There was something I found of interest in a previous discussion of this basic topic. (Not here I think, but I don't remmeber where it was.)
It was a post by someone who I believe said they were involved in the music industry (maybe a musician themselves, I'm not sure, but closer to that end than the record label end). According to this person, most non-incredibly-popular musicians don't make that much money off album sales. They get most of it off of concerts and other things, and selling albums is effectively mostly advertising for those as far as they're concerned.
If this is true, it's not surprising that it seems like at least a form of the end run Logan suggests is already taking place, with some groups already just going out and releasing their music on bittorrent. It's certainly an easy way for people who aren't likely to get record deals anyway to get some wider exposure, but it's effectiveness might not end there...
Defiance might also be an interesting example. Their last album was released in 1992, and hardly anyone seems to have heard of them. For I believe at least a year, they've had a rotating selection of their previous three albums up for download on their website. They also seem to have a variety of plans for producing new stuff in the works. Think they're expecting the one to help the other?
-Morgan."Mikuru-chan molested me! I'm... so happy!"
-Haruhi, "The Ecchi of Haruhi Suzumiya"
---(Not really)
It was a post by someone who I believe said they were involved in the music industry (maybe a musician themselves, I'm not sure, but closer to that end than the record label end). According to this person, most non-incredibly-popular musicians don't make that much money off album sales. They get most of it off of concerts and other things, and selling albums is effectively mostly advertising for those as far as they're concerned.
If this is true, it's not surprising that it seems like at least a form of the end run Logan suggests is already taking place, with some groups already just going out and releasing their music on bittorrent. It's certainly an easy way for people who aren't likely to get record deals anyway to get some wider exposure, but it's effectiveness might not end there...
Defiance might also be an interesting example. Their last album was released in 1992, and hardly anyone seems to have heard of them. For I believe at least a year, they've had a rotating selection of their previous three albums up for download on their website. They also seem to have a variety of plans for producing new stuff in the works. Think they're expecting the one to help the other?
-Morgan."Mikuru-chan molested me! I'm... so happy!"
-Haruhi, "The Ecchi of Haruhi Suzumiya"
---(Not really)