Real Cause of Low Audio Sales
Reply #28 – 2004-10-06 00:40:04
Here are some facts to include in the quotation (so, its not all reasons, just some). To understand what influence the following points have on mainstream-music sales, one needs to remember that humans only have a limited amount of attention to spent on music. Also, when the press talks of "music sales", then they in reality mean "riaa-sales" - as if indie-labels aren't music. - the internet and file-sharing has given indie-labels a great tool to get their music heard, which otherwise would be marginalized. This in turn has helped rise sales of independent labels. Sales of indie-labels had a fast increase over the previous years - thus, taking sales away from the majors. - (a small amount of) people are now also downloading non-copyrighted music from net-artists - the internet and also file-sharing has given artists a means to sell music without prostituting themselves to labels. Some people are making use of that. - some people have stopped to buy CDs released by major labels, because of the actions of the major labels. So, to make it short - more non-riaa music is heard nowadays. Additionally, some people have begun to boycott them. Both are good things imho. In light of the above, as far as i know riaa-sales have had quite alot of luck - they could be much worse of nowadays. And if they don't begin to switch their head on, i asume they will be worse off.