(GUEST POST, MUSIC MATTERS) Music As We Know It- Changed So Effortlessly

With the recent downfall of high street stores like HMV and a rise in the amount of artists who are discovered via the internet, it is hard to ignore the fact that the way the industry works is changing faster than many probably would have liked.

There are many ways in which music is changing but one that has not gone unnoticed is the fade in hard copies. It is easy to blame the consumers for the collapse of this but it has recently become clear that record labels are playing a very big part in this too. Take Universal and EMI for instance who are now only releasing a “safe” amount of hard copies and are also sending them straight out to the consumer instead of to different independent stores or popular high street shops. Is this not the wrong thing to be doing? Surely this is encouraging people to download both illegally and legally over the internet as many people struggle to find what they want in local stores now as well as ruining their chances of being able to stand alone as a record label as their financial income lowers to a figure that is unlikely to keep them running for much longer.

Saying that, I do believe it also our job to keep these hard copies available to us by making sure we do actually go out and buy them or pre-order them online. I saw many people point out over the last few days that the majority of people complaining about the possible closure of HMV are people who have been illegally downloading their favourite music for years. It's not even the easiest option really, having a CD means you can play it in your car, stereo, wherever possible but also means you can transfer the music on to your computer too, you definitely don't get that option with downloading it. Fair enough it is easy to transfer it on to a blank disc but is that really the same? I don't think it is personally. Even vinyl seems to be a more popular choice with many over the recent years and it seems to be making a small comeback. We are the ones who should be going out buying the music that we like, making sure that artists are getting paid for the jobs that they do, keeping the retailers in jobs too and also means we are making sure that record labels know that we are still going out and spending our hard-earned money on this sort of stuff. I could also go in to the fact that these are collectables to so many people too and are with you for life but I think a lot of people reading this are going to know that and are also going to care about the future of music.

As I mentioned earlier, more and more artists are also being found through websites like You Tube, Sound cloud and various social networks which many have become reliant on to get noticed. It's unclear whether this is doing good or bad for the industry as we get more people releasing their music professionally to us but also makes it more difficult for those who still go out and try to get noticed on the gig circuit.

There are many people now who have launched their career a lot faster than others. Take artists like Lewis Watson for instance, posting videos on his You Tube channels for a few months before he is able to release his first single and then after a year or so, is able to release a 4 track EP which then put him on to the path to being signed. He is now sorting plans for his debut album which he wants to release this year. I will always support him but is it a good idea for artists to get a recording contract that easily? Going through the process of the gig circuit means you get a small glimpse of how brutal the industry can be and I don't think that is captured as much through a computer screen as you're able to ignore the bad comments, scroll down and read all the good ones as well as not having to put in as much effort, however, it is probably twice as easier to build a fan base as you can go viral with just 1 video or use the simple retweet or like button on social networks to let more and more people know. I could be completely wrong about that and it could be an amazing thing for the industry but right now, I do not see the incredible effects it is having. Not one bit do I believe that the artists found online are less talented than those who are performing live, I just wonder if they are as prepared for the work that will suddenly be forced upon them.

The internet has probably become a lot of people's best friend too. I'm sure it is evident to many of you now that a lot of bands are starting to stream singles or in some cases, whole albums online and it allows them to get feedback on their music instantly meaning that they are able to tweak what they have put out and respond to the comments in order to make the best record possible. This becomes beneficial to both them and the listeners as the artists are able to keep the fans happy, make a record they enjoy and has had a wide amount of feedback but also gives a connection between them and a fan base too which has been seen very recently with Foals. Their genius way of creating a website where you have to enter codes to unlock new sounds, videos and more has kept everyone guessing and wanting more and more which then results in promotion for the band as people talk about it and also a higher anticipation of the new album, Holy Fire. It is a process that is becoming popular throughout many genres and possibly making the way in which we listen to music more exciting.

There are so many factors that have contributed to the remarkable change of the industry over the last few years and I have no doubt that by the end of 2013 things would have changed even more, but what will change is completely unpredictable. Hopefully there will be a rise, big or small, in people buying hard copies and record labels become busy with talent that is found through many different ways. Only time will tell but I'm sure many of you, including me, will watch this with close inspection as music becomes one of the most dangerous yet enjoyable things to be involved with professionally.