to own the rights to her music

 Taylor Swift rereleased her Red album recently in an affort to own the rights to her music.

Taylor Swift 

Back in November of 2020 Taylor talked about a sale of her masters to a third party. This transaction occurred without her knowledge or permission. Taylor started rerecording those albums and Red is the second one.  

Red is raking in the streams.

A post on morningbrew.com was the source for this post.

problem with being a producer

A group of lawyers and music producers are working toward reforming the payment system. Modern albums come out fast. This catches producers by surprise. Once the music is released, it's difficult to get paid.

Great things get lost in the sauce. Royalties make up a lot of the money. Producers won't get paid royalties until the artists make back the costs and advances are paid back or met.

Major labels use third-party accounting systems. That doesn't help much for the producer. The only option is to follow up.

A solution is out of reach for young producers. The music industry's building blocks are being neglected.


To learn more, read the post from Rolling Stone: You Produced a Hit! Now Good Luck Being Paid

15 great double albums

Bold statements from artists. We get them from time to time. They are double albums.

Here is a link from goliath.com about 15 great double albums.

The 15 Greatest Double Albums in  Rock History 

More on the coronavirus:

Why coronavirus is so successful

What we know keeps changing on coronavirus

suspension of large music events urged

Live Nation, AEG, CAA, WME, Paradigm and UTA have joined together to recommend a worldwide postponement of large live music events in March.

 

A growing number of film releases, including Fast & Furious 9, No Time to Die and A Quiet Place Part II, have also been postponed.

Here the link to the story on The Guardian: Urge Suspension of Music Events 

Summary of Today's Events from The Guardian

forging heavy metal

Ever take a trip back to find music that help define "heavy metal"? This can be a journey that gives us memories of our days gone by and a chance to discover music that we're not all that familiar with.

I came across a post on guitarworld.com that has 20 heavy songs that may be on a playlist or two of yours. If not, you might consider adding them.

Here's the link to the post: 20 Heavy Songs Before Black Sabbath

led zeppelin history

I came across a nice history of Led Zeppelin. It is a post in rollingstone.com that gives us a view from the beginning.

Robert Plant and Jimmy Page. Circa 1968.  (Getty)

Their first show was in Denmark.
Here's the link to the post: HOW LED ZEPPELIN CAME TO BE

streaming plus vinyl

There has been a slip in sales of music CD's. Music stores are getting rid of CD space and making room for vinyl sales product. Vinyl has strummed a nostalgic chord.

As the chart above shows, the decline in sales has been on a steep slide. CD's are still viable with consumers going for certain genres like country and soundtracks. It does boil down to less CD sales.

Vinyl has made a comeback. Vinyl sales started to climb in 2006. Vinyl sales hit a 25-year high in 2017. Vinyl is seen as the medium of the den and the living room.

 

Streaming has increased among consumers. The car and the kitchen are the most popular streaming locations. 

CD's are still needed, especially for touring acts. It's so much easier to sell CD's at the merch table.

This Rolling Stone article is the source for this post.

the mood machine

The tech industry is in the business of quantifying our emotions.

Mining emotional states to give A.I. projects something to go on is big business. Measuring human emotion has given rise to new facial recognition programs. The list goes on to include "emotion AI" to measure human emotion.  

Put this technology in a platform like Spotify to manipulate human emotion and we see a powerful tool for mining data given to advertisers. Apparently Spotify touts itself as a mood-boosting platform. 

Spotify also touts that it is a platform for brands. This means that it is good for business, or we are at least being told that. Spotify tells us that it is a place to feel good. 

So if you need a lift in the morning, you know where to go. Personalization is key. Personalization is how Spotify sells users its product. This is how Spotify gets listening data to sell to corporations. Your listening data. 

As we move forward with newer and newer technologies to track people's habits and predict what they'll do next, we must remain aware of what;s really going on.

