Streaming Revenue VS Digital Sales...Who's Right? What's Left

It’s an extremely hot topic in the music industry right now, the battle over the power of streaming services and the value of downloadable music stores. Almost daily, high profile artists are releasing statements of their position in this battle. And the topic is not going away because from a technology standpoint streaming represents forward momentum and for end-users streaming solves problems of economy (users are not required to spend as much money on purchasing downloads… or hard copies for that matter) as well as economies of space (streaming and cloud services allow users to access their musical choices from almost anywhere and not physically store anything on a hard drive they can’t always take with them or a mobile device that is often limited in capacity).

Here is the major issue, and the reason high profile artists like Thom Yorke, Billy Bragg, David Lowry (frontman of Cracker) and many, many others are publicly weighing in on the topic. Its goes like this: Yes, streaming services are becoming a large part of how we consume music. Millions of people use Pandora, Spotify, other slightly lesser known services or some combination of these and the numbers are rising everyday. Yes, they are appealing to the user because you don't have to pay up front for music, and you can often learn about amazing new artists that you never would have discovered without the algorithms that power these streaming "channels". From a user standpoint there is practically no downside as few users opt to pay for their streaming services, even if it limits their access, so there is almost NO economic investment.

From an artist standpoint there is a big problem. And ultimately this should concern fans and service users as well because if the artists become embattled, the fans will be the first people to lose out. The problem is; Do streaming services cannibalize downloading revenue, and if so, do streaming services compensate in royalty revenue for this loss?

The answer is a resounding NO. This is Thom Yorke's issue. David Lowry went as far as to post his royalty earning statements from streaming services publicly and the numbers are staggering. Artists are not receiving anything near the amount of compensation for streams from Spotify and Pandora as they receive for downloads from the iTunes store. And the magnitude is exponential as far as loss per song.

The more I look into the actual numbers behind these streaming systems the more I realize the potential of the IDYL Music platform to really bring the digital music industry out of this tailspin. Under the IDYL system users will purchase downloads but in doing so be given the power to share a song in a streaming format and if another user enjoys this stream enough to purchase the song for themselves, they do so via a download. Discovering new music is an integral part of IDYL as well, but we bring the human element back to the act of discovery. After all, an algorithm can help you find something new, but your best friend can help you discover something that you personally are going to love. To encourage this process over standard streaming AND standard download platforms, users will receive a percentage of the revenue from the purchase of downloads. And yes, ultimately that may take something from potential revenue for artists in downloads, but if the download never happens then it really doesn’t matter what percentage of nothing goes to the artists. Because so much revenue can be restored to the artists and rights holders via this format, artists and labels will ultimately embrace and benefit immensely from the use of the IDYL Music platform. Without a format like IDYL, like brick and mortar storefronts in the beginning of the millennium, digital download sales will fade as streaming becomes the most prominent method of consuming music.

            IDYL Music is a work in progress. We are in early stages of fundraising to bring the platform into existence. I can only hope that as we strive to achieve our goals,Thom Yorke, David Lowry and millions of artists that share their concerns will stand up and take notice. We believe we can turn the music industry onto a positive course correction. New streaming services are hitting the market on a daily basis (see YouTube this week). But in order to survive the streaming service gutting of artist revenue, creators and fans alike will have to embrace something new. Something that will change the process of consuming music; something that will ensure artists are compensated at a rate that is truly fair but will also reward their fans for following this new path. The key to this successful course-correction lies in the hands of the artists who are already in jeopardy, but most importantly? It lies in the hands of fans like you.

*IDYL Music is a new company currently in early-stage funding to create a new music distribution platform which rewards fans for sharing new music across their social networks.

IDYL Music - Share. Empower. Enjoy

Hey folks,

This is a call to action letter I wrote for the new company I've been working with the last several months called IDYL Music. We are developing a new music distribution platform that will not only pay artists at the highest possible rates for their songs, but very awesome-ly it will also pay FANS for using their social networks to help distribute those songs. So yeah, best of all possible worlds. Download music and instead of worrying about getting sued by the RIAA when you burn it for your friends and post it on your blog, you'll just get paid for doing those things like you normally do... If that sounds cool to you please read on and then send me some comments and please SHARE this message with people...that is the only way this thing will come to pass!

IDYL Music – A New Music Distribution System Designed to Empower Us All!

WHAT IS IDYL Music and WHY NOW?

            Over the past several months a new internet startup company has been hard at work creating something really special; it’s called IDYL Music and we’ve finally launched our new website! IDYL Music is an online music sharing system that compensates artists at a much better rate than many current services. What really sets IDYL apart from other sites is that it also pays FANS for helping distribute this new music through their social networks! I am thrilled to tell you that our web site is now live! You can check it out at www.idylmusic.com.

