How Creators Killed the Music Business
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- Опубликовано: 28 фев 2023
- In this vlog I discuss how creators toppled the music business and how you were part of that!
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Catherine Sundvall
Clark Griswold
Ryan Twigg
LAWRENCE WANG
Martin Small
Kevin Wu
Robert Zapolis
Jeremy Kreamer
Sean Munding
Nat Linville
Bobby Alcott
Peter Glen
Robert Marqusee
James Hurster
John Nieradka
Grey Tarkenton
Joe Armstrong
Brian Smith
Robert Hickerty
comboy
Peter DeVault
Phil Mingin
Tal Harber
Rick Taylor
Bill Miller
Gabriel Karaffa
Brett Bottomley
Frederick Humphrey
Nathan Hanna
Stephen Dahl
Scott McCroskey
Dave Ling
Rick Walker
Jason Lowman
Jake Stringer
Steven crawford
Piush Dahal
Jim Sanger
Brian Lawson
Eddie Khoriaty
Vinny Piana
J.I. Abbot
Kyle Dandurand
Michael Krugman
Vinicius Almeida
Lars Nielsen
Kyle Duvall
Alex Zuzin
tom gilberts
Paul Noonan
Scott Thompson
Kaeordic Industries LLC
Duane Blake
Kai Ellis
Zack Kirkorian
Joe Ansaldi
Pzz
Marc Alan
Rob Kline
Calvin Wells
David Trapani
Will Elrics
Debbie Valle
JP Rosato
Orion Letizi
Mike Voloshen
Peter PillitteriIn this video vlog I how Creators Toppled the Music Business. 
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What was impressive is Rick's Hops, did you see how much air he got on that jump on stage.
Yeah, right? Shocked me how high he jumped without stumbling after landing .
That was beyond impressive...
He had a track scholarship in college. So… And he was a longjumper, iirc.
right!!
Might as well JUMP!
The major difference today is that the music isn't about the music like before, it's the content creation, quirky videos, candid stories, self brand, social banter, and constant engagement with your audience. The music is like a by product of content engagement.
True, but doesn't that also make it more organic? Bands and performers build following and fanbases by actually _engaging_ with them. I don't think the music has to suffer for that.
musicians live for social engagement, drive it, what is more socially engaged
than the people putting a soundtrack to your life?
I don't see any proper musicians doing all that desperate engagement stuff, think Big Thief for instance
That's a gross over-simplification. It is and will always be about the music, but how that music is made, promoted, and heard keeps changing.
Yep, there is a lot of algorithm feeding in that process. Just like the previous gate keepers, the algorithm demands certain criteria to be met and in turn does the promotion. This isn't necessarily a flaw of the algorithm. Instead the thing to be learned should be that gatekeepers acting by the numbers like algorithms can as well be replaced by one.
FINALLY! Somebody else mentioned the telecom act of 1996 and how it affected the recording industry. Thank you, Rick! That doesn't get talked about enough. I'm probably in the minority, but I believe this is also part of what drove the rise of Napster and file sharing. When Napster first hit when I got out of college in the late 90's, we were using it to discover new music and then we were buying those records.
I’m one of the few who always laments the day the Telecommunications Act of ‘96 was ever passed. Big corp ruined radio and media. I was more of the Hip Hop and R&B listener in that era (though there was always some rock music I had enjoyed) and even in those genres I noticed the change. Big corp homogenized radio to where I could go to any region in the country and the stations sound the same based on their respective genres whereas prior to that era I could remember how radio stations in different regions sounded different from other regions. I’m still pissed at Bill Clinton for being the one to help push that bill through.
Possibly because the mp3s were all poor quality because, y'know, dial-up.
Your channel is part of why RUclips is my TV these last few years. Honest commentary and well based on music and the technical, not hyped like some other annoying channels.
Me 2 👍👍 Exactly
I also look at youtube sort of like my learning channel to meet like minds that like things and learning more like woodworking, hotrods, welding, machining , gardening music etc build your paradise at home but correspond all over the nation and world.
I think media has experienced a RUclips revolution.
Thank you for saying just this!
But you can't always trust YT either. Commentary is not always honest or fact-based
Gerry TV is terrible. Glad to have found this channel on RUclips premium too.
The fact that the label spent $500,000 making an album and then dropped you shows you how much money was in the business at the time. I made an album at the same time for $15,000, printed the CDs, hit the road, and made triple what I spent on it.
I guess when they could take 90% of the money made from a song/album then they could afford to have many failures for the few that might work out. I guess now that everyone listens to songs on streaming services that pay the artists (and so I guess the record label, if there is one, as well) very little then this model of developing new artists, giving them a chance, talent spotting and taking a chance has gone, and rescue labels want more of a sure thing based on social media views and likes.
How does that work, I thought the artist was responsible for recording costs ultimately.
@@lavenderbee3611 the label advances the artist the money. That money has to be paid back.
You don't actually get paid "for real" until the advance has been paid back and the label turns a profit on you.
@@lavenderbee3611 "The act" is responsible for the recording costs, the people who make up "the act" aren't personally responsible. Your band can make a million dollar record that sells nothing and bill collectors will never show up at your door, you just won't be able to make any more music with a label because your "act" will still owe the money from the first album. It's not like defaulting on a mortgage or skipping paying credit card bills.
I think how it worked was the band was "advanced" say, 500k and they were responsible for all costs including their own pay and the recording studio and producers, engineers, etc.
But an advance would be taken back by the record company if the band was successful and if they weren't they had to dissolve because the debt would strangle the average poor musician.
Rick made a smart move to go into production because the producers got paid $.
Another instant classic Beato post. He is a fascinating blend of insight, experience, knowledge and skill and it’s all wrapped up in humour and modesty and passion. Love it. Keep it up, Rick. 61 yrs young and going strong!!
