When are musicians going to realize that this battle isn't over the music, it's over them. The RIAA, Capitol Records, Virgin Records etc. etc. really don't care how much music is pirated. If they did, they would've put an end to Napster much more quietly by buying them out and killing the program.
The music industry survives soley on the number of musicians they can contract and control. They don't care about what's good (AKA Britny Spears, NSync, Limp Biskit etc etc). They understand that the more artists they put out there, the more of a chance it is to make money, it's a power in numbers thing
(hold on, I'm getting to my point)
Record labels aren't worried about record sales, which have gone up everywhere except near college campuses. They're worried that musicians will start to market themselves more effectively. When a label signs a band, they force them into a 3 record deal, this goes with Authors in publishing houses as well. What this deal says is, "We'll promote you, pay for your studio time, roadies, coke habit and the whole 9 yards, but YOU OWE US THE PROCEEDS FROM YOUR FIRST 3 ALBUMS). 99% of musicians swallow it.
How many musicians do you see who really make it past 3 albums? Not many. Think about it. After the 3 deal contract is up, musicians with staying power get a longer contract, and ALOT more money, but they're drawbacks. They have to start paying for studio time, and their coke habit.
When the labels start to see artists who successfully market themselves, they sign them and squash them, think of Concrete Blonde. In the 80's they were huge around the LA club scene, marketed their own stuff, and made some dough. They got signed, forced to give up control of their promotion, and died.
The record industry can only generate so many Brittny Spears's, NSyncs and New Kids. They have to have those bands who worked hard for years to get a contract. If those bands started marketing themselves. The RIAA would be bankrupt.
Slashdot Mirror
The music industry survives soley on the number of musicians they can contract and control. They don't care about what's good (AKA Britny Spears, NSync, Limp Biskit etc etc). They understand that the more artists they put out there, the more of a chance it is to make money, it's a power in numbers thing
(hold on, I'm getting to my point)
Record labels aren't worried about record sales, which have gone up everywhere except near college campuses. They're worried that musicians will start to market themselves more effectively.
When a label signs a band, they force them into a 3 record deal, this goes with Authors in publishing houses as well. What this deal says is, "We'll promote you, pay for your studio time, roadies, coke habit and the whole 9 yards, but YOU OWE US THE PROCEEDS FROM YOUR FIRST 3 ALBUMS). 99% of musicians swallow it.
How many musicians do you see who really make it past 3 albums? Not many. Think about it. After the 3 deal contract is up, musicians with staying power get a longer contract, and ALOT more money, but they're drawbacks. They have to start paying for studio time, and their coke habit.
When the labels start to see artists who successfully market themselves, they sign them and squash them, think of Concrete Blonde. In the 80's they were huge around the LA club scene, marketed their own stuff, and made some dough. They got signed, forced to give up control of their promotion, and died.
The record industry can only generate so many Brittny Spears's, NSyncs and New Kids. They have to have those bands who worked hard for years to get a contract. If those bands started marketing themselves. The RIAA would be bankrupt.
Kris
NOT
The problem with conspiracy theories is that infer that for a group of people to do something devious it requires intent.