The end of music ownership?
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As a composer, I’ve been following the ins and outs of digital music for a while. I think it’s fascinating to see where people think the world is going in terms of music and distribution in particular.
For a long time people have been discussing ways in which the music industry needs to adapt. It seems fairly clear that downloading music is part of the new norm. Younger generations are starting to feel that there is nothing wrong with downloading music for free. The industry can fight it (like they did with radio at first), or they can embrace it (like they did with radio later).
Christopher Fahey over at graphpaper.com has an interesting blog post where he discusses the end of music ownership.
Last.fm’s announcement that they will be allowing their users to listen to full-length versions of millions of music tracks is one of the final nails in the coffin of the traditional recorded-music industry. Owning music is dead. The new business model for making money in the music industry is simple: Design a better music distribution system. Or, simply put, build a better user experience for music listening.
He goes on to discuss some ways that the industry can adapt to the new model, and I think he makes a valid point. The ownership of music is no longer the priority of the industry: it’s all about value-added services. It’s a similar trend in many industries as we move into the information age. I don’t see the desire to have physical objects diminishing, but it’s not enough to just have the object, especially objects we can get anywhere.
Take cell phones. Cell phones are ubiquitous. Cell phone companies can’t compete by just selling phones. Phones and service are fairly similar throughout the cellular sphere (the recent exclusivity of the iPhone to AT&T not withstanding). What makes the difference are the bells and whistles: cameras, text messaging, planners, comprehensive address books, internet access. Those are the things selling services. How extensive the network, the clarity of the call and the number of “free” minutes also sell plans. That is where music is headed.
The music is necessary to drive interest in the value-added services. Live concerts give a feeling of immediacy that music has always had. At these concerts, many bands sell apparel, program books and other merchandise. These are ways for ownership, but in this instance are still value-added. The music is the thing that brings you in the door. Everything else adds to the experience. As Fahey says, the experience becomes everything.
It relates similarly to what Seth Godin mentions as permission-based marketing. (He also has a riff on what to do when things are free.) Musicians are breaking the century-old mold of ownership by changing what ownership means. They are creating a sense of ownership not of individual discs or bits, but of the concept of ownership in a band. By seeking your permission to collect your contact information (usually associated with a promise), then delivering on whatever they may have promised, musicians create a new network. A network that is devoted to that particular musician or band. That network then becomes a great source of drive, whether that is in greater music sales, additional permission links or something else entirely, something we have yet to imagine. That is the new music ownership.
I know that as I continue to make music I will try to embrace this new ideal. It’s not about the recorded copy, it’s about the commitment of the artist(s) to embrace the audience, provide ownership in the music makers and provide something beyond the music. It could be advice on how to start your own music career, how to write a song, how to get performers. It could be t-shirts, sweaters for dogs, mouse pads. It could be early tickets to concerts, spending time engaging with the audience, reaching out to emerging students/artists. It could be something we have never considered. It will be a new kind of ownership. How will you help create that new style?
