Ignorance
Listen, don't bitch to me about "writers make next to nothing". Same as waiters/waitresses....don't bitch to me about "you need to tip this much because they only get paid $2.15 per hour".
It's their OWN CHOICE to do that job and they know damn well how much they are getting paid.
I have no sympathy for people who CHOOSE to do jobs that pay very little. Go get an education and apply for higher paying jobs.....not a writer or waiter.
I feel that there is a good degree of ignorance, not only by the above quoted comment, but also by a good many people bemoaning that it's greed. I write from someone that is highly involved within the music industry and therefore can speak with a relative amount of gravitas.
First of all, I feel to clarify how artists, musicians, producers and everyone else get paid, certainly more so now, as the music industry has moved from one of being an industry, to one simply based on business - there is a difference, but not for discussion right now.
Record companies essentially prostitute artists, producers and musicians - they have a monopoly which is steadily slipping from their hands. Yet, still most involved in the industry require the distribution power and the connections that they have. At present it's 60/40 on everything, known as a complete 360. The 60/40 split is made in favour of the record company. The artist now sign to recoupable contracts meaning; that ANY costs in the productions of their record, are then offset against ANY income, on ANY source on ANY future release, tour, appearance, performance (airplay, TV, Radio, cover bands, etc.). Basically, to put this into context - record companies provide a loan to the artist to then produce an album, video and pay everyone in between, which at the end of it all the artist won't own.
An anology will help here; it's much like your boss employing you to make a widget, but you don't get paid till that widget sells, further more, any costs in making, promoting said widget are taken from your split of the profits at 40%. On top of that, you may have to wait over 12 months before you even see any wages, by which time, your boss may want you to put another widget out. If your last widget didn't sell that well, then too bad. The costs of that 1st widget are added to the 2nd widget and so the story goes on.
As to the above guys comment that they should get an education; most artists, musicians and producers especially are highly qualified people. To make a song that you guys hear on the radio is a very skilful and talented process that takes a great deal of money, time and patience. To say that we get what we deserve and we're being greedy is complete ignorance.
Now that you know how we get paid, which on an album sale, equates to around 60p per album and on top of that, we have to pay everyone - NOT the record company. They keep the lions share. It becomes obvious why many are trying to secure what's is their right. Granted, perhaps the 30 second issue on itunes is pushing it a tad too far, but much likes some of the PRS licenses we have in the UK/EU for public broadcast, then perhaps companies like Apple should be prepared to pay a higher public broadcast license that's if they pay one at present.
Further, the issue that artists etc. should get paid for internet streaming of TV shows etc. I feel too that this is right, they should. They get paid when it's broadcast over the airways, radio, TV and cable - with a large proportion of people now watching over the internet, which in itself is just another form of delivery, the content is the same, then I do believe that broadcasters need to consider this and a levy made.
The publishing side of the music industry is still 60/40 sometimes much less and more in favour of the publisher. Some of the majors will publish their own artists, so they will control the mechanical sales (downloads, CDs, LPs, Tour, etc.) and the publishing (airplay, sheet music, any broadcasting etc). Those artists will get even less. When an album is released, the producers will get points on a release, so to will any session musician, even the engineers half the time, all this, as well as the production costs, accounting fees, manager fees, advertising and more come out of the 40% (tops) that the artist gets.
Therefore, I can clearly understand why there is this action. It's not out of greed, it's out of trying to secure an income stream, which for some is their only income stream (those that write specifically for TV). They are not being greedy, just protecting what is rightfully theirs in the first place.
This article in the Guardian will help many realise why those of us in the industry and trying so hard to protect what's ours. It's an interesting article - it explains what the industry really is like.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/jan/20/popandrock.musicindustry
