Comments on: Re-Nettwerk http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2006/12/01/re-nettwerk/ First in Music Analysis Sun, 12 Feb 2012 22:53:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: FISTFULAYEN » Blog Archive » Artist Control Equals Money In Their Pockets http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2006/12/01/re-nettwerk/#comment-12396 FISTFULAYEN » Blog Archive » Artist Control Equals Money In Their Pockets Sun, 31 Dec 2006 21:27:55 +0000 http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2006/12/01/re-nettwerk/#comment-12396 [...] wrote a great letter to Bob Lefsetz about the success of the artist label model for Josh: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2006/12/01/re-nettwerk/ A [...] [...] wrote a great letter to Bob Lefsetz about the success of the artist label model for Josh: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2006/12/01/re-nettwerk/ A [...]

]]> By: Bryk http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2006/12/01/re-nettwerk/#comment-11367 Bryk Mon, 04 Dec 2006 20:55:22 +0000 http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2006/12/01/re-nettwerk/#comment-11367 The unfortunately flip side of this scenario is that my girlfriend Erin is a big fan, has all of Josh's Ryko albums... and had NO IDEA he had a new record out this year. You might ask, doesn't she subscribe to the artist's list? Some people (like Erin) don't _want_ to be on 100 different email lists or get daily text message updates from every single artist they like. (She might not even know how to send a text message, and she doesn't care!) I think she represents a lot of people in their 30's who are busy adults, they have _lives_, they don't want to have to hang out on myspace and get spammed to death by losers just to hear about artists they like. They might just want to read in the weekly paper that the artist has a new record out and is touring in their market. Oh fuck, that's the OLD MUSIC BUSINESS PARADIGM. Whoops! (We'll see how many tracks all these text messaging kids actually pay for when they're 35. They seem to be able to pay their Cingular and Road Runner bills every month though.) One more example: A few years ago I thought I signed up for an Elvis Costello "New Releases and Info" list from his official website. For a few years I was subjected to emails about EVERY SINGLE "alt rock" artist on IDJ (like I give a FUCK that Hoobastank even EXIST), and after the 500th non-EC-related email I finally unsubscribed. Elvis Costello might have released 5 albums by now and I wouldn't know it. And while I know how and why that happened from a label perspective, god knows how many EC fans UMG's stupid ass internet marketing department alienated because they were GREEDY with info they were entrusted with. The unfortunately flip side of this scenario is that my girlfriend Erin is a big fan, has all of Josh’s Ryko albums… and had NO IDEA he had a new record out this year. You might ask, doesn’t she subscribe to the artist’s list? Some people (like Erin) don’t _want_ to be on 100 different email lists or get daily text message updates from every single artist they like. (She might not even know how to send a text message, and she doesn’t care!) I think she represents a lot of people in their 30’s who are busy adults, they have _lives_, they don’t want to have to hang out on myspace and get spammed to death by losers just to hear about artists they like. They might just want to read in the weekly paper that the artist has a new record out and is touring in their market. Oh fuck, that’s the OLD MUSIC BUSINESS PARADIGM. Whoops! (We’ll see how many tracks all these text messaging kids actually pay for when they’re 35. They seem to be able to pay their Cingular and Road Runner bills every month though.)

One more example: A few years ago I thought I signed up for an Elvis Costello "New Releases and Info" list from his official website. For a few years I was subjected to emails about EVERY SINGLE "alt rock" artist on IDJ (like I give a FUCK that Hoobastank even EXIST), and after the 500th non-EC-related email I finally unsubscribed. Elvis Costello might have released 5 albums by now and I wouldn’t know it. And while I know how and why that happened from a label perspective, god knows how many EC fans UMG’s stupid ass internet marketing department alienated because they were GREEDY with info they were entrusted with.

]]> By: Elliot Cahn http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2006/12/01/re-nettwerk/#comment-11366 Elliot Cahn Mon, 04 Dec 2006 20:55:07 +0000 http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2006/12/01/re-nettwerk/#comment-11366 About 5 years ago, a client of mine did a deal with Nettwerk Records, and Terry McBride offered the choice of a normal record deal or a 50/50 split of all net income sources, including touring income. My kneejerk reaction was to reject the 50/50 split immediately with some wisecrack abou twhat drugs he might be smoking, and we eventually did reject it, but before I did, I sat down with a spreadsheet, checked Sarah McLaughlan's Soundscan sales from her prior album, talked with some agent and merchandiser friends, and estimated what she would have made in her last album cycle under a usual record deal and under a 50/50 net split of all income sources arrangement, and was amazed that they were within about 5% of each other. Obviously this will vary from artist to artist, but it was interesting. About 5 years ago, a client of mine did a deal with Nettwerk Records, and Terry McBride offered the choice of a normal record deal or a 50/50 split of all net income sources, including touring income. My kneejerk reaction was to reject the 50/50 split immediately with some wisecrack abou twhat drugs he might be smoking, and we eventually did reject it, but before I did, I sat down with a spreadsheet, checked Sarah McLaughlan’s Soundscan sales from her prior album, talked with some agent and merchandiser friends, and estimated what she would have made in her last album cycle under a usual record deal and under a 50/50 net split of all income sources arrangement, and was amazed that they were within about 5% of each other. Obviously this will vary from artist to artist, but it was interesting.

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