B
ack in the old days of the pre-internet music biz, getting your album “out there” still was a big deal. Every independent artist that actually managed to squeeze their album in on the ever-short rack space of the traditional bricks and mortar-retailers had due reason to be proud, as this by all means was sort of an achievement, even for artists actually signed for a record deal. The most notable reason for this was the fact that the whole distribution chain was controlled by the record labels – an essential aspect that proved to be the very backbone of their market domination. For the labels, having the power over the distribution channel meant being the sole gatekeeper to decide on which artists to be introduced to the potential customers. And since the superstar-album combination was the ultimate cash cow of a healthy market that saw increasing revenues every year, upcoming acts had a hell of a hard time to be considered for distribution when new releases by any of the established platinum acts were scheduled.
For the last ten years it was the record labels’ loss of power over the distribution channel that was (and still is) the ultimate reason for their massive struggle within an irretrievably changed environment. However, with the emergence of digital distribution companies, things have also changed for new and upcoming artist. When it comes to getting your music in digital shops like iTunes, Amazon or Beatport, they now find themselves on a potentially level playing field with the likes of Lady Gaga, Katy Perry or David Guetta. Today, offering your music to the world is no problem anymore. All it takes is signing up with one of the many companies offering digital music distribution to all the major downloadshops, and your music can be legally purchased by fans across the globe. Today, the tables have truly turned as this change represents a new situation of music distribution completely unthinkable in the pre-internet age. Your music, out there, for the whole world to buy – what’s not to love about it?
Unfortunately, this great advantage also turns out to be the crucial factor where the idea of a potentially leveled playing field comes to an abrupt end. We will take a closer look at the consequences in the next episode of this blog. Stay tuned!
