Filsinger.org

I have never been a big fan of Nine Inch Nails.  Their music style is close to what I might listen to, but just never struck a chord with my ear, so to speak.  What they do right though is leaps and bounds ahead of everyone else.  I have blogged about how media is changing, new distribution methods need to be found, and if you don’t change how you do business, and adapt to this new force you will die.  Reznor was recently interviewed about his coming iPhone app that lets people have access to a social network of NIN fans, and direct access to Reznor himself.   He was interviewed for a Wired article and this is what he had to say.. and he’s exactly right.

Since then, Reznor has pioneered a new, fan-centered business model that radically breaks with the practices of the struggling music industry. His embrace of “freemium” pricing, torrent distribution, fan remixes and social media seem to be paying off financially even as they have helped him forge deeper connections with the Nine Inch Nails faithful.

It’s something he never could have done before, even on an indie label. “Anyone who’s an executive at a record label does not understand what the internet is, how it works, how people use it, how fans and consumers interact — no idea,” he declares. “I’m surprised they know how to use e-mail. They have built a business around selling plastic discs, and nobody wants plastic discs any more.”

Meanwhile, the entire system that for a lucky few turned those discs into hits — rock radio, MTV, music mags, CD megastores — has crumbled, and label execs have no idea where to turn. “They’re in such a state of denial it’s impossible for them to understand what’s happening,” Reznor says. “As an artist, you are now the market.”(emphasis mine)

I believe you should have to pay for music, but nobody wants plastic discs anymore.  The last plastic disc I bought for myself was 3 years ago, but now I buy more music than I ever have.  I listen to all my music through my iPod or on my laptop at work.  Why would I want a disc that I have to rip and then just put away?  I want music digitally, cheap and fast.  Even today I bought the new Hip album on iTunes and didn’t have to go hunting for it.  Just clicked two things and now I’m listening to it.

I’ll scream on this soap box for a while I think.  Media is shifting, don’t get left behind.  This applies to all apsects of our lives, religion, tv, print, music, video, tourism.  The 21st century culture shift isn’t coming, it’s already here.  What are you going to do about it?

I love it when bands push musical distribution boundaries with new ways of delivering free or cheap content to me.  We are in a recession and entertainment dollars are the first to be cut.  We saw some cutting edge deliveries of free music from Radio Head and NIN last year.  Pay what you want schemes, that I think worked out well for the bands.  I went and paid for the Radio Head album, and got my $5 worth.  I really hope more bands cut out the middle man and deliver me cheap good music continuously.  I don’t mind paying for content when it’s quality.

Well today on my twitter stream I saw an article about being able to buy the entire PUSA discography for $3.  I was intrigued, so I checked it out.  Most of my day is spent in the iTunes store and iPhone applications due to my job, so I am always checking out new stuff and this peaked my interest.  PUSA released their entire discography through an application that you download.  So I plunked down my $2.99 and downloaded the app.  I figured there would be at least one catch, that you had to use the app to listen to the songs, instead of your music app on your iPhone or iTouch.  But there are two more catches, that keep from completely loving this idea.  First is that you MUST have an internet connection of some kind.  Me having an iPod Touch only means I have to have wifi connected, and that means on my flight today I will not be able to listen to the music.  Second is that you cannot select specific songs, only albums and it will randomly shuffle through the songs.  These two issues keep me from completely falling in love with this idea.  But kudos to you PUSA for trying something different to get me to listen to your music.  Maybe i’ll go and pay that $0.99 for “Peaches”, so I can have that flashback feeling to 1995 where I was awkward and nerdy.   (maybe i still am… lol ).

If you don’t mind the two restrictions I mentioned, then go and spend your $3. The music quality is fantastic and now I get a full preview of their new album for the price of two coffees.