4.08.2004

Record Price Rant

Are we seeing the end of Major Labels?

Short answer, NO

In my daily readings of a few websites I found this post. Read it its good. This is really well thought out, but some of the ideas just don't work. I can't get on board with anyone that says we don't need big business. In the post above, dude suggests that we are seeing the decline of Major Record Labels and at that we don't need them. Not only that, but he has people commenting that support him. The fact is that major labels front the money to produce and album, and that can be a hell of a lot of money. We are not seeing the decline of any large business and the reason is...

We need them. For some reason, money produces results. I know that may not be the popular opinion right now, but its true. Without money, the support of large businesses, and the persitance of bands, there would be little music. Even little "indie" labels are now owned by big business. Epitaph records is owned by Warner Brothers. But, lets get beyond that since Epitaph is well know and plays label to a lot of bands, Hellcat records is owned by Epitaph, which in turn means it is owned by Warner Brothers. Even Drive Thru Records, the epidimy of small "indie" label about four years ago has sold out.

This all amounts to a pile of beans, records are expensice. And the convenience of buying them is even more expensive. Years ago you couldn't go to twenty local stores and purchase almost any album you wanted to, you had to go to a Record Shop and purchase it from them. Now, I can go to 7-11 and get an album if I want. So, we pay for the price of convenience. Money needs to be made.

I wanted to find the price of a record in the 70s, or even earlier if possible, so that I could compare it with what the price is now. I was unsuccessful in this and would ask that if you know where I can find this information, or have first hand information, that you would let me know.

Now, one of the things I do agree with in that post, although I don't know if he made any argument about it, is that artists make far too little when their music is sold in stores. Obviously they should make less than if they sell it themselves at a show, but they should have to take 400% less because of it. I don't know how this issue can be resolved, but it is an issue and bands are getting screwed because of it.