‘Everything Must Change’ – Part 2
By Errol Michael Henry
I’ll get to the point now and you’ll see why I am not overly concerned that that ‘old regime’ is slowly sliding off a cliff. Yes, times are hard and many unbelievably talented people are struggling to put food on the table. Yes, truly gifted artists are having doors closed in their faces on a daily basis. Yes, their has been a huge divide created between the very large companies and the very small ones that used act as ‘feeders’ to the big boys – but all of that is just fine with me. Back in the day, the music industry (it didn’t have a name back then) was essentially made up of peculiar folk who made up stuff and performed it wherever they could. Later on, the Music Hall was born and people went somewhere to watch someone doing something.
A little later still, some smart arse had the idea that writing these compositions down on paper and selling song sheets to Joe Public so that he could go home and entertain himself was the correct thing to do. I-tunes allows people to buy what they want and play what they want: it’s not a revolution: merely a digital evolution. Much later still, another smart arse decided that people shouldn’t need to trouble themselves by leaving their homes: they should purchase recordings of compositions they liked and play them at home. Can you see a pattern developing here? Every time some smart arse invented a new means of delivering music to consumers: the old ‘industry’ had two choices – adapt or die. We face the same choices today. The biz ain’t what it was, but it will be what it will be.
“Everything must change – nothing stays the same.” We can either embrace those changes (and the challenges that come as part of the package) – or we can continue to digest the haunting refrain of “we are doomed”. Yes, this new music industry is difficult to fathom, but why is that a problem? The cream rises to the top. Only the strong survive and all that jazz. Intelligent, diligent and trustworthy people will increasingly collaborate and change the way the music industry works. Creative people will continue to create, but the process of simply earning money from selling recordings just won’t be enough on its own to make everyone rich.
Don’t panic people! Everything must change, but it is up to the professionals who live in this extremely privileged creative eco system to ensure that when Joe Public wants to spend his (or hers) hard-earned money on entertainment: we have something worth owning or paying to go and see. The music industry has always re-invented itself and the demise of one incarnation has nearly always given rise to another. “Young becomes the old: mysteries do unfold, but that’s the way of time.” Everything must change and I am delighted to back doing what Love and having a contribution to make to the development of music production, marketing distribution and performance. I am looking forward to seeing exactly how the mysteries unfold and will keep you suitably informed – until then: ‘let the music play!’
Read Part 1 of ‘Everything Must Change’
©2016 Errol Michael Henry/EMH Global Media LTD, All Rights Reserved.