Fenxy

For every ashlee simpson there are 100 bands or performers with real talent and creativity putting out music. While they are not anywhere near as popular as that girl, that's a function of what the record companies think they can push and make the most money on.

It's sad, I agree. I'm all for the not as well known genuine artists myself, but that's not as easy to market. It applies to more specific audiences, etc.

I'm not worried. I don't like the state of the music industry, but it's healthy enough that you can still find real artists and performers... they're just not always pushed to the forefront.

The internet is certainly a viable option to hearing music (not the glossed over industry pop of today) made by real musicians. The problem is getting the word spread around on a cool band.

There may be some good penetration regionally (i.e. fans posting on local forums about gigs, ep's,etc), but a trickle word of mouth campaign will take longer to get it out to a wider audience. It probably will have to have a snowball effect to really get heard by a large audience.

There still are genuine artists that have major label deals and all of that but they don't get as much airplay as rappers or pop-stars. I think the major problem here is the sway that sickeningly immature teeny-boppers have on the industry. And there are, of course, those (actual) teens who still can't trade in their Plain White T's and Ashlee Simpson albums for a more mature Muse or Jay-Z album (And yes Jay-Z's stuff is better than that sad excuse for a gangsta rapper, 50 Cent)

And I think the remedy to this dilemma is to take bands and songwriters with true artistic talent and give them help to polish their sound (like money for better gear) and make it easier for them to get airplay. The one thing they shouldn't do in the process is take away their artistic freedom because then, whatever that made them sell before all this is gone and you're left with an unstable formula.

I think you are falsely assuming everyone wants to be a producer. I know a ton of musicians and there definitely doesn't seem to be a lack of them anywhere. Software has just made it so that people who would never consider even entering the music industry can do so now and makes things seem a little diluted.

Hey Scrivs, you hit on one of the main points that I want to expand on...

With the dilution of the industry, you're also squeezing the open "slots" that can be filled with legitimate artists. Each time you have an Ashlee Simpson get a deal you lose a Russel Malone from a major label because he can't be marketed like she can.

Heck, even Prince is doing one-off deals for distribution of his albums. Granted, he's a savvy business man and coming out on top, but the whole Warner Brothers fiasco from the 90's was related to the change in industry from musicians to performers.

I'm a big fan of Steve Vai. He started a label, Favored Nations, that houses some of the greatest guitar talent today. But, outside of core communities made up of folks like myself, no one buys or hears the wonderful music.

For example, Eric Johnson came to Little Rock last year. The venue probably had less than 125 people. Eric Johnson, grammy winner and unmatched musician playing to an empty bar.

So while there are still musicians out there doing it, thankfully, for the love of it, I'm still wondering if in the future, kids will say "why learn to play guitar when I can make a song on my Wii cubed (the next, next, next gen platform of 2019).

I could easily be bitter about this but I try to keep in mind that the pendulum always swings. I think that at some point some kid's going to say "I've had it with this CRAP!" and starts practicing an instrument. So long as we, as "adults" keep the older music alive in our homes for our children there will always be good musicians.

I think computers and software enable those without musical training to construct usable musical elements. They aren't going to replace musicians or producers but they do allow people to create and play with music and sound and I'm all for that. Creative, active minds are good minds are far as I'm concerned.

Real musicians are not necessarily a dying breed, but I'm finding that musicianship must walk more hand in hand with entrepreneurship. If you are a good musician but cannot market yourself, you will not build a career. Though, conversely, if you are a good businessman, then regardless of your musicianship, you will probably succeed (N.B. Ashlee Simpson, and all other performing monkeys).

P.S. HUGE fan of Steve Vai as well. :)