As you all should already know, media in general has moved into what I call the ‘indie era’. It is easier than ever to find new bands because there are so many ways to discover them. You no longer have to listen to the radio, you can browse myspace, use cdbaby.com, or any other outlet that allows independent musical talent to be discovered. The same is to be said about TV. I think I watch more podcasts by indie people, than I actually watch on TV. This means that your choices of who to watch, and who to listen to have been multiplied greatly. But have you ever wondered what this means to the indie artists themselves? It may be easier to be “Discovered”, but as with anything else, there are pitfalls.

Let’s imagine this, you are robbing a bank (Bare with me) you use 3 people in the job, and you come away with 100,000 bucks. Split that three ways, and each person has roughly 33,333 dollars. Not too shabby right? Now let’s say you rob the same bank, but you have to use 10 people to do the job. Now you get only 10,000 a person. See how big the difference is?

Back in the day, there wasn’t a big market for indie bands, so people only knew the mainstream ones. Because of this, that’s all people bought. This may be bad for the consumers, but it was good for the artists. Now with Indie as big as it is, there are more bands to throw money at, meaning consumers get a great range of product to choose from, but because there are sooo many, the “Split” is a lot less. This means that indie bands have to work twice as hard as before, even once people know about them. Making sense?

The record industry and television industry, reconizing this trend, now will not sign anyone unless they have made it in the indie market first, and developed an audience. What does this mean? Let me slow it down.

BEFORE: The band “Bloggers”, play music in some local bars, and an A&R rep from Google Records sees them and is impressed, and therefore offers them a record deal. With the record deal now, they have funding and help to tour and get an audience, not to mention they don’t have to worry about packaging and shipping their own CDs.

NOW: Our band “The Bloggers” in today’s market must actually tour on their own dime, to develop a following. They also have to spend money of their own for recording, mixing, mastering, producing, packaging, selling, and shipping their CD or MP3 package. Now if, and only if they have success with that, Google records will meet with them, and offer them a record deal that more than likely will still leave the band to do most the work themselves (Since Google records has seen the band can do it, and has a proven track record)

See how it’s different?

I am in no way knocking indie artist of any media. I am only observing that right now, it’s a consumer’s market, leaving the artists to do all the work while the corporations get more golf time. Whew, all this music talk makes me want to buy something on Itunes.

Have any comments? Send an email to  acey612 at gmail.com I will answer unless I don’t like you.

-The Techcop

P.S. In all seriousness, don’t rob banks, the police will catch you.