capitalism should encourage competition. if there was healthy competition apple wouldn't have so much money and have such large profits
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Apple Music's Reliance on Exclusives Coming Under Fire From Labels and Critics
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Finally, something good coming out of the music industry. Exclusive == an anti-consumer conspiracy.
In the wake of the much-anticipated launch of Frank Ocean's new album "Blonde," Universal Music Group CEO Lucian Grainge has sent out an email to UMG executives, saying that the company is prohibiting the practice of exclusive music streaming moving forward (via The Lefsetz Letter). The email officially ends "all future exclusives with Universal artists," meaning popular artists like Kendrick Lamar, Taylor Swift, and The Weeknd could all be affected by the change since they each belong to labels owned by UMG.
The news was shared by Bob Lefsetz, a music industry analyst and critic, who penned a letter over the weekend in response to Blonde's exclusive home on Apple Music for the first two weeks of its release. Lefsetz said that the heavy reliance of streaming services on exclusive content, and how the practice is becoming increasingly normal among consumers, will ultimately hurt the industry in the long run. Halfway through, he particularly sets his sights on Apple:
According to Lefsetz, Apple's practices not only lock off entire albums to non-subscribers, but grant greater showcase to its exclusive artists -- like the Frank Ocean-centered carousel currently in the app -- consequently hurting the chances for indie musicians to break out. He calls Ocean "complicit" in Apple's schemes, and shames "everybody else who takes money from Apple and screws fans."
With exclusives popping up every few weeks over Apple Music's short fourteen-month lifespan, Kanye West even voiced frustration with the model, hoping to end the fight between Apple Music and Tidal and "let the kids have the music." Among recent artists with an exclusive Apple Music deal are Britney Spears, Frank Ocean, Katy Perry, and Drake.
You can read Lefsetz's full letter here.
Article Link: Apple Music's Reliance on Exclusives Coming Under Fire From Labels and Critics
Exclusives are ok..... After all....... It makes Apple happy and customers happy knowing they can watch or listen to an exclusive first on a service...
If Apple never had exclusives, no matter who they may hurt, everyone would need to wait just like every other service out there..
I reckon its ok... It's like saying 'u cannot advertise at a discount in real life ever because it hurts everyone else...'
Tough.... That's what bring in users.. if u don't like it, the minor labels who feel this way shouldn't go on Apple music.. It's standard practice to get 'business.
There are allot of services out there...... There is no point going on a service, then say "I don't like what Apple is doing"...You went there.
If Apple never had exclusives, no matter who they may hurt, everyone would need to wait just like every other service out there..
I reckon its ok... It's like saying 'u cannot advertise at a discount in real life ever because it hurts everyone else...'
Tough.... That's what bring in users.. if u don't like it, the minor labels who feel this way shouldn't go on Apple music.. It's standard practice to get 'business.
There are allot of services out there...... There is no point going on a service, then say "I don't like what Apple is doing"...You went there.
This is ridiculous. The label model is built on exclusivities. Every artist in Universal's stable is exclusive to Universal. They're just throwing a tantrum because they're seeing an exchange of money between distribution and artist and they can't figure out a way to get in the middle of it.
Sounds like Taylor Swift wants more money to make the same music about a guy she screws and than breaks up later she spends on Botox and plastic surgery. Good record labels should be investigated for not paying their artists for their works and don't worry no one really listens to Apple Music Exclusive since all Exclusive is auto tune.
We have cable monopoly all over this "free enterprise capitalist icon of a nation" and people are whining about artists signing with Apple (or Target or any other company) to maximize their revenue?
Buy a CD and focus on getting rid of Broadband monopoly criminals.
Buy a CD and focus on getting rid of Broadband monopoly criminals.
I don't think that's the best comparison. If we're comparing music to TV, shows are more like songs and channels are more like artists. Artists have their own content (songs) just like channels have their own content (shows). It's understandable that shows are tied to a channel just like it's understandable that songs are tied to an artist.
It gets bad when a channel is connected to a particular cable provider, though. These exclusives would be like HBO only being available on Comcast and Showtime only being available on AT&T U-Verse. I shouldn't have to subscribe to Comcast and AT&T to get every channel, and I shouldn't have to subscribe to every streaming service (Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal, Amazon Music, etc.) to get every artist.
This critique is written very poorly, but he has a point. Exclusives are bad for consumers. I personally hate them.
God forbid a woman has an active love life and makes music about it. The horror....
Exclusives are common to media everywhere, not just music. Do I care if Best Buy has 'exclusive bonus content' on a DVD that Target does not? Amazon has exclusive books I can't buy at my local store. What about video on demand - it's 'exclusive' for weeks until I can pick up a copy of that movie on disk.
Point is, this isn't the end of the world and to act like Apple (or any company) is crazy is just, well, crazy. It's everywhere already.
Point is, this isn't the end of the world and to act like Apple (or any company) is crazy is just, well, crazy. It's everywhere already.
I think his analogy isn't too far off. Could he have been nicer about it? Sure. But I like the fact that he wasn't. I for one though am a bit tired of sugarcoating blunt points that have to be made. We baby proof everything to cater toward the overly sensitive. A prime example is the fact that he used the word hillbilly. Someone somewhere will be angry about that, and as a result some fake apology will be issued.
But, of course my opinion is just that and one of many.
Not an Apple fanboy by any means. This article makes no sense.
First, exclusives have been around forever. Walmart and Target do them.
Second, no one forces the artist to do this. They do it for $$.
First, exclusives have been around forever. Walmart and Target do them.
Second, no one forces the artist to do this. They do it for $$.
Well, because when Barrens chat got dumped from WOW, it was really just migrated here. Lol sorry that's a bit of a niche reference but some out there will get it.
It provides another opportunity to crap on Apple. For the usual suspects here who engage in that on almost every thread, no matter what it's about, that's a huge deal!
The true crime is Walmarts forced censorship....but the labels and artists are complicit with it so that evil will still happen, as long as they sell CDs anyway.
So why the heck is the first cry always 'collusion' or 'anti-trust' when people can't get what they want, when they want it, how they want it? Sheesh! Pretty soon people are going to be demanding that Sony be able to release movies made by Universal!
Really? You think it's Apple supporters who are producing the increasing amount of negativity in these forums? Smh.
Part truth, part horsesiht. There are exclusive deals going on all the time with all sorts of vendors, not just Apple. It's annoying as hell. As a consumer it pisses me off to no end.
There is no conspiracy however. Apple is looking to promote its service above its competitors, and if it can do that with exclusive deals, it will, just like Spotify, Amazon, or any other vendor.
Don't like it? As a consumer, vote with your wallet and send feedback to your preferred vendor. For the music industry: STOP DOING THE DAMN EXCLUSIVE DEALS!
There is no conspiracy however. Apple is looking to promote its service above its competitors, and if it can do that with exclusive deals, it will, just like Spotify, Amazon, or any other vendor.
Don't like it? As a consumer, vote with your wallet and send feedback to your preferred vendor. For the music industry: STOP DOING THE DAMN EXCLUSIVE DEALS!
It's called Cannibalistic Capitalism.. and when there are no more new bands coming out because they can't make any money, we can thank Apple for killing the music industry. I give it less than ten years.