Rick if you see this, me and Justin Hawkins gonna get u back in the studio one day just wait and see :)
Kidding around, youre truly an exceptional youtuber. Its clear that your great ear and 'perfect pitch' translate also to being able to say things and tell stories and use titles and captions in a very subtle and intelligent and wise way that us younger gen youtube consumers really benefit from
Maybe some listeners, but, not most of us, especially those of us who are musicians arent killing the music business. What has been and is toppling the music business, even the art of music, is social media and the content creator mentality. Social media has taken the place of real relationships and content creation has taken the place of, not all, but most of, real creation and sharing. I rely on ole school music to keep me grounded and inspire me on going. And congratulations to you on what you have done on YT!
What I love about the A&R folks too was how much they allowed artists to DEVELOP their sound and talent. Some artists didn't sell well at first, but they became icons later as they were allowed the freedom to create. Good A&R guys saw the potential of true artists; bad labels got impatient and dropped bands too early.
Exactly. A three-album de4al was basically putting the band into school. They'd do the first album, with all the songs they wrote trying to get a deal. Then they'd do the second album, with all the songs they wrote while touring the first album, and hopefully growing as writers and performers. The third album wasn't automatically expected to go gold, but it should outsell the first two combined or come pretty close, and the band by that point should start having a good bit of top billing on their shows. Then, they'd get picked up for two more records, which was like having passed to the next grade in school.
Now? If your first single isn't immediately "trending" and whatnot, there isn't a second single. *Never mind a whole album.*
AND, the record company expects the musicians to spend every waking hour on social media, promoting their stuff - of which the record company still takes 90%+ of the money across all delivery systems (CD, downloads, streaming, etc.) - for no compensation. ALSO, bands now sign deals giving the parasite record companies a fat percentage of their _f---ing T-SHIRT SALES!_
There are a lot of reasons to hate the Clintons. (I've lived right next to Arkansas for 40+ years and have known lots of people from there; don't bother arguing.) But to me, they did no greater damage to the country - and the world - than when Bill signed that 95 Telecom Act. And before anyone accuses me of partisanship, Newt Gingrich was the GOP's Speaker of the House back then, and that clown let that law get to Clinton's desk for him to sign. But that law basically destroyed music as a widespread popular art form.
Great example would be The Beatles.. Vee Jay Records (Black Owned) released The Beatles first Album Please Please Me but, decided to drop them from the label because, of slow sales. Sir George Martin heard something Vee Jay didn't. He gave them time to evolve. They had a #1 single on their first Album with Parlaphone under George Martins gentle guidance......
@A 2nd Opynyn The point of creator music is to bypass such draconian greed. Of course this usually concludes that most acts are reduced to either EDM mixbots or basic guitar flailing folksters, with everything else requiring an actual budget and melodic craft to achieve. All the more reason for those who can achieve the latter to remain todays standout hopefuls, as long as they don’t fall for the evergreen studio trap. Taylor Swift’s naïveté in this regard (as if that was ever a first for any act) should be the last of that for anyone paying attention.
I always felt the opposite. Once the record labels got ahold of the bands, and molded them into what they thought people wanted, the rawness, purity and integrity of the music went away. There are so many bands that I prefer their earlier works compared to their newer music that was honed for the masses. I think that's why I have always loved Rush. They were able to experiment yet maintain their integrity because they never conformed to what the record labels required of them.
@@ronfrosig7354 Huh? Capitol Records passed on The Beatles in 1963 and VeeJay picked them up cheap. Capitol soon realized it had made a huge mistake and sued VJ a number of times. VJ sold at least a million copies of Introducing the Beatles (maybe even more) between injunctions but made some legal mistakes and didn't have the money to promote the Beatles and fight Capitol and had to agree to stop sales in late 1964. VJ certainly didn't "drop them." They had a 5-album deal and would have been happy to be their American record label. Parlophone was owned by EMI which also owned Capitol Records so it was ridiculous it didn't pay attention to its parent company. Your story is a little mixed up.
Rick Beato; artist, musicologist, educator, philosopher. Keep up the good work
Let’s not forget ‘Storyteller’ and ‘Potential Flannel Daddy’.
historian
Rick started a YT channel and accidentally became a cultural pillar.
musician, producer, nice guy
@@Aokitadamitsu a musicologist is a historian of music
Spent my 20's trying to ''make it'' as a musician, whatever that meant. Now I'm entering my 30's and I have over 100k subs on RUclips, just from teaching, making original music with my guitar, sharing my passion... and that is now my job! It has never been easier, and I'm so glad to be born in this era 😇🎸
Nice channel. Cool. That is encouraging.
I enjoy your content Antoine. Keep providing excellent content.
That’s awesome. I’m wondering - when that becomes your main income, do you do things like the below? Really curious how this works in practice for someone who’s figured it out.
- save for retirement?
- pay for health insurance?
- pay taxes?
nice... your comment was like my life until the part where you mentioned the 100k subs...haha wish you lots of success! I guess some of us we should just try it too...
Aantone. Funny to see you comment I was just watching Whirlwind again. You guys (Mystery) just blow me away and I cant understand why that beautiful progressive rock cant get a foothold in the USA. I am also a subscriber of yours, watch many vids as an old fella taking up guitar for the first time. You are making fantastic music with Michel. Keep it up.
Creators may have "killed" the A&R department, but the industry is alive and well. With generous financial tendrils into Spotify and all the major film/TV/commercial licensing platforms, the major labels aren't hurting for profits. They license from TikTok and Soundcloud artists who have done the recordings themselves, made their own videos, driven their own marketing, all the things the labels used to need to do. Now, all they have to do is pick who they want to distribute. That's a lot of costs they no longer need to spend to get pretty much at the same place. I challenge this notion that Sony/Warner/Universal have been dealt the death blow. They're doing their deals differently but make no mistake, they're as strong as they ever were.
I think the other side of the coin is that the signal-to-noise ratio for music creators has gotten pretty crazy - the discoverability problem. Being a great artist isn't enough, you have to get good at 21st century marketing, and it is hard - a lot harder than learning an instrument for many creatives.