Right now, IDYL (pronounced “ideal”) is just that though, our vision of a better music industry in which artists are paid fairly and fans get to share in the revenue. In order to raise the necessary resources to build this concept into reality we’re also launching a crowd-funding campaign here: www.idylmusic.rockethub.com Similar to Kickstarter, Rockethub is a site where people go to share new ideas and seek donations to help build these ideas into the art projects, sciences and technology of tomorrow. In exchange for supporting these projects, you often receive exclusive rewards or gifts and the chance to use these new products before the rest of world! Our reward system is explained in depth on our website.

We’ve sent out this message to our close personal networks, our friends and family and we hope that you will send it to YOUR friends and family because to really make this thing rise up above the systems available we need support from everyone.

If you are a musician, if you have ever enjoyed music, if you have a friend in a band or even if you just like the idea of helping musicians get a fair shake, please click on the links and make a donation. We can’t do it without you, ALL of you!!

HELP OUR CROWDFUNDING GO VIRAL

The notion and the function of IDYL Music will thrive in social media, and we hope you will share in the power of its virality by SHARING this message across your networks! We know we can’t do it without you. In order to develop the tech that will make IDYL happen, our crowd-funding phase is crucial. You can find all the information about our crowd funding campaign and contribute to the cause here: http://www.idylmusic.rockethub.com And even if you decide you can’t help us financially right now, you can still support the cause be SHARING THE MESSAGE!

Ok you’ve got the basics.. And of course all the details are up on our site. If you’re sold then please hit the button and help fund this amazing idea! But if you want to hear a little more before you’re ready to lay down your hard-earned dollars please keep reading…

THE VISION UNFOLDS

Right now we are a team with a vision and a website. When IDYL is built, we intend to spread globally through your participation in social media. You can be the catalyst that will make sure IDYL helps artists everywhere earn money for their work, and also pay their fans who create the success those musicians have achieved. This system brings artists closer to their fans by making them part of the process and ensures that everyone earns a share for the work they put in. We think IDYL Music will be the way forward for artists who are just starting their careers or have not yet reached their peak, and for fans that want to participate more in developing the music scene they love. IDYL can also help to prevent piracy which has so plagued the music industry in the new millennium because it offers a better option than stealing music. Why simply steal it when you can get paid to share it?

HOW IT WORKS

            MUSICIANS: IDYL is a system of distribution based on abundance rather than scarcity and it works by monetizing virality. This system allows IDYL to pay artists an excellent percentage when their tracks are shared on the web, and also pay the fans to share these tracks. In this way, we will change the current industry standards in which only 1 out of 20 songs shared on the internet are paid for. IDYL puts more money back into the hands of the people who work hard to create your favorite new music, the artists!

            FANS: IDYL Music knows that the network of fans that helps empower the artist should be recognized and compensated. We monetize virality for songs in 3 tiers of reach outward along a social network (You share with your friends, they share with their friends and then they share with their friends). Now, your favorite songs are more than just a playlist, they’re your investment portfolio. This process is explained in detail on our website and in the intro video.

            WEB INFO: http://idylmusic.com has the lowdown on how the system works. There are several diagrams, some animations and most importantly an informative video. In the video you’ll find out about our team, hear from some musicians who are already excited about the cause and learn how any individual can use the system to access the best new music and earn money for themselves as well as for their favorite artists. Sharing the video is one of the most important steps we feel will help generate support for IDYL.

            CROWDFUND on ROCKETHUB: There are several phases of construction for IDYL and the time to fund it is now. We need to build the applications for desktop, tablets and mobile devices, we need to create the infrastructure and build the network that the system will work on and we need to bring artists, bands and independent record labels into the system so they can make all the best new music available through our network. To do all this, we need to raise money, it’s just a fact. By building IDYL with crowd-funded support we can make sure IDYL isn’t hijacked by corporate interests. IDYL is founded on the belief that creativity deserves compensation and it is very important that creative control for this project remains in good hands.

So that’s it! We’re hoping that you will click on these links, check out our site and watch the video that explains IDYL Music completely. When you’re done with that, we hope you’ll go to RocketHub.com fuel the campaign. But most importantly, we hope that you will pass this information on to your friends and family, the people that you trust the most because when it’s all said and done, we just can’t do it without you.

Thanks for your time and whatever you do, do it with music!

WEBSITE: www.idylmusic.com

CROWDFUND @ ROCKET HUB: www.idylmusic.rockethub.com

VIDEO: http://vimeo.com/78796462

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/idylmusic

To the Pavers of the Information Super Highway and the Cowboys that Cruise it Everyday

Cyberpunk.

