Speaking from a British perspective, there has been such a decimation in the last few decades post-Thatcher of working class cultural institutions and artistic opportunities. This means nowadays privately educated "posh" people are massively overrepresented in the arts.
Exactly right, British punk changed the face of music and it came from a comparatively generous welfare system. Poor musicians could support themselves and focus on their art. Now generally the only musicians who can support themselves early in their career are people who come from money
Yeah, I like some of the new wave of bands but it's as clear as day they're a bunch of music school toffs. What was the last big working class band? Arctic Monkeys?
That means you'd have to pay for music. People don't want to do that, but want artists to be paid more. Well, if the listeners won't pay... who do you think should pay the artists?
I try not to feel too much resentment towards nepo babies and rich 'independent' artists but the recent trend of some of them larping as the working class makes me fucking sick.
Sadly, not everybody can be jimi hendrix. I wish they could. But having an understanding of the sociopolitical dynamics of the world around you is something you develop with experience. I don’t feel like the last dinner party’s response was that condemnable, as someone of very modest means. I think these people engulfing themself in the art world is, like anthony said, better than them figuring out a new way to do subprime morrgages
Nepo babies are less of an issue to me in industries like music when it's still highly possible for unknown talents to make it big with the internet. In industries like film and TV it seems like there needs to be some kind of standard because most of the cast and crew in a lot of things are nepo babies. Can't imagine how hard it is to get crumbs in that industry if your parents don't know a guy.
It's been a trend since at least the rich kids getting the blues in the golden era of American global dominance post WWII. The difference now is that a working class band used to be independently economically sustainable, whereas now a touring/recording band needs other means of support besides just the music and tour merch. And yes, I understand that legacy and tribute bands, who cater to wealthy old people, are making it, for now. Arr you still going to see KISS or Bon Jovi in the 2030s? Is that the music scene you care about? The drugs for sale in the parking lot are anti-depressants.
I noticed that in movie soundtracks, a lot of composers have a Nordic surname. Then I read somewhere that in these Nordic countries, students are encouraged to do music because their social programs makes schools affordable, making it easier to transition to a regular job if you don't want to follow your music career.
Not just nordics but centeal/west eu, schools are affordable if not free and they have deals with businesses to provide students with apprenticeships and contacts within whatever art circle they're studying for, Americans can't imagine not going into debt to study art
@@majimasmajimemes1156 yeah I know,the americanization of eu culture and socio economics is something i do my best to resist and in my art and activism
At least her in Denmark normal school and Higher education is free. And music school/Conservatory is cheap 7300 euro for a complete masters degree (and maybe get student money). But also actual laws that help with pay. I think you can get lawyer help with contracts for free. And and just general insensitives to help and support art and culture
piggybacking off this, I might even go so far as to say perhaps there is a correlation in the general public consuming garbage as entertainment and not having any respect or enthusiasm for art because they don't know what the fuck art even is@@1998Cebola
This was the main reason my band broke up, we achieved some pretty cool things (played some major festivals, support tours, national radio blah blah) but ultimately made very little money Like not enough for one person to live on, let alone four We’re all in our late 20s and unfortunately the cost of living catches up with you
I just checked your band out and the first song from your band is talking about this very thing. It's just really sad how bad things have gotten in the music industry.
Yeah fine, but no one wants to spend money on, oh I don't know - a music collection. We wanna pay 10 a month to Netflix for effective infinite hours of video streaming, when it used to cost that to buy one DVD. If no one is paying for anything, what do they need money for?
In the 1800's being an MP was unpaid so only rich people could get into Parliament, so only their needs were addressed. Now, getting your music on streaming is pretty much unpaid, so only rich people can afford to make a living off it. Something needs to change.
in my own experience, if I wanted graphic design experience, I'd need to to an internship, which would be unpaid. Entry level design jobs are one in a million. The creative industries are in a terrible place at the moment.
Rishi Sunak inherited 700 million from his dad and 'earns' ~£80,000 A DAY from the interest and rent on his assets. He's never had to work a day in his life. Boris and Cameron too. Nothing has changed.
This video made me think about the value music brings to my life, and I realized that I would happily pay $40-$50 a month for my spotify subscription, so I’m going to look into ways to put that money towards supporting my favorite smaller artists.
lol wot? As someone who is dirt poor and an independent musician, my reasoning and a lot of other artists reasoning is that it's preferable to be a smaller artist and be free than to be a bigger artist and locked into a contract where you not only have obligations, but also have to divide your income with a label and potentially get screwed over by some loophole
being an aspiring musician starting to work on my own music from a lower economic background, i appreciate this video i really wish it was realistic for me to try to make a living from music
It feels like the realism in making it has to come with some demeaning actions and measures. A lot of sanding down to fit some unrealistic and boring level of perfection.
@@thecosmicblueautie that is why i am trying to develop skill as a sound designer as well as in music i hope to one day use sound design work to fund my music, but even that isn't too realistic i will probably continue low level manual labor jobs for a long time 🐛
I hate the industry right now. I struggle to eat, and struggle to choose between making good music, being a social media darling, getting paid properly, etc. I cannot stop doing what I love and I love that... but goddamn.
As an outsider, I feel so terrible for musicians atm. It’s an industry that doesn’t necessarily reward talent/hard work. But honest to god, there is still a market for good music, just keep trying and it will reach someone.
i hope this doesn't come off as condescending but what stops you from making the music that gets you paid and making the music that you consider good? Not too sure about what job you have in the industry but is it like a full-time "shill" job that leaves you no energy to pursue the music you'd prefer to be making on the side?
why is it mutually exclusive? do you work 24 hrs a day every day? i work a white collar job in aerospace and every single minute that im not "working," im making beats, learning piano, wriiting music, recording, etc. we need to normalize being normal human beings, working a day job, and making art as a passion-hobby. its way more fun that way. you have a job that pays the bills and then you can pursue ur passion on the side...work life balance!@@OakQueso
@@Cnichal its just so moving because we don't always acknowledge that some people grow up twisted because their parents didn't like them and its so sad
There are too many barriers to artists, musicians in society now. Artists can't afford to live in cities anymore, there are fewer smaller/mid-sized venues for performers, music education is less funded, fewer ppl can afford seeing their favorite artists...it's just getting more difficult for artists to create, share and promote their art. The disparity is rampant and results in more nepotism as these ppl have the funds, security and networking to flourish. Of course art will continue to thrive in economic hard times, as we've seen throughout history, but are we at a turning point? Ppl can no longer live in New York, London, Toronto, LA, so how can new art n music be made in cultural centres if you're not elite? It's gonna be a struggle
As a rule of thumb: If you ever look at a societal problem and come out thinking it needs an individual solution, think again. Structural issues require a collective solution. Under capitalism, the music industry will continue to exploit work for maximum profit, creating an environment where success from scratch is borderline impossible, and even privileged artists end up getting the short end of the stick. Building a society where people could work less, earn more, and have more time to devote to their artistic pursuits is the only true solution to this problem, and many others.