So, IMO, it is both easier AND harder to be a popular music creator these days, depending on the artist's brain.
I'm always telling people that my favorite artists (and probably theirs too), would not make it today. No one would ever have heard of Leonard Cohen if he came up in this time. First of all, he got into music because there was money in it, when there was not enough in poetry and fiction. And most, if not all, of my favorite artists have no stomach for self promotion- rightly so, it's unbecoming and ineffective.
@@bloodsugar6005 So true... that last part is why I have no prayer at all of making it in music. As a creative, social anxiety, self consciousness, imposter syndrome, and all the other issues that are so common amongst us creatives will NEVER let me succeed.
It's OK, though... I love making music in spite of not being able to make a living at it, and NOT having commercial interests frees me up to just do my own thing, which certainly has its advantages.
@@deathybrs Amen to that. If it makes you feel any better, my band and i don't really have those problems and we're still getting nowhere, lol. I remember hearing a story about how bad Kurt Cobain was at selling t-shirts when he was coming up- said he couldn't sell one to save his life- and thinking that's about how most artists are. We're just proceeding as if there was something going on- making an EP, writing poems etc... I really like your stuff; reminds me of things i couldn't name, and gives me a good feeling.
Do you have any songs on RUclips?
@@mattrobinson7750 I do, though most of what's on the page linked to my profile is remixes - most of my original stuff is older, as I had been focusing on remixes for a number of years just because I was having fun.
I remember the pre-internet days of being in a band and pooling our money together to record a demo in a studio so we could shop it around to labels in hopes of getting a record contract.
Ahhh, the starry-eyed dreams of youth.
Yes. But the power-shift from 3rd parties like recording studios, dubbing services, record labels, shipping, etc.... to some guy with an old laptop with an internet connection that has more power in it than an entire room full of gear in 1990... with total recall. I think we're trending back towards there being fewer big names in music and less touring. But that'll change in some form. Technology will have music moving in a different direction, again, soon enough.
I don't miss recording in studios (in the 90's) where our budget and their gear essentially limited us to doing live takes with the whole band playing together and having to have everyone get it fucking perfect or else do it again. That was so frustrating and stressful, I hated recording. Now, with the ability to edit digitally, no tape, and the ability to record it by yourself if you want to for free if you know what you're doing ... Now it's actually fun.
I did that with a group with the old 4 track recorder 😂❤👍👍
@@nedkelly8553 Yup.. Recording a drum track perfectly from beginning to end was almost always very difficult to do. At least for me.
@@nedkelly8553 I don't understand...isn't that what you have to do when you play live? And isn't playing live the best part of being a rock musician? I'm not a musician, but that's what the bands that I listen to say. Hell, my gf used to be in a folk band that played bars and got paid in beer, and she said the same thing.
The algorhythm is also somewhat of a gatekeeper. It's harder to get exposed to fresh influences when you are directed towards your biases. Also, I was always willing to give a record or CD a second chance if I didn't like it during the first play because I just spent anywhere between $9 and $19 dollars on it.
The algorithm is the audience
The algorithm is corrupt as hell. Videos that I have made that have left sided content in it get throttled and anything right gets buried.
@@chessmusictheory4644 I totally believe you and I had similar experiences with it.
I think you are in a minority, not many people bought random CDs or vinyl/tape before that, and hoped they would like it. People bought what they already heard on the radio, or on TV, and sometimes by word of mouth but that would rarely be anything other than what the other person had heard on the radio/TV etc. Things were no different, they were just controlled in a different way in the past. The only time they would buy what they hadn't heard, would be albums from the artists they knew already from hearing in those places.
You would maybe get people also finding artists from festivals, or compilations albums and things like that. But they didn't shape the music world.
In fact although still not good, it's much better today by a very, very long way including the algorithm.
Algorithm is a joke. I have an Instagram and one of the most average not interesting posts i ever posted has been growing for 3 months. 15,000 have liked it. My other higher-quality posts have 10-30 likes each. Garbage.
Love your channel Rick, nice to hear about all your experiences throughout the ever changing times!
As a music educator, I try to break down the music industry for my students and how the mediums have rapidly changed since the 90's. Your breakdown of the past 25+ years was fantastic! I'm always so impressed with how you break down songs and sharing thoughts on pedagogy etc. Thank you.
This video just proves once again how great a storyteller Rick is. Such a basic setup, only his phone, but still manages to hook the viewer deeply into the story. I think that this is some what comparable to songwriting, which Rick is obviously talented at. This is one of the main reasons I love this channel, always so pleasing and perfectly composed videos and stories. It's like I would have the perfect talk with my dad every time I watch a video on this channel haha.
He's a raconteur.
Always interesting when someone comments for everyone else. 🤔
@@SuperTruetunes
Maybe for you.
Do you speak for all? 🤔
@@SuperTruetunes
I don't propose a premise.
An observation of reading the comment at the top - then asking the question.
I'm guessing 1+1=3. 🙄
@@SuperTruetunes
You think with those degrees you would have been retired 20+ years ago.
Always interesting. 🤔
I am sincerely impressed after hearing your band for the first time. Not much separated you guys from the most famous bands of the day.
Yes they sound very polished (in a good way) and like a smoother Alice In Chains
@@duckmyass a lot of mixes sounded like that in the 90's, especially where video was concerned.
@@duckmyass That's how rock in 1998 sounded for all but the biggest bands.
They sounded like a Jane’s Addiction ripoff.
I miss walking into a record store and spending all afternoon discovering records guided by sections or by asking a knowledgeable person at the counter. The internet, or youtube for that matter, is anything but.
Hardly. What the Internet provides is a lot more knowledgeable people at a lot more counters who can suggest good work in a lot more sections of the store. The skill you need to develop is figuring out which of those knowledgeable people you would trust for recommendations. Once you do that, the possibility for finding the gems increases dramatically. I've seen the same thing in fiction, written or visual: I've picked up books to read or things to watch that I never would have given a second glance at before because of recommendations of people online that I've learned to trust. Sometimes I like them, sometimes I don't, sometimes I'm indifferent, but I've found a lot more that I've liked than not.
