"I couldn't possibly fail to disagree with you less."
22 December 2007Heads togetherIn this Wired interchange between David Byrne (Talking Heads) and Thom Yorke (Radiohead), the two Heads agreed on one thing: actually selling CDs isn't what keeps them going. Ben Worthen writes for wsj.com:
One takeaway with broader implications for any business: Yorke and Byrne say that with the rise of the Internet and digital distribution of their products — i.e. the music they make — aren't what make them money, anymore. Instead they use the music as a marketing tool and make money through licensing deals, concerts and the like.
Incidentally, Yorke addresses the issue of the name-your-own price release head on: "In terms of digital income, we've made more money out of this record than out of all the other Radiohead albums put together, forever — in terms of anything on the Net," he says. Jeff Brokaw draws the conclusion that's obvious to anyone not running a record company:
So the record companies spent how much money, and prosecuted how many people, trying to protect content best used as a marketing tool?
HA! Indeed. Posted at 10:10 AM to Fileophile , Tongue and GrooveThanks for posting this. I've been trying to figure out how to make any money on the music I've recorded. Though the points Yorke & Byrne make seem counterintuitive, I guess Radiohead's bottom line proves them correct. p.s. do you mind if i tag you? With the CD sales, you have to give most of it to the RIAA pinheads that "represents" you, easily making it the lowest profit-margin item for a musician. The other stuff has higher margins for you. Modern smart musicians' model: Give the music away, if it is any good you'll get more fans, who will buy more concert tickets & more T-shirts, and the extra $$$ will easily pay for your cut of the CD sales lost to "pirating". As for the RIAA pinhead who is losing his portion: tough shit, that's business. Posted by: Dan B at 12:44 AM on 23 December 2007 |