The fact that Rashida Tlaib took the time to sponsor this bill and look out for working artists while her family is actively getting killed and she’s demonized in the press every day for the crime of not wanting to fund their killing…I respect this woman so much.
this is especially noticeable in modern country where they make songs about driving tractors and drinking beer even though they own private jets and stock options. I feel when it comes to blues and country it is a oxymoron to come from a rich background given the history of those two genres dating all the way back to the destruction of the civil war.
People often forget that there are human beings behind the art they consume. It’s like they put artists on a pedestal while simultaneously erasing their humanity and holding them to impossible standards. Artists need money to survive just like the rest of us. They have opinions not everyone agrees with just like us. Some of them are connected or come from money just like some of us. Does this mean they can’t pursue their dreams? There’s a lot of spite and envy masquerading as virtue going around.
Yeah I was gonna say, the "you're taking some else's spot!" argument is bs. It's all sour grapes and envy. I know everyone loves the underdog story, but rich people can be very talented as well.
I remember the story that Frank Zappa had about the executives in the 60s willing to take more risks with the music being made, and what came out of it? A lot of great music and art that moved forward. Unfortunately, executives now are driven by algorithms, trends, and previous data they have collected. It may be irreversible unless a miracle happens.
They can't even base themselves on that, I remember the wave of artists not being able to publish unless something makes it out as viral and unfortunately now with the UMG pull, what are they supposed to
@@eewahnah Well, it might not help the discourse that we are having here, but making music and giving it out to the people is bigger than any paycheck I can get from a streaming or social media platform. It does not mean that we are supposed to work for free though. This is all a consequence of technology. Art is not for sale, therefore, I won't allow a record label to dictate how to make my music, so I will provide for myself through other means, and if that's what I have to do to make the music I want to make, then so be it. I'll do that for the rest of my life.
"unless a miracle happens" no absolutely not, unless people like you stop waiting around for things to change and help people like us to actually change things. miracles are childish naive lies, activism is the only thing that ever has or ever will save us
Seeing artists come out of seemingly nowhere with $1000 advertisements and a professional team really makes us true indie artists feel like it's not worth even trying. A true indie artist creating music and videos takes on the job of an entire marketing and production team.
i despise that Pitchfork overuses the word "share". "This artists _shares_ new single." They've really done their part to condition people into thinking music is free.
when i was in a touring band in the aughts, our bass player's dad was a CEO of a multibillion dollar company. He did literally nothing for us and didnt pay for anything of his. we still slept in a van most of the time
There were local bands negotiating for $1,000+ guarantees PLUS a percentage of the bar in the 1980s. Now music has been reduced to a hobby for those privileged enough to afford it. Today - the music equipment industry is nearly twice the size of the actual music industry itself.
The arts are in a very difficult spot at the moment. Music artists don’t get paid, visual artists about to be replaced by AI in less executive jobs, animators somehow getting even more shafted. At least live theatre is doing well?
It’s steps in a process. You take away the artists and intellectuals. You miseducate populations with ignorance. Eventually, people no longer can think for themselves and are controlled by forces at play. Artists of any type usually begin social reconstruction, our modern technocracy doesn’t want that, they want complacency.
I think what the “you’re taking the spot of working class musicians!” people are missing is that the music industry doesn’t operate on a traditional model of a limited number of job openings going to a select few people with the best resumes. Like Anthony said in the video, it’s not a zero-sum game
James Blake and Anthony Fantano are 100% right!! These younger adults don't want to pay for music, so why should music artists put in the time, energy and effort into making good to great music singles and albums? The era of great mainstream music, in general, ended in the 1990s! From the year 2000 to present, for every great song or album, you have 3 or 4 that are mediocre or just bad, horrible, terrible!! Streaming has fucked up the economics and the art form of music over the past 15 years!! It's sad but true!! So, don't blame the Music Artists!! Blame the streaming platforms and cheap ass adults that don't want to support their "favorite" music artists by buying their music!!
whether you believe they're "deserving" or not (which btw, who tf are you to say what somebody does or doesn't deserve?) you can't deny that rich people just have more time to focus on their craft, and thus, unsurprisingly, end up being quite good at it.
Beautifully put. Unfortunately the wealthy will continue to want to be artists for free (or even at a loss) because it's fun. There will never be a supply shortage of art, so there will never be a financial incentive for anyone to pay for it. Some people get very lucky and are able to make money doing their passion, but for the majority: work gives you money and is not fun; hobbies are fun and cost you money. You don't have a queue of wealthy people wanting to cook and clean for free! The expectation that you can do something super fun and interesting and get paid for it is not that realistic. I also think it's quite sad that the myth of using art to get you out of poverty keeps getting propagated; becoming an artist is an almost guaranteed way to remain poor. It makes me so sad. I wish I had an answer to this. ☹☹🙁
The problem is not that they are rich kids per se, the problem is that they are appropriating anesthetics that are borne out of working class struggle, not knowing anything about the historical relationship between genre and political struggle, but also claiming that, since they also had adolescent existential crisis, they understand what this is all about.
@@9killerqueen very real, these kids are so out of touch but they get their rich friends to send over their bots to their posts and think they're the next Beatles...
When I was a teenager, I wanted to be a famous musician and got super jealous at my friends when their band released their first ep. When I got out of college I got a "real" job, and they actually tried to pursue that as a career. Now it seems so miserable to me.
I saw them all over Instagram being promoted heavily with their first single, saw there was nothing before that and was interested but quickly figured out why they were being so heavily promoted.
Yeah for real,we need robust and open source materials to be able to sell and promote our art!! Physical sales are so important for an artist because it creates a broader opportunity to archive and preserve the art for that much longer (not that it matters at the end of the day) Idk, I just wish there was more than "Bandcamp" to release physical copy of music to other people haha Madlib has a website for all of his shit and it's as simple and easy to access as I can imagine a website being, I just wish there was an "Amazon" for music releases lol
Unfortunately the inverse is probably true. Big, mainstream artists are listened to more casually by many more people, and small artists are listened to more intensely by much fewer people. Physical media is making a comeback though, and I'm sure mainstream artists still have more physical media sales than smaller artists.
@@cassplss (to clarify, by "deserve it" I mean simply creating art, every artist should have a platform to create art.) to summarize my long response, I think one of the more damaging things for artists is how music is promoted, only already popular artists get promoted l, not artists that deserve it.
This was a similar case with the group E-An-Na when they participated for 2022s Romanian representation for Eurovision, and a pop singer with an experience in the field for 20, maybe 30 years including his side projects or stuff as a tween, now a judge, acted up over the band's members saying they have to mantain a day job or 2 in order to survive and have quality in what they make, mind you, the scene for indie here is absolutely fickle and thank fuck for some corporate hipsters for contributing to some culture and rage with what they have, but the discussion of being a 'professional musician' full time as a survival skill/day job took off so many legs but it came in handy when much of these people have to maintain a daily income and maybe get to fix their guitars and drum kits while being able to pay rent and utilities
Very similar to my feelings on the video game industry. So many of the issues people talk about from microtransactions to unfinished games and even the brutal hours forced on developers really come down to the people making the art not being paid enough. The original God of War cost $60 in 2005. The God of War in 2018 that is regarded by many to be one of the best games of the decade was also $60. Accounting for inflation, that's the equivalent of $37.60 in 2005. Games have gotten so much bigger and more expensive to make, and yet we're not even allowing them to adjust for inflation, let alone reflect the higher budgets and greater financial risk of larger productions. As a result productions get rushed, companies look for other ways to either cut costs or bring in additional revenue, and brilliant people who could be making great art get squeezed out of the industry because of the unsustainable demands it places on them.
