How Creators Killed the Music Business

[@dw.dunphy]

Creators may have "killed" the A&R department, but the industry is alive and well. With generous financial tendrils into Spotify and all the major film/TV/commercial licensing platforms, the major labels aren't hurting for profits. They license from TikTok and Soundcloud artists who have done the recordings themselves, made their own videos, driven their own marketing, all the things the labels used to need to do. Now, all they have to do is pick who they want to distribute. That's a lot of costs they no longer need to spend to get pretty much at the same place. I challenge this notion that Sony/Warner/Universal have been dealt the death blow. They're doing their deals differently but make no mistake, they're as strong as they ever were.

[@biodrummindieseler]

The algorhythm is also somewhat of a gatekeeper. It's harder to get exposed to fresh influences when you are directed towards your biases. Also, I was always willing to give a record or CD a second chance if I didn't like it during the first play because I just spent anywhere between $9 and $19 dollars on it.

[@WoockerPocket]

The algorithm is the audience

[@godned74]

The algorithm is corrupt as hell. Videos that I have made that have left sided content in it get throttled and anything right gets buried.

[@RadioPsychicAstrologyByPepper]

@@godned74 I totally believe you and I had similar experiences with it.

[@wyterabitt2149]

I think you are in a minority, not many people bought random CDs or vinyl/tape before that, and hoped they would like it. People bought what they already heard on the radio, or on TV, and sometimes by word of mouth but that would rarely be anything other than what the other person had heard on the radio/TV etc. Things were no different, they were just controlled in a different way in the past. The only time they would buy what they hadn't heard, would be albums from the artists they knew already from hearing in those places. You would maybe get people also finding artists from festivals, or compilations albums and things like that. But they didn't shape the music world. In fact although still not good, it's much better today by a very, very long way including the algorithm.

[@sub-jec-tiv]

Algorithm is a joke. I have an Instagram and one of the most average not interesting posts i ever posted has been growing for 3 months. 15,000 have liked it. My other higher-quality posts have 10-30 likes each. Garbage.

[@AaronMQuantz]

The "Record Industry" is what destroyed the record industry

[@AlanKroeger]

Rick Beato; artist, musicologist, educator, philosopher. Keep up the good work

[@stianlarsson6625]

Let’s not forget ‘Storyteller’ and ‘Potential Flannel Daddy’.

[@Aokitadamitsu]

historian

[@wolfsfroth]

Rick started a YT channel and accidentally became a cultural pillar.

[@patrickdonegan9559]

musician, producer, nice guy

[@PastPerspectives11]

@@Aokitadamitsu a musicologist is a historian of music

[@Cajundaddydave]

Always interesting to hear your thoughts Rick. The absence of gatekeepers has created the best of times and the worst of times. Today anyone can write, play, record, and produce a record in their basement with a laptop but... The signal to noise ratio of artists has never been lower and it is really difficult to sift the diamonds out of the vast dunes of sand. If you are an extraordinary musical artist and make a few small missteps in promoting your work, you may never get noticed. Meanwhile millions of streams are happening with mediocre music that fill the space and clog the media.

[@leonardticsay8046]

It’s hard to find new artists who are doing anything new.

[@sungear]

There's a business opportunity there. Link something) like Spotify with independent YT content. The idea is an algorithm that filters junk. Maybe it already exists?

[@ASTROMEGA]

Too right. It's the hardest thing for independent artist like myself to be noticed. I sometimes despair....

[@mk1st]

Right, nowadays it would be hard to imagine something like Bohemian Rhapsody getting put out. It cost an ungodly amount to produce at the time.

[@wolfgangdevries127]

@@leonardticsay8046 it is even harder; if they have something new, then they would be stupid to drop it somewhere. Because it gets copied for sure and it can literally take a lifetime to get the copyrights back, if the case won't be settled with money (the usual).

[@JohnEarlyChannel]

The major difference today is that the music isn't about the music like before, it's the content creation, quirky videos, candid stories, self brand, social banter, and constant engagement with your audience. The music is like a by product of content engagement.

[@Kaotiqua]

True, but doesn't that also make it more organic? Bands and performers build following and fanbases by actually _engaging_ with them. I don't think the music has to suffer for that.

[@arboreusmcclane1672]

musicians live for social engagement, drive it, what is more socially engaged than the people putting a soundtrack to your life?

