The Odd Future Approach: Give Away The Music, Sell Awesome Stuff

from the ofwgkta dept

Fri, Apr 13th 2012 5:41pm — Leigh Beadon

The BBC has a great short video feature looking at Odd Future, the massively popular (and equally controversial) rap collective, and their merchandise-focused approach to the music business. Odd Future has always been an interesting case study in music: their graphic content prevents them from getting much radio play, their career was started and built online, and they give away all their music (20 albums worth, at this point) for free. But they have been making money since the beginning by selling homemade merchandise directly to fans, offering lots of limited edition shirts and one-off products. Now they've combined that approach with their highly successful tours, by launching pop-up merch shops in every city before the show. They do meet-and-greets at the shop where they take photos and sign autographs. The fans love it—they were in Toronto recently, and the line for the pop-up shop stretched several blocks, and according to the BBC they are moving unique hand-made t-shirts at £100 each.

Tour merchandise has always been popular, but Odd Future takes it to the next level (though they're not the only artists to experiment with this kind of thing). Rather than just selling cheap t-shirts at a massive markup from a table in the venue, they turn it into a whole companion experience to the show, and offer merch that's actually one-of-a-kind. The Odd Future kids are naturals at connecting with fans, and this shows how they also combine that with a bundle of different reasons to buy. Well-known for shirking the establishment in every way imaginable, Odd Future doesn't seem to care too much about record sales, and they definitely don't care about piracy or competing with free—they've found a new way of doing things, and it's working.

Note: let's not turn this into a debate about the morality/merits of Odd Future's music. For that, head over to Tim Cushing's excellent post on Lost In The Sound.

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Filed Under: free, hip-hop, merchandise, odd future, pop-up shop

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Jeremy, 13 Apr 2012 @ 6:59pm

Nice and all but
I think that's nice and all that they are making money and doing it in an unusual (or slightly unusual way) by making their own merchandise but I'm really worried about people who would spend 100 pounds on a shirt some guy made the night before.

Also I don't really like their music, but I'm just not a big rap fan.
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Meh, 13 Apr 2012 @ 7:24pm

I wouldn't give them too much credit.

Odd Future is a joke and for all their manufactured for appearances "success" they can barely break into the top 150 when they release a project. There is so much behind the scenes crap that in truth the only reason those kids are messed with by most influential media outlets (Billboard, MTV, etc) is because of politics.

Also - Pop Up's are pretty common in hip hop, especially in NYC. They're just copying other artists - specifically major label Interscope artists who jacked the idea from indie artists who truly deserve the credit, but will never get it.

The only thing good to come out of Odd Future is Frank Ocean was taken off of the Def Jam shelf, He was already signed and actually has talent. The rest of their shelf life expired quite some time ago.

There are several urban artists who are doing pretty cool things business model wise that deserve praise and shine. Odd Future isn't one of them. Giving them credit is sort of a slap in the face to all the legit artists they stole from.
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Pseudonym, 13 Apr 2012 @ 7:31pm

Re: Nice and all but
First off, it's not "some guy". It's hand-made by a member of your favourite band. Moreover, remember that you didn't have to spend 100 pounds on 20 albums worth of music.
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Pseudonym, 13 Apr 2012 @ 7:36pm

Re:
Odd Future is a joke and for all their manufactured for appearances "success" they can barely break into the top 150 when they release a project.

I don't know anything about them that wasn't in the video above, so forgive my ignorance, but... the top 150 what, exactly? Clearly you can't be referring to album sales, because that's the point of the article. So what is it?
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Apr 2012 @ 11:48pm

They Have Got It
Musicians and authors seem to have caught on. The sky is rising for them.

