Recently, I have been seeing a hearing a lot of concern from artists about the use of internet file sharing. It seems to be the blame for the falling sales of the recording industry and for profit loss of independent labels right? What about this:
First of all, the price of a cd has dramatically increased. I remember back in like 1997 or 1998 being able to buy CDs for 10.99-14.99. CD’s were affordable. Today CDs are more in the neighborhood of 16.99-19.99. There are very few artist in any genre of music that I will pay $20 (tax included) to purchase a 14 track LP. Logically, the price would decrease the price of sales, or result in each individual buying fewer CDs per person than before. I understand that these expensive prices are often “mark-ups” made by the retail chain carrying the product. I also understand that the price of CDs should have risen since 1997 due to inflation and increased prices for POP and studio time, but not $3-4. The price of a CD today is discouraging to consumers. I don’t even go into Sam Goody’s or other retail stores anymore because the price of a CD is not worth what I am getting.
Secondly, and most importantly, the product most artists put out is BULLSHIT. Artists today have taken advantage of consumers by releasing albums, compilations, etc. that aren’t even mastered. The bass lines hit horribly and the lyrics are distorted, making the album sound like it came out of someone’s garage. Who the fuck wants to buy something that sounds like shit? Not to mention the overall layout of the CD. In the last 3 years I have bought numerous CDs with 2 page inserts that have a blank inside, and use the outside just to relist the tracks and features. You don’t see any information on the artist, and thank-you’s, very few pictures. Not only that, but half of the tracklistings are fucked up. And guest appearances listed on the front cover aren’t even on the cd. And if you pick up a CD that is actually GOOD and looks like this, you have NO CLUE who some of the features are or who produced it which means that the name these artists are earning is blank.
Getting to the actual music, we all know that there is a huge saturation of rap music in stores right now. This shouldn’t be surprising because rap is still a new art and its sounds are expanding. Still, a number of artists that release solo albums aren’t seasoned on the mic. There lyrics are weak, their style needs work, and they rap on horrible beats. They aren’t READY yet for the game but they still release a product to try and build up their name or their image. This hurts cause it takes the sales away from the artists who deserve it and also gives the image that rap music or more specifically Bay Area Rap music has “fallen off.”
Now it’s a given that there are these new artists or emerging artists, and a number of them aren’t so good. That’s where competition comes in. The older, more experienced artists should be releasing material that towers their efforts and puts their shitty music in the dirt. But in reality, this isn’t happening. Artists today are too concerned about their money and decide to rip off their loyal fanbase as well as alienate themselves from new fans buy releasing half-assed projects. We have all seen artists put out 14 track LPs with 5 recycled tracks going for the same price as a normal cd. Where is the incentive to buy a CD is you aren’t even getting all new material? Not only that, but some artists have even chose to re-release tracks under different names so that consumers THINK they are getting new shit but really aren’t.
What’s worse is this new “knock out an album in two weeks like Im 2pac or something” shit. It seems like artists want their money so much that they don’t put any effort into their music anymore. They are more concerned with heading to the lab like its some sort of fast food job, putting in their typical hours and calling it a day. The result is a mediocre project with cheap, available production that doesn’t tower over these weak newbies like it should. And the actual raps aren’t too hot either. They seem to lack originality and direction. Rappers also use their homies to save themselves a verse or two for another project. But often, their homies aren’t ready for the spotlight. They aren’t seasoned, they haven’t been rapping for a long time and they aren’t on the level of the artist they flow with. This turns the potentially tight tracks into big disappointments. I can’t count the number of times I’ve found a slap on an album that starts with the solo artist and ends in agony with second rate cheap resource rappers that can’t even touch the solo artist.
So basically, the price of a cd has increased dramatically, the game is oversaturated, artists and labels are cheating their fans out of their money. So why are the sales fucked up? Blame it on Kazaa? I would too. Shit, I can save my $18.99 that I would have spent on Mac Dre-Thizzle Washington by hearing it at Northern-Ridaz.com or 2siccaudio.com or Kazaa or Morpheus. Kazaa gives its users the ability to listen to a release before they buy it. Then the user can make his or her decision on whether or not to buy it. It’s pretty weird hearing artists criticize Kazaa, especially artists on this site who have made their names through the Siccness, Raptalk and internet file sharing sites.
