A Milestone for the music business

Atlantic Records announced in November of 2008 that digital music was

responsible for half of their revenue. That is definitely a

milestone...that digital music is now half of a major label's revenue.

Did anyone see that one coming? ;-) The story within the story is that

the overall revenue in the established music business is down

drastically and the trend shows no signs of abatement. This means that

many commercial studios, producers and engineers are struggling or going

under as the paradigm continues to shift. The old order has continued

its catastrophic collapse. This is by no means the death knell of the

music industry...independent artists have more opportunity than ever to

showcase themselves and make a real livable income with music as a full

time career. The money changing hands for independent music downloads

goes through fewer middlemen with a much more sizable cut ending up

where it belongs-in the pocket of the recording artist. There is also

much more choice for the consumer...you can obtain a wide range of music

that fits your listening preferences easily and cheaply via download. I

came up with the music business of old...but in truth I like the new

paradigm for a solo artist. I can do some shows, sell a few downloads,

make a little money and market myself via the internet with minimal fuss

and investment. What's not to like? Do you really want to go back to the

nation's programmer of 70's Top 40 AM radio telling you what to listen

to? Remember those days...when "You Light Up My Life" was number one for

so many weeks in '78 that you wanted to shoot Pat Boone for being a

daddy? Interesting how much of the music I heard Arnie 'Woo-Woo'

Ginsberg play on WMEX AM back when has vanished into the sunset...but

the stuff we heard the Woofa Goofa and Charles Laquidera play on WBCN in

the early 70's is now called 'Classic Rock.' Don't tell me those

anti-establishment types didn't know their music!