[@VictorBock]

I don't see any proper musicians doing all that desperate engagement stuff, think Big Thief for instance

[@vaspers]

That's a gross over-simplification. It is and will always be about the music, but how that music is made, promoted, and heard keeps changing.

[@Schmidtelpunkt]

Yep, there is a lot of algorithm feeding in that process. Just like the previous gate keepers, the algorithm demands certain criteria to be met and in turn does the promotion. This isn't necessarily a flaw of the algorithm. Instead the thing to be learned should be that gatekeepers acting by the numbers like algorithms can as well be replaced by one.

[@MemesRemixed]

This video just proves once again how great a storyteller Rick is. Such a basic setup, only his phone, but still manages to hook the viewer deeply into the story. I think that this is some what comparable to songwriting, which Rick is obviously talented at. This is one of the main reasons I love this channel, always so pleasing and perfectly composed videos and stories. It's like I would have the perfect talk with my dad every time I watch a video on this channel haha.

[@CoasterMan13Official]

He's a raconteur.

[@russfleming3169]

settle down fanboy..

[@GaryR55]

Yep. It's content that counts, not slick lighting and camera techniques.

[@adamfurnish8481]

Rick, you are by far one of the most important people in music today. It’s people like you who are keeping music alive

[@pauljsmith2113]

Not sure it's possible to overstate that point. Rick has brought a level of music education previously unavailable to the masses, to fans and musicians alike.

[@tommyholtMN]

Fact. I’ve played guitar for 40 years and my playing ability and fretboard logic is double what it was just by investing into Rick’s education. I bought all four of Rick’s courses and if you’re a guitar player at ANY level or ability, do yourself a favor and invest in Rick.

[@gamezonereactions8388]

GREEDY EXECUTIVES AND SELF PROCLAIMED ELITES ARE KILLING POP CULTURE.

[@ElectromagneDikk]

Agreed, Rick might be one of the most consequential people in music ever, it remains to be seen how long lasting his impact will be

[@peanut6utton]

.... in MUSIC today??? WHAT?! LOL SuperLOL !!!

[@mrpbody44]

I was there in the "Good Olde Days" . Geffen Records offered my band The Pysco Girls a $1,000,000 contract in 1990. My attorney was one of the best in the music industry . I looked over the contract and I would be making $7/hr basically. I turned the whole thing down and it was the best decision I have ever made. I talked to my famous friends in bands and no one was making any money and all were in debt. I was making $70,000 a year working 3 days a week doing engineering consulting and $7hr and $1,000,000 in debt made no sense at all. A few of my famous band friends did get paid and got the rights to their stuff after years of litigation. I love the way things are now. DIY or die

[@apnira10]

Another instant classic Beato post. He is a fascinating blend of insight, experience, knowledge and skill and it’s all wrapped up in humour and modesty and passion. Love it. Keep it up, Rick. 61 yrs young and going strong!!

[@michaelbertrandobrien]

Rick if you see this, me and Justin Hawkins gonna get u back in the studio one day just wait and see :) Kidding around, youre truly an exceptional youtuber. Its clear that your great ear and 'perfect pitch' translate also to being able to say things and tell stories and use titles and captions in a very subtle and intelligent and wise way that us younger gen youtube consumers really benefit from

[@jonathanbyrdmusic]

The fact that the label spent $500,000 making an album and then dropped you shows you how much money was in the business at the time. I made an album at the same time for $15,000, printed the CDs, hit the road, and made triple what I spent on it.

[@mattpotter8725]

I guess when they could take 90% of the money made from a song/album then they could afford to have many failures for the few that might work out. I guess now that everyone listens to songs on streaming services that pay the artists (and so I guess the record label, if there is one, as well) very little then this model of developing new artists, giving them a chance, talent spotting and taking a chance has gone, and rescue labels want more of a sure thing based on social media views and likes.

[@lavenderbee3611]

How does that work, I thought the artist was responsible for recording costs ultimately.

[@JimGeigerMusic]

​​@@lavenderbee3611 the label advances the artist the money. That money has to be paid back. You don't actually get paid "for real" until the advance has been paid back and the label turns a profit on you.

[@tiktokyt]

@@lavenderbee3611 "The act" is responsible for the recording costs, the people who make up "the act" aren't personally responsible. Your band can make a million dollar record that sells nothing and bill collectors will never show up at your door, you just won't be able to make any more music with a label because your "act" will still owe the money from the first album. It's not like defaulting on a mortgage or skipping paying credit card bills.

