In order to understand the era we are in, the era of "free" and "everyone can do it." we have to look back to see how we got here.

FEB.9, 1964.

Does that date "ring a bell" with any of you? It should.

That was the date four guys from Liverpool, England, did an American television show and changed the world. From the moment The BEATLES stepped onstage for the Ed Sullivan show, the world of music was completely different. Before that moment, there were WRITERS AND COMPOSERS, and ARTISTS. The Beatles changed the dynamic as the ARTISTS WERE NOW THE WRITERS. From that moment on, in rock, and pop, the two became mixed. And while there were still people who were primarily songwriters and still are today, mostly it is all self contained. That has continued every year since and American Country music was the last hold out.
Now that has changed too, as artists are signed AS WRITERS first, usually for a couple of years before they get their record deals. And often today, they have hit songs on other artists, before they themselves enter the recording realm.

When the downloading and Internet era hit in the 2000's, the money dissapeared from the "old ways" and were now done in different ways such as artist branding. The companies, taking a cue from the Rap and hip hop world, all developed companies that did every thing in house. The writing, recording, producing, videos, promotions, were all done inside or in close confederations with other companies in similar situations.

The trick now is to GET INSIDE on artists and companies ground floor. But the artists themselves are all WRITING songs at much younger ages, so the desire or need to look elsewhere is diminished. And when everything is RELATIVE, they are going to take their own art over someone else's.

So are some people still "selling music?" Absolutely. Are their tons of artists and songs going on out there? Yep. And some succeed, most don't. But we all STILL do it. I have NEVER met ONE HIT WRITER say that MONEY was the primary reason they got into music or songwriting. It;'s a desire to create. To get what is INSIDE of us to the OUTSIDE of us. Now everyone has the same opportunities on that. The INTERNET is the great equalizer. Every one is pretty equal. Some may be "MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS" to quote George Orwell, but that's where we are.

MAB