The issue is that these games do not need to be so realistic and big, most of the biggest highest earning games now are smaller scale AA games like helldivers or fuck lethal company, no one is buying the 60$ slop unless it's exeptional like elden ring or baldurs gate, the issue with the industry is game company ceos running it entirely on formulas and algorithms, never taking any risks and bloating games with shit they do not need, the overwork comes just from greed of higher-ups, just look at blizzard how artists liked to work there until they started giving fake promotions that made one person do the job of five to save money
I mean, if you zoom out wide enough, art has never been for poor people to create. The time investment alone to become a great requires sacrificing all else in pursuit of the best expression. Poor/working class artists don’t have that time, they have bills to pay. It’s never been a level playing field though if you are really about it, you’ll find a way. Every time someone else says no and quits, that’s your opportunity to say yes, choose your fork in the road and keep it pushing. The question you need to answer is, “How can I be productive enough to make a sustainable living from my music” and then work backwards from there.
I’d agree that the children of the privileged wanting to make music over continuing some exploitative enterprise could be a better outcome if their music and work wasn’t supporting an industry that seeks to sublimate the ills of society through art.
They passively support exploitative industries while actively distancing themselves through the art. Lin-Manuel Miranda is some incredible PR for his father.
this ties really well into a recent interview from everything everything where they said they cant afford to go more than 3 years without a new album because of how the industry works and it is really sad to see how little even established bands are artists are struggling to make it nowadays
i’ve only bought a few vinyls in my lifetime. these are artists i could listen to forever. if streaming disappeared i would have some folks i could listen to. i think it’s high time people realized that music is art, and it costs something. we can all learn something from that fact.
I talked to Gira for a little bit one time, his hands are scarred from construction jobs. He had enough money for beans on rice for meals everyday for a few years. The disparity that someone like him has to work so hard, but others climb the music industry ladder immediately, blows my mind. It all comes down to your parents and who they know.
Here in Brazil the situation is very peculiar, because in the last decade the music industry has been completely dominated by the "sertanejo" genre, something close to modern country. The central-western region of Brazil is known for its billionaire farmers and large estate owners. They finance country duos (yes, they come in double dose), and with the money, they dominate the space (composers, producers, radios, algorithms, festivals) and it's practically a David x Goliath fight for an independent artist to try to compete with them. Now, they are practically linked to Brazil's hegemonic media (Globo network, which constantly publishes advertisements about how cool, good for the environment and pop agribusiness is) as well as the far right in the Congress and the wealthy protestant Church. The monster grows an extra head from time to time.
With AI Music getting better and better not even a global, massive musicians union would solve this comepletely at this point. Those people who wrote those dark Sci Fi stories throughout the last 50-100 years really were on to something.
The thing about artists wanting to being paid that a lot of folks don't really understand is that it's not like musicians are asking for more money than they are worth. They are just asking for more of the money that is already being generated off of their work to go to them instead of into the pockets of shareholders.
I am a full time musician who had to gather other skills like mixing just so I could get a little more money and even with that I still made so little I could barely afford to pay my rent. So I started hunting for remote jobs (I’m Nigerian btw) found one that paid less than 2$ an hour and had to work 40hrs a week. I worked for about 4 months and quit cause I literally couldn’t create anymore. But I took all the money I saved and used it to shoot a live tiny desk-esque style video. I spent every single penny I had on promotion and marketing and barely got 12k views on RUclips. Made nothing off of it. As much as I love making music, I need to be able to live to make music and it’s getting harder to survive 🤦🏾♂️
I love doing music, but I never get money from the music I make. If you want to at least do enough money as a hustle you need to play the some music covers all the boomers want to hear in the bar or in weddings. When you want to present you own music, you have to either pay to rent the place and do your own event, which many times means losing money or getting even when you are lucky if you want to play in a decent venue. Is just all so tiresome.
I agree with James, we have been consuming music with such ease that it feels as if we're not actually paying for our music. Even if you pay for a subcription, it's nothing compared to what you would be paying for getting 3 or 4 records each month. But at the end of the day music is not a basic need and people should be paying for the product that they are consuming.
The Last Dinner Party thing is such a non-issue. I know fantano brushed on the broad concept in the video, but it's worth pointing out two major reasons that we should not be surprised when bands come from very privileged backgrounds: 1. Music instruments are expensive. Sure, guitars are seen as kinda ubiquitous-although still not cheap-but being a teen with an instrument is something more regularly seen in fiscally stable homes. Some people can learn on their own, but a lot need music lessons. Instruments require upkeep, even something as silly as changing guitar stings can feel overwhelming when you're fiscally pinched. 2. Even when you as an individual is poor, when you come from a family with means there is a safety net for failure. You can afford to take that leap into unknown because if you fall flat, your parents can help even if it's just throwing you in the basement for a few months while you look for a job and get back on your feet.
The topic of how much streaming services pay is interesting because as far as I can tell a lot of artist did make fairly solid money selling albums before streaming, not like we'd really be able to put the genie back in the bottle on streaming but if we could, a lot of artists would be better off. On the other hand I do think the total accessibility of music is legitimately amazing. I'm nowhere near the level of someone like Anthony in terms of how many new albums I thoroughly listen to each year, but I had at least 20 albums last year that I gave pretty thorough attention, if I wanted to add all 20 to my library in the CD age that would be a $200 investment which is pretty big, but for relatively little, especially if you can deal with ads, a lack of money does not prevent you from listening to dozens of new albums a year, and it's pretty cool that now people especially young people can just jump into idk Bowie's whole discography without having to pay a ton. There's definitely value in so much access to music that it would be a shame to lose it by going back to CDs if we could. Not to mention even if we did go back to CDs there would still be plenty of artists that struggle to get record deals and get their feet off the ground who on spotify might be able to gain more of a footing.
I think it's interesting, because I think music could still be available for free to check out on platforms like RUclips, where there would be ads and such. But for unlimited access to an album, or for it to be on your phone, in your car, on the go, etc. I think people should be paying full price. It makes no sense that all of this is just given away. In no other industry is it okay to just gain full access to everything for free. We still have to buy books, movie tickets, and video games are over $100 brand new (where I live at least). Yeah, it's convenient for the consumer, but does that make it right? Stealing food and clothing from a store would be very convenient if were possible, but you immediately think, no that's unlawful. So why is it okay for us to demand musician's work be readily accessible in our pockets wherever we go? People absolutely should be buying music.
I believe as long as there are people who are interested in artists in underground scenes and niches genres there will always be audience for longer pieces of music and full albums
Same with almost all art, it's down to being financially free to try and build a career without having to worry about where your next meal is coming from
If people don't like the fact that their favourite artist/band comes from money... I would suggest, firstly, growing up and secondly... go throw out all the old records written by great, money-backed artists. You'll be throwing out a lot of music.
