Well, here we are. The conclusion of my four part promotion of indie music. It was sparked by a remarkably braindead move by Sony. A move so remarkable that it received quite a few unwelcome remarks.
A few people dropped the “boycott”-word and even more jumped on the wagon before the story came to its bittersweet yet gratifying conclusion.
But this just made me think even more of how we are all at the mercy of four mega-corporations who have most recording arts at their discretion. My thoughts? Sony might have been the evil one this time, but the next time this happens it could be Warner, EMI, or Universal. If two or more of these companies introduce an invasive DRM strategy, things might not be as simple as “Boycott Sony.” My solution? Spread the wealth. Support a local band or a small label, and develop a taste for music outside the mainstream. In doing so, your tastes will become more eclectic, you won’t be tied to an oligopoly, and you won’t have to see all of your favorite bands in an arena or an amphitheatre. Smaller band = smaller audience.
It’s telling that as these large mega-corporations buy and merge and eat their young in one takeover after the next, they keep the names of the original labels intact. The labels seem small and independent, when in fact they’re under the same umbrella. Under this type of situation, finding a real indie artist can be a bit of work. I’ve tried to do some of the work for you.
It’s with that in mind that I’d like you to listen to a band called The Go! Team. If you crave theme songs out of the 80s, you’ll probably find the experience of listening to The Go! Team nostalgic. A dash of Magnum P.I. blended in with The A-Team and you can approximate the acoustic stylings of this unique ensemble.
All of this is proof that purchasing good music doesn’t have to come at the expense of your free choice as a consumer. Sure, it can be fun to boycott a company until you get what you want, but events like the Sony debacle will keep happening until we as consumers can step up, show some backbone, and demand real choice in the music industry. I think this was my point from the beginning, and it only took me a month to make it.
Fear not; the big record labels will eventually be dragged kicking and screaming into a world where most people prefer to download their music. Unfortunately for them a few smarter companies got there first. In the meantime all these shenanigans are just an extended death rattle.