Krywosa, IMC

Recently I wrote a post about Radiohead and NIN among others generating buzz and I guess I should mention – sales – via interesting internet ploys. This latest release from Mashable only adds to my argument that the internet should be seen as a major help in the music industry, not the hindrance some chalk it up to be.

Fut her, I was entrenched in a heated debate recently with someone who said that the music industry is doing fine and quite well despite all of the hoopla surrounding piracy and other internet issues and the overall demise of it all. My stance is that who cares about the majors? The music industry needs to understand, and change, their business model. With all of the capabilities the internet, not to mention home computers, provide, its easy to see the rise of multiple soulja boys and the like through your own doing.

I cant fathom the life I would have lived had I continued into the music industry the way that I was thinking I would. Thats not what I’m about. I’m about the freedom to create and brand your own sound and passion and to share that with the world as freely – and in the manner – that you intend. It is not to swoop in and take away what you created and package it into ‘the next big thing’. Thats not what music is or should be and I’m glad to not have fallen into that world. So my question is – one that I’m still struggling with – do we need the music industry, or does the music industry need us?

That being said, how wonderful of a project would it be to sign artists who create their own empire digitally. To help them further their career, minus the costs of pressing albums and offer only digital. Knowing that most artists make more money touring than selling albums, and many dont think about the legalities of their contract, this seems like the better deal for the artists – and the start up.

Thats something, I can still dream of being a part of.

Notice, I did not give an end number to the ways in which Trent rules or use the word ‘Survive’. In order for the music industry to stay relevant, it needs to morph. And morph fast.

I recently received an email from NIN letting me know that their previously free release via the web ‘The Slip’will be available not only in special CD format but in vinyl. This following the same stint done by Radiohead with ‘In Rainbows’. (Which, FYI, is no longer available for free DL.) NIN also did this with Ghosts – a series of instrumental Trent specialties.

With The Slip, Trent even went so far as to ask people to remix and share it through any means possible, and it is even licensed under creative commons. This type of open use is what music should be all about. It not only builds NIN’s cred, but it allows users to interact with the music, make it their own, and take part in the creative process. We’ve also witnessed that recently with McDonalds asking people to submit their own version of their Big Mac jingle.

What if everyone exercised this type of interactivity with their products? What a great way to identify and celebrate brand loyalty and highlight new talent. Not to mention the PR.