It's poverty cosplay. The Strokes did it, Kid Rock sure as hell did it. I don't mind rich people making music, but they need to be upfront about their background.
@@jasondecember673 Like Coldplay. I can't stand their music, but at least they've never tired to hide the fact that they're from rich families. I can respect that.
I quit music because I was playing arenas of 10,000+ people and I was homeless and living in my friend's spare room because I couldn't afford rent. The issue is much wider than the music industry. The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer because our governments aren't doing their fucking jobs. They're supposed to represent the people but they're selling us out for campaign donations.
I'm 42 so yeah I'm probably going to sound out of it but it seems like historically, when the world is at it's shittest, music is at it's best. Post Wars, Cold War, Punk, Thatcherism (uk) ... there's a rebellion and the real people rise up through art. Now i know we're all going through a weird and shit time but it really doesn't feel like art is keeping up this time round. Where are the angry kids?
I had to screenshot your comment because it reflected all of my thoughts to a tee. I'm really concerned there isn't enough of a fight back. It seems that people would rather cave under the pressure of the current music industry than do anything about it.
I fucking love everything about this video esp everything that was said starting at 4:55. I think about this so much and it bothers me that I don’t think I’ve heard anyone else with this take
Great vid, I think a lot of people with their hearts in the right place tend to have a kneejerk reaction against people validly complaining about an issue that affects them, so long as the person criticizing is more well off than them. These streaming platforms have to change if these small creators want a chance at affording a living doing music full time.
I have a handful of friends who are playing EDC this year, and all of them still don't make enough to do music full time. Touring barely makes money unless you're playing festivals or stadiums, and even then sometimes you don't get paid for a gig for months. Money from streaming/tiktok is laughable. Going into music full time is so financially risky if you're not at the top or you don't have rich parents
thanks for speaking up on this topic. while u might have a point to not be too angry at privileged musicians making it big, it's definitely time to be angry at all artists of privileged background making it big and the HIDING how they became so big and pretending to be an over-night-sensation. this just keeps up the incredibly unjust system of major labels. there is a lot of these stories, cough billy eilish cough and soooo many more where labels will hide everything to make it seem organic when in fact its just nepotism and old money all over again. I personally know a guy who's father went golfing with the CEO of Universal Music in Dubai and guess what, he got a contract with Universal for extremely mediocre sing-songwriter music. and this dude is still living off his very mediocre music. happens all the time. needs to be called out way more!
Never ask an indie artist why their parents names are blue on their wikipedia page.
this is a clever one
@@grommit5999that means their parents either already famous or rich
Liturgy moment
Mitski's CIA dad 😂
@@amvnumber1018except liturgy kept being underground
James Blunt was right when he said you're beautiful.
read your name as antivaxorTV at first lmfao
😊
true
Thanks.
its true
Speaking from a British perspective, there has been such a decimation in the last few decades post-Thatcher of working class cultural institutions and artistic opportunities. This means nowadays privately educated "posh" people are massively overrepresented in the arts.
Exactly right, British punk changed the face of music and it came from a comparatively generous welfare system. Poor musicians could support themselves and focus on their art. Now generally the only musicians who can support themselves early in their career are people who come from money
The worst thing is that many times is just from bullshit at worst to just OK at best art.
Yeah, I like some of the new wave of bands but it's as clear as day they're a bunch of music school toffs.
What was the last big working class band? Arctic Monkeys?
@@josephsheldon8582 Sleaford Mods and much of the current scene that came out of Grime?
incredibly true, especially with the “make art your hobby and get a real job” campaign they tried to push on us around covid times.
Working musicians (people in general) deserve better
Tyler hackner army 🫡
Let’s goo 💯💯
@HelpMeplease991maybe put work into making your channel good instead of begging for likes
Self releasing? Won’t more money flow in that way?
That means you'd have to pay for music. People don't want to do that, but want artists to be paid more. Well, if the listeners won't pay... who do you think should pay the artists?
As a poor working artist…yes lol, not to mention I love the 4 dollars(if that) I make a month
I try not to feel too much resentment towards nepo babies and rich 'independent' artists but the recent trend of some of them larping as the working class makes me fucking sick.
This is not recent. People have been doing it since the 50s.
Sadly, not everybody can be jimi hendrix. I wish they could. But having an understanding of the sociopolitical dynamics of the world around you is something you develop with experience. I don’t feel like the last dinner party’s response was that condemnable, as someone of very modest means. I think these people engulfing themself in the art world is, like anthony said, better than them figuring out a new way to do subprime morrgages
not exactlt a recent trend but maybe its only recently being pointed out
Nepo babies are less of an issue to me in industries like music when it's still highly possible for unknown talents to make it big with the internet. In industries like film and TV it seems like there needs to be some kind of standard because most of the cast and crew in a lot of things are nepo babies. Can't imagine how hard it is to get crumbs in that industry if your parents don't know a guy.
It's been a trend since at least the rich kids getting the blues in the golden era of American global dominance post WWII. The difference now is that a working class band used to be independently economically sustainable, whereas now a touring/recording band needs other means of support besides just the music and tour merch. And yes, I understand that legacy and tribute bands, who cater to wealthy old people, are making it, for now. Arr you still going to see KISS or Bon Jovi in the 2030s? Is that the music scene you care about? The drugs for sale in the parking lot are anti-depressants.
I noticed that in movie soundtracks, a lot of composers have a Nordic surname. Then I read somewhere that in these Nordic countries, students are encouraged to do music because their social programs makes schools affordable, making it easier to transition to a regular job if you don't want to follow your music career.
Not just nordics but centeal/west eu, schools are affordable if not free and they have deals with businesses to provide students with apprenticeships and contacts within whatever art circle they're studying for, Americans can't imagine not going into debt to study art
Oh don't worry, big capital is working hard on enforcing american conditions in the EU.
@@majimasmajimemes1156 yeah I know,the americanization of eu culture and socio economics is something i do my best to resist and in my art and activism
you can also get grants from the government (as an individual), which makes it easier to survive as a musician.
At least her in Denmark normal school and Higher education is free. And music school/Conservatory is cheap 7300 euro for a complete masters degree (and maybe get student money). But also actual laws that help with pay. I think you can get lawyer help with contracts for free. And and just general insensitives to help and support art and culture
The disrespect and general flippant attitude the general public has towards art can be really fucking soul crushing man.
The worst thing is that art is constantly consumed (TV, movies, music) but people who make art in general are looked down upon.
@@NotDaveGahan very little of the TV, movies and music consumed by the general public can be called art.
could you spend 60 hours making a unique piece of art for the exposure? I have 6 followers on IG so you should feel honored to get to work for free.
piggybacking off this, I might even go so far as to say perhaps there is a correlation in the general public consuming garbage as entertainment and not having any respect or enthusiasm for art because they don't know what the fuck art even is@@1998Cebola
It's considered art whether you like it or not, you can't go around changing the definition of art. @@1998Cebola
This was the main reason my band broke up, we achieved some pretty cool things (played some major festivals, support tours, national radio blah blah) but ultimately made very little money
Like not enough for one person to live on, let alone four
We’re all in our late 20s and unfortunately the cost of living catches up with you
what band?
what band? i’d love to check it out
@@herojenni we were called Sarpa Salpa
I just checked your band out and the first song from your band is talking about this very thing. It's just really sad how bad things have gotten in the music industry.
