The Trouble with Tribbles

When I'm not writing about something HR-related, I will probably be ranting about the Music Industry or raving about some new music that I can't stop playing.

Here is a rant on the Music Industry. First of all, why should I care? Because I spent 10 years working in it. By the time I was done with it (some may say it was done with me) it was common for me to express this opinion, "the music industry will go by the way of canals. It's out worn it's welcome." It really surprised me how very few people wanted to hear this. Some actually were very upset, as if the music industry was like the sun and moon, parts of our life that had been around forever. Secondly, why should I care now? Bitter, table for one? Perhaps. More likely, I am not a fan of whining.

A new colleague introduced me to Seth Godin by giving me a copy of his book, "Purple Cow." (BTW, anyone doing a job search, hint HR Wench, should read this) Seth has some very definitive things to say about the music industry which hit the nail right on the head. Here is an excerpt,

"For years, the record business has been dominated by a few major players, and they work hard to follow each other's lead. The labels have similar pricing, merchant policies, contracts, and packaging. Each label avoids criticism by sticking with the pack.

But when the market changes - when technology reshuffles the deck - the record labels are all in trouble. With no practice leading, no practice trying the unknown, they're trapped, panicked, and in serious trouble. Their trade organization, the RIAA, is spending millions of dollars lobbying Congress to legislation to keep the world just the way it is. In the long run, of course, they'll fail. You can't keep the world the way it is, even if you buy the influence of Congress."

(And as far as I'm concerned I really don't care that the RIAA goes after P2P users. No matter what you call it, it's called stealing. Put a dress on a pig and it's still a pig. So to those getting nasty letters in the mail, saying you owe $xxxx, suck it up.)

But the RIAA puts out press releases every couple of months that make the online newspapers as well as the local TV morning news about the slump in CD sales and it's all because of the Internet and downloading. Frankly anyone who knows the facts knows their press releases are all lies and propanganda trying to salvage the careers of overbloated industry moguls.

Unfortunately you can't see the tears I'm crying.

To be continued....