Matty wrote:
>>>actually, the music scene today is overflowing with acts who tour 
>>>and sell in the
5,000-to-100,000 range
>>>a few are on majors; most are on indies.  >>>but most of the ones 
>>>i listed have amassed their
audience in the past few years, while napster and kazaa were in full 
effect, while
radio and record companies were super-consolidated, while the 
national economy was
going to pot.>>>
they just care that this is what they want
to do.  and this is the way it has always worked, napster or no 
napster, clear channel
or no clear channel, avril or no avril.   they're
invested their lives in this.  and that's exactly what it takes to 
make it.  i don't
know of any artistic pursuit that works any other way.  and i'm not 
aware of any time
in the history of rock and roll when it was any harder or any easier.>>>>

I absolutely agree that you've outlined what it takes to "make it" 
(lord, I hate that phrase!).  But, what you're talking about is the 
college and public radio markets.  Those have been pretty much 
untouched by the label mergers and Clear Channel -- with the rather 
huge exceptions of indie distribution nearly dying off, retailers 
suffering, and the fact that nowadays college and public radio 
stations are so inundated with releases, they can only play a 
fraction of what comes in.  Significant issues which exist because of 
the changes in the industry.

The acts that are selling well won't have much of a problem, I agree 
-- if they have a good contract and solid relationship with their 
indie label, all is well, and as long as they can get in the van they 
can continue forth.  The problem is that because of the changes in 
the "above-the-radar" biz, there's now a limit to their career 
trajectory, which I don't think has ever existed before.

For most of these acts perhaps that's not a problem.  But, for acts 
that don't necessarily fit into the college radio world, it becomes 
another story.  I spent most of my career in the "adult contemporary" 
world, and I can tell you that those markets have shrunk to nearly 
nothing in "below-the-radar" land.  I'd love to see that change. 
I've been out of circulation for the past couple of years, though -- 
if there are new outlets that I'm not aware of, I'd love to know.

Wendie