How should we compensate artists for music on the Internet? I have a new idea and I’d love your feedback.
As I’ve mentioned previously, music is not secure on the Internet — not on iTunes, GarageBand or any website, including Broadjam. Files can be protected, but as long as there are two cables running out of the computer to the speakers, music can be copied. Music is protected on the Internet by copyright law, but copyright law has yet to catch up with technological innovation. With that said, wouldn’t it be great if every writer, artist, publisher and label were paid every time a song was downloaded or illegally attached to an email? It’s technically possible, but politically impossible.
So here’s the idea: Artists would be paid out of money collected by Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and administered through a song rights organization (PRO) like ASCAP or BMI.
When you use the phone, you pay for it. If you use extra minutes on your cell phone, you pay for it. So is it unreasonable to propose that if you use more bandwidth, you pay for it? If you want to download a million songs, then go for it. This billing technology is in place, as Broadjam knows all too well. The more bandwidth we use, the more we pay. But this model doesn’t apply to households. It could, and I think it should.
How would the ISP know whom to pay? If they monitor the actual content with waveform comparison algorithms, a recording could be exactly identified when sent from one Internet location to another. Also, there would be no need for ID3 tags or watermarks for privacy as the recording would be matched exactly. One of our partners, Mediaguide, already has this technology in place to monitor radio airplay, and I’d like to explore whether it could be adapted for this purpose.
One problem with this theory is the violation of privacy. I believe we should be able to download anything we desire without Big Brother monitoring it. If privacy guarantees could be put in place, this could be a solution that works for everyone, including big and small labels, publishers and most importantly, songwriters and artists.
And consumers could get any music, anytime and receive a bill from the ISP at the end of the month. So if “Johnny” downloads too many songs and “Mom” gets a whopping bill, downloading in that household would slow or stop.
Of course, to most in the industry, this idea is a little whacked. The old-fashioned compensation model for artists is fiercely protected because there is a lot of money at stake, and any significant changes would require an unprecedented level of cooperation unlikely to happen soon.
For years, the music industry tried to make online music sales work with Pressplay, Musicnet and others. Music sales on the Internet were not thoroughly validated until Apple launched iTunes. Now they are, and they’ll only grow from here. I do believe the model will evolve into a format similar to the one I mentioned above, possibly incorporating subscriptions.
I don’t believe the next technological revolution will come from any of the major players. It will be a small guy in the business or someone outside the music industry, in the same way that satellite radio, sampling keyboards and Apple’s iTunes emerged.
I just hope that whatever shakes out, artists and songwriters get their fair share. It’s long overdue.
Roy
Yes, I think it’s a great idea that good quality work should be financially rewarded and if there’s a tool that makes the job of making money easier, let’s use it. I’m all for this idea of Roy’s, albeit a lot of development work would be required.
However, application and dedication, attention to detail, effective self-exposure etc
I don’t have anything to add to the topic on a technical level but I wanted to address Dencity and his last post: Do you know any musician who’s in it for the money? I don’t, and as someone who’s been fighting tooth and nail to keep pursuing music, just to upkeep a piano, get rehearsal space, pay for whatever costs me (See, I’m in it to lose money) I think there are easier ways to make money than with music, and that I would’ve been discouraged from playing music a long time ago if I weren’t in it for the music. I play music because I can’t *not* play music. Come to think of it, this in itself is vanity, so I’m doomed anyway.
Vanity or not, I also think musicians should get paid for their work in the same way doctors are paid for theirs–we’ve put in the time to learn our craft, too, and our lessons aren’t free, either. For me, wanting to get paid for the music I create is out of need to keep a roof over my head. Sure, I’ll sing for free like I sang for free this past Monday night at a downtown club where tons of unknown singers sing for “exposure”, but I’m not going to say no to a paying gig because I’m happy doing free ones, thank you.
But I can see the problem of charging people to hear a song turning them away. Free music online is good promo: I agree. After all, people like to get stuff for free. I pay for CDs because I want to, because I know how much work goes into the making of a CD, indie or otherwise. Anyway, we could just give snippets instead of whole songs but people are usually moved when they hear a song in its entirety. I don’t even like when radio shows clip (butcher) the ends of songs. My point is Music has value and a place and function in the world and I would hate to see it devalued.
As for big bro, like we’re not being watched anyway.
Every time I buy something online, I’m sure they keep a log of where I visit and what I buy. Thanks for reading.
Sali Oguri
I totally agree with you Shanebaker. Music heard is music heard. Musicians tend to forget that a fan is the best form of marketing. They talk about you, bring you to parties, bring you to work, play you in the car, and sometimes even play you when there in the mood. A fan is the best marketing tool a musician can have. Why not give them a free sample. I understand that it cost a lot of money to make a cd. The recording, engineer, mix down, mastering, art, cd duplication. Trust me, I remember. Some of my best friends are people that trade music. Large amounts of music! But these are also the people that follow the same bands on tour in the states as well as in Europe. They check the website every day. They buy all the dvds and cds because they love the band. They help handout fliers. I can honestly say that I have listen, seen, and even bought cds and other merch from some of these new favorite bands because of this friend. But I need to hear it before I buy it. We all want to make money, but if money is the only reason you keep creating music, why continue?