Music downloading is here to stay, it's legit, it's legal, and everyone is doing it. The internet is a disruptive technology, and music downloading was the first real poster child for all that disruptive behavior. Apart from a few unmentionable topics, music was and still is one of the biggest looked for and downloaded items on the internet. And just as well it should be. It makes perfect sense. It fits, it's convenient, it better for the artists, and in the long run, better for the consumer. The only guy it's not great for, is the big money middle men. But hey, they had their chance and blew it. More on that later. Long Live The Nobodies Indies are the heart and soul of the music world. At one point in time every musician was an indie looking for their big break. They did what they did for the love of their art. Because it felt good. Along the way some found their big break, lost their soul, and sold out. You know the ones. Their the ones whose first big album was great, and all the rest sucked. Some got their big break, and stayed true to their art, and kept their soul. They just keep cranking out great music for years on end. The internet loves indies. It's the great equalizer. Any artist can have an online presence, promote their music to an audience of millions, and let consumers download their music to their hearts content.. They don't need mister megabucks-big-corporate-middle-guy. And boy is the old middle guy worried. Napster vs The Big Boys A few years ago, Napster started off as the music bad boy of the online world. Breaking all the rules (what rules?) and trash talking the big boys with one of the largest grass root movements ever seen. Everybody and their hamster was downloading free music, and there was nothing anyone could do. Until . . . the big boys took those trash talking music computer geeks to see the judge. And hey, the big boys won, Napster lost. Actually, nobody really won. The consumer lost, cause now they had to drive to the mall to get their music. Napster was put out of business (temporarily). Even the big boys lost, cause now there were a hundred little napsters doing the exact same thing, plus they let the best tech available for music downloads slip out of their fingers, instead of using it as their own distribution channel. Bad bad bad big boys. Download Me Now . . . Please Now everyone wants you to download their music. iTunes, Amazon, Cnet, Cousin Eddy . . . everyone. Even Napster, is back in the music download music. Pay for and legit of course. The big boys are still worried. The indies are on the rise, and I don't have to drive to the mall to get my favorite music. Lucky me. Welcome To My FutureThe Musical Things are only gonna get better. As the internet gets bigger and faster, their will be more choice and convenience for music consumers, more artists will be able to make a decent living, and the latest collection of blond bimbo divas with their boy band boyfriends will only be a footnote amongst the praise being leveled on the rising wave of talented and genuinely artistic indie stars. Of course someones gotta lose in this whole new paradigm. Here's hoping it's mister fat-cat-do-nothin record promoter that's been relegated to selling the best in new wave vacum cleaners to my inlaws. |