Big publishers, big-3 record labels and big-6 movie studios are still clueless. Does bigness cause stupidity? Or is it that these few companies are all being run by corporate psychopaths? Psychopaths are people with no conscience. It is a brain defect. They do not care who they hurt. We should check these people against the standard indicators for psychopathy.
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RadialSkid (profile), 14 Apr 2012 @ 4:34am

Of course, it'll only work with bands their size. Or is it larger bands, with ah established audience? Or smaller bands, who don't have to worry about maintaining a large fanbase?

Damn, I forget...
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2012 @ 4:34am

Re: Nice and all but
Fuck you. Why would you read this article and comment on it if u don't like it, faggot.
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Not an Electronic Rodent (profile), 14 Apr 2012 @ 5:38am

Re: Nice and all but
I'm really worried about people who would spend 100 pounds on a shirt some guy made the night before.
Well I'm worried about people who spend Tens of millions on a few squiggly lines of paint on a canvas some guy no-one alive knows first hand did but I guess I'm in the minority there. Value is in the eye of the beholder.
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Not an Electronic Rodent (profile), 14 Apr 2012 @ 5:44am

Re:
It's the [whatever kind of band the article isn't talking about] kind, obviously. To be followed by a rant that basically defines "success" in music to be "being a world-wide mega-star in the purely traditional sense of huge world-wide CD sales and massive international stageshow tour" and everything else as irrelevant.

Hope that helps.
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SforMusic, 14 Apr 2012 @ 7:47am

Re:
lool i like it when ppl say there are other musicans doing blah blah and deserve more blah blah... here are the facts OF had a core following 2 years before Yonkers without machines pushing them , all of their songs has never been played on radio, hell even MTV cant play Yonkers properly so that is the politics section out the window 2nd of all u cant just say they are a joke just because of Tyler the creator ( which somewhat one-sided) without background research ( 7 more members, 20 or more albums? have you tried them all ??) and the Frank Ocean part, Yes he has talent no doubt but he is in the group for a reason and doesn't it strike you as odd that the moment Odd future broke out Frank Ocean also broke out and asked what happened to Ocean if Oddfuture didnt break out. Now to the Pop-Up concept, no hip hop group have done this concept before if anything this concept came from the street/skate wear culture (funny enough OF are part of) OF have done something different in this time where the majority of music channels show average to shit music and they done all by themselves and still staying true to themselves . If u think there other artists doing equivalent/better stuff and dont feel like they are getting the support they "deserve", den you better go hard on your promotion simple as. They used the internet to get where they at y cant they do the same !
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2012 @ 7:50am

Re: Re: Nice and all but
Be careful with your assumptions about art that you classify as "a few squiggly lines of paint". Often times abstract art is about demonstrating simply a concept rather than the technical expertise required to produce the work. Case in point: Read a little about Mondrian and Neo-plastisim and then come back.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2012 @ 7:53am

Re: Re: Re: Nice and all but
Of course most of Mondrian's work couldn't classify as "a few squiggly lines of paint" as most of his lines were straight. :P
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2012 @ 8:42am

Re: They Have Got It
The sky isn't rising - it's a false hope, like that last piece of wood next to the sinking ship, you think it's going to carry you to safety. But really, it's been eaten by termites and can't support you for very long.

Things work when they are unique and "first". When everyone does them, they are no longer unique, and then no longer really valid. This is a great example of an idea that works out well until many other people do it, then it sucks.

Further, let's be clear here - the fans really want the music, not the crappy t-shirt. If you forget that, you miss the entire relationship.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2012 @ 8:58am

Re: Re: They Have Got It
Your evidence is striking.
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Not an Electronic Rodent (profile), 14 Apr 2012 @ 9:01am

Re: Re: Re: Nice and all but
Be careful with your assumptions about art that you classify as "a few squiggly lines of paint".
I wasn't making assumptions I was being facetious to a fatuous objection to the band's mechandise. A painting when it comes down to it is literally a few squiggles of paint (usually made from assorted freely available minerals) on canvas (cotton or flax - i.e. plants). The value of it is in its ability to elicit an emotional response from the viewer, which is wholly subjective and also a completely seperate thing from monetary value i.e. price. As is often said here Value != price. I've seen paintings that can be bought for peanuts that moved me far more than many "old masters".

My point was that to dismiss someone as stupid because they'd pay 100 for a shirt is a fatuously elitist view. I wouldn't pay 80M for a painting I totally loved (even if I had it) and yet I accept that people do and that's their choice. Clearly the people buying the shirts think they're getting some sort of value out of it so who's to say they are wrong?
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Not an Electronic Rodent (profile), 14 Apr 2012 @ 9:04am

Re: Re: Re: They Have Got It
In much the same subtle manner as a 4x2 with nails through it and about as carefully crafted.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2012 @ 9:06am

Make them fans and they'll buy your collectibles!
Simple!
Effective!
PROFITABLE!
Hook them digitally (which is BOTH cheap and easy to do), and rake the dough in!
Talk about a successful business model!

Another example is sci-fi/fantasy, especially STAR WARS.
There's only six movies and several tv and radio series, all of which sell well in the CD/DVD/BluRay market.

But the REAL cash cow for LucasFIlm is the MERCHANDISE...lightsabers, Princess Leia in Slave Garb figurines (I have three different ones...ALL licensed merchandise), etc., which CAN'T be digitally-pirated!
While "regular" pirating of inferior-quality duplicates has always been an ongoing problem ever since collectibles became a major market, fans prefer spending money for high-quality stuff...where possible!
Big Media...take note!
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Leigh Beadon (profile), 14 Apr 2012 @ 9:57am

Re: Re: They Have Got It
Things work when they are unique and "first". When everyone does them, they are no longer unique, and then no longer really valid.

Ah, so the traditional model of record labels and music sales is no longer valid. Good call.

Further, let's be clear here - the fans really want the music, not the crappy t-shirt. If you forget that, you miss the entire relationship.

Wow, you really do not understand fandom. The kids who line up and yell and scream for Odd Future shows want a LOT more than the music. They are in love with the people. Odd Future's career is built on great music PLUS really genuine personas that piss off a lot of people but totally charm a lot of others. The fans want to be involved, they want to meet them and take home a piece of them. The fact that you don't understand that kind of fandom explains why you are so uncreative when it comes to thinking about music business models.
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TtfnJohn (profile), 14 Apr 2012 @ 10:16am

Re: Re:
I expect that's exactly what he's talking about as the Billboard top (fill in number here) is based on record sales. Other rankings are based on airplay and as they freely use the 7 words you can't say on television or radio they don't get a whole lot of that.
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TtfnJohn (profile), 14 Apr 2012 @ 10:25am

Re:
If pop up merchandising works for others why not use it? The point being made here is that there is where Odd Future connects with it's fans before a show. Using something that works for others isn't theft. Doing it better, part of which is in the story, isn't theft either.

That the Beeb chose to do a story on them doesn't mean they thought the idea up just that, as far as the Beeb is concerned, they do it better. So well, in fact, that they literally give their music away and make their income from pop ups and shows and merchandise.

You're right when you say that there are several urban artists doing similar and cool things with new business models that aren't getting the coverage they deserve.

You're wrong when you think you get to declare them illegitimate just because you don't like their music. Nor do you, or I, get to decide who the legit artist is. Thank God.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2012 @ 11:39am

Response to: Meh on Apr 13th, 2012 @ 7:24pm
Your a faggot
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Richard (profile), 14 Apr 2012 @ 11:47am

Re: Nice and all but
I'm really worried about people who would spend 100 pounds on a shirt some guy made the night before.

And I'm worried about someone who would spend $10 on a CD that cost
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Richard (profile), 14 Apr 2012 @ 12:12pm

Re: Re: They Have Got It
the fans really want the music,

So why do the stars get greeted with hordes of screaming fans at the airport when they are not going to sing/play a note??
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Richard (profile), 14 Apr 2012 @ 12:15pm

Re: Re: They Have Got It
Things work when they are unique and "first". When everyone does them, they are no longer unique, and then no longer really valid.

Of course you are right here - twas ever thus - which is why genuine innovators need have no fear of those who merely copy!

Welcome to our side of the argument!
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Richard (profile), 14 Apr 2012 @ 1:04pm

Re: Re: Nice and all but
less than 25 cents..
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That one guy, 14 Apr 2012 @ 1:10pm

OFWGKTA
I love what Odd Future Wolf Gang is doing! I hate how people try to show how producing music should ONLY be through record labels and what not. OFWG found a way to be successful and some people cant except the fact that OFWG is going places. They even have thier OWN SHOW! not alot of music artists have their own damn show. sure the music is free, but the cost added elsewhere (merchandise). Thats exactly what car salesman and businesses do all over the globe, and why should that stop OFWG from doing the same? People who put them down are only griping because they can. It doesnt seem like theres a point to even fight this. They are going places: That is a fact.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2012 @ 4:12pm

Re: Re: Re: They Have Got It
"Ah, so the traditional model of record labels and music sales is no longer valid. Good call."

Marcus, as always, you are an idiot. The model of the record label works because it doesn't depend on "first". It's a fine crafted system that works to deliver quality content to the fans that want it. They don't have to rely on the gimmick of the week to make a living.

"Wow, you really do not understand fandom. The kids who line up and yell and scream for Odd Future shows want a LOT more than the music."

I cannot understand how you can be such an idiot and still be able to type. Seriously. Marcus, without the music, which is the core, nothing else happens. Nobody is going to line up around the block for an overpriced t-shirt from someone who has no name does nothing, and adds nothing. How many people will pay you $100 for a t-shirt? NOBODY.

The music is the relationship, it's what matters. The t-shirt is symbolic at best, not the be all and end all by itself. The fans are there for the music, everything else derives from that. The tail does not wag the dog.

Can you perhaps add something less stupid next time?
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Leigh Beadon (profile), 14 Apr 2012 @ 4:57pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: They Have Got It
Hey dumbass - just because everything else revolves around the music doesn't mean everything else is non-existent. So while you're sitting there stubbornly ignoring all the stuff that surrounds the music, people like Odd Future are out there using it to make money.

Again, your myopia holds you back. You gotta work on that.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2012 @ 5:47pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: They Have Got It
I don't ignore it - but I don't let it overwhelm the initial and key component. Basically, you are pointing to the fuzzy dice and saying that is what makes you car so fast. How ignorant is that?
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Leigh Beadon (profile), 14 Apr 2012 @ 6:10pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: They Have Got It
If someone finds a way to make a bunch of money by giving away cars and selling expensive fuzzy dice, more power to them!
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2012 @ 9:49pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: They Have Got It
Not really - it would be the ultimate example of a non-sustainable business model. As soon as people realize that fuzz dice are (a) not really want they wanted in the first place, and (b) worth pennies the whole thing falls down.

Selling t-shirts, no matter how "unique", at a high price is just another way of ripping off the "real fans" so that the freeloaders (like yourself) can enjoy the real product for nothing. They want music - why the heck don't we have a commercial system that allows the fans to purchase what they really want?
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Leigh Beadon (profile), 14 Apr 2012 @ 10:51pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: They Have Got It
Blah blah blah. Sorry, you can yap all you want but you can't escape it - they built a huge, successful career by giving away their music and selling other stuff. It's kinda pathetic how desperate you are to depict success as failure, but it does explain a lot - I too would take a dim view of modern culture if I saw it through your pessimistic eyes.
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Jack Green, 15 Apr 2012 @ 8:02am

Harmonica
New Harmonica
http://soundcloud.com/jackgreen007
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Richard (profile), 15 Apr 2012 @ 8:19am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: They Have Got It
As soon as people realize that fuzz dice are (a) not really want they wanted in the first place, and (b) worth pennies the whole thing falls down.

