Elton John, Anti-YouTube Crusader, Partners With YouTube For Public Music Competition
from the oh-ok dept
Elton John is no stranger either to crazy suggestions for how the internet should be or to flip-flopping on those very same suggestions. For example, he once suggested that the whole internet should be shut down for half a decade in order to foster better musical acts (seriously), then years later he was on a list of artists seeking to keep music pirates from being kicked off of that same internet he wanted shut down, until shortly after that list came out when he was totally behind kicking people off of the internet again.
Well, here we go again, it seems. Earlier this year, Elton John joined other artists in asking Congress to remove safe harbor protections, with a specific eye on YouTube. Shortly after, he also signed onto a letter sent to several ranking EU officials complaining about record label music appearing on YouTube and suggesting that artists weren't being paid enough by the video-sharing site for their content. Which brings us to the present, where we come across Elton John's YouTube video revealing a public music video contest on YouTube, sponsored by YouTube.
‘Elton John: The Cut’ will launch at YouTube’s end-of-year show Brandcast, hosted by James Corden today (December 12), with entries officially opening to the public on January 9, 2017.
Elton John said: “We’re excited to partner with YouTube to bring together generations of artists and music lovers around a shared passion for storytelling. YouTube is a rich tapestry of creativity, and I can’t wait to see how the breadth of talent from the dance, live-action and animation communities apply their vision to these cherished songs.”
YouTube is a rich tapestery of creativity? I mean, I don't want to ding someone who appears to have come around on a more sensible point of view, but this is a far cry from "let's turn off the internet for five years." Not to mention that this partnership with YouTube flies in the face, or at least seems to muddle, the claims that the platform is some kind of problem for musical acts. If anything, this partnership shows how valuable YouTube can be and is for musical artists looking for new avenues to get their music noticed, sponsored, and to engage with the public. It's exactly the kind of thing that YouTube is good for...and has been good for dating back to Elton John's several screeds against it.
And it's quite nice to see that YouTube's involvement appears to be aimed at spawning further creativity.
YouTube’s support provides applicants with funding and use to of the YouTube Space production facilities. The production of the final music videos will be supported by Pulse Films – makers of Beyonce’s Emmy-nominated “Lemonade” film. YouTube will also award the prize fund of ten thousand U.S. dollars to the winning creators to support future video-based creative projects.
I truly hope that one of music's most famous voices has managed to come around and realize that the internet and YouTube are not enemies, but tools for music acts. It's just that the speed at which the flip-flopping is occurring is somewhat jarring.
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Filed Under: business models, elton john, internet, platforms
Companies: youtube
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Is he even still around?!? I don't think I've heard anything from him since the 90s!
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Fail to see the flipflop
The actual content behind his stances actually makes a lot of sense, even if at first blush the effects seem at odds with each other. Plus, it shows that he's a pragmatist -- go for the big move, and if that doesn't work, try to influence what *is* working.
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Money Talks
????
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Re: Money Talks
It seems fair to assume that he at least isn't an idealist at least.
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YouTube is a rich tapestry of creativity
In other news: Once famous artist decides he wants one (in numbers: 1) of his works finally phonographed by Edison.
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Re: YouTube is a rich tapestry of creativity
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Re: YouTube is a rich tapestry of creativity
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Mountains of cocaine
So there's your answer to why he flip-flops on his ideas on just about anything, his mind is addled with coke.
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Who decides royalties?
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Re: Who decides royalties?
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Re: Who decides royalties?
Unrelated, but in an unsuccessful search(I blame poor search terms) for the article I was thinking of when I wrote my response, I got to enjoy the wonder that was AJ in the comment sections again. All I can say is wow, I haven't seen childish tantrums that bad since I saw an actual child throwing a tantrum.
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I personally avoid his music like the plague along the likes of Metallica, Kiss and other artists that are morons like him. Sadly some of them are actually good if you ignore this 'old man yells at the cloud' attitude.
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gay people tryng to be relevant again alert
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Re: gay people tryng to be relevant again alert
That or you really need to work on your sarcasm...
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"Close down the Internet"
"I do think it would be an incredible experiment to shut down the whole internet for five years and see what sort of art is produced over that span."
"Elton John, blaming the internet for destroying good music"
Enough said.
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