While Bieber and Swift roll in the dough - GoFuckYourself.com

cthulhu_waves · 05-30-2013, 08:50 AM

More artists like Cat Power and Grizzly Bear go bankrupt. It's just sad. Your thoughts?

Lifted from http://www.theatlanticwire.com/enter...U4M0.facebook:

Quote:

You know times are tough for indie musicians when even Chan Marshall—who released a Top 10 Billboard album and played sold-out concerts this year—is bankrupt. The singer known as Cat Power has announced a likely cancellation of her upcoming European tour because of financial and health problems. Before taking the stage in Minneapolis last night, Marshall broke the news on Instagram with the following message:

I MAY HAVE TO CANCEL MY EUROPEAN TOUR DUE TO BANKRUPTCY & MY HEALTH STRUGGLE WITH ANGIOEDEMA. I HAVE NOT THROWN IN ANY TOWEL, I AM TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT BEST I CAN DO ...

It's no shock to learn that musicians lead financially precarious lives, but the thought of an artist as big as Cat Power going broke is particularly disheartening. The album Marshall released last month was as successful as any indie product could hope to be in 2012. Sun broke the Bilboard Top 10 and made a splash in Europe, peaking at No. 6 in France. It went over just as well with the critics, with reviewers calling the album "honest, accomplished, and pretty much just beautiful." Then she did what's required of every modern day songstress wanting to put bread on her table—she went out and played, selling out a number of clubs. If that's not enough to turn a profit in indie music, then who knows how deep in the red all the artists who didn't make it onto the Juno soundtrack must be.

Marshall's bankruptcy resonates with the angle Nitsuh Abebe took in his recent New York cover story on Grizzly Bear. Abebe showed that "hitting the big time" for today's musicians means having enough to pay the bills, feed yourself, and maybe buy a few vinyl records now and then. Health insurance remains a huge concern. Some Grizzly Bear members admitted to being uninsured. Marshall hasn't publicly disclosed her insurance status or commented on whether health costs led to her bankruptcy. But let's hope she has a health plan, because she's been something of a fixture at Miami's Mt. Sinai Medical Center lately. In 2006, she checked in for alcohol addiction, and last month she was back in one of their hospital beds for undisclosed reasons. Her admission that she suffers from angioedema—a serious condition that causes swelling in the face, tongue, and throat, sometimes leading to life-threatening suffocation—is scary. With or without coverage, these kinds of persistent medical issues can put the brakes on a musician's career. Or at least force them to put music on the back-burner while working a day job for the health benefits.

Everyone knows that artists go out on a financial limb by committing to creativity as a career. But it's beginning to look like even the most successful musicians—the ones that grace magazine covers and inspire bloggers to gush out 2,000-word think-pieces—will soon struggle to eke out a living from their craft. In retrospect, Sun's closing track "Peace And Love" was full of clues about Marshall's flagging financial health. Her angry lyrics referenced the 99 percent, Wall Street, and the paltry sums artists accrue in the post-Spotify marketplace.

A hundred-thousand hits on the internet
But that don't mean shit
Even if you're legitimate.

Now we know Marshall wasn't just channeling generalized, post-recession frustration through her music. She was singing very specifically about her own diminished economic prospects.

Markul · 05-30-2013, 08:52 AM

Never heard of them.... (Cat and the other)

Scott McD · 05-30-2013, 08:52 AM

Adapt or die.

(someone was gonna say it)

Fat Panda · 05-30-2013, 08:53 AM

fuck losers who cant cut it, i dont feel sorry for them

NaughtyRob · 05-30-2013, 09:50 AM

Never heard of her. She should have had a better marketing machine. Taylor Swift has the best I have ever seen, she is making $ every way she can.

Harmon · 05-30-2013, 09:52 AM

It's funny... it seems that everybody and their Grandfather rips on Bieber... yet he keeps getting richer. Strange how this money comes from nowhere.

The fact of the matter is, you are getting older. You are losing your insight as to what the "kids" want. Rip him a new asshole. Call him a "no talented" cunt.

At the end of the day he is driving a Ferrari, and you are driving a Chevy.

deltav · 05-30-2013, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaughtyRob

Never heard of her. She should have had a better marketing machine. Taylor Swift has the best I have ever seen, she is making $ every way she can.