But the cost of copying the music is also pennies AND the people realise this too so what is your point?
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Richard (profile), 15 Apr 2012 @ 8:24am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: They Have Got It
They want music - why the heck don't we have a commercial system that allows the fans to purchase what they really want?

If the fans want to purchase the music - as opposed to copies of the music then there is kickstarter - which enables them to fund new music.

You are confusing "the music" with "copies of the music"

Copies of the music cost pennies. Via kickstarter or similar fans can actually fund the music - rather than paying exhorbitant prices for copies of old stuff.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Apr 2012 @ 8:29am

Re: Response to: Meh on Apr 13th, 2012 @ 7:24pm
Grammar! "You're" a faggot
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Not an Electronic Rodent (profile), 15 Apr 2012 @ 10:24am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: They Have Got It
Not really - it would be the ultimate example of a non-sustainable business model
And there in a single sentence is your problem as well as that of the **AA companies you are so fond of. No business model is "sustainable". Markets change and short- or long-term if you stick to a business model no matter how successful it'll eventually not work any more. You on the other hand (along with the **AA's) seem to think that once you find an idea that works it should work forever. These guys are making money out of what they do, they are therefore smart enough. When the market changes, is they are still making money that makes them very smart.
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Not an Electronic Rodent (profile), 15 Apr 2012 @ 10:35am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: They Have Got It
Selling t-shirts, no matter how "unique", at a high price is just another way of ripping off the "real fans"
So then you'll be able to point to the many reviews saying things like "I bought one of their shirts and now I wish I hadn't, what a rip off".. right?

You might think it's a rip-off, but it seems like the people shelling out the money don't. Me, I think shelling out around $20 to see something as egregiously bad as Pirates of the Caribbean 4 is a rip-off, but there are those who rave about that too so I'm guessing they wouldn't feel the same way.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Apr 2012 @ 11:00am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: They Have Got It
Here's the thing though: many fads have come and gone, the media has shifted, but the basic artist / label / retail sales model has lasted for decades, and is still at this point the most functional and highest grossing model around (Mike would hate to admit it).

Where I have a problem, and where I see a disconnect is that much of the chanting here is to f**k the **aas, get rid of the labels, get rid of their distribution system, get rid of their business model, and in it's place... t-shirts? I am trying to figure out why you trash a multi billion dollar business in order to make a few thousand bucks on t-shirts.

It's a real disconnect that nobody is really talking about unified models that would allow the "new" music business to move forward with direction, and rather that it's all about cool one offs. There really seems to be a lack of a true cohesive model for moving forward. Right now it seems to more like stumbling around in a dark crowded room with a sharp knife in your hand.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Apr 2012 @ 11:33am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Nice and all but
That's fair. I agree. However I often hear people who have never studied art make statements about abstract art similar to your comment simply because they don't understand it and never took the time to learn what it is about.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Apr 2012 @ 11:58am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Nice and all but
And somehow I missed the sarcasm in your post originally. I just had to replace the batteries in my sarcasm detector.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Apr 2012 @ 12:19pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: They Have Got It
You miss the point. The point is that this is ONE OF MANY alternative business models that is working that fly in the face of the claims that the industry cannot sustain itself when the content is available for free to the public. Markets change on their own. It's in their nature. Pirates are not changing it. And the legacy industries can't keep it from changing. Adapt or die. It's that simple. And they will eventually adapt. We've seem this before. (See VCR). However it will only be after the finish pitching their gigantic temper tantrums and they realize that they have to accept that the change was inevitable.

And if the **as didn't treat the public with the disrespect that they do maybe the attitude toward them might be different.
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Not an Electronic Rodent (profile), 15 Apr 2012 @ 3:15pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: They Have Got It
still at this point the most functional and highest grossing model around
Which means what exactly? Simple inertia and size mean that even a bad model will last quite a while especially when there is so much effort thrown into trying to strangle any other model that rises up to challenge.

