Peter Spellman offer his thoughts on music career development amid new industry trends and look at their career implications and applications. He hopes both musicians and industry careerists will gather some guidance for setting their sails amidst the mercurial waves of a transforming entertainment business. read more

The last few years have been a roller coaster ride for the music industry. As stories have moved from Arts & Entertainment to the Business sections of major media outlets, the public has become aware of the new realities facing the industry. Whether it’s the challenge of the internet, or increasing globalization, everything seems to be up for grabs. Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) have been at the center of a lot of these controversies. Although most musicians and songwriters are familiar with ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC, what do these organizations do and how are they positioning themselves and their clients for the future? read more

For a brief, shining moment it looked as though the Internet might emerge as our storybook hero, ending the reign of the old media conglomerates. For too long our radios bound us to music as shiny and sterile as a corporate board room, our cinema to films as empty of soul as they were full of silicon and cliche, and our newspapers and televisions to the news that Wall Street wanted us to see. Through a corporate filter, we lacked the perspective necessary to identify (at any mass level) the role that a highly concentrated media plays in sedating a vibrant democracy. read more

I thoroughly enjoyed my recent conversation with Matt Goyer, President and CEO of Fairtunes. I think it’s great to see individuals experimenting with different models within the music industry. Their ideas have been met with much enthusiasm in the fan community, and with much interest in the music industry. People like the idea of paying artists directly, cutting out middle men, and being absolved of their Napster guilt. read more