[mythtv-users] It's over, the RIAA is toast

[Brian Phillips]

Trent  did just that with Saul Williams' latest album and it went nowhere.

For every band with the savvy of Linkin Park (who got to dictate their
recording contract due to their Internet popularity) there are thousands of
bands that do need somebody to hold their hand and lead the way. I think
we'll always need some form of governing body to mold and incubate up and
coming artists. It's a shame that the RIAA took the road they did,
protecting their old-world business model and creating an air of hatred
among their paying customers, but they are far from dead. 

Good thing I bought my $300 copy of Ghosts when I did, btw :-)


 
 
 
Well, this is true now, but I see this going away as well.  I agree there
will always need to be a source where listeners can find up and coming
artists.  New artists will need to go somewhere to get widespread
listenership.  If they appeal to a few they will gain a widespread audience
by a "viral" marketing system.  If they stink it up, they'll run out of cash
and end up nowhere near being able to offer a "pay what you want" download
site dedicated to them.

Basically, I see an evolution coming through.  The governing body will be
removed from the RIAA, a system that is a hybrid of wikipedia and Ubuntu's
brainstorm will be set up similar to Yahoo or AOL music sites (without the
fact that you need to be a "discovered" band to post your music and videos).
It will be maintained by website ad revenue to encourage even the poorest
(as in money) of artists to try their luck at the system.  A rating system
conducted by the listeners will then decide if the band has what it needs to
become their own entity.

So in short, yeah, there needs to be a governing body...a "marketplace" of
music where consumers and new creators can meet.  I just don't think the
RIAA will be that marketplace for long.  They won't be able to compete with
a wikipedia/brainstorm idea of charging little to no money to new artists
wanting to be discovered by the masses.  There (currently) isn't a law
requiring new artists to use the RIAA as their marketing/distributor.