This post from The Baffler was the source for this post

quantity rules, for now

With 3.9 million "creators" on Spotify, and 40,000 tracks uploaded to that platform daily, is it any wonder why we get the notion that there is too much music? Major record labels are signing artists at a rapid pace. Large labels keep signing new artists to keep market share going them and not to the smaller labels. Smaller labels will sign more and more new artists. Does this mean the major labels will sign more artists? Probably. In 5 years new music will most likely spike. Will this  be too much music? One could argue that there is too much music now.

There is a post on musicbusinessworldwide.com that states 18.8 billion dollars was generated in 2018 by the global record industry.

Of the three majors, Universal Music was the biggest winner over the course of the year, pocketing 31% – or $5.82bn of the total $18.8 billion earned by the recorded music industry, seeing its market share increase by 0.6 points to 30.3%.

Major record labels enjoy a combined 69.2% market share. On the other hand, the market share for artists releasing music by the Artist Direct method grew 35% to earn 643 million dollars in 2018.

Artist Direct and independents accounted for 30.8% of market share in 2018. 

More artists will be signed by major labels because of market share.

In 2018 streaming became the majority of record label revenue. Revenue came in at 9.6 billion dollars, up 30%. Streaming is the avenue of growth. The overall engine for growth is streaming. This shift alone is giving artists new ways to market themselves. New, custom-built models are needed to aid artists in development. 

The major record labels will continue signing new artists. New music galore. Why? The major labels do not want to concede market share. 

Quantity not quality. 

This is an old notion that has stood the test of time. I can remember the Mercury Nashville artist roster in 1991. Small. The quality was superb. Some other labels had larger rosters and the quality seemed layered. Their major artists got more attention. That's predictable I know, but some of the second layer artists that had excellent material, were ignored to a degree. This meant several options within a record label's structure as far as single releases, promotion, and marketing.

This "layered" way of doing things is alive and well in the large-rostered record labels. It will continue for about another 5 years. A new model, using more platforms, will be initiated to promote more artists. New platforms will be created. Some will be real good and others not so much. But there you are.

Keep listening. Enjoy.

 

 

 

dylan's nashville skyline

Bob Dylan's 9th studio album Nashville Skyline has turned 50 years old.

No one was anticipating a traditional country music album from Dylan.

"These are the types of songs that I always felt like writing when I've been alone to do so." 

The album was a different vocal style for Dylan. He created a new vocal persona to match his style of music. 

Nashville Skyline was recorded in 4 days

Here is the link to the Rolling Stone story about the album.

Nashville Skyline was a vocal change for Bob Dylan. https://t.co/nsuuN90SUo via @RollingStone The album turns 50. It opened up country rock. #savingcountrymusic #BobDylan #musichistory

— Mike Bertelsen (@mikebertelsen) April 12, 2019

honky tonk time machine

Congratulations to George Strait. His album Honky Tonk Time Machine is number 1 on the Billboard Album Chart. His 27th album to do so.

The single is Every Little Honk Tonk Bar is showing promise on the country airwaves. 

Saving Country Music has an excellent story on George's latest effort.

Let's enjoy this.

 

George Strait Is Back On Top with “Honky Tonk Time Machine," and In More Ways Than Onehttps://t.co/K4wwTxT0eL

— Saving Country Music (@KyleCoroneos) April 9, 2019

reba mcentire's new album

Stronger Than the Truth is Reba McEntire's new album.

Reba has gotten back to her roots. Two songs stand out with me. Tammy Wynette Kind of Pain and No U in Oklahoma.

Reba

 No U in Oklahoma is a western swing tune co-written by Reba. This album is full of strength and emotion. It also has variety. 

Reba's No U in Oklahoma

Reba's Tammy Wynette Kind of Pain

Here's the full album review from Saving Country Music

Reba's contribution to country music is pure and full of feeling. She keeps that going with this album.

Album Review – Reba McEntire’s “Stronger Than The Truth”https://t.co/54J34VuI5S

— Saving Country Music (@KyleCoroneos) April 5, 2019

margo: singing to middle america and beyond

I found an article from the Washington Post about Margo Price. She started singing to middle America as a youngster, influenced by Tom Petty. Petty's music was a favorite of hers. She got into country music to get here foot in the door and ventured away for a time to voice her views on social issues. Country radio doesn't usually go for artists who share their views about the social scene. That didn't stop her.