Of course, you could argue that there are users that won’t buy the cds. These are the same assholes who dubbed tapes in the 1980’s and release bootlegs without artist permission at Swapmeets. These people will always exist, and they DO NOT represent the population of internet file sharers accurately. Kazaa doesn’t hurt musicians as much as their own CD does. Look at 50 cent. His album had to be rushed to stores due to bootlegging and has already sold 4 million copies. Why? Probly because 50 cent took his time in the lab and came up with some original concepts that the game hasn’t heard since Pac, he got tight production, and tight guest appearances. Not only that, but his album cover is appealing, has a full layout complete with pictures and thank-yous that enhance the artist’s charisma, and include the name of the producers and contributors for each track. Did I mention the tracks were in order?
Many of you probly call 50 cent an exception. You say “I cant afford the production, the guest appearances, the promotion and cover layout 50 can.” That’s true. But here’s the deal: If you can’t afford tight production, you mine as well not release an album, cause beats are at the least ½ of the album. If you can’t afford the guest appearances, you are gonna have to shine on your own and show your skills as an MC. If you can’t afford promotion and layout, you are risking your sales because people won’t know about it or find the album appealing. Basically, if you can’t get tight beats, your shit out of luck and otherwise you are taking a large risk.
The more people seem to put into a project, the more they seem to get in return (assuming, of course, they are tight artists). C-Bo got excellent production and guest features as well as an appealing cover scheme for “West Coast Mafia” and he moved over 40,000 units whereas Mac Dre moved 8K with Thizzle Washington. I know Bo didn’t get all his money but that’s a different topic. Yukmouth took his time with UGA and will probly do 50K, Techn9ne got his shit together and moved over 50K. Other projects which were good lacked promotion like Done Deal Fam and Mac Mall’s latest release.
The point is: it’s not internet sharing or the consumer’s fault record companies aren’t raking in the same sales they used to. I think every record company should take a serious look at the product they are selling and evaluate who’s really to blame. Personally, Im tired of buying half-assed poorly mastered black-and-white cover projects with fucked up track listings, missing features and poor beats. I’d rather save my money. The game is in a state of shock right now, but I wouldn’t put the blame on a service that gives an artist the light. I’d suggest putting more promotional money into your internet websites and make your real-audio available to others because if Kazaa has shown us one thing its that you can find hot music on the internet. Why continue spending thousands on posters and leaflets, half of which get torn down or thrown away when you can establish everything people need to know about your artists? Why not label your cds with “Don’t pay more than____” to assure there are no markups? Why not host your music on Kazaa, or even better unite to make your own file sharing service so that you have complete control over what people can download? Just some ideas. Cause for real, I wouldn’t blame something that spreads your music to hundreds of millions of people!
First of all, the price of a cd has dramatically increased. I remember back in like 1997 or 1998 being able to buy CDs for 10.99-14.99. CD’s were affordable. Today CDs are more in the neighborhood of 16.99-19.99. There are very few artist in any genre of music that I will pay $20 (tax included) to purchase a 14 track LP. Logically, the price would decrease the price of sales, or result in each individual buying fewer CDs per person than before. I understand that these expensive prices are often “mark-ups” made by the retail chain carrying the product. I also understand that the price of CDs should have risen since 1997 due to inflation and increased prices for POP and studio time, but not $3-4. The price of a CD today is discouraging to consumers. I don’t even go into Sam Goody’s or other retail stores anymore because the price of a CD is not worth what I am getting.
Secondly, and most importantly, the product most artists put out is BULLSHIT. Artists today have taken advantage of consumers by releasing albums, compilations, etc. that aren’t even mastered. The bass lines hit horribly and the lyrics are distorted, making the album sound like it came out of someone’s garage. Who the fuck wants to buy something that sounds like shit? Not to mention the overall layout of the CD. In the last 3 years I have bought numerous CDs with 2 page inserts that have a blank inside, and use the outside just to relist the tracks and features. You don’t see any information on the artist, and thank-you’s, very few pictures. Not only that, but half of the tracklistings are fucked up. And guest appearances listed on the front cover aren’t even on the cd. And if you pick up a CD that is actually GOOD and looks like this, you have NO CLUE who some of the features are or who produced it which means that the name these artists are earning is blank.
Getting to the actual music, we all know that there is a huge saturation of rap music in stores right now. This shouldn’t be surprising because rap is still a new art and its sounds are expanding. Still, a number of artists that release solo albums aren’t seasoned on the mic. There lyrics are weak, their style needs work, and they rap on horrible beats. They aren’t READY yet for the game but they still release a product to try and build up their name or their image. This hurts cause it takes the sales away from the artists who deserve it and also gives the image that rap music or more specifically Bay Area Rap music has “fallen off.”
