Today's Music Business

---by Bob Lefsetz

I want you to read this because it's inspirational.

Yes, it's movie hype.  And as much as Justin Timberlake is not the real Sean Parker in "The Social Network", David Kirkpatrick's article doesn't nail Sean either.  But reading this you want to jump off the couch and get involved, leave your mark.

The music business used to be full of guys like Sean Parker.  But then the baby boomers grabbed power, slammed the door and declared nobody else could come in.  You couldn't license the music and you had to utilize the touring infrastructure.  At first, programmers like Sean Parker stole the music.  Then they gave up, they moved on to other ventures, like Facebook.

You see Sean Parker wants to make a difference, he wants to change the world.  This is what musicians used to want to do.  Now they only want to be rich and famous.  They want to get in bed with the Fortune 500.  Whereas Sean and his tech cronies WANT TO BE THE FORTUNE 500!

Tech is an open field.  VC money is like the record deal of yore.  Only instead of playing your demo, you whip out a PowerPoint.  And illustrate how you can make money.  Tech innovators don't divorce themselves from commerce, they're directly involved with the bottom line.  The new breed of artists is too.  You're not only the act, but the record label.  And that's how you keep everyone honest, including yourself.

We live in an era where the barriers to entry are lower than ever before.  You can utilize information and tech tools to build your own infrastructure.  You don't need permission.  And chances are you know more than the establishment players.

The era of sour grapes is over.  If you're railing against the powers-that-be, you're living in the nineties.  It's tough to forge your own path.  It's easier to live in a box, waiting for someone to tell you what to do.

But there is no box.  There's just unlimited highway.  Pull your car onto the asphalt and drive.  Create your own map.  And know that millions of followers are just around the bend.  If you walk the fine line of integrity and wow.  Delivering something that excites the populace and continues to do so.

It's overwhelming.  But the time is now.

Posted via email from Music Business Information