Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Long live the Arena Rock show - Record labels are Dead - Way off topic

GSiemens at elearnspace points to TIME's article on Radiohead giving away their latest album.

Here's the money quote from a record exec:
"This feels like yet another death knell," emailed an A&R executive at a major European label. "If the best band in the world doesn't want a part of us, I'm not sure what's left for this business."


I love it! So what does this have to do with learning or corporate learning more specifically. Not sure yet, but if the empire known as the recording industry can fall so can all industries with a model based on selling content.

On a personal note - I think people finally enjoy the uniqueness of a live show and the EXPERIENCE! I loved the experience of HUGE arena rock shows back in the late '70s and '80s: Zepplin, Aerosmith, VanHalen, and all the others. The show was normally a theatrical festival of lights, and energy. Then the '90s hit with grunge. I saw one show and called it quits. Lazy grunge rockers sat in chairs and simply strummed out mediocre depressing songs. Who wants to pay for that? I'm not much of a Prince fan, but I know he puts on an incredible show and he's got amazing energy. Does anyone remember going to a Tubes show back in the day? Need I say anymore? ;-)

My point is that the money to be made is in the show. As the Time article states, the album is just the lost leader. Long live the show!

No comments: