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Comment by tomp | Hacker News Reader

Because they usually licence their music before they become famous.

Contrary to popular belief, music labels are NOT (for the most part) middle-men (i.e. content distributors). In reality, they are INVESTORS. They bet on a number of artists (providing them with managers, tour opportunities, studios, promotion), and only a small number succeed. It's actually quite reasonable for them to expect a huge payoff (= a large cut of the profits) from the ones who do.

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The current model seems unnecessary with the internet though. Seems like artists, if they are good, should be able to become famous selling their music direct to consumer through some distribution service like iTunes without a long term contract.

Once someone has made a name for themselves, it would seem perfectly reasonable for a label or a venue to approach them about doing a concert or a tour and taking a cut of the proceeds.

Perhaps the problem is that bands or artists want to fast-track their road to fame. In signing with a label, it seems like they are giving up a lot to get there faster. The question is, can artists who are willing to work their way up more slowly or organically able to, or are certain doors closed because they aren't signed with a label?

Distribution and getting listeners/fans is only a part of the problem... Getting a studio and a professional to edit your music is the real cost that new artists have to deal with. I have a friend that makes music on a computer!!! and he's been wanting to produce a professional recording for more than a year (needs $$$ for studio/editing/mixing/I-have-no-idea-what).

I guess it depends on what kind of music you are recording, but do the first songs you release to potential listeners have to be professionally edited or mixed? As long as its recorded using somewhat decent equipment, it seems like that would be enough to get something together to release.

The problem is that professionally edited and mixed music is the norm. Nobody's stopping bands from releasing poorly edited and mixed music, but it adds another hurdle to overcome.

Not that expensive, I have many friends with bands and records and I can tell you a "good enough" studio is dirt cheap nowadays, you can get pro sound for a few K at most - still takes a lot of editing work though.

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