32. Selling Records

Here’s a question? If record companies want to sell records as always, why don’t they just release records as they always have? Why don’t they print the record, promote the record, support the artists they choose and sell the records? Is there not always an ebb and flow to music sales? Could we not just be in a slump where maybe music isn’t enjoying such mass appeal due to the fact that a lot of what is happening isn’t really for the masses’ taste?

These days when an artist actually does put out a record, record companies rarely stand behind what they are selling. Then they complain how it doesn’t sell. I’ve seen records be put out in Europe and then six months later be put out in US. I’ve been seeing this newest thing of putting a record out online months before the plastic one comes out. I begin to wonder if the record cos. are just making it so records do not sell. I mean we have always had cassette taping we could do and why sit and cry and not do anything as opposed to trying to sell a record or two? Why force people to download it first and the interest levels are all used up by the time the actual record comes out?

Why sign people you won’t stand by in 3 months time? Why not try a little harder? I WANT a record.

The coolest artist I know quit her WB label (or was dropped?) and started her own small label. It was so fun just watching her play with selling and all her projects, none of which were actually a brand new record. She put out books and cds of things, live shows, songs she wrote as a youngster, some Christmas and folk covers, beautifully done. . When she was recording, she pulled me in with one style of songs and then next album would make me frightened with a new type of songs, of course it would have to be any genre that offended me at the time and she ALWAYS got through to me. With her, I have liked country style originals and folk covers. She can pull nearly anything off.

She all along has done crazy shows, like science lessons and a full weekend together and all these different things. But never a brand new album of new studio songs. After ten years of this she closed her label and started releasing things digitally only and you pay what you want. Bizarre. And she changed her name.

Well I still want a plastic copy, with art, of HER records. I love her voice. She writes great songs. She blew my mind on the last proper recording of original studio songs. She is skilled as a musician, which is rarely my choice, and she is an excellent producer. Here is one lady who is not going to be held back by the music industry. THIS is an artist.

Perhaps what we need is some excellence. Perhaps if anyone would do their jobs well and put out a GOOD record and not force people to buy it or download it digitally first (which actually doesn’t sound good), maybe you could sell some records. People aren’t stupid (well they are) but they actually don’t want to buy things they don’t like. Weird huh? So if you push artists into making a bunch of crap because you won’t stand by their brilliance, if they have any, then you probably just won’t sell records.
 

9/22/07