Written by Mitch Santell
I'll never forget back in 1979 as I walked into my office to find a letter from Joe Smith. Who was he? Back then is was the Chairman of the Board of Asylum Records. The letter I received went like this:
July 24, 1979
"Dear Mitch,
Thank you for your letter and interest in Elektra/Asylum Records. We've already made moves to correct our A&R posture and think we're reasonably under control at this time.
The climate in the record industry is not good now and the chances our adding to our staff are remote for the foreseeable future. I wish you well and hope that you can get more positive feedback elsewhere.
Sincerely,
Joe Smith
Now let's fast forward shall we? The music business is only weeks away from 2009. There is a huge continued battle in the business between independents and major labels. In the past, not only did the record label act as "bank, promoter, and distributer" for the artist, they actually did something called "Artist Development." If you recall the original launch of Asylum Records included Jackson Brown, The Eagles and Linda Rondstadt. This label eventually became a division of Warner Brothers Records. Today? Warner Brothers is actually going fairly strong in an industry "trying" to get traction.
So here is my take for 2009 so hold on:
1) Physical CD sales will continue to drop.
2) More 360 deals will happen.
3) Artist's will continue to keep the rights to their content.
4) The big four may turn into the big two unless ego's are
held in check.
5) People will by more music and P-2-P music as the global recession turns in to a global depression.
Of course on the other hand, maybe it just that Chuck E's In Love?
Each artist must remember that their career is not just one track or one album. Also, don't forget that there is a resurgence right now in vinyl, so why not press some LP's at 33 RMP and pass them round. You never know what your going to get.
forward shall we? The music business is only weeks away from 2009. There is a huge continued ba
ttle in the business between independents and major labels. In the past, not only did the record label act as "bank, promoter, and distributer" for the artist, they actually did something called "Artist Development." If you recall the original launch of Asylum Records included Jackson Brown, The Eagles and Linda Rondstadt. This label eventually became a division of Warner Brothers Records. Today? Warner Brothers is actually going fairly strong in an industry "trying" to get traction.
A little bit about Chuck E's In Love:
The album was released in the spring of 1979 to favourable reviews, propelled by the substantial jazz-pop hit single "Chuck E.'s in Love," based on a rumoured romance of her friend Weiss. The single became a US #4 hit during the summer, while the album, which went on to become a million seller, hit US #3. A second single, "Young Blood," cracked the US Top 40 in late 1979, when Jones went on an international tour.
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