2008...Music

Soo, now that we're done being excited about it being 2008, it's back to business. There's much to look back on in 2007, like, you know, everything.

I feel more comfortable leaving music recaps to Jheez, who actually knows what he's talking about. But I can contest his "most relevant musician of 2007" award, which yesterday he (without much ceremony, sadly) bestowed upon Daft Punk. I, on the other hand, proudly give the award to...

...

Britney Spears!!


Just kidding.

I think, in all honesty, that Radiohead deserves the honor--as much for the way they sold In Rainbows as the music itself.

The fact is that music as we know it is in serious danger unless somebody can muster some kind of creative way to make money through music without hampering the development music itself.

Here's the way I see it: music as we know it--I mean, contemporary 2008-type stuff--has been built for the most part around a structure of dissemination that is fundamentally democratic and universal. In other words, the internet. So much known music today has budded thanks to listeners' ability to get SO MUCH music! This way, little acts have grown into big ones, and high school bands end up with a trillion views on their myspace page.

These bands eventually can sign with the record companies, and then the record companies make a bunch of money. Great.

The point is, by bringing lawsuits and trials and whatever to the people who are discovering these bands (meaning, anyone who has ever downloaded some indie crap), the music industry--which is hardly the actual industry anymore, really--is cutting off one of the main ways musicians are developed. They are biting the hand that feeds them.

(By the by, way to go University of Oregon in fighting this ridiculous pattern!)

As the for artists, well, they're pretty much screwed either way. They can sign with the "industry" and get 5 cents an album, all while going on the road 300 days a year to make real money. Or they can throw their stuff all over the internet, via youtube, myspace, etc. etc., all while going on the road 300 days a year to make real money.

You dig?

And now it's left for someone to come up with a way to make money while still utilizing their ability to remain artistically independent and distribute their music.

Radiohead has tried one way, and in my opinion they deserve real credit for it. They are the most relevant band in 2007 then, because of the potential impact that year's album could have on all of music forever.

Besides, Jheez's Radiohead countdown earlier this year was just gold.


Who knows what 2008 will bring regarding the music "industry," let alone the actual artists themselves. We'll be watching...

For example, rumors are circulating about Jay-Z starting a record label with Apple. He said in an interview with Billboard last month that the old way of selling CDs just isn't "exciting" for him anymore.

Here we go...