[Martinus]

[color=66FF00]Part of me really wants to replace the word 'piracy' with the words 'media liberation' in the word filter.

That would give a nice spin to things, they use their terms, we use ours.
[/color]

[aldo_14]

Go for it!

[Taristin]

Dooo eeeet!

[Janos]

Mmph. Big popstars are cash magnets, but it's not that if Britney makes X amount of cash, all of that cash is used on her in the future. It is also being used in really ****ty cesspit products that no one gives a **** about and which are marketed excessively. Anyone remember fine artists like Maroon 5 in 3 year's time? I hope not.

Since for every cash magnet there are 5 sucky bands who only raise the profit of shareholders, the money is being used quickly. And not only that, in the nice paradox known as quartal economy everything should always raise indefinately forever at least 51% per 3 months YOU GET IT. I don't understand it. There is a, due to these reasons and due partially made-up, partially factual effect of media liberalization, a constant stress to push up the prices. It's not how much profit an industry does - especially if they are in the entertaiment field - it's the raise. If in this month you make 500 bazillion dollars, it's glorious. If in the next month you only make 502 bazillion dollars, you are on the verge on bankrupt, or so they say. It must be true, then.

[aldo_14]

The problem with the music industry is that it 'green-lights' albums based on their financial potential, not musical merit.  The way - in an ideal world - it should work is that the profits of the biggest selling artists are used to fund new bands working there way up; and whether or not you get to record a second album is based on musical merit, not how much the last one made.

[Rictor]

Well yeah, but musical merit is highly subjective.

And the fact that people buy all that mainsteream pop, hip-hop, alternative crap means that they'll listen to whatever you happen to give them.

[aldo_14]

True, but it's also pretty easy to define which must has no merit whatsoever (Busted, anyone?)

[Janos]

Originally posted by Rictor
Well yeah, but musical merit is highly subjective.

And the fact that people buy all that mainsteream pop, hip-hop, alternative crap means that they'll listen to whatever you happen to give them.

There are several types of different music listeners.

1. Rich idiots who will buy anything. These are the prime target for        marketing.
2. Idiots who will buy anything. The differ from 1. by being poor.
3. Idiots who try to be elitists. These are usually emo kids.
4. Idiots who are idiots.
5. Idiots who try to get laid. A weird combo of all above.
6. Idiots who just don't care.

[Ford Prefect]

The whole problem is because people don't listen to classical and early twentieth century jazz/showtunes like they should.

[Taristin]

Heh. I listen to all of 3 American bands...  I support the Korean/Japanese rock environment. The RIAA can... well, I'll not post that.

[Janos]

Originally posted by Ford Prefect
The whole problem is because people don't listen to classical and early twentieth century jazz/showtunes like they should.

They don't listen to nearly enough Venetian Snares!

[Blitzerland]

*COUGH* excuse *WHEEZE* denial *HACK*

[castor]

Originally posted by Ford Prefect
Making art into an industry is inherently a nonsensical idea.

Yes it is. But the artists need to eat, too.
Silly world we live in. Layers upon layers.. ( or lawyers )

[Nuke]

i kinda think its sad how the pop sector can make a single videos that costs so much that they could fund every small bar room band in america enough to get there first album on the shelves. if you want good music, go to your nearest local rock bar, if you want crap trun on the radio, mtv or buy a cd at walmart.

my biggest complaint is that in the us, metal is often not even considered a seprate genre, they put the cradle of filth cds on the same rack as christina whatever her name is. does anyone not see a problem with this? metal alone has countelss unique subgenas (doom, death, black, sludge, stoner, power, thrash, traditional, progressive, dark to name a few) each with their own uniqe sound. now a few record stores have the decency to put the metal in its own shelf. theese stores are usually the ones for serious music listeners, all the stores in malls that market to teens seem to put everything in the pop/rock section. being a huge fan of scandinavian metal, i was curious what music stores look like over there in europe. do they look like they market to death, or do they look like they care about there customers musical needs. i dare you to go to any music store in any mall, ask for the heavyest album they have, and its a good bet you will be handed a linkin park cd. its a sad sad world we live in.

*edit*
those who think im some america hating prick, i have a great deal of respect for southern metal as well as respect for the bands that play in bars and night clubs that you probibly have never heard of. having been a roadie for a small band i understand what its like for a band struggling to get an album out. playing gig after gig in order to pay recording fees. and still trying to maintain a decent life. when popstars go bad, some executive puts an add in the paper and any musician thats not busy working their ass off will show up with a resme, just like any other job. this gives the companies the power to mold those musitions into something they can sell. real musitions get there work out on their own, then they are in a better position to get a fair contract. its not that i hate america, its that i hate its music industry.

[Grey Wolf]

You know, I really can't seem to make myself care about any music less than ten years old....