Both of those bands/artists are pretty famous for independent musicians and Cat Power's been around for almost 20 years, but they're totally different animals than Taylor Swift. Swift's had the backing of a major label since her teens, makes easily digestible pop music, and has huge resources and $$$ from that label marketing her in every which way. A different experience from indie musicians entirely who don't have a massive well-funded PR machine in their corner.

In some ways a lot of these artists deal with some of the same issues we're facing - in both music & porn, piracy is the norm with formerly paying customers (and especially the newer generations) expecting quality content delivered to them for free.

CDSmith · 05-30-2013, 10:23 AM

Maybe they should consider becoming sellouts like the thousands of rich sellout artists who came before them.

Or have they already? I don't know, I'm asking because I too have never heard of either of them.

MaDalton · 05-30-2013, 10:25 AM

only a really small % of musicians makes money - has always been like that and will never change

Rochard · 05-30-2013, 10:27 AM

Never heard of this person.

Being a success doesn't mean you are the best. It means you are good at what you do, and good at marketing - AND have the right people behind you. I believe Taylor Swift has loads of talent, Beiber not so much, but because that little dipshit has the right people and the right marketing behind him he's making bank.

The others... Have clearly failed at marketing. No one's ever heard of them.

Google Expert · 05-30-2013, 10:32 AM

indie musician = no money

deltav · 05-30-2013, 10:37 AM

Again - both bands are pretty well known, at least for folks who pay attention to non corporate-radio-Top-40 stuff.

Bieber & Swift are outliers - they've had millions of marketing dollars behind them since they were teenagers (and in Bieber's case even before that). They were manufactured into stars by the labels.

The point of the article (especially the other one it links to) is that these "high-level" independent bands are making waaaay less of a living than musicians with *equivalent* exposure/audience/touring did 10-20-30 years ago.

pornguy · 05-30-2013, 10:44 AM

Dont know what pretty well known means when most here have no idea who they are.

Often this situation comes from over spending and no forward thought.

Sad.

BlackCrayon · 05-30-2013, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harmon

It's funny... it seems that everybody and their Grandfather rips on Bieber... yet he keeps getting richer. Strange how this money comes from nowhere.

The fact of the matter is, you are getting older. You are losing your insight as to what the "kids" want. Rip him a new asshole. Call him a "no talented" cunt.

At the end of the day he is driving a Ferrari, and you are driving a Chevy.

bieber himself is inconsequential. you could replace him with any number of people who look 'cute' to young girls and can sing. the people making him the money are the marketers behind him. there are thousands of people more talented than him who will never do anything with it. if he did not get picked up by usher and given 'the next big thing' treatment, he'd be just another nobody uploading crap to youtube.

deltav · 05-30-2013, 10:54 AM

Lol, okay I give up. There's a conversation to be had here about how audiences/customers/surfers have changed what they're willing to pay for & what they expect for free, or about the new realities for content producers in any media.

The equivalent of Bieber & Taylor Swift would be if Microsoft or Apple decided to "sign" your porn site & turn it into the Next Big Thing with their budget & PR resources. You'd be a another corporate product for sure, but it'd also be almost impossible not to make assloads of $$$.

Socks · 05-30-2013, 11:07 AM

...but what about all those studies that say that piracy is actually INCREASING sales?!

05-30-2013, 08:52 AM	#3
Scott McD Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Glasgow, Scotland Posts: 67,795	Adapt or die. (someone was gonna say it) __________________ I Buy My High Quality Traffic Here, You Should Too!

05-30-2013, 09:50 AM	#5
NaughtyRob Two fresh affiliate progs Industry Role: Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Inside teen pussy Posts: 29,602	Never heard of her. She should have had a better marketing machine. Taylor Swift has the best I have ever seen, she is making $ every way she can. __________________ [email protected] Skype: 17026955414 Vacares Web Hosting - Protect Your Ass with Included Daily Backups

05-30-2013, 09:52 AM	#6
Harmon ( ͡ʘ╭͜ʖ╮͡ʘ) Industry Role: Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 20,007	It's funny... it seems that everybody and their Grandfather rips on Bieber... yet he keeps getting richer. Strange how this money comes from nowhere. The fact of the matter is, you are getting older. You are losing your insight as to what the "kids" want. Rip him a new asshole. Call him a "no talented" cunt. At the end of the day he is driving a Ferrari, and you are driving a Chevy. __________________ [email protected]

