Steve Albini: State of the Music Industry 2015

As usual, Steve Albini has great insight on the recording and music industry. His piece The Problem With Music reknowned for its accurate skewering of the industry in the 90's. However, it's 2015 and the landscape has changed dramatically. Read his Keynote address from the Face the Music conference in Melbourne for his insight on where things are now. It is awesomely optimistic, much to the chagrin of the larger labels I'm sure.

Fans can find the music they like and develop direct relationships with the bands. It is absolutely possible - I'm sure it happens every day - that a kid in one of these far-flung places can find a new favourite band, send that band a message, and that singer of that band will read it and personally reply to it from his cell phone half a world away. How much better is that? I'll tell you, it's infinitely better than having a relationship to a band limited to reading it on the back of the record jacket. If such a thing were possible when I was a teenager I'm certain I would have become a right nuisance to the Ramones.

That's just one pullquote worthy of your time. There are literally hundreds more. Go read or listen to it now.

My question is, who is the Albini of the movie industry? My friends Austin and Jed point to Soderbergh, others Ted Hope. I don't have the answer but as you reach the end of this address it becomes clear that the old system - music industry or movie industry - is over. The opportunities presented to bands or filmmakers or any kind of creatives are in an enormous blooming period.

Maybe this is all obvious but Albini puts it in a framework and a language that I fully admire and enjoy. Please be sure to make it towards the back half of this talk, as that is when it really picks up full steam.