@@keith6706 not people though. Algorithm
I don't understand. Isn't that what the algorithm is for? The YT algorithm is really good at predicting music that I will like. And there's also the whole reaction video scene...
they made sure we
got used to being
connect to our personal
mobile 📲 device
sO'
we wouldn't produce big carbon footprint 👣
shipping printing
manufacturing buying selling in big air conditioned
buildings
or be
driving around doing anything like that.
exactly 💯
no vinyl, cassette , cd
in your hand
hopefully that cell phone 🤳
battery 🔋
staying charged to
see and listen to your content
you found
One of the negatives that people don't mention much when saying "it's so much easier to reach people now", is that now the noise floor is so much incredibly higher.
Always interesting to hear your thoughts Rick. The absence of gatekeepers has created the best of times and the worst of times. Today anyone can write, play, record, and produce a record in their basement with a laptop but... The signal to noise ratio of artists has never been lower and it is really difficult to sift the diamonds out of the vast dunes of sand. If you are an extraordinary musical artist and make a few small missteps in promoting your work, you may never get noticed. Meanwhile millions of streams are happening with mediocre music that fill the space and clog the media.
It’s hard to find new artists who are doing anything new.
There's a business opportunity there.
Link something) like Spotify with independent YT content.
The idea is an algorithm that filters junk.
Maybe it already exists?
Too right. It's the hardest thing for independent artist like myself to be noticed. I sometimes despair....
Right, nowadays it would be hard to imagine something like Bohemian Rhapsody getting put out. It cost an ungodly amount to produce at the time.
@@leonardticsay8046 it is even harder; if they have something new, then they would be stupid to drop it somewhere. Because it gets copied for sure and it can literally take a lifetime to get the copyrights back, if the case won't be settled with money (the usual).
Rick, you are by far one of the most important people in music today. It’s people like you who are keeping music alive
Not sure it's possible to overstate that point. Rick has brought a level of music education previously unavailable to the masses, to fans and musicians alike.
Fact. I’ve played guitar for 40 years and my playing ability and fretboard logic is double what it was just by investing into Rick’s education. I bought all four of Rick’s courses and if you’re a guitar player at ANY level or ability, do yourself a favor and invest in Rick.
GREEDY EXECUTIVES AND SELF PROCLAIMED ELITES ARE KILLING POP CULTURE.
Agreed, Rick might be one of the most consequential people in music ever, it remains to be seen how long lasting his impact will be
.... in MUSIC today??? WHAT?! LOL SuperLOL !!!
You are one of the few examples of a person I am seriously glad about youtube and facebook (euch) existing for the time they have. For the most part a wasteland, but you exist as the great educator you are and were able to keep on truckin' because of these platforms.
I still find joy in creating music, whether there is a listening ear or not. I can’t think of any other form of expression that can unplug you from daily surroundings and place in a pleasant feeling.
I am coming up on 70 here in a few weeks. Listening to Rick giving details on what was going on in the music industry and with bands is absolutely fascinating. I just can’t get enough of his videos. I always wanted to be leading a life where I was involved in some facet of the music industry but it wasn’t meant to be. I played guitar in small bands over the years on the side while I worked my real job in IT. Now 6 years into retirement and I still dream of playing gigs and being involved with music some how. But I love that Rick can give me the inside track on a lot of what was happening over the many years. It makes me feel like I am a part of it. Keep it coming Rick! Love what you do!
Rick,
Great story. As a musician in Atlanta during the early 70's I csn totally relate to your content here. That was the time of Capricorn (yh. I know they were in Macon, but Atlanta made the bands) Studio One in Doraville, underground Atlanta, which provided a venue for a lot of us, and of course HotLanta where I took publicity pictures for 38 Special before they broke out.
I appreciate your channel more than ycould ever now and am indeed a subscriber at 74 and have my XM radio stuck on "Hair Nation "
Please keep what you're doing and know that the support is out here and "we love you, man"
Very interesting to learn how records get made financially. I never realized that it cost $500,000 to produce and make a record. I can see why now there are a lot of good artists we never heard of.
I absolutely remember Billionaire. I reviewed your "Ascension" album for my publication, KAOS200. I absolutely still love the song "'Till You're High." And I love the KISS-inspired guitar solo with the twin-guitar intro. One of my favorite bands of the 90s.
Our radio station here in San Diego KGB for about 7 or 8 years produced an album a year showcasing local bands called “Homegrown “ It was fantastic! And extremely popular. It was a great music scene here in San
Diego. Then as you said, the local radio stations became “ corporate “ and the focus was off the locals and on the popular music of the times. So sad !
Rick I thought I knew a lot about music until I subscribed to your channel. Thank you for sharing your music experience and your take on music and the business of music. A lifelong follower and supporter of your channel. !!
Saw some great bands at San Diego Street Scene!
@@fishtailfred8686 oh yes !!
From time to time, I still sing some of those songs, "...and your back in, Chula Vista, Chula Vista, ba dom ba dom..." or, "We're Gypsies from Bonsall, there's no stopping at all, We're Gypsies from Bonsall..."
San Diego in the mid eighties had a great jazz scene. Art Good and Lites out Jazz. Humphries. Pacific Beach Cafe. B Street Cafe. I used to go see Fattburger all the time. And Hollis Gentry.
We had the same thing on Long Island NY. Local station WBAB had a Homegrown show and it was awesome. Shame how the industry just imploded.
You're a mind-reader, Rick. I was casually talking with my daughter in the car, I played a new song on Spotify and commented: "Wow, it seems that all music stopped changing around 2000" because the song sounded so derivative. And here you are explaining as an insider why that happened. You are amazing, Rick, thanks
Rick, i do enjoy your shooting from the hip approach about the industry. There's no hype, no music in the background to church it up, no special effect, just the hard facts about things. That's a nice change.
nuff said?
