March 5, 2002

12:27 PM

How many CDs do you have to sell to afford that BMW?Find out how much money musicians don't make with the Royalty Caculator.
posted by BarneyFifesBullet (4 comments total)

This will do nothing to discourage those with the stars in their eyes; I'm not sure anything would. All the more incentive to buy CD's direct from the artist whenever you can, at least it eliminates one level of middleman.
posted by tommasz at 1:30 PM on March 5, 2002

Some of your friends are probably already this fucked. - classic essay by Steve Albini breaks down the mechanism behind music royalties.
posted by twitch at 5:08 PM on March 5, 2002

Option 1: Don't sign the deal (unless you've signed a binding deal memo like Albini describes).

Option 2: Sell your own records and hope for the best.

Option 3: Wait for a few superstars to band together to form their own label - as film stars did with United Artists. They would hire a marketing/promotions whiz from a major label, and use major label promotion techniques with more equitable artist contracts. Ride their coattails.

Option 4: Play for the love of music and don't worry about a deal.

Option 5: Sign the deal.
posted by neuroshred at 5:49 PM on March 5, 2002

option 6 : skid violently away from record companies and self promote. Ani DiFranco did it, although her music doesnt quite do it for me.
posted by Satapher at 7:31 PM on March 5, 2002