@@crystalneth994 I was in a band that was meant to support you guys in Bristol a few years ago!
I always have and always will listen to full length albums
Please listen to The Sound Scientists once we release our first album. That’s my jazz fusion band. I’m really proud of what we’re making.
People are cucked by corporations and millionaires in general and have been convinced that we all don't deserve enough money to live.
Yeah fine, but no one wants to spend money on, oh I don't know - a music collection.
We wanna pay 10 a month to Netflix for effective infinite hours of video streaming, when it used to cost that to buy one DVD.
If no one is paying for anything, what do they need money for?
In the 1800's being an MP was unpaid so only rich people could get into Parliament, so only their needs were addressed. Now, getting your music on streaming is pretty much unpaid, so only rich people can afford to make a living off it. Something needs to change.
in my own experience, if I wanted graphic design experience, I'd need to to an internship, which would be unpaid. Entry level design jobs are one in a million. The creative industries are in a terrible place at the moment.
Rishi Sunak inherited 700 million from his dad and 'earns' ~£80,000 A DAY from the interest and rent on his assets. He's never had to work a day in his life. Boris and Cameron too. Nothing has changed.
@@JellyFlavoredGermanhis dad is a GP mate. Doctors earn a good wedge but there's no chance he left him 700 mill. You must be thinking of his wife.
This video made me think about the value music brings to my life, and I realized that I would happily pay $40-$50 a month for my spotify subscription, so I’m going to look into ways to put that money towards supporting my favorite smaller artists.
love you for this sentiment
I'd happily pay $50 a month for Spotify. No doubt.
I would rather never listen to music again than pay $50 for a monthly Spotify subscription.
@@borntoharanguethen don’t
Yup totally worth it
They need a union/guild like the screen actors/writers guild.
Taylor Swift would eat them if they tried
There used to be one too, but like most unions in the US it got destroyed a long time ago
@@suites.74she literally had her music from spotify for years for not paying artists well what are you TALKING about
There is one. In the US it's the American Federation of Music
@@hidbid1 that's not the same as collective bargaining.
Common James Blake W.
Holy shit it’s deathpile
fr fr
MARTHA
MY HIGHSCHOOL SWEETHEART
MY FIRST WIFE
MY FIRST WHORE
Indie music is when you are so rich that you don't need major label to sell your music
lol wot? As someone who is dirt poor and an independent musician, my reasoning and a lot of other artists reasoning is that it's preferable to be a smaller artist and be free than to be a bigger artist and locked into a contract where you not only have obligations, but also have to divide your income with a label and potentially get screwed over by some loophole
being an aspiring musician starting to work on my own music from a lower economic background, i appreciate this video
i really wish it was realistic for me to try to make a living from music
It feels like the realism in making it has to come with some demeaning actions and measures. A lot of sanding down to fit some unrealistic and boring level of perfection.
@@thecosmicblueautie that is why i am trying to develop skill as a sound designer as well as in music
i hope to one day use sound design work to fund my music, but even that isn't too realistic
i will probably continue low level manual labor jobs for a long time 🐛
From one struggle artist to another , I believe in you bby ❤️
Wasn't The Strokes' whole thing in the early days "Hey you wanna see what these rich guys can do?"
Only Julian's dad was really rich I thought?
@@Zren89nope all of them are super wealthy, literally met in private schools on the upper east side or boarding schools in Switzerland
Even his name is rich@@nativ3s268
I hate the industry right now. I struggle to eat, and struggle to choose between making good music, being a social media darling, getting paid properly, etc. I cannot stop doing what I love and I love that... but goddamn.
As an outsider, I feel so terrible for musicians atm. It’s an industry that doesn’t necessarily reward talent/hard work. But honest to god, there is still a market for good music, just keep trying and it will reach someone.
i just decided to go into a soul crushing field that would make a lot of money instead of doing anything creative. gg
i hope this doesn't come off as condescending but what stops you from making the music that gets you paid and making the music that you consider good? Not too sure about what job you have in the industry but is it like a full-time "shill" job that leaves you no energy to pursue the music you'd prefer to be making on the side?
Try dancers lol. @@samsonnicholas576
why is it mutually exclusive? do you work 24 hrs a day every day? i work a white collar job in aerospace and every single minute that im not "working," im making beats, learning piano, wriiting music, recording, etc. we need to normalize being normal human beings, working a day job, and making art as a passion-hobby. its way more fun that way. you have a job that pays the bills and then you can pursue ur passion on the side...work life balance!@@OakQueso
"My parents liked me" 🥲
Such a flex! 😅😂
@@Cnichal its just so moving because we don't always acknowledge that some people grow up twisted because their parents didn't like them and its so sad
I also appreciated that, as a kid who had one of Those relationships with their parents it really can be a barrier
There are too many barriers to artists, musicians in society now. Artists can't afford to live in cities anymore, there are fewer smaller/mid-sized venues for performers, music education is less funded, fewer ppl can afford seeing their favorite artists...it's just getting more difficult for artists to create, share and promote their art. The disparity is rampant and results in more nepotism as these ppl have the funds, security and networking to flourish. Of course art will continue to thrive in economic hard times, as we've seen throughout history, but are we at a turning point? Ppl can no longer live in New York, London, Toronto, LA, so how can new art n music be made in cultural centres if you're not elite? It's gonna be a struggle
Move to Tulsa (not joking)
As a rule of thumb: If you ever look at a societal problem and come out thinking it needs an individual solution, think again. Structural issues require a collective solution. Under capitalism, the music industry will continue to exploit work for maximum profit, creating an environment where success from scratch is borderline impossible, and even privileged artists end up getting the short end of the stick.
Building a society where people could work less, earn more, and have more time to devote to their artistic pursuits is the only true solution to this problem, and many others.
Sounds like late stage capitalism is the problem
Agreed. Socialism is the only way forward.
loving the call for political actions! Much needed!
The fact that Rashida Tlaib took the time to sponsor this bill and look out for working artists while her family is actively getting killed and she’s demonized in the press every day for the crime of not wanting to fund their killing…I respect this woman so much.
this is especially noticeable in modern country where they make songs about driving tractors and drinking beer even though they own private jets and stock options. I feel when it comes to blues and country it is a oxymoron to come from a rich background given the history of those two genres dating all the way back to the destruction of the civil war.
Anthony’s political analysis is getting better by the day
No
melon vs Ben shapiro when
@@mcbill7352 neither of them would want to because it’s a lose lose for both.
People often forget that there are human beings behind the art they consume.
It’s like they put artists on a pedestal while simultaneously erasing their humanity and holding them to impossible standards.
Artists need money to survive just like the rest of us. They have opinions not everyone agrees with just like us. Some of them are connected or come from money just like some of us. Does this mean they can’t pursue their dreams?
There’s a lot of spite and envy masquerading as virtue going around.