I feel your opening comments about radio are why we sorely appreciate what stations like KEXP are doing.
as much as I agree with Beato that social media took power (which I too think is a good thing), we shall not forget, that 10-12 years ago it was so much easier to be noticed in RUclips, compared to the amount of material that is uploaded every second nowadays... its like a buffet that gets longer and longer and people have more and more to choose... so I truly believe that nowadays luck is one of the most important factors on getting a viral video on RUclips in order. to start a successful channel... would it all have happened the same way for Beato without the Dylan Videos? I doubt that, though people like him definitely deserve that attention (don't get me wrong) ....
We have WTMD in Baltimore that is run out of Towson University and connected to public radio, so they do the news roundup on the hour. They play all the new music that they choose based on their listeners. It is the best place to hear new music. I always spin the dial when I go to a new area to find the local stations.
Towson Mass Comm alumn here! You guys have it all now!
Love TMD. ALSO RNR!!
TMD is great, RNR is now gone.
So jealous of your son! I'd love to have had my father teaching me at such a young age. You are great, Rick; and dang you know so much about music!
Rick, i love your show and as a former dj of over 17 years, i've been preaching this same message to people about the Telecommunications Act of 1996. I started in radio in 1989 and i saw the transformation of "real" radio turn into the homogenized white noise it has become. Today, it doesn't matter what format it is because country sounds like pop, pop is hip hop and hip hop is country and rock forgot how to play notes and solo's because they don't have to. To quote from Almost Famous, "It's all just an industry of cool" and that's not a good thing. Anyways, i want to say thank you for bringing more light to this. I appreciate it!
You may as well complain about the Jones Act from 1920, which my HS Geography teacher did back in the early 1970s (it is really quite that stupid). It is entirely too “Inside Baseball” to get anyone interested.
Spot on, Rick! I'm 60. I've been signed, been a session guy, a hired hand, a producer, a writer, etc. There was a time when you needed the labels and a portion of the industry as an artist, but it became nearly impossible for most artists to make a viable living or find an audience when the rug got swept out from under the industry. This is a GREAT time to be an artist and creator because anyone can put their content out independently without a need for anything other than the willingness and the ability. Audyences have the means to find you and there are times when the algorhythms actually help. Just do it as they say.
Well produced records are gone. People want free music. The music industry is dead, they will make $ on all the recordings by artists have died.
@@brucesmith3740 there is something to this, the production of music is a difference science than its creation. But common music consumers aren't really interested in what goes into that at this time. And people have always wanted free music, nothings changed there, ever since tape recorders became available.
This side of the thing is true, but the flip side, which isn't so great, is that the proportion of good stuff to bad is dropping, because of the glut of the production of mediocre material you have to filter through to find the gems. In toto there's more good stuff out there, but it can be harder to find, because the industry seems geared to promote mostly the type of stuff that the masses are already listening to.
The democratization of the music business is a good thing, but over-democratization inevitably lowers the bar.
The double edge sword is the music market is now grossly oversaturated with so much bad computer generated sound files, Short soundbyte clips for the ADHD TikTokers, not music created by artists. It's nearly impossible now to be heard as a single voice in a sea of noise.
Finally got it so the "algorithms" send mostly music and content that is worth seeing or listening to.. But as mentioned.. It is a blessing and a curse.. because there is more than can be seen or heard.. The fact that there is just literally SO much access to content.. it makes really good music "less special" (as it were)...
That is SO true. Record labels were absolutely willing to take risks because there was so much competition from other labels.
Irony is rick doesn't realize that RUclips is basically doing exactly what labels started doing in the late 90s. They're consolidating like crazy. The RUclips algorithm is pretty much snuffing out anything that isn't semi professional. If you've tried searching for content you'll notice they're not even giving you complete searches anymore. Videos I've seen a hundred times can't be found, despite the fact I know that they are there. You now search for something and after 10 entries you get "people also watched". It's absurd how readily the search function refuses to allow you to look for actual things.
And now it's completely homogenized pap.
I was there in the "Good Olde Days" . Geffen Records offered my band The Pysco Girls a $1,000,000 contract in 1990. My attorney was one of the best in the music industry . I looked over the contract and I would be making $7/hr basically. I turned the whole thing down and it was the best decision I have ever made. I talked to my famous friends in bands and no one was making any money and all were in debt. I was making $70,000 a year working 3 days a week doing engineering consulting and $7hr and $1,000,000 in debt made no sense at all. A few of my famous band friends did get paid and got the rights to their stuff after years of litigation. I love the way things are now. DIY or die
I think a lot of this went down the same way for Rick Hughes. His DJ days flew away. Cool video, info & delivery.
I think it's a great summation of what has happened to the industry. I miss the old days of waiting for your favorite Led Zepplin album to come out and radio stations taking the time to play 1 side or the whole album for the listeners.
@ghost mall I cringe at some of the music I listened to because radio had decided it was popular. I'm glad my brother had good taste in music because thats what I listen to, and compare new music to it.
New releases were on Tuesdays ♫
Thank you Rick. I met you during the pandemic, obsessively watching all the videos that you had uploaded up to that point. You introduced me to music theory and production. You brought my passion for music back and I never left you after that. All of your videos are thought-provoking, reflexive, interesting and unique. Your enthusiasm and sensitivity are contagious. Please continue enriching our lives with your videos ❤
00:15 Rick, you are sitting in front of that teal wall, looking like a Hans Holbein portrait, in your rustic jacket! Classic!
I loved working on student radio where we chose the content ourselves. We had been building up a following across Europe until tech issues took us off air. We played local artists, underground artists who were signed and artists who sent demos into us. This was 2012-14. I miss it a lot. I have a cousin who does an alternative radio show now and I've made up a playlist of music I find for her to check out and decide if she wants to play it. She's plays a real variety of stuff including these new artists and it's a joy to listen to. I'm under 40, I still buy music magazines and look out for new music. I try to get to concerts, though my health limits it.
