The music industry needs to go Darwinian
Rather fittingly the story of music piracy in Britain starts on the high-seas, when in 1964 Radio Caroline started broadcasting from a radio ship anchored off the coast of Essex.
Since then music piracy has evolved with a Darwinian precision. With each mutation it has become more widespread, easier to replicate and harder to stop. Different formats may have come and gone but the strongest have always flourished.
The pinnacle of this technological evolution so far is file sharing, and it is proving to be the hardiest mutation yet.
But are the stories that file-sharing is killing the industry really justified? Is it taking so much money out of the industry that the labels can no longer gamble on new artists or is it merely putting the power back into the palms of the little man?
File sharing as a medium is ruffling so many feathers that the government is currently trying to push the Digital Economy Bill through parliament in an effort to curb its relentless expansion. The Bill, which includes plans to suspend the internet accounts of those found illegally file sharing, is proving popular with those at the top of the music industry, although less popular with consumers, artists and service providers.
The big-boys of the industry are keen to tell us that artists, producers and record labels alike are fed up with file sharing, saying it’s taking money away from the established artists and making it hard for up-and-comers to make any money.
However, when quizzed the amateur and semi-professional musicians on music site MP3unsigned.com didn’t seem to share this view. A poll conducted for The Surrey Sonar on the popular music site showed that 81% of unsigned artists surveyed believed file sharing could help them find an audience and ultimately make money in the music industry
Chicago electro producer Markoboko said: “In a way, piracy is a good thing. If what you're producing is really good, it will find its audience and the audience will want more of you. The Internet will help you find the audience by sharing.”
“In the past, sheet music got copied, tapes got copied, CDs got copied, mp3s got copied. Whatever new format comes around, it will be copied”
So who are we to believe? The big-wigs and their claims the industry is being decimated, or the up-and-coming artists, who say that if anything, file-sharing is a good thing?
Recent figures released by the BPI (British Phonographic Institution) show that music sales increased 1.4% in 2009, banking the music industry £928.8m in total sales. This is however the first growth they have seen since 2003.
Part of this resurgence is down to the ever increasing popularity of free, ad supported music streaming services like Spotify and Deezer, which saw an annual sales increase of 247%.
However, despite its popularity the ad-supported free streaming model is being shunned by some record labels, with Warner Brothers, home to artists such as Lily Allen and Green Day, being the latest company to drop its support.
Edgar Bronfman Jr, head of Warner brothers said: “The 'get all your music you want for free, and then maybe with a few bells and whistles we can move you to a premium price' strategy is not the kind of approach to business that we will be supporting in the future."
It would seem the obvious truth is that like file sharing services such as Spotify are popular because they’re free. People tend to like things that are free.
Music piracy has grown over the years because it’s followed the laws of evolution, it’s adapted to its environment, mutating to match the needs of the listener.
The legal music business hasn’t. Many years ago it picked a business model it liked and has stuck to it ever since. While the world around it has changed, it’s refused to mutate to better fit its environment.
To compete the music industry has to go Darwinian.
File sharing may be the current threat, but like CDs or cassettes it will one day be replaced by something better, something more in tune with the needs of the world.
If the music industry refuses to change with the times it will continue to fight a losing battle. It needs to be ready to constantly adapt, always keeping an eye out for an opportunity to change for the better.
Maybe they’re evolution will see some at the top making a little less money. Maybe we’ll see the balance of power shift more fairly towards the creative end of the music business, the musicians.
Maybe that’s a good thing.
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