Hail to the Thief

I’ve long wondered what the next new music format would be. I’ve lived through an evolution that included records, 8 track tapes, cassette and compact discs. Science fiction has occasionally tried to visualize this change (I remember an episode of SeaQuest DSV a while back that showed a “future” format that looked like a miniature floppy disc.)
I could never have imagined that the new format would have no physical form at all. I think the change has taken a lot of people by surprise, most notably the music industry, itself.
As you might have heard, the industry is in shambles. There are more musicians out there than ever, but a lack of foresight by the major labels has created a market where it is increasingly difficult to sell their products.
It’s telling that the industry still tracks music sales through gold and platinum “records,” a medium that became obsolete in the 1980s. Even though the Internet has offered a new outlet for distribution for a decade, those who profit of selling music have gone out of their way to make sure this outlet remains the domain of pirates.
Many artists don’t care that much because, thanks to shady contracts rammed through by music corporations, the artists don’t make that much money from their music, anyway. Years before the general population had ever heard of the Internet, David Byrne of the Talking Heads lamented that albums served the same purpose as business cards — they were just a means to get their name to the public. The real money came from live performances.
Nerdcore rapper MC Chris recently announced that he was discontinuing the sale of his compact discs in favor of digital-only downloads. In an interview, he acknowledged that some people would continue to illegally distribute his music online, but said “I think I’d be happier if I knew you guys were just sharing it.”
Radiohead made the biggest splash when they decided to offer their new album, In Rainbows, for sale on their website — and let customers pick their own price. There were no pre-set prices involved. Instead, people could pay as much or as little as they desired.
When the numbers came in, it looked like the band might have made millions off the decision, even when it was disclosed that 62 percent of the people who downloaded the album chose to pay nothing. By eliminating the corporate middle men, Radiohead probably made as much money as ever by selling their music online, but I doubt any business can survive long when 62 percent of your customers don’t feel like paying. And what holds true for a band as popular around the world as Radiohead might not hold true for others.
Madonna, Nine Inch Nails and Oasis are among those interested in distributing their music online without the aid of a major label, but they aren’t exactly flying solo. New businesses like Musicane have stepped up to provide online download services for music, while iTunes recently became the second largest distributor of music in America. Wal-Mart remains in the lead, but the distance is closing.

Wallace McBride, editor