I love that word.

Originally it was used to describe a literary genre. A genre described as “postmodern science fiction noted for focus on information technology, corporations taking the place of government and the need for fundamental social change.” The creation of which has generally been credited to William Gibson. With his first book, Neuromancer. Gibson first coined terms like “the Matrix” and described, long before the public knew about the world wide web, a concentual hallucinatory universe where people could “go” via their computers, a place where people went to increase the flow of information. Now we just call it the Internet but it’s definitely the Matrix. And our kids will wonder how we got around in that place with just a keyboard.

But to be an actual cyberpunk, that always sounded romantic to me. Neuromantic I suppose. IDYL is a Neuromantic notion.

With IDYL we have a goal to make an essential change. We’re working from within the music industry but the goals go beyond that. We want to make you think about the way you go about your day, your business. Take a hard look and decide; are you doing this the best way? Is this the best you can do or is it just the only way you know how? Because we think there is another way.

            Cyberpunk can also be described as the chronicles of the High Tech and the Low Lives…the struggles of characters that live on the fringe and conduct themselves according to a morally ambiguous or at least different set of standards. It sounds pretty cool. And it’s definitely a “lived in” genre. There’s grit, grime, cigarettes, booze…and energy. It’s all pretty rock n roll to be perfectly honest. Maybe its even punk rock n roll. Punk was originally about turning your back on the way things were being done and doing it yourself. DIY. Building something new. It wasn’t really cool then, that came later. The truth is that the Clash and the Sex Pistols were always pissed about being on a t-shirt. Well, Joe Strummer was pissed. Sid Vicious was probably pretty satisfied with himself and… oops. Got off track. I get emotional.

            There’s another element of Cyberpunk and that is the idea that the only way forward is through change. The characters tend to get caught up, through their everyday struggles, in a major reality shift; An essential and radical change in the social paradigm. Through their movement, actions, however mundane for their lifestyle, a new order arises. The shift occurs via information technology. And it turns these characters into heroes.

            Renegade revolution has always been part of the foundation for the information cowboys. That’s why we still see groups like Anonymous, Wikileaks, etc…and these people’s actions divide us as a society because change is never easy. It creates turmoil but ultimately it creates progress. Our grandfathers witnessed the actual birth of the computer. And in the 70’s the cell phones we conduct huge tracts of our daily life on, from business to the most intimate personal interactions, were fantastic whimsical impossibilities only hinted at in the best science fiction. Like Star Wars.

            If I’m really honest, the heroes I always go back to are the heroes of Star Wars. But in a way the basic tenets of Star Wars can be described with a cyberpunk analogy too. And what is always so striking about Star Wars, the thing I think captures imaginations to this day, is that the hero is plucked from obscurity and mediocrity and asked just to do his best and see what comes of it. Do or do not. There is no try.

            What we’re doing is making a change in how we think about business. For the moment, we’re talking about music business. But again, we’re asking; is the current model the best we can do? I think there is a better, cooler way. In our vision of the music industry, when you buy music it becomes a tool you can keep using to make money, not just sit in a collection. Your playlists become your portfolio; an investment, not just disposable entertainment. And the reason I want to take part in this change is because I’ve witnessed first hand how the music industry doesn’t work.

            I was on the road, in different bands, for several years and I’m not a famous or exceptionally successful musician, from a certain point of view. But I have seen a lot of bands rise and fall and I know how much time and energy, blood and sweat went into trying to succeed for those bands.  I also know that for my part I made it farther in the music industry than many musicians ever get. But even that wasn’t enough to make a living. Still, I stood next to people on stages that had been my heroes and got to call them peers and I will always cherish the moments I got to spend performing in front of hundreds of people. On a few rare occasions, thousands. When people choose to give you their attention, that’s an intimate gift and I think you have an obligation to do not only the best you can, but to use that time in a transformative way. You have to use your voice to make a stand and if you’re lucky, make a change.

            If I’ve got your attention now, then I have to tell you; I have been in the music industry and many people fail there. But RIGHT NOW if you feel like it, you can help us challenge that system and bring about a sea change of success. There is so much money in the entertainment business that in a time of economic crisis – and make no mistake, our country is on the edge of an abyss right now – we think we can harness the energy, and with it the money, and put it in the hands of the artists we respect and love. And for our efforts we can share a piece of the pie too. We think we can make an essential and radical change to the social order. And what’s cool is that regular people: you, me, and the rest of the folks out there in the matrix, called forward to just do their best, can bring about this change.

