Talking Head opens ears on music's future

SAN FRANCISCO--If there's one business where the intersection of new technology and old is creating confusion, I can't think of a bigger muddle than the recording industry.

So it is that I had a chance to listen to an interesting discussion on the future of the music business here at the wrap-up day of the iMeme conference organized by Fortune magazine.

Jerry Harrison, who used to play with the Talking Heads (and is now chairman of iLike) offered a provocative and entirely insightful comment about where things likely may be heading.

Nowadays our choices are still limited because of the restrictions imposed by device-specific sites. But at a certain point, Harrison said we may not even need to go into a store (online or physical) to legally get music. Instead, Harrison suggested that customers may simply beeline straight for the band's URL to effect the transaction. "Once you have DRM-free music, then it doesn't matter where you go," he said.

How might the studios respond? I'm sure the control freaks within the industry can be counted upon to respond in the wrong way. But an EMI representative participating in the panel seemed ready to go with the flow. Of course EMI is already stepping out ahead of its brethren. The company is making DRM-free songs available to Apple and Amazon.com, and has also licensed its catalog to PassAlong Networks.

"Our general strategy is to enable consumers to have proper access," said Lauren Berkowitz, who heads EMI's digital music operations in North America. She added that the economics of the business are changing, but that's OK because there will be "lots of ways to monetize content."

"We want them to be able to buy and enjoy their music wherever and whenever," she continued. "We're all in the music business. It's not necessarily the record business."

Not the standard fare I've become accustomed to hearing from music industry suits.

[Pete Bardo]

About time someone got it right!

"We're all in the music business. It's not necessarily the record business." I couldn't have said it any better than that.

Music direct from the musician to you--what could possibly be better. Cut out the middle man, the record label companies. The musicians will make more and it will cost the consumer less.

Technology has made many former business opportunities obsolete. The record companies can either keep up with the times or go by the wayside. We are not responsible for their survival.

[Obscuranta]

Already being done

Einsturzende Neubauten launched their own subscription service a
number of years ago to both break with their record company and
make themselves available to their listeners. They use the site to
fund their public releases, as well as to offer subscriber-only
songs. They are in their third series of subscriptions, and going
strong. I would like to see more bands do this- it keeps more
variety available.

[saleh-dd]

Hey boy genius

Like has been reported on Techdirt for the last three years.

*******.