05-30-2013, 10:23 AM	#8
CDSmith Too lazy to set a custom title Industry Role: Join Date: May 2001 Location: My network is hosted at TECHIEMEDIA.net ...Wait, you meant where am I located at? Oh... okay, I'm in Winnipeg, Canada. Oops. :) Posts: 51,460	Maybe they should consider becoming sellouts like the thousands of rich sellout artists who came before them. Or have they already? I don't know, I'm asking because I too have never heard of either of them. __________________ *Promote Wildmatch, ImLive, Sexier.com, and more!!* ALWAYS THE HIGHEST PAYOUTS: Big Bux/ImLive SIGNUP ON NOW!!! Put some PUSSYCA$H in your pocket. ICQ me at: 31024634

05-30-2013, 10:25 AM	#9
MaDalton I am Amazing Content! Industry Role: Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 39,826	only a really small % of musicians makes money - has always been like that and will never change __________________ AmazingContent.com - providing only the best content and service since 2003 Monetize your content on Veegaz.com - one of Germanies largest VOD sites Got German traffic? We convert it into money for you! Skype: madalton02826 - Email: oltecconsult [at] gmail [dot] com

05-30-2013, 08:52 AM	#2
Markul Likes Pie Industry Role: Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: The land that liberated porn Posts: 12,401	Never heard of them.... (Cat and the other)

05-30-2013, 08:53 AM	#4
Fat Panda Porn is Dead. Move along. Industry Role: Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 13,295	fuck losers who cant cut it, i dont feel sorry for them

05-30-2013, 10:27 AM	#10
Rochard Jägermeister Test Pilot Industry Role: Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: NORCAL Posts: 73,660	Never heard of this person. Being a success doesn't mean you are the best. It means you are good at what you do, and good at marketing - AND have the right people behind you. I believe Taylor Swift has loads of talent, Beiber not so much, but because that little dipshit has the right people and the right marketing behind him he's making bank. The others... Have clearly failed at marketing. No one's ever heard of them. __________________ “The choice is no longer between right or left. The choice is between normal and crazy.” - Sarah Huckabee Sanders YNOT MAIL \| THE BEST ADULT MAILING SOLUTION

05-30-2013, 10:32 AM	#11
Google Expert Webmaster Industry Role: Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 14,294	indie musician = no money

05-30-2013, 10:37 AM	#12
deltav Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: May 2010 Location: USA Posts: 1,243	Again - both bands are pretty well known, at least for folks who pay attention to non corporate-radio-Top-40 stuff. Bieber & Swift are outliers - they've had millions of marketing dollars behind them since they were teenagers (and in Bieber's case even before that). They were manufactured into stars by the labels. The point of the article (especially the other one it links to) is that these "high-level" independent bands are making waaaay less of a living than musicians with equivalent exposure/audience/touring did 10-20-30 years ago. __________________ ********* DeltaofVenus.com - Vintage Erotica from the 1800s through 1979

05-30-2013, 10:44 AM	#13
pornguy Too lazy to set a custom title Industry Role: Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Homeless Posts: 62,911	Dont know what pretty well known means when most here have no idea who they are. Often this situation comes from over spending and no forward thought. Sad. __________________ PornGuy skype me pornguy_epic AmateurDough The Hottes Shemales online! TChicks.com \| Angeles Cid \| Mariana Cordoba \| MAILERS WELCOME!

05-30-2013, 10:54 AM	#15
deltav Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: May 2010 Location: USA Posts: 1,243	Lol, okay I give up. There's a conversation to be had here about how audiences/customers/surfers have changed what they're willing to pay for & what they expect for free, or about the new realities for content producers in any media. The equivalent of Bieber & Taylor Swift would be if Microsoft or Apple decided to "sign" your porn site & turn it into the Next Big Thing with their budget & PR resources. You'd be a another corporate product for sure, but it'd also be almost impossible not to make assloads of $$$. __________________ ********* DeltaofVenus.com - Vintage Erotica from the 1800s through 1979

05-30-2013, 11:07 AM	#16
Socks Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: May 2002 Location: Toronto Posts: 8,475	...but what about all those studies that say that piracy is actually INCREASING sales?!