THE DIGITAL CROSSROADS

BRINGING IN THE NEW

Here is a sample from Chapter 7 of my new book coming out soon, The Ugly Truth of the Music Business / Survivors Guide.  We will be touching on all things digital relating to our business.

The Digital Crossroads is here.  We are crossing a bridge into a new and exciting era of opportunities in the music industry.  This is a world where everything is happening at breakneck speeds, a world where yesterday’s news was this morning, and an environment where understanding technology is not an option but a requirement.  

The digital bridge is the connector to your future.  In the past you’re connecting sinews such as mega marketing dollars, the good old boys network; including record labels, publishers, radio, distributors, etc.  Today the bridge to your future is the World Wide Web and all it compasses.

TRANSFORMATIONAL INNOVATION - That's a cool tag.  What does it mean?  "Relating to or involving transformation or transformations."  Ok then!  Did you get that?  How about innovation?  a new method, idea, product, etc... While these definitions are clear, precise, and simple, TRANSFORMATIONAL INNOVATION is probably the most difficult task at hand right now for the music industry.  You have the record labels scrambling to hold on to their piece of the sky, while the Indies are eating their piece of the cake, while the Digital download industry is chewing their cud, and radio is losing ground but holding on.  I know this is a lot of mixed metaphors, I'm just saying.  It's kind of like watching a fish flop around in the bottom of the boat after you just caught him.  What is going on?

I spend a lot of my days doing research and speaking with music industry folk.  I have found there are as many opinions as people as to where the music industry is going.  I will say this.  The industry is transforming and innovation will lead the way.  We're just not sure where yet.  Although, there is some clarity beginning to surface, the future is beginning to look very favorable on the Artist/writer side of the equation.  For that I am very thankful.