            So now while the country writhes in agony, trying to find a new balance and a way forward, we hold the cutting edge of information technology in our hands and we’re discovering that maybe that’s all we need. I don’t want just use my cellphone to “check in” or get angry at a few birds, I want something more. And I know that with a few mundane motions the tiny actions of many, galvanized into a single driving force, can turn an idea into an IDYL.

            We’ve got a shot at being true cyberpunks. Maybe even being heroes. And that’s all anyone can really ask for; a shot.

            Please come see what IDYL is about. If you like it, I encourage you to go to Rockethub.com and help fuel our campaign to turn this IDYL into a reality.

* as of 10-31-13, our RocketHub crowd fueling campaign profile isn't actually up yet. But it will be by Monday. If you are super interested, please go and check it out. But as of right now you can definitely check out

www.idylmusic.com

It is a massive undertaking and it's gonna be amazing. 

Its been over a year...Walking Dead starts tomorrow..and I've got plenty of work to do!

Well it has def been a while since I felt like posting but you know what? I’ve got plenty to say and there are plenty of interesting things going on right now. So where’ve I been since April 2012? Hmm… Right now I’m working for a startup. My title is Social Media Director but as we have yet to launch our website (but should be doing so in the next two weeks) the job description includes a lot more than that. Its very, very cool to be part of something literally from the ground floor. Around this time last year I was still hopeful that a different project, opening a Music Venue in Hadley, MA, was going to get off the ground and be successful. That particular project was dead on arrival and truthfully, I knew that going into it. But I wanted to bring my knowledge to the table with the people who were trying to make that happen, and it’s a goal that I’ve long had in the back of my head anyways. Still hope to one day get a venue up and running in the Pioneer Valley that can go head to head with the Iron Horse Entertainment Group.

But working on IDYL Music (pronounced “Ideal”) has been a much different journey. The platform itself is nothing too original. It’s a music distribution platform and ours will be peer to peer. The difference between this and iTunes or even Spotify is that with IDYL, the users get a percentage of the profits when distributing songs. The goal is to encourage sharing rather than try to stifle it. There is a kind of moral imperative operating at the core of the program: We want to see artists get a fair wage for selling their intellectual property, and the concept of eliminating the middle man and making the users and fans into a direct sharing network who are then paid to help promote emerging artists speaks for itself. Its cool because it turns your music library into an investment portfolio. I can forsee a platform where power users try and scope out the best new bands and buy songs early on, gambling on a particular song’s popularity and turning that into an opportunity to make money. Plus the whole concept sort of steers users away from piracy because yeah, you can download music for free. Everyone does it (the latest facts I’ve heard are that only 1 out of 20 songs shared on the internet are paid for, even in the current iTunes era) but if you buy the rights to share a song with IDYL, there is literally a potential to make up to 100 bucks if a song reaches its full viral potential. The founder of the company, Jay Stevens, wrote some interesting books a few years back. One is called Storming Heaven, its about the advent of LSD and its impact on our culture. Another is called Drumming on the Edge of Magic and it was co-written with Mickey Hart, one of the original drummers of the Grateful Dead. He’s got a certain gravitas about him and I can tell, having worked closely with him for a few months now, that he is a Believer. I’ve always strived to work in environments like this: I stay away from big corporate gigs and try to work for people who started from scratch so that hopefully if I learn enough one day, I’ll be able to start something from scratch. In a lot of ways, I’m doing it right now. Anyways, Jay refers to IDYL as the first system of “monetizing virality” and that’s a good way to look at it. Hopefully, by the end of the year, we’ll have a lot of people talking about IDYL and putting some energy (and hopefully money) into out crowd funding campaign to get this project off the ground. Apart from that, I can never get away from the restaurant industry but I’m lucky to be back working for a company I’ve always liked, Amherst Brewing Company. I spent the first 6 months of the year working there as the banquet captain but also starting up a distribution arm. At this point, we’ve got distribution running so well that we were approached by a company called Williams Distribution to handle the sales and transport. It got big fast because it’s a good product. And ABC is independent, so that works for me too. But in reality, my energy and my hopes right now are behind IDYL and trying to make this platform a reality. I’ll keep you posted here and when the time comes, if you like what you hear, I encourage you to throw a couple bucks at the thing and see if we can’t build a really cool system that not only helps artists get paid, it’ll help YOU get paid. Can’t beat that. That’s all for the main page… As usual I’ve got science fiction really on my brain so I gotta put some thoughts down about William Gibson, Cyberpunk as a genre and the life and style that imitates that art, and also the concept of the “Neural Handshake” talked about in the Giant Robot vs Giant Monster movie “Pacific Rim”… So I’m gonna go write some other stuff and put it in the side bars. This is where you will find IDYL MUSIC. Right now its just a coming soon site but if you're game you can input your email address and be updated as soon as the site goes live.