Written by Matt Barnes
Obviously, the last decade has seen a HUGE shift in how we procure and listen to music. Gone are the days of rummaging through the CD racks for the latest release.
Shoot… I remember buying my first album on cassette! It was Milli Vanilli. I don’t want to talk about it. But, it’s not just getting music online (to stream or to buy? that’s another conversation for another day) or the fact that you’re probably listening to music on your phone more than anywhere else, the entire music industry has changed.
Two years ago, I wrote a blog for Idle Tuesdays about how the business and art in music have got to find a way to exist that is mutually beneficial. I noted that it would take some creative thinking to come up with solutions and praised Emily and Idle Tuesdays for presenting one of those solutions. In some ways, things have gotten worse in the last two years. It’s harder than ever for artists to get noticed by major labels, and when they do, they get pushed into 360 deals that leave them with little gain.
Watch the 30 Seconds to Mars‘ documentary, “Artifact” for a fascinating look at this!
On the other hand, people have gotten creative in finding ways to make music outside the usual channels! (My ridiculously talented friend, Joy Oladokun, just recorded her first album that she successfully Kickstarted!) In late 2014, I joined the board of Idle Tuesdays. This is because I had so many great conversations with people like Emily, Brenda, Dennis and Henry (the rest of our illustrious board!) as well as artists from all different walks of life and I realized that the tide was changing and that Idle Tuesdays was positioned to do even more for artists navigating a new creative landscape. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that???
This year has just begun, and we’ve already begun putting plans in place to add to the ways Idle Tuesdays supports, develops and inspires artists.
In addition to our annual Artist Program, we’ve got a lot that we’re excited about and we can’t wait to tell you all about it! So, stay tuned to this blog, subscribe to our newsletter, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, etc. and get ready to take part in the new music revolution.
Music may be more alive than ever… it’s just not where it used to be!