When Copies Are Free: Part 2

The third generative that grabbed my attention was the art of personalization. Kevin explores this generative through the idea that consumers will pay for something that is tailored directly to them and to no one else. While he applies the idea to medicine based off of a person’s DNA, a book that is custom edited to incorporate a reader’s previous background in literature, or a movie edited to fit the rating desired by the viewer, his take on music is exceptionally unique: “A generic version of a concert recording may be free, but if you want t copy that has been tweaked to sound perfect in your particular living room – as if it were preformed in your room – you may be willing to pay a lot” (par 15). I know that I would. This idea of customization based on a consumers personal preferences or desires could be a serious coup for the music business as the EQ of a recording can be changed, set lists can be chosen by the fans before the show, and even merch can be personalized. A new website, Zazzle.com, has given consumers and music fans the ability to customize any piece of a band’s merch. By creating a partnership with MySpace, the companies “will enable musicians with MySpace pages to create virtual stores for T-shirts, posters and other merchandise, using artwork and graphics that their fans can customize when they order it” (Smith par 1). As bands can upload their graphics, users will now be able to custom edit these to their own preferences, order the type of clothing or merchandise that they would like their new design to printed on, and can even receive the item within a week at most. By created a service such as this, not only will bands allow fans to interact with the material, but it also allows for “an ongoing conversation between the creator and consumer, artist and fan, producer and user” (Better par 15). This conversation and interaction is the key to personalization and will allow the industry to move away from the formulaic presentation of acts and the media that they can offer to their fans.

Another of the generatives that Kevin mentioned in his article was that of accessibility, and while I completely agree with his overall concept, I don’t think he took the idea to the furthest level. While he talks about accessibility of the product on all digital mediums such as phones, PDAs, laptops, TVs and etcetera, I believe that there is a larger significance. Having unlimited access to all of the material and artist has created is all fine and dandy, but in today’s age, it is easy said and done as the internet gives anyone access to anything at anytime. But what about access to the artist him/herself? Wouldn’t people pay more for an album, concert ticket, piece of merchandise, etcetera, if it meant that they might have the chance to actually meet and talk to the artist? Or what about exclusive fan clubs that offer meet and greets before and after shows, special acoustic or small club shows, and even photo shoots or music videos?

In another article written by Kevin in which he explores how the Long Tail phenomenon can apply to donations to an artists as her primary source of income, he describes a situation in which Jill Sobule, a Canadian singer songwriter, has been asking her true fans for donations to fund her next studio album. In a sense, she used herself as an auction item to raise enough money to create the product that the true fans really desired. According to an interview she did with the Canadian Press:

Contributors can choose a level of pledges ranging from the $10 "unpolished rock," which earns them a free digital download of her disc when it's made, to the $10,000 "weapons-grade plutonium level," where she promises "you get to come and sing on my CD. Don't worry if you can't sing - we can fix that on our end." For a $5,000 contribution, Sobule said she'll perform a concert in the donor's house. The lower levels are more popular, where donors can earn things like an advanced copy of the CD, a mention in the liner notes and a T-shirt identifying them as a "junior executive producer" of the CD (One Thousand par 29).

While Kevin was right about how listeners want to have the ability to access their content anywhere, anytime, and on any device, I think he missed a significant part of point of accessibility: it is nice to have such accessibility to the content, but nicer to have access to the artist on a more personal level.

The final generative that I feel is essential to the future of the music industry is that of patronage and how audiences will pay creators for their work. Though similar to the ideas discussed above, in the end, it all comes down to the perception that the fans have of the artist and how they will be paid in the future. As he states, consumers “will only pay if it is very easy to do, a reasonable amount, and they feel certain the money will directly benefit the creators” (Better par 20). And with this one, he hit the nail on the head. While band like Radiohead have figured out that by eliminating the business model presented by a label, the majors have still not caught on to the idea that people do not need to be forced into a specific model. As different people will pay different amounts, or even participate in other ways, a new business model has emerged centered around generosity. And surprisingly enough, as Radiohead has proved and countless others will duplicate in the future, people are willing to pay if it is a band they care enough about (I hesitate to quote any speculation of actual sales since Radiohead has refuted most recent guesstimate and still won’t reveal their current success).

Despite what “the experts” have been saying, I am of the opinion of Kevin that the future of the music industry is not as dim as it has been projected to be. Music is more popular now that it has ever been before, but instead of making a profit through traditional means, the creators themselves will have to begin to rely on their creative abilities not only for their music, but for how they sell it as well. These generatives seem to be the keys, at least for now, and as artists and labels begin adopting these new practices and values, new and exciting opportunities will present themselves not only for the creators, but for the users as well. Keep your eyes open and ears tuned in, and let me know what you find out.

Kelly, Kevin. "Better Than Free." The Technium 31 Jan 2008 . 1 Feb 2008 .

Kelly, Kevin. "Onethousand True Fans." The Technium 4 Mar 2008 . 11 Mar 2008 <>.

Smith, Ethan. "Virtual Art Gets Body." Wall Street Journal.com 30 Oct 2007. 23 Feb 2008 .