Your last sentence is a perfectly apt description of Twitter in general
May I suggest a fun little video on the topic? Envy by Contrapoints tackles this and many interesting related issues
your last sentence is literally what leftist twitter has been for years
Yeah I was gonna say, the "you're taking some else's spot!" argument is bs. It's all sour grapes and envy. I know everyone loves the underdog story, but rich people can be very talented as well.
Oh no won't someone think of those sad rich people?
🎵you wanna live like common people🎵
I remember the story that Frank Zappa had about the executives in the 60s willing to take more risks with the music being made, and what came out of it? A lot of great music and art that moved forward. Unfortunately, executives now are driven by algorithms, trends, and previous data they have collected. It may be irreversible unless a miracle happens.
They can't even base themselves on that, I remember the wave of artists not being able to publish unless something makes it out as viral and unfortunately now with the UMG pull, what are they supposed to
Let's not romanticize the 70s. If it's more risk, they'll take more percentage 😂
i dont get why yall are just now realizing that the music industry is RNG. its not like this is a new phenomenon, its been this way since the 50s
@@eewahnah Well, it might not help the discourse that we are having here, but making music and giving it out to the people is bigger than any paycheck I can get from a streaming or social media platform. It does not mean that we are supposed to work for free though. This is all a consequence of technology. Art is not for sale, therefore, I won't allow a record label to dictate how to make my music, so I will provide for myself through other means, and if that's what I have to do to make the music I want to make, then so be it. I'll do that for the rest of my life.
"unless a miracle happens" no absolutely not, unless people like you stop waiting around for things to change and help people like us to actually change things. miracles are childish naive lies, activism is the only thing that ever has or ever will save us
Seeing artists come out of seemingly nowhere with $1000 advertisements and a professional team really makes us true indie artists feel like it's not worth even trying. A true indie artist creating music and videos takes on the job of an entire marketing and production team.
this really james my blake
@HelpMeplease991 smells like nepotism to me mister
If your an artist. Don’t get discouraged keep creating yall. We do this because it’s much more than money. Keep going.
James is always right. Vote for James!
James Blake for President!
Ehhhh what about him working with NazYe recently like it was no big deal?
@@duhduhduhdiesel1436 Ye commited genocide?
@@RD-jr8nv of course not you disingenuous simp
i despise that Pitchfork overuses the word "share". "This artists _shares_ new single." They've really done their part to condition people into thinking music is free.
when i was in a touring band in the aughts, our bass player's dad was a CEO of a multibillion dollar company. He did literally nothing for us and didnt pay for anything of his. we still slept in a van most of the time
There were local bands negotiating for $1,000+ guarantees PLUS a percentage of the bar in the 1980s. Now music has been reduced to a hobby for those privileged enough to afford it. Today - the music equipment industry is nearly twice the size of the actual music industry itself.
As a music and visual artist who is struggling in Australia to find *any* job, I thank you IMMENSELY for shedding light on this issue!!
soon as you mentioned The Living Wage for Musicians act, i emailed my representative.
As long as rich kids don't start podcasts, I'm fine.
Mumford and Sons slowly backs away into the bushes
The arts are in a very difficult spot at the moment. Music artists don’t get paid, visual artists about to be replaced by AI in less executive jobs, animators somehow getting even more shafted. At least live theatre is doing well?
It’s steps in a process. You take away the artists and intellectuals. You miseducate populations with ignorance. Eventually, people no longer can think for themselves and are controlled by forces at play. Artists of any type usually begin social reconstruction, our modern technocracy doesn’t want that, they want complacency.
I think what the “you’re taking the spot of working class musicians!” people are missing is that the music industry doesn’t operate on a traditional model of a limited number of job openings going to a select few people with the best resumes. Like Anthony said in the video, it’s not a zero-sum game
Leave my multimillionaire Quadeca baby alone 😢
He’s had a suspiciously easy time going up the ranks of the music industry.
@@daikiraihatesutrue!!
@daikiraihatesu sorry are we playing a where's Waldo game of who's rich in the industry and who's not? Fuck off
@@daikiraihatesu Jesus christ, keep being bitter my guy
James Blake and Anthony Fantano are 100% right!! These younger adults don't want to pay for music, so why should music artists put in the time, energy and effort into making good to great music singles and albums? The era of great mainstream music, in general, ended in the 1990s! From the year 2000 to present, for every great song or album, you have 3 or 4 that are mediocre or just bad, horrible, terrible!! Streaming has fucked up the economics and the art form of music over the past 15 years!! It's sad but true!! So, don't blame the Music Artists!! Blame the streaming platforms and cheap ass adults that don't want to support their "favorite" music artists by buying their music!!
to build on one of Anthony's points, 100,000 monthly listeners on Spotify for a full year would make you $4,200 a year
Keep in mind there are likely several streams per listener
@@HereIsMySpoutExactly, 4200 a year is more like 100,000 streams a month
sheesh some of these people are truly doing this for the love of the game
Damn, the way Fantano just gets so many things. Makes me feel good man.
It's messed up how even being famous has become a gig economy job
Who remembers when James Blake was a dubstep bro?
bro was a classy British Dubstep artist it doesn’t count
Blake vs kode 9 a night to remember
@@TheTacticalMesshe was a chill British dubstep bro
post dubstep bru
@@chest_rockwell_0-0 no no, he did dubstep too
Wait you're telling me TONY FANTANO comes from an ITALIAN family????
What's next, Conan O'Brien is going to come out as Irish?
whether you believe they're "deserving" or not (which btw, who tf are you to say what somebody does or doesn't deserve?) you can't deny that rich people just have more time to focus on their craft, and thus, unsurprisingly, end up being quite good at it.
Beautifully put. Unfortunately the wealthy will continue to want to be artists for free (or even at a loss) because it's fun. There will never be a supply shortage of art, so there will never be a financial incentive for anyone to pay for it. Some people get very lucky and are able to make money doing their passion, but for the majority: work gives you money and is not fun; hobbies are fun and cost you money. You don't have a queue of wealthy people wanting to cook and clean for free! The expectation that you can do something super fun and interesting and get paid for it is not that realistic. I also think it's quite sad that the myth of using art to get you out of poverty keeps getting propagated; becoming an artist is an almost guaranteed way to remain poor. It makes me so sad. I wish I had an answer to this. ☹☹🙁
there definitely is a queue of wealthy people cooking and cleaning for others entertainment on TikTok
The problem is not that they are rich kids per se, the problem is that they are appropriating anesthetics that are borne out of working class struggle, not knowing anything about the historical relationship between genre and political struggle, but also claiming that, since they also had adolescent existential crisis, they understand what this is all about.
As long as someone is not fracking ocean like their father, they are good; do you aware of what the fuck are you saying?
@@9killerqueen very real, these kids are so out of touch but they get their rich friends to send over their bots to their posts and think they're the next Beatles...
When I was a teenager, I wanted to be a famous musician and got super jealous at my friends when their band released their first ep. When I got out of college I got a "real" job, and they actually tried to pursue that as a career. Now it seems so miserable to me.
