In October, I told you that independent British band Radiohead came up with a cool way to create buzz about its latest CD. The band uploaded In Rainbows to its web site and allowed fans to download it for whatever price they wanted to pay. Some paid nothing; others paid “full price.”
The music business isn’t what it used to be. Compact disk sales are down, and a lot of people download digital music illegally. That is, they acquire it without paying for it. They make copies and pass them along to friends. They download music from peer-to-peer sites that have no licensing agreements with artists and labels. The practice is so widespread, there’s no way to stop it. (This is scary, but it won’t work, either.)
I think Radiohead’s “free download” gimmick works for established bands, mainly because they can make money from concert ticket sales and merchandising (apparel, ringtones, endorsements, etc.). If bands aren’t making much money selling music, they have to find other ways to put food on the table while practicing their craft.
That’s why I wasn’t surprised to read about a music industry push for bands to get a cut of concert ticket resells in the secondary ticket market. Rather than criminalizing this market, artists and managers want a cut of the action. They seek to create an organization called Resale Rights Society to collect profits from ticket sales on sites like eBay. Good idea, but will it work? From the Guardian:
As record sales have plummeted, the live scene has boomed in recent years with new artists and reformed supergroups playing to wider demographics in better quality venues. A Mintel report in July said the market was worth £743m a year…But ticket websites have criticised the proposal, insisting they provide a legitimate service that merely reflects the market value of tickets and claiming that the new levy amounted to a tax on consumers.
Eric Baker, chief executive of Viagogo, said: “We don’t understand the concept of taxing fans to buy tickets that have already been paid for…”That someone who bought a Robbie Williams ticket should pay an additional tax to Robbie Williams if they resell the ticket is completely nonsensical.”
If you need concert tickets, there’s no shortage of places to buy them. Forget Ticketmaster. Look at all these outlets, some legit, others not (think online scalpers). And check out eBay. Also, some people join band fan clubs just to get access to presale tickets, which are sometimes password-protected. These people turn around and sell the passwords to presale ticket access. It’s unfair to fans who’ve paid for club membership for exclusive access, but what can you do?
Although some concert ticket resellers are legitimate, others are not. The Internet has created a sort of Wild West territory of unregulated secondary markets. More power to the people trying to establish law and order, but they’re swimming against the tide. (Mix metaphors much?)
I used to go to concerts back in my youthful days. Not so much anymore. But a few months ago, I was excited to hear that Hanson was still making music, and I decided to write about the group. That led me to attend Hanson concerts in DC (where I went backstage and met and interviewed the band) and Charlotte, NC (where I was invited inside the club before doors opened to chat with the brothers).
Those episodes whet my appetite for more. Now I want to see Lenny Kravitz (whose new album comes out in early 2008), Rissi Palmer, and others in concert (and, to be perfectly frank, get a backstage invitation).
1) What’s the most recent concert you’ve attended?
2) What’s the greatest concert you’ve ever attended?
(Photo source: Lollapalooza)
Rest easy, everybody! 
