- Image via Wikipedia
Mashable has a post exploring the various ‘new’ business models available as the future of music.
I find a few things interesting: There are really just old business models – sell t-shirts, records concert tickets. And these only address revenue models for the artists.
Now before you think I’m getting all soft on the labels I think the musicians should make the most money off their music. But it raises an interesting question if there is any need for labels. With social media providing discovery and distribution do you need a label?
I think you will, but they will be much smaller and take much smaller percentages of revenue, because after all they’ll be doing less.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_c.png?x-id=50c2f680-31c0-4962-9021-0d97908ce682)
Labels used to fund distribution in exchange for the exclusive rights for the music. Since digital distribution needs no funding, the main purpose of labels is gone. I'm sure they will continue to exist as service providers for artists, but the time of an all-powerful music industry that controls what we hear will be over soon.
Posted by oliverbo | 26. Jun, 2009, 8:53 pm