I saw them all over Instagram being promoted heavily with their first single, saw there was nothing before that and was interested but quickly figured out why they were being so heavily promoted.
support working class artists you enjoy whenever possible, pls thx you -those streams aren't paying their bills.
brb buying a physical james blake album
Physical media should have a big comeback for big mainstream artists streaming should be for small artists
yea u go tell spotify that 😂
Yeah for real,we need robust and open source materials to be able to sell and promote our art!!
Physical sales are so important for an artist because it creates a broader opportunity to archive and preserve the art for that much longer (not that it matters at the end of the day)
Idk, I just wish there was more than "Bandcamp" to release physical copy of music to other people haha
Madlib has a website for all of his shit and it's as simple and easy to access as I can imagine a website being, I just wish there was an "Amazon" for music releases lol
Unfortunately the inverse is probably true. Big, mainstream artists are listened to more casually by many more people, and small artists are listened to more intensely by much fewer people. Physical media is making a comeback though, and I'm sure mainstream artists still have more physical media sales than smaller artists.
@@cassplss (to clarify, by "deserve it" I mean simply creating art, every artist should have a platform to create art.)
to summarize my long response, I think one of the more damaging things for artists is how music is promoted, only already popular artists get promoted l, not artists that deserve it.
I'm confused: why, specifically? what would that accomplish?
This was a similar case with the group E-An-Na when they participated for 2022s Romanian representation for Eurovision, and a pop singer with an experience in the field for 20, maybe 30 years including his side projects or stuff as a tween, now a judge, acted up over the band's members saying they have to mantain a day job or 2 in order to survive and have quality in what they make, mind you, the scene for indie here is absolutely fickle and thank fuck for some corporate hipsters for contributing to some culture and rage with what they have, but the discussion of being a 'professional musician' full time as a survival skill/day job took off so many legs but it came in handy when much of these people have to maintain a daily income and maybe get to fix their guitars and drum kits while being able to pay rent and utilities
Very similar to my feelings on the video game industry. So many of the issues people talk about from microtransactions to unfinished games and even the brutal hours forced on developers really come down to the people making the art not being paid enough. The original God of War cost $60 in 2005. The God of War in 2018 that is regarded by many to be one of the best games of the decade was also $60. Accounting for inflation, that's the equivalent of $37.60 in 2005. Games have gotten so much bigger and more expensive to make, and yet we're not even allowing them to adjust for inflation, let alone reflect the higher budgets and greater financial risk of larger productions. As a result productions get rushed, companies look for other ways to either cut costs or bring in additional revenue, and brilliant people who could be making great art get squeezed out of the industry because of the unsustainable demands it places on them.
if the game industry attempts to charge more money for soulless AAA "cinematic" slop, it will die overnight
The issue is that these games do not need to be so realistic and big, most of the biggest highest earning games now are smaller scale AA games like helldivers or fuck lethal company, no one is buying the 60$ slop unless it's exeptional like elden ring or baldurs gate, the issue with the industry is game company ceos running it entirely on formulas and algorithms, never taking any risks and bloating games with shit they do not need, the overwork comes just from greed of higher-ups, just look at blizzard how artists liked to work there until they started giving fake promotions that made one person do the job of five to save money
original god of war sales - 4 million
god of war 2018 sales - 23 million
thats where the difference is made up and why the price is the same
years of watching film documentaries have taught me that the camera angled crooked suggests that something in ominous in this video
11:33 Taylor Swift won't do anything that doesn't serve her. Same with Drake. and they're the two that actually do get paid from streaming services.
Being Italian and having no financial worries is everything I could wish for.
Completely agree with this video. Artists should change he industry!!
😂😂
good luck getting a group of more than 3 modern artists to agree on anything
@@al99795 I guarantee your ass every modern artist agrees with not wanting to starve to death
ayo I wasn't expecting Anthony to come in fresh as fuck at the end with some fresh as fuck news about something actually being done
I mean, if you zoom out wide enough, art has never been for poor people to create. The time investment alone to become a great requires sacrificing all else in pursuit of the best expression. Poor/working class artists don’t have that time, they have bills to pay.
It’s never been a level playing field though if you are really about it, you’ll find a way. Every time someone else says no and quits, that’s your opportunity to say yes, choose your fork in the road and keep it pushing.
The question you need to answer is, “How can I be productive enough to make a sustainable living from my music” and then work backwards from there.
Most of these issues break down to "don't hate the player, just hate the game". Compensate labor!!
I’d agree that the children of the privileged wanting to make music over continuing some exploitative enterprise could be a better outcome if their music and work wasn’t supporting an industry that seeks to sublimate the ills of society through art.
They passively support exploitative industries while actively distancing themselves through the art. Lin-Manuel Miranda is some incredible PR for his father.
James Blake is always right
this ties really well into a recent interview from everything everything where they said they cant afford to go more than 3 years without a new album because of how the industry works and it is really sad to see how little even established bands are artists are struggling to make it nowadays
She James on my Blake til I’m right
i’ve only bought a few vinyls in my lifetime. these are artists i could listen to forever. if streaming disappeared i would have some folks i could listen to. i think it’s high time people realized that music is art, and it costs something. we can all learn something from that fact.
I love how the mainstream promotes artists from lower economic backgrounds like Taylor Swift, instead of richer artists like Swans/Michael Gira
I talked to Gira for a little bit one time, his hands are scarred from construction jobs. He had enough money for beans on rice for meals everyday for a few years. The disparity that someone like him has to work so hard, but others climb the music industry ladder immediately, blows my mind. It all comes down to your parents and who they know.
Here in Brazil the situation is very peculiar, because in the last decade the music industry has been completely dominated by the "sertanejo" genre, something close to modern country. The central-western region of Brazil is known for its billionaire farmers and large estate owners. They finance country duos (yes, they come in double dose), and with the money, they dominate the space (composers, producers, radios, algorithms, festivals) and it's practically a David x Goliath fight for an independent artist to try to compete with them.
Now, they are practically linked to Brazil's hegemonic media (Globo network, which constantly publishes advertisements about how cool, good for the environment and pop agribusiness is) as well as the far right in the Congress and the wealthy protestant Church. The monster grows an extra head from time to time.
As a music producer ... the business aspect is crazy. It's hard to make music when you have a dark cloud of doubt and deceit looming over you.
Quadeca is hella fucking rich.
With AI Music getting better and better not even a global, massive musicians union would solve this comepletely at this point.
Those people who wrote those dark Sci Fi stories throughout the last 50-100 years really were on to something.
The thing about artists wanting to being paid that a lot of folks don't really understand is that it's not like musicians are asking for more money than they are worth. They are just asking for more of the money that is already being generated off of their work to go to them instead of into the pockets of shareholders.
Appreciate your perspective. Thanks for sharing!
I am a full time musician who had to gather other skills like mixing just so I could get a little more money and even with that I still made so little I could barely afford to pay my rent. So I started hunting for remote jobs (I’m Nigerian btw) found one that paid less than 2$ an hour and had to work 40hrs a week. I worked for about 4 months and quit cause I literally couldn’t create anymore. But I took all the money I saved and used it to shoot a live tiny desk-esque style video. I spent every single penny I had on promotion and marketing and barely got 12k views on RUclips. Made nothing off of it. As much as I love making music, I need to be able to live to make music and it’s getting harder to survive 🤦🏾♂️
Spot on takes yet again my friend. As an aspiring artist and producer it is the age of low skill barrier yet incredibly high financial barrier
I don't know what this vid is about but of course James Brown is right.