Now it’s a given that there are these new artists or emerging artists, and a number of them aren’t so good. That’s where competition comes in. The older, more experienced artists should be releasing material that towers their efforts and puts their shitty music in the dirt. But in reality, this isn’t happening. Artists today are too concerned about their money and decide to rip off their loyal fanbase as well as alienate themselves from new fans buy releasing half-assed projects. We have all seen artists put out 14 track LPs with 5 recycled tracks going for the same price as a normal cd. Where is the incentive to buy a CD is you aren’t even getting all new material? Not only that, but some artists have even chose to re-release tracks under different names so that consumers THINK they are getting new shit but really aren’t.
What’s worse is this new “knock out an album in two weeks like Im 2pac or something” shit. It seems like artists want their money so much that they don’t put any effort into their music anymore. They are more concerned with heading to the lab like its some sort of fast food job, putting in their typical hours and calling it a day. The result is a mediocre project with cheap, available production that doesn’t tower over these weak newbies like it should. And the actual raps aren’t too hot either. They seem to lack originality and direction. Rappers also use their homies to save themselves a verse or two for another project. But often, their homies aren’t ready for the spotlight. They aren’t seasoned, they haven’t been rapping for a long time and they aren’t on the level of the artist they flow with. This turns the potentially tight tracks into big disappointments. I can’t count the number of times I’ve found a slap on an album that starts with the solo artist and ends in agony with second rate cheap resource rappers that can’t even touch the solo artist.
So basically, the price of a cd has increased dramatically, the game is oversaturated, artists and labels are cheating their fans out of their money. So why are the sales fucked up? Blame it on Kazaa? I would too. Shit, I can save my $18.99 that I would have spent on Mac Dre-Thizzle Washington by hearing it at Northern-Ridaz.com or 2siccaudio.com or Kazaa or Morpheus. Kazaa gives its users the ability to listen to a release before they buy it. Then the user can make his or her decision on whether or not to buy it. It’s pretty weird hearing artists criticize Kazaa, especially artists on this site who have made their names through the Siccness, Raptalk and internet file sharing sites.
Of course, you could argue that there are users that won’t buy the cds. These are the same assholes who dubbed tapes in the 1980’s and release bootlegs without artist permission at Swapmeets. These people will always exist, and they DO NOT represent the population of internet file sharers accurately. Kazaa doesn’t hurt musicians as much as their own CD does. Look at 50 cent. His album had to be rushed to stores due to bootlegging and has already sold 4 million copies. Why? Probly because 50 cent took his time in the lab and came up with some original concepts that the game hasn’t heard since Pac, he got tight production, and tight guest appearances. Not only that, but his album cover is appealing, has a full layout complete with pictures and thank-yous that enhance the artist’s charisma, and include the name of the producers and contributors for each track. Did I mention the tracks were in order?
Many of you probly call 50 cent an exception. You say “I cant afford the production, the guest appearances, the promotion and cover layout 50 can.” That’s true. But here’s the deal: If you can’t afford tight production, you mine as well not release an album, cause beats are at the least ½ of the album. If you can’t afford the guest appearances, you are gonna have to shine on your own and show your skills as an MC. If you can’t afford promotion and layout, you are risking your sales because people won’t know about it or find the album appealing. Basically, if you can’t get tight beats, your shit out of luck and otherwise you are taking a large risk.
The more people seem to put into a project, the more they seem to get in return (assuming, of course, they are tight artists). C-Bo got excellent production and guest features as well as an appealing cover scheme for “West Coast Mafia” and he moved over 40,000 units whereas Mac Dre moved 8K with Thizzle Washington. I know Bo didn’t get all his money but that’s a different topic. Yukmouth took his time with UGA and will probly do 50K, Techn9ne got his shit together and moved over 50K. Other projects which were good lacked promotion like Done Deal Fam and Mac Mall’s latest release.
The point is: it’s not internet sharing or the consumer’s fault record companies aren’t raking in the same sales they used to. I think every record company should take a serious look at the product they are selling and evaluate who’s really to blame. Personally, Im tired of buying half-assed poorly mastered black-and-white cover projects with fucked up track listings, missing features and poor beats. I’d rather save my money. The game is in a state of shock right now, but I wouldn’t put the blame on a service that gives an artist the light. I’d suggest putting more promotional money into your internet websites and make your real-audio available to others because if Kazaa has shown us one thing its that you can find hot music on the internet. Why continue spending thousands on posters and leaflets, half of which get torn down or thrown away when you can establish everything people need to know about your artists? Why not label your cds with “Don’t pay more than____” to assure there are no markups? Why not host your music on Kazaa, or even better unite to make your own file sharing service so that you have complete control over what people can download? Just some ideas. Cause for real, I wouldn’t blame something that spreads your music to hundreds of millions of people!
