Floodgates! But seriously, John, I don't know why you were ever excited about streaming in terms of its wonderful potentialities for artists.. And also, people, Americans, let's not do away with pennies because I have received several royalty checks for literally one cent over the years...and they keep coming, once in a while (but these single penny payments are not my main forms of income, thank god--royalty checks come from different places, in different amountrs)
Excited is a stretch, but 15+ years ago I saw it as a way forward for the industry with the threat of everything being free on the Internet. As I say in the piece, we're back to (unadjusted) CD boom gross earnings, but structurally I think we're due for a rethink. I know of many people who are doing very well in the streaming age, better than they'd have done in the old model. But I think we need to figure out how to fix it for non-artist songwriters. (Oh I have always been excited about streaming as a consumer because I like to pay once a month for all my listening)
"This isn’t on the producers, artists, or any other creative individuals. It’s on our business community, advocates, and elected officials to properly value the contributions that are the backbone of the industry. " Well said, John. As someone who has been writing about music (mostly folk, country, world) for a good while. I've seen th situations you speak of in music -- and seen the same situations arise on the writing side of making a living as well. All that said, congratulations on your cut, glad it may have led you to write this piece, too.
Great essay John. We can hardly wait for Love Chant and Evan’s book to come out. Going to see The Lemonheads at Skully’s Diner in December too— most excellent!
As always, love your insights on these topics John! Congrats on the song...I'm excited to hear the new Lemonheads record having been a fan for many years.
Floodgates! But seriously, John, I don't know why you were ever excited about streaming in terms of its wonderful potentialities for artists.. And also, people, Americans, let's not do away with pennies because I have received several royalty checks for literally one cent over the years...and they keep coming, once in a while (but these single penny payments are not my main forms of income, thank god--royalty checks come from different places, in different amountrs)
Excited is a stretch, but 15+ years ago I saw it as a way forward for the industry with the threat of everything being free on the Internet. As I say in the piece, we're back to (unadjusted) CD boom gross earnings, but structurally I think we're due for a rethink. I know of many people who are doing very well in the streaming age, better than they'd have done in the old model. But I think we need to figure out how to fix it for non-artist songwriters. (Oh I have always been excited about streaming as a consumer because I like to pay once a month for all my listening)
"This isn’t on the producers, artists, or any other creative individuals. It’s on our business community, advocates, and elected officials to properly value the contributions that are the backbone of the industry. " Well said, John. As someone who has been writing about music (mostly folk, country, world) for a good while. I've seen th situations you speak of in music -- and seen the same situations arise on the writing side of making a living as well. All that said, congratulations on your cut, glad it may have led you to write this piece, too.
Great insight! Thanks, John.
Great essay John. We can hardly wait for Love Chant and Evan’s book to come out. Going to see The Lemonheads at Skully’s Diner in December too— most excellent!
As always, love your insights on these topics John! Congrats on the song...I'm excited to hear the new Lemonheads record having been a fan for many years.
Greed often kills art(ists).
Is a "cut" the same thing as a "side"?
You’d say “I cut a side on the Lemonheads. A side means one side of a 45, another archaic concept we still trot out on occasion.
You made a lemonheads song w even dando! Very very cool. I look forward to hearing it. Can you share the name of the track?