Estate of the music

You are correct in your assertion. My original posting is based on my frustrations in trying to get noticed. The not-so-obvious point that I was making has more to do with the fact that people will gravitate very quickly towards the silly, the mediocre and the controversial. Like someone pointed out somewhere in this thread, people like things that do not require any mental investment from their part. I understand the reason. It doesn't detract me from thinking that it is somewhat ridiculous. The only way to see that is for one to look at it from an outsider's point of view. For my argument, that will be my point of view. But hey, it is one man's opinion. I'm not trying to compare markets and niches on my posting. I'm making a quick generalisation (and although people hate the idea of generalising, it is the one of the biggest tools used by statistics to get to at least a hypothesis). As a whole, the music industry and how people react to it is changing very fast. With the new availability for technology, people can achieve things they weren't be able to do before. This can be a good thing but also can be a terrible thing. Discerning what's good and what's bad is a matter of opinions. However, being that this is a forum for progressive rock, I thought it would be appropriate to comment from the point of view of a progressive rock artist as well as a listener. I would have thought that there would be more common ground among the people in the forums. It seems as if I was wrong with that assertion.

Forums create instant opportunities to create counter points. Moreover, people get gutsier when they don't have to face their "opponents" in person. I think we all get the jest of it. However, sometimes some people like just to interject for the sake of interjecting. They seem to enjoy just stirring-up the pot to see what happens. I get that too, although it does get on the way of a productive argument.

At the end, I still have all the same thoughts I had when I original posted the thread. I'm still upset that a thirteen year old can sell tons of copies of what it is basically just a silly song (estimates now stand at $50,000). But then again, there are not one but three "Jackasses" movies and they all made money. I still can't comprehend that neither.

I do think the whole world is upside down but not because I can't sell enough records. However, I must point out again that I find it strange to read so many responses about other music. Is not this the "PROGARCHIVES"? As in progressive rock? I would think promoting progressive rock and it's history would be one of the pints in these forums. It is not about going back to any era. It is about the music. It just happens to be that the best prog-rock was written in the past and not necessarily today. Perhaps there are some brilliant prog-rock being hammer out these days but most people wouldn't know it because it doesn't get the same attention as Rebecca Black. Also, I don't chastise Rebecca for her actions. I actually think she just did what she wanted to. I said so in my original post. I just have a hard time believing that people have ponied up $50,000 on her song specially when you can get it for free. And speaking of free, I'm free to think that is a dumb move in the part of those people. The same as you being free to be a special collaborator for a progressive rock forum without liking or even acknowledging The Who and their influence in progressive rock.

DT, The Mars Volta, Porcupine Tree, etc... They're quite popular aren't they? Prog is actually much more popular today, if not in the mainstream, it sells TONS more. 

If all it takes is for you to write more stuff than others to become a special collaborator, then don't worry. You are very safe as far as I am concern. Also, what my original posting does is to take a look at people's reaction in buying music as they ignore the one type of rock that most people in these forums love (that would be progressive rock). I am merely pointing out that people rather listen to some silly song than some decent prog-rock. I'm not in the camp that progressive music has to be for an elitist group of people although many times that's the impression I get from some people in these forums.

As far as how much the music sales today. Pink Floyd= 200 million albums sold, Genesis = 150 million albums sold, Queen (not full time prog but enough at the beginning)= 300 million albums sold, Jethro Tull= 60 million albums sold, ELO= 50 million albums sold, Rush 40 million, etc. Those numbers can't be touched by today's prog-bands. Their music might be excellent but the record sales are very dim in comparison.

At any rate, I think we are getting of the subject here. I wrote the thread to touch various points but the general issue had to do with people opting to buy mediocrity as opposed to something that they may enjoy much more in the long run. This whole thing of "I contribute more than you'll ever do" is just silly. I don't care much for that.

Enjoy your Friday.

There is little common ground among Prog fans because of the diversity of the music - the Who vs Beatles thread of a few years back demonstrated that the division of opinion that was prevalent in the 60s still lives on today. Even with the numbers of people who frequent this forum, and those that regularly buy "Prog" albums, there isn't a common buying profile - it's fragmented and sub-niched. Even Nick D'Virgilio Genesis tribute album sold to a divided market comprising of some of those that like Genesis and D'Virgilio and Spock's Beard and Big Big Train and some of all permutations of those that don't like Genesis or D'Virgilio or Spock's Beard or Big Big Train; but it would not have sold to all. So extrapolating that to any band within the sphere of Prog the people who will be attracted towards it will be those who share a degree of commonality, or those whose interest has been piqued by some related comment or review, but it cannot be taken for granted that anyone will actually buy any of it.

 

I believe the identification of correct markets is totally relevant and pertinent, so Rebbecca Black pocketing $50K is immaterial since it didn't come from the pockets of people who could buy Prog albums. Those people prefer to buy Biffy Clyro, The xx and Funeral For A Friend albums instead. Any increase in popularity of Prog as a genre will come from people who currently buy those "serious" indie albums who can make the connection between those bands and Prog (and vice versa).

 

 

Anyone who has met me in person will attest to the fact that I'm far more gutsier (ie aggressive and demonstrative) IRL than in the rarefied atmosphere of a Prog forum, though equally as opinionated. Since I'm careful in keeping those two populations separate, that's difficult to prove