Destined To Fail: Why Music Start-Ups Are Screwed
Early this week, Dalton Cadwell, the founder imeem, gave a speech on music start-ups. The cautionary tale he delivered made the thought of beginning a music start-up sound like a very, very bad idea. At first, it simply sounded like Cadwell was being over the top and over dramatizing the situation. Having watched the talk he gave below, it doesn’t seem like he was being provocative at all. This means that his seemingly doom and gloom depiction of music start-ups might be closer to the truth than we think. In saying that, I hope he isn’t right. Watch his talk on start-ups below:
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I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. and again.
I think the reason why music startups are facing difficult times is because they focus way too much on the ‘fan’ and continue to sell the same major label music any music fan can obtain from iTunes or another major music retailer.
I believe IF music startups can start focusing on helping independent musicians compete with what the major labels are putting forth as music, they can succeed.
There is a growing dissatisfaction with what record labels are putting out these days, so t only makes sense to compete with them, rather than “rent” their music at high margins, just to go out of business a few years year down the line.
Take a look at YAWMA, they are doing something like what you’re suggesting … http://www.yawma.net
We only have independent and unsigned artists at Somojo and it can be hard to get people interested with what we do and offer at first, but those that have seen how we are growing are slowly sharing the vision.
Come take a look and see what you think.
http://www.somojo.net
http://www.somojmagazine.com
Mashable article from four days ago:
Are Music Startups Destined to Fail?
http://mashable.com/2010/10/17/imeem-music-startups/
kNERD.COM is doing great.
We focus on the musician and other album credits. Of course fans get a benefit, but that’s because there’s so much great music.