posted
The following is the message/mission statement of a website supporting indie music. I found areyoulistening.com while I was surfing aroud one day, and have become a huge supporter of it and its' cause.
This site also contains links to the websites of many indie artists with many different styles. Theres something for everyone here, no matter what style of music you like, and no matter where you click you'll find one thing. Quality.
quote:I am frustrated, I don’t know if you are. Over the last few years the most advertised music and entertainment seems to have become worse and worse. I know that there is good music out there, but I used to hear more of it on radio and TV. I am in the music business so I understand what has gone on which makes it worse.
Basically the big record companies have been going public and consolidating over the last 10 to 15 years to make more money, and in the process of hiring more lawyers and accountants they’ve lost sight of finding good bands, making good records, and caring about fans. Most of the big radio and media companies have followed suit and now everything is based on stock prices and quarterly earnings. Accountants don’t know music so they put a bunch of money into a few really homogenized, talentless artists. Radio is more focused on selling advertising than on giving you good music, so they ignore you and take a lot of money from a few record companies to play those mediocre songs that keep you listening long enough to sell you something. TV is only interested in the moments ratings so you get “Behind Closet Doors- Paris Hilton’s Shoe Collection” rather then “Behind The Music” or anything that remotely inspires.
Now, of course, talentless, heartless blasé music is not all that TV, radio and major labels are promoting, but we seem to be only a few steps away from that. Basically we the fans have been treated like we don’t know better. It seems pretty obvious to me why, with what’s being offered, live concert ticket sales, album sales and radio listenership have been declining and alternatives like downloading and direct internet sales have grown. Instead of improving what is being marketed to fans, the music industry has sent the RIAA after music fans looking for quality music on the Internet. That sends all of us music fans running and screaming toward anything resembling quality. At least I am.
What do we do? We need to listen, support and stand up for great music of all kinds, whether it is on TV, radio or anywhere else. This is our problem to solve and we can’t expect things to change if we the music fans are disengaged. We also need to go where there is quality, choice and trust.
The internet and independent companies are that place, and people are already going in droves. Taking Back Sunday had the highest selling independent album debut ever with indie label Victory Records, over 300,000 copies in one week. Downloading stores are selling downloads by the millions. Artist websites are bringing fans together. ipods allow you to take your music with you wherever you go. Great music is out there and people are finding it.
I think this could be the beginning of a new era for music and all intellectual property, but we have to want it. Technology, by putting the control in the hands of fans, artists and independent companies, has given us a chance to take hold of great music again.
It is time for us as fans of quality, choice and trust to step up and say ARE YOU LISTENING? We need to say it to our friends who are jaded about music not being good anymore, because music is not only good, now it is better then ever, and you can find it through artist’s websites, download stores, live concerts, independent radio, media and record stores. We need to say it to radio, TV, press and record companies and also to bands, because they need to know you want music that speaks to you. Artists in this industry have been brainwashed more than anyone into thinking that they have no power without the corporate music companies. Those artists have forgotten that all the power is in the hands of the music they make and you, their fans. You can send a strong message to all artists that it is time to stand up for their music…and for you.
The artists that bring you quality, choice and trust are your partners along with the internet and independent companies. They are taking risks to give you more than the mediocre and we need to stand up and say yes, we are here and yes, WE ARE LISTENING. If we as the fans do not get involved we are the worst offenders.
Areyoulistening.com is just one part of the solution to a problem. We believe the most important thing is building back quality, choice and trust between artists and their fans and the way to do that is to bring them together and empower them to do just that. Our goal for AYL.com is to be a portal for music fans to discover new artists and for artists to create a direct relationship with those fans. We all have a part in the solution and we are trying to do ours. This is just the beginning.
Thanks for listening.
So, who are the inspiring individuals who wrote this, who started this website? None other than Hanson. Yes, MMMBOP Hanson. But they aren't MMMBOP anymore. Hanson parted ways from their record label after disagreements about which direction to take their music in. In 2004, Hanson released released the album Underneath and it rocketed to the top of the indie charts. But did you hear their single on the radio? I sure didn't.
