It may be true that any unknown band can now produce there music and distribute it as mp3's without a record deal, but that does you no good if people dont listen to it.

Which is exactly why Courtney Love is calling for a new kind of company- one that acts as a conduit between artists and fans, not as a gatekeeper. Her article rings so true that it almost brings tears to my eyes just reading it. She has quantified exactly what the music industry needs, and exactly what the fans want. It's a roadmap for the future.

Yes, an artist needs promotion channels. But those channels don't have to be through traditional record companies any more. You may not be learning about new music from the internet right now, but the time will come when you do. And sooner than you think. You'll still be seeing the same promotional material you always have, but that promotional material will come more directly from the artists and from "conduit" companies, not from record companies.

The record companies are essential for promoting music to get me interested, and because of this I dont mind that they have a cut of the money which I am more than happy to pay.

But right now, we're basically paying only for the promotion machine. Most artists hardly see any of that money. Only the big-name artists who can write their own deals or form their own record companies ever make any real money off of these records.

We're talking about a paradigm shift here, and it's not comfortable to think about. Without Polygram records, how would I have ever heard of Rush? That's a scary thought. How would I have discovered my favorite band if it weren't for the record companies?

That's why we need a new kind of company. It will happen, and you'll see it happen soon. The artists will demand it.

___________
Tony Fabris