I love your channel. I love the bands you pick out and I love that you are open to a variety of genres and listen through those Spotify charts to see what diamonds are in there. I love the interviews and I love you taking apart songs. I had wanted to go into the industry but I hit my teens/20s as all those changes happened.
Keep recording your videos, Rick. They are so refreshing!
I love hearing these behind the scenes talks of the music industry. Rick's knowledge and history of this world is fascinating.
Yes, it is new technology that enabled you to reach a big audience, but that would not have happened without all the experience you built up during decades of hard work before RUclips even existed. Thank you for all that!
Rick, I love the historical context as well as the story of your band. We have been ranting about the Telecommunications deregulation act for years. It is amazing how many so-called music enthusiasts have no clue about it and actually believe that everything being played since 1996 was stuff "the people wanted". They seem to have no clue about the loss of autonomy of playlist programmers etc and how that led to the homogenization of mainstream in the music. I guess the part I am struggling in this video is the question as to how creators killed the music business. Your video suggests that creators have found a way to circumvent record labels and create a path to ubiquity in the modern mainstream. Wouldn't that be a good thing? I am not sure how that translates to killing the music business. I do believe creators are killing the music business in a way and that consumer lack of discernment and understanding of monetization is killing the music but I guess I just don't get how this video substantiates creators killing the music business. I hope I am not missing something very obvious here. If time permits, any clarification here would be super helpful. Last, but least, we are huge fans of your videos and we wish you even bigger success with this youtube channel.
You might be working with a different interpretation of that phrase. I believe Beto is referring specifically to the old school RIAA big label, exploitive contracts "music business" not music business as in "the market for music"
I haven't listened to commercial radio in years. My local NPR where I used to live (WNIJ) has a local music showcase show that brought in local artists from northern Illinois/southern Wisconsin and gave exposure to those who may not have had it. In Tampa where I live now, community radio WMNF has a local music program every Friday that brings in local artists. WMNF is a great station that has no format - one evening they are playing blues artists and another evening they are playing Latin jazz and salsa - I love it!
This is such an interesting topic. It's such a double-edged sword. It's great that you as an artist are in the driver's seat. You can control so much. You can make an album in your living room. You can make your own music videos and promote yourself. There is so much you can do. Downside? So can everybody else. In such an information rich age life has become a Twitter feed. You do your thing and before you can blink you've been scrolled out of existence. The music business has always been tough. Now it's just tough in a different way. I try and stay optimistic. Do what you love and if you truly love it people will love you.
When new rock music disappeared from radio I mainly found new bands on YT. It also opened me up to new types of music. I hope that with all the different platforms available that music continues to be as vibrant and creative as it always tries to be.
I bet 100% of your international audience needed to see what toppled is in the dictionary, like I had to do. New word learned. Your channel is a life school man! ❤
I suspect you underestimate the ability of people outside of America to know words.
Thanx Rick, I heard about the TCA ,Passed by Clinton 2 years ago, It all finally made sense ,we're the same age so I can remember Bands breaking on radio stations in Philly like wmmr, wysp and Q102 I first heard of Tom Petty,Pretenders, Van Halen, Dead Boys, Ramones on these stations not to mention local acts like the A's ,The Hooters,George Thorogood,Beru Revue, Tommy Conwell,in the late 70's. Now Philly radio is pretty much reduced to "oldies stati
I am 66 years old and am (finally) starting to accept new models. The main reason is Emmett Cohen. Being a jazz musician, I have also been lamenting the lack of real, non-tech, music. Emmett has given me great hope that future will have great jazz, without auto-tune and available. He has shown us a model that is now a force to be reckoned with!
We all have our part to play. Never heard of Emmett Cohen until reading your comment, just checked him out - wow! Thank you Jef! And of course Rick for bringing us all together.
@@NickGates100 please give us a link for his music you mostly adore
I would have never listened to Jazz in days gone by. It wasn't on the radio and I didn't understand it. RUclips led me to Rick Beato -> Adam Neely -> Martina Da Zilva -> Emmet Cohen and on and on. It's awesome. Same goes for punk.
Thank you. Did not know about him.
The history of the music industry has always fascinated me, and it's great to hear how it has changed in the past 20 years straight from the source. Merci!
As a guy who grew up with WNEW and WPLJ in NYC metro area (not to mention all the smaller rock stations and the GREAT Vin Scelsa) this is spot on.
Also true in the art field-galleries finding artists and promoting
Well worth the 14:21 of my life to watch. Rick brings not only lived experience, but intelligence and insight to the music I've listened to for half a century. I know zero music theory, and am not a real musician, but I have a good ear, and his analysis of individual songs (e.g., Steely Dan, The Cars, etc.) is always interesting. Glad I'm a subscriber.
Thank you! I'm going on sixty-nine and been playing electric bass professionally for over fifty years and you are 100% right! "The Communications Act of 1996" was the death of regional music getting popular. What killed local music was in the 80's, 90's was states raising the drinking age from eighteen to twenty-one after Vietnam. That's when I got a straight job teaching high school.I believe change is good, but greed is bad.I lived in both music worlds now. The past one you were part of the band, now you send your track to who knows where. I cash the checks and feel nothing.
I can't believe it!!!! I walled in part of our basement for a studio, painting the walls a medium sky blue, and rather than drywall the ceiling, we just painted the exposed joists and wiring a dark gray. Then I see Rick Beato did a similar thing. Wow, great minds...
Another video down and more admiration for what you do Rick. You have some great stories and I'm just glad things worked out to get you in front of us all.
Rick this same concept applies to TV too. No longer are we limited to what a hollywood producer says we can watch. I can watch your channel for music, then go watch a guy clean a yard, watch aviation, watch a TV or movie highlight, or car repair. It's been years since I've turned on the TV for a non sporting event.