Spotify's Margo Price billboard in Nashville

Price has found fans all over the United States. She has played at several outlaw country festivals where her following has grown. She has several folks in her corner. Willie Nelson, Loretta Lynn, and Kris Kristofferson, to name just three.

Price's tune All-American Made tells the story of people struggling through everyday life. It strikes a chord of hope and improvement with me. It told me not to give up. Keep going. Do what you do with care and determination. That's what Margo does.

She is nominated for best new artist at the Grammys tonight. I have this feeling she'll get it.

ken burns' country music

Documentarian Ken Burns, who looked at the history of jazz in 2001, will focus on country music for his next PBS series. Burns theorizes that through country music, we can get a better understanding of the American experience.

Burns

 Country Music is a good story to tell and Ken Burns is going to tell it.

Source for this post from BrooklynVegan 

william michael morgan

This artist is with Warner Bros. He has been an advocate of traditional country music. He has explored country's roots. William Michael Morgan's new efforts are with the traditionalist in mind.

Morgan

William Michael Morgan has spoke. His opinion tells us he cares and has concern for country music. 

Morgan has said he would like to record with Margo Price.

Source for this article from Saving Country Music: About the State of Country Music

dwight yoakam 2019 tour

Dwight Yoakam is going on tour in 2019.

Here are some of the dates:

• January 17 - Dubuque, Iowa at the Five Flags Center
• January 18 - Sioux City, Iowa at the Orpheum Theater
• February 21 - Springfield, Illinois - Sangamon Auditorium
• February 23 - Wheeling, West Virginia - Capitol Theater
• Charleston, West Virginia - The Clay Center
• Council Bluffs, Iowa - Harrah's 

Here's a complete list of the concert dates and venues: Dwight 2019 Tour

If you don’t see a date close to you, don't fret, he’ll likely have more dates to come.

2019 should be a good year for Dwight. Remember when Johnny Cash called Dwight the best voice in country music ever? I don't either, but when I read that, it was cool. Thanks Johnny!

 

randy houser and a new album

On January 11th Randy Houser releases a new album. It's called Magnolia.

Houser has also created a movie of the same name that brings to life the lyrics of the project.

“Magnolia tells my story but also tells the story of running away from something while not knowing exactly what you’re running to” - Randy Houser

Randy Houser

With a difficult shooting schedule, he had to push back the release of the album.

Read about his story on Taste of Country 

.

His album is one of the most anticipated in 2019 according to Saving County Music.

Many of the signs are pointing to many positives about this album.

saving country music's most essential albums

Saving Country Music has released their review of 2018 albums.Saving Country Music has reviewed a record number of albums (78) in 2018. 

Here are a few of what was featured.

• Pistol Annies - Interstate Gospel 
• Cody Jinks - Lifers
• Brandi Carlile - By The Way, I Forgive You
• John Prine - The Tree Of Forgiveness

 

So enjoy. Get caught up. Explore.

 

 

 

 

The ESSENTIAL ALBUMS LIST is Saving Country Music's most expansive, in-depth, and involved look at ALL the records that deserve your attention released in the past year to make sure you don't miss anything good.https://t.co/Fy3RL1pllU

— Saving Country Music (@KyleCoroneos) December 28, 2018

saving country music's 2018 artist of the year

Tyler Childers

Saving Country Music’s 2018 Artist of the Year https://t.co/N931SeUW93

— Saving Country Music (@KyleCoroneos) December 21, 2018

Standing up for the integrity of country music is not easy, especially these days when speech is increasingly stifled. Tyler stands up for his roots.

jamie lin wilson

Jamie Lin Wilson lives the good life. She's thankful for her roots.

Jamie Lin Wilson, former member of The Trishas, from Sealy TX, makes her life fulfilling. https://t.co/TSThbAUTEI #savingcountrymusic #Texas #musicians

— Mike Bertelsen (@mikebertelsen) December 21, 2018