I feel good... So good.
Hey good for you
@@beafraid5467cause I got you
(wahow!)
@@beafraid5467 I got a hew
I feel nice (some sugar and spice)
I love doing music, but I never get money from the music I make. If you want to at least do enough money as a hustle you need to play the some music covers all the boomers want to hear in the bar or in weddings. When you want to present you own music, you have to either pay to rent the place and do your own event, which many times means losing money or getting even when you are lucky if you want to play in a decent venue. Is just all so tiresome.
I agree with James, we have been consuming music with such ease that it feels as if we're not actually paying for our music.
Even if you pay for a subcription, it's nothing compared to what you would be paying for getting 3 or 4 records each month.
But at the end of the day music is not a basic need and people should be paying for the product that they are consuming.
this may just be the most perfect video on the internet.
I feel like We had this conversation a 100 times
I don’t mind if artists came from wealth, just as long as:
- the art is actually good
- they don’t cosplay as poor people
This includes making music videos that disguise themselves as super DIY zero budget projects
The Last Dinner Party thing is such a non-issue. I know fantano brushed on the broad concept in the video, but it's worth pointing out two major reasons that we should not be surprised when bands come from very privileged backgrounds: 1. Music instruments are expensive. Sure, guitars are seen as kinda ubiquitous-although still not cheap-but being a teen with an instrument is something more regularly seen in fiscally stable homes. Some people can learn on their own, but a lot need music lessons. Instruments require upkeep, even something as silly as changing guitar stings can feel overwhelming when you're fiscally pinched. 2. Even when you as an individual is poor, when you come from a family with means there is a safety net for failure. You can afford to take that leap into unknown because if you fall flat, your parents can help even if it's just throwing you in the basement for a few months while you look for a job and get back on your feet.
Also the cost of music lessons. Unless you are some kind of savant you probably need a teacher for many years
The topic of how much streaming services pay is interesting because as far as I can tell a lot of artist did make fairly solid money selling albums before streaming, not like we'd really be able to put the genie back in the bottle on streaming but if we could, a lot of artists would be better off. On the other hand I do think the total accessibility of music is legitimately amazing. I'm nowhere near the level of someone like Anthony in terms of how many new albums I thoroughly listen to each year, but I had at least 20 albums last year that I gave pretty thorough attention, if I wanted to add all 20 to my library in the CD age that would be a $200 investment which is pretty big, but for relatively little, especially if you can deal with ads, a lack of money does not prevent you from listening to dozens of new albums a year, and it's pretty cool that now people especially young people can just jump into idk Bowie's whole discography without having to pay a ton. There's definitely value in so much access to music that it would be a shame to lose it by going back to CDs if we could. Not to mention even if we did go back to CDs there would still be plenty of artists that struggle to get record deals and get their feet off the ground who on spotify might be able to gain more of a footing.
I think it's interesting, because I think music could still be available for free to check out on platforms like RUclips, where there would be ads and such. But for unlimited access to an album, or for it to be on your phone, in your car, on the go, etc. I think people should be paying full price. It makes no sense that all of this is just given away. In no other industry is it okay to just gain full access to everything for free. We still have to buy books, movie tickets, and video games are over $100 brand new (where I live at least). Yeah, it's convenient for the consumer, but does that make it right? Stealing food and clothing from a store would be very convenient if were possible, but you immediately think, no that's unlawful. So why is it okay for us to demand musician's work be readily accessible in our pockets wherever we go? People absolutely should be buying music.
I don't understand why non-billionaires attack artists, workers, union members when we say we deserve more pay. We need class solidarity!
I believe as long as there are people who are interested in artists in underground scenes and niches genres there will always be audience for longer pieces of music and full albums
“Anthony changed his outfit” Anthony dressed like he filmed a fitness tape in the 80s
Same with almost all art, it's down to being financially free to try and build a career without having to worry about where your next meal is coming from
If people don't like the fact that their favourite artist/band comes from money... I would suggest, firstly, growing up and secondly... go throw out all the old records written by great, money-backed artists. You'll be throwing out a lot of music.
It's poverty cosplay. The Strokes did it, Kid Rock sure as hell did it. I don't mind rich people making music, but they need to be upfront about their background.
Yeah that’s the real issue. I don’t care if an artist is rich unless they are profiting off ‘poor aesthetic’. Then I have a problem.
@@jasondecember673 Like Coldplay. I can't stand their music, but at least they've never tired to hide the fact that they're from rich families. I can respect that.
"Their existence is a crime! Their seat; their robes; their land-deeds; their higher gods - they're the crime!" 😆
I quit music because I was playing arenas of 10,000+ people and I was homeless and living in my friend's spare room because I couldn't afford rent.
The issue is much wider than the music industry. The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer because our governments aren't doing their fucking jobs. They're supposed to represent the people but they're selling us out for campaign donations.
I'm 42 so yeah I'm probably going to sound out of it but it seems like historically, when the world is at it's shittest, music is at it's best. Post Wars, Cold War, Punk, Thatcherism (uk) ... there's a rebellion and the real people rise up through art. Now i know we're all going through a weird and shit time but it really doesn't feel like art is keeping up this time round. Where are the angry kids?
I had to screenshot your comment because it reflected all of my thoughts to a tee. I'm really concerned there isn't enough of a fight back. It seems that people would rather cave under the pressure of the current music industry than do anything about it.
I fucking love everything about this video esp everything that was said starting at 4:55. I think about this so much and it bothers me that I don’t think I’ve heard anyone else with this take
Great vid, I think a lot of people with their hearts in the right place tend to have a kneejerk reaction against people validly complaining about an issue that affects them, so long as the person criticizing is more well off than them. These streaming platforms have to change if these small creators want a chance at affording a living doing music full time.
It's crazy that like 5 years later there's still RoachDoggJr's hanging around lol
@@DM-qi5zj Roaches never die
I have a handful of friends who are playing EDC this year, and all of them still don't make enough to do music full time. Touring barely makes money unless you're playing festivals or stadiums, and even then sometimes you don't get paid for a gig for months. Money from streaming/tiktok is laughable. Going into music full time is so financially risky if you're not at the top or you don't have rich parents
thanks for speaking up on this topic. while u might have a point to not be too angry at privileged musicians making it big, it's definitely time to be angry at all artists of privileged background making it big and the HIDING how they became so big and pretending to be an over-night-sensation. this just keeps up the incredibly unjust system of major labels. there is a lot of these stories, cough billy eilish cough and soooo many more where labels will hide everything to make it seem organic when in fact its just nepotism and old money all over again. I personally know a guy who's father went golfing with the CEO of Universal Music in Dubai and guess what, he got a contract with Universal for extremely mediocre sing-songwriter music. and this dude is still living off his very mediocre music. happens all the time. needs to be called out way more!