“$483,000 on a record” 😳😳😳
Love the story of that record and how it got you into production. Great video, Rick!
My budget is fat, round ZERO! 😉😎💫
I made my 3rd for $50k and it sounds better than this lol.
Some famous bands spent a lot more than THAT on a record!1/2 a mil is on the low end.
@@Fearzero Can we hear it on streaming? What is it?
@@cortical1 “Ascension” is the album name by Billionaire
Beautiful video Rick, great work 👏 and congratulations on your own journey! I’m glad you shared yourself to the world and you deserve all the success and support you get ❤
I so appreciate your walk in the park...keep on keepin on Rick... you're a treasure to many for what you do.
I remember jumping on your channel early on. There was around a thousand people subscribed & it was growing seriously fast. It’s still growing like crazy. You’ve certainly earned it.
The change in the technology has led to the small 'd' democratization of how music is distributed - the decentralization of things. Cynical me imagines that the RUclipss/TikToks/etc will, more and more, put their corporate fingers on the scale, and decide who sees what. Great video - thank you!
@ghost mall And even if this isn't the case the social media companies and their algorithms, tuned to make them money, not offer a wide, diverse music offering to the listener, is happening. I've been thinking about this while gatekeeper concept and whilst I don't think the situation that was allowed to develop in the US (the big record labels buying up and controlling what two stations played) was healthy, I don't think the same situation happened in the UK, we always had the BBC Radio not under this model, promoting young new talent (from Amy Winehouse to Adele to Ed Sheeran to Florence and the Machine), but even better we had people decide and curate the music that was played to us, it just wasn't just corporate interests.
I know it wasn't the BBC, but I remember the story of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody and how the DJ Kenny Everett player it to death despite the band being told no one would play an 8 minutes long track (or however long it was) and it beginning huge. Would that have happened in the US? I doubt it. I think streaming changed everything with these big tech companies taking a huge amount of the money and not enough paid to the artists (and thus their record labels) to sustain the model as it was, making they had to go for safe, more established artists rather than take a chance on a dozen, most of which wouldn't make it big.
things are more centralized now, not decentralized. power/wealth is more concentrated now than 30 years ago.
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
Excellent video, Rick. You did a great job of explaining what changed and included hard numbers to back it up.
Rick, I would say that the format that we were used to (as listeners) after 2009 that RUclips boomed shifthed many people's habits; this is instead of tunning a radio channel, flooded with advertising, we went to the sreaming media, I remember starting to listen to music in Pandora; I would say it was like the pioneer platform. Then Spotify and many others came. The model was (again, from the listener point of view) to "Listen to what we dictate" (Radio Stations) ... Now, the trend is that us, as listeners, we select the music, we select our artists and find niches in the musical spectrum. The music business has shifted to the "on demand content". Now then, an Achilees Heel for music was the birth of the MP3 digital format... (cd ripeprs and all that came along with it) which in turn opened the door to piracy and bootlegs where old school artists would die if they did not started to stream the music in popular channels, this is what I think gives the profit equation you explain in the video... and maybe that's why many old school bands and artist went stagnent and never produced more records, That, added to the mediocricy music is suffering due to the autotune and the poor quality that the artists and bands have given to the new generations. That is my humble opinion. Once again, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts.
I can barely name the great musicians I've been lucky enough to discover on RUclips. Great players from all over the world, that without this exposure I would never have heard them. And don't forget the legends still performing for us on here. Happy to have some of today's greats to be touring again, too.
Liked "Happy to have some of today's greats to be touring again, too."
Exactly. My favorite band is a Japanese band called BAND-MAID and if not for RUclips not only would I never had found them, but they probably wouldn't have made it past 2 albums before the label dropped them because it was their song Thrill from their second album that got millions of views and kicked them off.
Rick grew a beard from the time he was inside to the time he walked out. Impressive.
Yeah....all in about 15 minutes....impressive
Imagine how huge his studio is
@@manu_sanz Hahaha! Too many reverb!
Just like Homer Simpson
Thanks for telling this story. It helped a lot to understand the music business them and now. Thank god you started this channel!
Thank you Rick, have this perspective really helps, understanding how hardcore it use to be to ‘make it’, gives me a lot of hope that we can do it, we just have to be determined & patient enough
I doubt someone like Ren would have had success with even the best A&R people. But here he is, being seen by millions of people who never thought a guy with a nylon string guitar and a hospital gown could rock them so hard.
Yeah, can't be a coincedence..
I was absolutely thinking of him while thinking about music exposure now compared to when I was growing up (80s & 90s). I don't think an art piece like "Hi Ren" would be on the radio or MTV. For that, I'm grateful for platforms like RUclips making artists like Ren accessible, though I'm aware of the other side of the coin. I have to give a shout out to Rick because he has such a deep knowledge and appreciation of music, that through him I've discovered so much many more artists, old & new. Thank you Rick!
@@user-sr2nc9ge1d Who is Ren?
As someone who's old enough to remember the days of physical media (LPs and such), I have to say the time we're living in now is amazing for music distribution. I know fully well at this point I won't get a record label contact, but I can upload music anytime I want and reach a broad audience and get immediate feedback.
That was awesome your son calling out the chords and the Eadd9/F comes up son nails it.
That is scary. Takes decades of ear training to do that and few are able to do it. Scary.
Love the channel Rick, always inspiring, educational and entertaining. Love the chats you have with Tim Pearce. And the Beato book..
I grew up playing in a few bands, worked in a recording studio in Chicago, worked as a DJ, went to college to get a degree in music and business (heh, the business side of the music industry).
As it turned out, I got into computers instead, but never lost my love for music. This video outlines how I still think I chose the better career path. Now I watch the historic videos about bands playing in their garage, Gig'ing around the city and traveling in vans - It resonates with me. Love to hear your stories, and the behind-the-scenes!
