SF MusicTech: A New Hope

from the a-new-day-dawns dept

Tue, Sep 13th 2011 4:11pm — Mike Masnick

I spent most of yesterday at the always excellent SF MusicTech Summit. And, as usual, I try to pull out a "central theme" that seems to come across from the overall event. This year, I actually heard a few people note that it was difficult to find a central theme this year -- but I'm not sure that's true. What struck me wasn't necessarily what was being discussed, but what was not being discussed. Unlike past such events, there was no major label presence (if they were there, they were hidden). There was also no talk about piracy. I honestly can't recall it coming up even once on a panel or in a discussion (perhaps other than Michael Robertson talking about how EMI claimed MP3Tunes was built on piracy after a judge clearly ruled the exact opposite). In fact, there wasn't even the typical "doom and gloom" talk that so often permeates these conferences.

Honestly, what struck me was the sense that the industry is finally coming through that long dark winter, and that the future is suddenly wide open in front of them. Yes, there were reasonable complaints (some of which I hope to write more about later), that there hasn't been much "real" innovation or disruption yet. But almost everyone was looking forward and thinking about all the exciting things that could come next. It really felt like an awakening of sorts, where people are finally realizing that the major labels no longer have the power to be bottlenecks, and that the playing field is wide open with opportunity. Lots of people recognize that there's a long way to go and lots to be done, but it really was the most optimistic "music" related event I've ever been to.

So the central theme that I started noticing was a simple one: lots of people in the industry are done with complaining, and they're ready to move forward. That can only be described as good news.

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Filed Under: hope, music industry

9 Comments

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rubberpants, 13 Sep 2011 @ 4:15pm

Correlation
"there was no major label presence" and "no talk about piracy"

Coincidence? Nah.
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The Incoherent One (profile), 13 Sep 2011 @ 4:28pm

Precautionary
You used "A New Hope" in the title and there is a good chance that you are stealing money from Darth Vader.
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- Anonymous Coward, 13 Sep 2011 @ 5:48pm
  
  Re: Precautionary
  This reminds me of the "Amazing Spider-Man" TV series (19 April 1977), with Nicholas Hammond I doubt that he is getting any residuals.
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- Chuck Norris' Enemy (deceased) (profile), 14 Sep 2011 @ 7:23am
  
  Re: Precautionary
  "Nooooooooooooooo!"
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Blatant Coward (profile), 13 Sep 2011 @ 5:08pm

Call on Line 1
Um, Mike there's a Mr. Henley on the line, it's a real bad connection, Something about his yard or getting something off his lawn or something.
Honestly, sounds like he's calling from 1993.
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Sep 2011 @ 5:18pm

And as usual, the majors have to be drug in to the present, kicking and screaming all the way.

Sounds like the SF MusicTech is reaching for the future and the world. If the majors want a part of that, they are going to have to join or lose out.

Personally I would rather see them lose out for being the asses they have all these years.
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- Samuel Abram (profile), 13 Sep 2011 @ 6:59pm
  
  Re:
  Personally I would rather see them lose out for being the asses they have all these decades.
  
  FTFY.
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fb39ca4 (profile), 13 Sep 2011 @ 6:11pm

For a second...
For a second I thought this was related to the article on how Hollywood says Return of the Jedi is *still* not profitable.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Sep 2011 @ 7:57am

It sounds to me like the major labels are trying to ignore/marginalize/boycott anything that suggests that there might be better ways to do things than how they've always done them under their outdated business models.
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