Posts: 97 | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
Having been a fan of Hanson since the beginnig, they've grown tremendously as artists, in my oppinion at least. I agree that the Indie scene may not be the biggest fan of AYL, but they don't have to be involved with it.
Posts: 97 | Registered: Jan 2006
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quote:Having been a fan of Hanson since the beginnig, they've grown tremendously as artists, in my oppinion at least.
Oh, I agree - I just don't like their music. Sum 41 grew tremendously between their first and second albums, but I still don't like them, either. ^_^
quote:I agree that the Indie scene may not be the biggest fan of AYL, but they don't have to be involved with it.
They definitely don't, since the entire purpose of AYL is to more effectively introduce independent label musicians into the mainstream, hopefully to replace cookie cutter music entirely.
Posts: 4313 | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
I don't know if they're trying to replace it, as they are trying to change it. I read in an interview Hanson gave, that they aren't trying to stick it to the man, they're trying to tell the man to fix what's wrong. Or something like that.
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quote:I don't know if they're trying to replace it, as they are trying to change it. I read in an interview Hanson gave, that they aren't trying to stick it to the man, they're trying to tell the man to fix what's wrong. Or something like that.
Fixing what's wrong amounts to replacement, IMO, in the sense that even hip hop & rap that isn't completely formulaic will be so completely different that the radio would no longer really be recognizable.
Edit to add: Not to mention that crap like Bowling for Soup, Good Charlotte, etc. wouldn't be who they are without Brand X Chord Progression #159,287 and Boring Stock Lyrics #1,029,387,088.
Posts: 4313 | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
Eh, the majors are either going to change their strategy or fall apart. I expect/hope the former (I will always have a soft spot in my heart for EMI/Virgin), but I also expect they'll be incredibly slow and stubborn about it, which is why there's so much more room in the market for indie labels than there used to be.
That, and distribution is way less difficult. And recording is cheaper.
posted
I've moved past cynicism of the Pop industry, past cynicism of the indie industry (though they do get a lot of eye-rolling from me still) into realizing that I'll listen to whatever I like and I don't care where it's from.
Posts: 4753 | Registered: May 2002
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quote:I've moved past cynicism of the Pop industry, past cynicism of the indie industry (though they do get a lot of eye-rolling from me still) into realizing that I'll listen to whatever I like and I don't care where it's from.
Same. My disdain for the "Indie" music scene arises from the fact that their ratio of formulaic crap to good stuff is about the same as what's on the radio - it just has the added bonus of sounding underproduced.
Posts: 4313 | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
See, that's why the world needs to know the sublime coolness of Dir en grey. Dir en grey has all sorts of styles and directions. They are never boring. They do not have a ton of dull cliches. Each album and each song is different. And their lyrics... if one doesn't mind Japanese... But there are a great deal of their songs that folks would rather not know the words too.
Sure, this has nothing to do with anything, but formulaic music bores me. But then again, I like all sorts of stuff. Even Kelly Clarkson. She's rather spiffy.
Posts: 9942 | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
I like The Beatles. And The Who. And The Doors. And Nirvana. And Metallica. And Project 86. And System of a Down. And The Offspring. And...
Posts: 6026 | Registered: Dec 2004
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quote:Originally posted by SteveRogers: I like The Beatles. And The Who. And The Doors. And Nirvana. And Metallica. And Project 86. And System of a Down. And The Offspring. And...
i like a lot of those too.
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Depeche Mode is rather cool... There is also Tool and APC to consider And Tori Amos... she's one of the upper elite folks I like... But I still love Dir en grey the best...
Posts: 9942 | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
Green Day and Velvet Revolver are topping my lists these days, but I was raised on Classic Rock. I adore Skynnard and AC/CD.
Posts: 97 | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
I was (and still am) a BSB fan. It seems that whenever I start liking a band and invest time and interest in them, i can never cut the strings. Therefore, I like lots of stuff.
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