How the music biz can live forever, get even richer, and be loved
The title says it all. The register has a great speech from one of its staff members how the record industry is beeing to stupid to see around the next corner. It was presented to a crowd of record industry executives at the "In the City" convention in the UK. It starts:
You're very lucky people. Like the sex industry, you're in a business where demand is guaranteed. A lot of other people wish they had your problems. What a stroke of good fortune!
Its a nice balanced overview of possibilities the record labels could take to move out of the deadlock they have created between the ever ongoing race of technology and the circumvention of – for them helpful – technology. I do not agree with the all points but its a good suggestion overall. The thing missing is how the upcoming unknown unsigned artists might be supported through a tax like system. Generally pay 2 bugs a month and never care about the whole music thing again is something to look into. How those 2 Bugs are then distributed is - for me at least - kinda important. In general MUSIC SHOULD BE FREE. Free to copy listen and share. The idea with a wireless iPOD is really neat and I hope Apple will be in the position one day to ship such a "21st century personal radio transmitter".