Rick, you are an American treasure. PLEASE, just keep doing what you are doing. This is consistently the best of the many channels I follow.
Love your stuff Rick…All what you said is also true for the Book Publishing industry…I wrote 10 technical books for my industry and created a very lucrative business out of thin air for almost no money, just my time, talent, knowledge of my content and Amazon publishing platform…. I would have never been able to get a mainstream publisher to publish my books.
From one Rick to another, I love your introspective about the music industry. Certainly, it is a labor of love for most of them and a source of income for very few.
I was in a few bands back in the 90s and I often wonder what the hell happened to radio and to the dream everyone used to have have of getting signed to a record label. You just explained all of it.
At some point, I couldn't listen to the radio anymore. The mainstream rock format first killed my taste in classic rock, but then I needed a long break from more modern songs.
Great thing about the radio is you can move the dial y'know
@@lucasoheyze4597 I wish this was true. On the mainstream radio lineup, they mix modern rock with classic rock. Okay, let's go to the classic rock station because maybe they would have something different. So much overlap
Okay, let's go to the competitor radio brand. Almost the exact same lineup. That song you were trying to get a break from 15 minutes ago? Yeah, they are now playing it
@@JoeStuffzAlt Now all the recorded music in history is there to listen to at the click of a button, so why would anyone listen to the radio really?
@@TheMattmatic Mostly forgot your USB Thumb Drive and your smartphone is out battery. If the radio was a good way to discover new music without me turning it off due to a song I heard too many times, I'd listen to it.
This explains so much... I was in my teens in the early two thousand (in europe, not US!) and still was a great time. I was in local band all throughout my teens, everyone was playing guitar or something else, there was big rock crowd, concerts and rock bars ....around 2010 it all just kind of ended and that was it.
Good to see someone with a significant following addressing how the Telecommunications Act of 1996 started (or rather, accelerated) the trend towards homogenized radio playlists and ever-decreasing risk-taking on the part of major labels and radio stations as they got bought out. It's something that I think we're still dealing with the ramifications of, and of course the issue usually got buried by pretty much all of the major media outlets in the US at the time (regardless of their political bent), because their owners had a vested interest in the public not knowing what was going on regarding media ownership.
Nothing but love for your channel Rick!! Great stories!!
It was so interesting to have been part of the music industry during that time. in 2002 I was having meeting with execs from a major label as a Josh Groban alternative, discussing possible high profile duets to launch my career. By 2005 almost all those people I spoke to were gone from the industry. For me RUclips is a mixed bag. It's all about your audience finding you, and it still takes a bit of old fashioned luck. I've connected with more industry people like you, Rick; producers, artists, songwriters, etc than my own audience. Still not a bad thing. Gotta keep plugging away though.
I am only 39 but this channel helps to inspire me all the time. I cannot express how much I love to hear about the industry from how it used to be and the stories of how the people who surive how they survived being able to love what they do and talk about what they do. Thank you so much for your musings and willingness to express it all so transparently. Much respect, Paul
I am an amateur musician that started on RUclips a little over a year ago. I went from no exposure to 14 subscribers in that time. Obviously a drop in a bucket compared to the professional side of the music industry. For me it's a Learning curve and I am focusing on better music video production. Thanks for your videos that describe your experience with in the music industry.
make a tiktok
side bar... the ear training you did with your son is masterful!
You really have to have something totally amazing to get that first initial drawing of the masses in something that goes viral before you can build upon it and grow it into something successful. That's what your Dylan video did for you!
Im big fan of yours, thank you for being on here and sharing your history and your stories, it’s important especially for younger people as well as older
Rick, you are a truly inspiring figure and a father to musicians world wide. I have been watching your channel for years; rarely I make a comment, but I have learned so much by watching you talking and playing and explaining what, at times, we all know but forget. The initial video with your son rightly guessing those weird chords should be in a museum in the future, as it is disarmingly beautiful. I hope he one day becomes a big star. If you ever come down to Australia, give us a nod!
Best channel on RUclips. I'm not a guitarist or musician but your stories (and which topics you choose to make videos about) are amazing. Looking forward to your future videos.
Great video Rick! Very insightful and its amazing how much the music industry has changed in the last 20+ yrs. Always look forward to more of your videos
Thank you for explaining the music industry to me. It i is an inspiring take on the current music industry. My son is may I say a brilliant musician Jeremy Tuplin but I always wondered why it was so hard to get taken up by a major label and now I understand it is not necessary. Thank you 🙏
Absolutely love the wisdom in this video Rick, greetings from the UK and as a music teacher myself I can see the way forward over the coming years, thanks Rick👍🎶
I Had no idea you were in Billionaire . I saw you open for The Cult back in the day and I rocked that Billionaire tape all the time, loved it.
Rick, I find it amazing that you have lived a life I dare say Star Trek's Spock would call "fascinating"! Musician, superb guitarist (I love Cardinal Motion), platinum record producer for Shinedown, platinum country music song writer for Parmalee, teacher of music theory and music appreciation! I love your enthusiasm (especially air drums, guitar and keyboards) in showing us what makes a song great whether it's Metallica or Mozart! I guess you're a true Renaissance man! You've interviewed the greats from May (Brian) to Mitchell (Joni) and so many others which brings us insight into What Makes These Artists Great! I also love the beautiful guitar teaching shorts!
So thank you for expanding our musical horizons, you make it all look so enjoyable...like that!
Rick I really wish you’d do a video on how Max Martin has dominated all production and songwriting since Britney’s first album - he wrote so much material for Taylor, Katy Perry, Britney, etc etc. That sound has dominated everything for 20 plus years while record companies were/are refusing to support new talented bands that might change the sound of popular music.
I discovered you through that video with your son because I was finally making an effort to learn music theory. Didn't realize that was your breakout video. Pretty cool. You do such a good job of providing your professional experience and covering the business from so many different angles.
Love your content!!! but what i love the most your personal views and thoughts and stories about music and the music industry of the last at least 30 years!!!