Where I have a problem, and where I see a disconnect is that much of the chanting here is to f**k the **aas, get rid of the labels,
That's what you see and yes there's some of that, perhaps even an amount equal to 1/2 the pointless invective that usually comes from the "other side". Both are annoying. At least the arguments of Mike et al show consistent internal logic. It's extremely rare there's anything similar the other way.
and in it's place... t-shirts?
case in point. I'm going to assume you can't really be obtuse enough to assume that's the argument and yet rather than debating merits you try and belittle at every turn.
I am trying to figure out why you trash a multi billion dollar business
And again that's what you read into it. Me I see a change in technology that means that things cannot possibly keep working the same way and that the same or bigger industry will adapt to new ways but with likely less money for each individual company since there will naturally be more players to share the enlarged pot.

It's a real disconnect that nobody is really talking about unified models that would allow the "new" music business to move forward with direction,
Again, your own failing. There is no "magic model" that will suddenly replace one model with something that works for everyone. IN fact there never was. What's left of the models you revere so are the biggest sharks in the tank. How many "big" studios and "major" labels are there now compared to, say, the 60's and 70's?
Right now it seems to more like stumbling around in a dark crowded room with a sharp knife in your hand.
Well given the **AA propensity for trying to kill any competition, if I had to use a nebulously scary-sounding metaphor like that I'd characterize it more as "carefully feeling around a dark room where everyone else has a knife but you."
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Richard (profile), 15 Apr 2012 @ 4:03pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: They Have Got It
I am trying to figure out why you trash a multi billion dollar business in order to make a few thousand bucks on t-shirts.

Because T shirts now have more scarcity value than recordings!

Why can't you get it into your head that selling copies of the music is NOT selling the music.

I trashed your arguments above - which is why you never bothered to reply to me.
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Richard (profile), 15 Apr 2012 @ 4:20pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: They Have Got It
the media has shifted, but the basic artist / label / retail sales model has lasted for decades,

Whilst music has been going for centuries.

The thing is that the marginal cost of producing copies of a recording is now essentially zero. It follows that taxing the process to fund fixed costs is not sustainable (would you like to pay an infinite tax rate on your income or purchases?).

Actually the simple unified model you ask for is there. It is called fund and release. It uses upfront funding direct from the public. The internet makes this relatively easy via sites like kickstarter.

It will take a while to educate the public about this - in the meantime t shirts etc will form a useful stop gap.
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Nate, 15 Apr 2012 @ 9:42pm

Its makes sense OF would push their merch since artist's don't typically make most of their money off album sales. It's creative and a cool approach to the evolving music business. Limited quantities also make collecting a must have and probably explains why I'm buying the OF Tape Vol. 2 on vinyl on record store day.
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Richard (profile), 16 Apr 2012 @ 2:12am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: They Have Got It
Selling t-shirts, no matter how "unique", at a high price is just another way of ripping off the "real fans"

If selling T shirts at inflated prices is a rip off then why isn't selling CDs or downloads at even more inflated prices a rip off?
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alex (profile), 16 Apr 2012 @ 4:47am

are they in the music business?
surely they're in the merchandise business, non?
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Richard (profile), 16 Apr 2012 @ 5:49am

Re: are they in the music business?
No - they are in the music business.

Just as Google and free to air televion are not both merely in the advertising business and University researchers are in the research business not in the grant application business (although I do sometimes wonder about that one)
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BentFranklin (profile), 16 Apr 2012 @ 2:37pm

What should a musical group do if their music is about fighting materialism?
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mae, 3 Feb 2013 @ 10:52pm

Great!
Great Music! I would like to download the songs that I loved to hear all day long, on my iPhone using "ClipClock" application to share the great music includes the new music video releases. I can share to you the links! http://www.clipclock.com/download/60021
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