Howard, G. (2011, September 15) . How To Get Your Song On Commercial Radio - TuneCore Blog . Retrieved November 30, 2014, from http://www.tunecore.com/blog/2011/09/how-to-get-your-song-on-commercial-radio.html
In this article, a system between record labels and radio stations is explained, where third parties called independent promoters or "indies" work as the middleman between the two in order for an artist's song to end up on the radio. In order for a song to get on the radio, the system could be based off of merit, where a song is tested on a smaller station before being able to air on one of the "Big Time" radio stations, but companies have found a way around that. The labels pay these independent promoters that "...work...like an intermediary to pass the label’s money to the radio station." The "indies" use the money they were given to pay the radio stations "for various listener give-aways, bumper stickers and so on." The "indies" are given money by the labels again to go to the radio stations "to advise the stations on what songs they should play." This system has made radio stations prioritize major labels and won't give non-major record labels the time of day to play a song on a big radio station. But since customers listen to the music of "the higher bidder" often, they are looking to other radio stations such as subscription services and internet/satellite radio for alternatives.
I was shocked when I read this article. One way to get a song on the radio is not by how successful the song is to the consumer, but by how much money a major record label is willing to give to the radio stations through a third party in order for a song to be aired onto a popular radio station. Radio is becoming commercial and lacking individualism. No wonder whenever I go through radio stations I hear the same song over and over again. Becoming an artist these days is much different than it used to be. Talent is not the only factor anymore. It is money and the record labels willing to pick an artist up. It is disappointing that the music and radio industries are not honest and sleazy underhanded work is the norm.
30 November 2014
The Hidden Money In Radio (...except radio is dying)
Price, J. (2011, September 15). The Hidden Money In Radio (...except radio is dying) - TuneCore Blog. Retrieved November 30, 2014, from http://www.tunecore.com/blog/2011/09/the-hidden-money-in-radio-except-radio-is-dying.html
This article explains why artists let their music play on the radio when radio is not the most popular medium these days. The simple answer to that is a "public performance" license. Songwriters and publishers allow performing rights organizations (there are three in the United States: BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC) to give licenses to third parties to play an artist's song. Every time an artist's song is played on the radio, the artist is paid by the organization. Radio was the largest source of income for artists until television came around, but artists still get income from other sources from radio, such as digital streaming radio (Spotify, Pandora). The only problem with this is the performing rights organizations have trouble tracking the amount of times artists' songs are being played in the digital world. "There is no transparency as to what is being charged and/or collected, and there are huge gaps of time between when they collect their money and when it is paid out." When an artist's song is being played, the artist is technically owed money, but since no efficient system for tracking this exists, artists are given minimums instead of an exact amount they should be paid. "For example, if an artist’s recording streamed ten times, the songwriter should be paid for ten public performances."
I personally wondered why radio hasn't completely died out as a medium used today and it makes sense the answer as it why radio is still relevant today for performing artists is money. I learned about public performance licenses regarding artists' songs and radio. I knew of performing licenses regarding plays, and it only makes sense that those licenses extend to the music industry and the songs radios play. Being a songwriter, publisher, or artist today must be difficult. I can only imagine the amount of money owed to those artists when websites like YouTube exist, where songs can be played again and again endlessly. Some amount of money does go to those artists, but, like the article said, they are not paid the equivalent of ten public performance licenses when the song is being clicked on ten times. The artists should not get a minimum. I truly hope a compromise can be set without completely eradicating websites like YouTube and digital streaming websites like Spotify.
This article explains why artists let their music play on the radio when radio is not the most popular medium these days. The simple answer to that is a "public performance" license. Songwriters and publishers allow performing rights organizations (there are three in the United States: BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC) to give licenses to third parties to play an artist's song. Every time an artist's song is played on the radio, the artist is paid by the organization. Radio was the largest source of income for artists until television came around, but artists still get income from other sources from radio, such as digital streaming radio (Spotify, Pandora). The only problem with this is the performing rights organizations have trouble tracking the amount of times artists' songs are being played in the digital world. "There is no transparency as to what is being charged and/or collected, and there are huge gaps of time between when they collect their money and when it is paid out." When an artist's song is being played, the artist is technically owed money, but since no efficient system for tracking this exists, artists are given minimums instead of an exact amount they should be paid. "For example, if an artist’s recording streamed ten times, the songwriter should be paid for ten public performances."
I personally wondered why radio hasn't completely died out as a medium used today and it makes sense the answer as it why radio is still relevant today for performing artists is money. I learned about public performance licenses regarding artists' songs and radio. I knew of performing licenses regarding plays, and it only makes sense that those licenses extend to the music industry and the songs radios play. Being a songwriter, publisher, or artist today must be difficult. I can only imagine the amount of money owed to those artists when websites like YouTube exist, where songs can be played again and again endlessly. Some amount of money does go to those artists, but, like the article said, they are not paid the equivalent of ten public performance licenses when the song is being clicked on ten times. The artists should not get a minimum. I truly hope a compromise can be set without completely eradicating websites like YouTube and digital streaming websites like Spotify.
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