own question:
"a new bureaucracy that simply funds the big record"
If you were a big record company that is the greatest solution ever. They have to do nothing and roll in the cash at the government and end users expense. Straight to step 4) profit.
Why our governments are even considering it is a question we should ask every law maker out there.
Why the nation of the Boston Tea Party is even considering it? Is an even greater question.
Funny thing is in my neighborhood you can frequently hear some birds chirping like they're reciting car alarm tones and the most hilarious part is they memorized the entire alarm cycle and will do so in the exact order on common alarms.
I'm sure birds in other places have done the same thing, but in order to find out requires actually going outside. :)
This space is not for rent.
Normally I'm not a fan of rap, but I came across a guy by the name of Immortal Technique a few weeks ago that impressed me quite a bit. Not only are his lyrics actually about important things rather than bling, hos and poppin caps, but he seems to get the new way music distribution works.
He's been on an independent label since 2000 (he's co-owner of it now I think) and in that time he's sold maybe 300,000 units total. Is that a lot compared to artists on major labels? No, but he makes $7 per CD sold and lots more money doing live shows. He said in an interview that he was offered $150,000 to make an album for a major label and he turned them down.
He's not making nearly as much money as Jay Z or some other big name rapper, but he has full control over his production and full control over his music, something he says is more important than money. I'll leave you with a piece from an interview:
Lots of people, not just the record labels, told me that this wasn't going to be lucrative or that no one was going to care, but I was fortunate enough to believe in myself and say, listen, I'm going to do whatever I want, with or without the express permission of other people. There's no gatekeeper for me. I don't need somebody to co-sign me to put me on.
Anyone who has supported me has never been because I twisted their arm, it's been out of the goodness of their own heart because they felt the truth in the music. So I think in terms of marketing myself, I don't need to create a rap persona, or a different personality in order to sell records. For me, it's just as simple as getting the word out and getting the music to people. The music sells itself, and the message sells itself.
...
I definitely would like people to purchase The 3rd World in stores and purchase it online, but I think it was more of a way for me to express my frustration with the music industry. I can't believe they have the audacity to call anybody else a thief. As much money as they steal from artists, as much as they don't have a health care program for any of their artists, and I look at stuff like that and I'm disgusted. They go to these conferences and tell kids, "How can you steal a record?" I'm like really?
Full interview
Murphey's fighting Occam, and we're in the stands.
it effectively rewards those who failed in the marketplace, punishes those who innovated and sets up a huge, inefficient and unnecessary bureaucracy
Well, that explains why Warner and the MafiAA are wanting it. They failed in the marketplace because they refuse to innovate and adapt with the times.
Meanwhile, plenty of musicians who are experimenting with new business models are finding that they can make more money and appeal to more fans.
And of course, that's the other thing that scares the shit out of the MafiAA - the new business models make them obsolete.
The talent is out there, its just not on the radio.
No. They're too big to fail, so they clearly need a bailout.
ad logicam Claiming a proposition is false because it was presented as the conclusion of a fallacious argument.
Darnit, bumped the "submit" button early.
I think the biggest barrier to growth is the lack of music talent now compared to the times past which saw explosive growth in the 70's and 80's.
Not true, not true at all. There is plenty of new music talent out there; the problem is that the MafiAA companies no longer want to promote new talent, because new talent are not interested in selling their eternal souls to crappy slave-labor contracts, MafiAA "creative accounting" practices, and multi-album deals where the labels hold musicians hostage by claiming their final contracted album needs to be "re-done" over and over until they manage to blackmail the artist into signing an extension or giving up any hope of ever owning their own music.
Track the MafiAA's supposed "piracy loss" numbers against the number of new albums and new acts released, and you find a linear correlation that has absolutely nothing to do with "piracy."
But why take it from me? Take it instead from someone who's lived through MafiAA Hell herself.
Dear Sir,
Those alarm tones are copyrighted and these birds are in violation of royalty agreements. Due to their lack of financial mean, redress will be targeted at the neighborhood associations that let this blatant abuse of intellectual property rights occur unabated.
We will be in touch shortly!
Sincerely,
CAIAA - Car Alarm Industry Artists Associations
Copyright was always intended to give artists of all types a temporary monopoly on their works. When a law is abusive, it becomes the citizen's duty to violate it. I stopped respecting copyright the day I read about the micky mouse law, which effectively extended copyright far far beyond the term anyone rationally should have a copyright.
If video games influenced behavior the Pac Man generation would be eating pills and running away from their problems.