[@charlie-obrien]

I think how it worked was the band was "advanced" say, 500k and they were responsible for all costs including their own pay and the recording studio and producers, engineers, etc. But an advance would be taken back by the record company if the band was successful and if they weren't they had to dissolve because the debt would strangle the average poor musician. Rick made a smart move to go into production because the producers got paid $.

[@recordingwhiz]

Your channel is part of why KZbin is my TV these last few years. Honest commentary and well based on music and the technical, not hyped like some other annoying channels.

[@sciencemansandera]

Me 2 👍👍 Exactly I also look at youtube sort of like my learning channel to meet like minds that like things and learning more like woodworking, hotrods, welding, machining , gardening music etc build your paradise at home but correspond all over the nation and world.

[@andywomack3414]

I think media has experienced a KZbin revolution.

[@jtsmallable]

Thank you for saying just this!

[@ianjones7488]

But you can't always trust YT either. Commentary is not always honest or fact-based

[@g.o.9513]

Gerry TV is terrible. Glad to have found this channel on KZbin premium too.

[@AntoineMichaudGuitar]

Spent my 20's trying to ''make it'' as a musician, whatever that meant. Now I'm entering my 30's and I have over 100k subs on KZbin, just from teaching, making original music with my guitar, sharing my passion... and that is now my job! It has never been easier, and I'm so glad to be born in this era 😇🎸

[@davidfleuchaus]

Nice channel. Cool. That is encouraging.

[@dukeofearl4117]

I enjoy your content Antoine. Keep providing excellent content.

[@AB-wy7dr]

That’s awesome. I’m wondering - when that becomes your main income, do you do things like the below? Really curious how this works in practice for someone who’s figured it out. - save for retirement? - pay for health insurance? - pay taxes?

[@enriquehernandezruiz9564]

nice... your comment was like my life until the part where you mentioned the 100k subs...haha wish you lots of success! I guess some of us we should just try it too...

[@johnmckanna1064]

Aantone. Funny to see you comment I was just watching Whirlwind again. You guys (Mystery) just blow me away and I cant understand why that beautiful progressive rock cant get a foothold in the USA. I am also a subscriber of yours, watch many vids as an old fella taking up guitar for the first time. You are making fantastic music with Michel. Keep it up.

[@hellradiolives]

I am sincerely impressed after hearing your band for the first time. Not much separated you guys from the most famous bands of the day.

[@4Mr.Crowley2]

Yes they sound very polished (in a good way) and like a smoother Alice In Chains

[@MGTV1]

@@duckmyass a lot of mixes sounded like that in the 90's, especially where video was concerned.

[@doctorivan]

@@duckmyass That's how rock in 1998 sounded for all but the biggest bands.

[@bartmix8994]

They sounded like a Jane’s Addiction ripoff.

[@johnstie3331]

Maybe some listeners, but, not most of us, especially those of us who are musicians arent killing the music business. What has been and is toppling the music business, even the art of music, is social media and the content creator mentality. Social media has taken the place of real relationships and content creation has taken the place of, not all, but most of, real creation and sharing. I rely on ole school music to keep me grounded and inspire me on going. And congratulations to you on what you have done on YT!

[@ProgressiveMovement200]

What was impressive is Rick's Hops, did you see how much air he got on that jump on stage.

[@thebeamerdreamer]

Yeah, right? Shocked me how high he jumped without stumbling after landing .

[@19Photographer76]

That was beyond impressive...

[@cbeserra]

He had a track scholarship in college. So… And he was a longjumper, iirc.

[@braden_clancy11]

right!!

[@marcgatto9675]

Might as well JUMP!

[@fendr1962]

I am coming up on 70 here in a few weeks. Listening to Rick giving details on what was going on in the music industry and with bands is absolutely fascinating. I just can’t get enough of his videos. I always wanted to be leading a life where I was involved in some facet of the music industry but it wasn’t meant to be. I played guitar in small bands over the years on the side while I worked my real job in IT. Now 6 years into retirement and I still dream of playing gigs and being involved with music some how. But I love that Rick can give me the inside track on a lot of what was happening over the many years. It makes me feel like I am a part of it. Keep it coming Rick! Love what you do!

[@dstagl]

FINALLY! Somebody else mentioned the telecom act of 1996 and how it affected the recording industry. Thank you, Rick! That doesn't get talked about enough. I'm probably in the minority, but I believe this is also part of what drove the rise of Napster and file sharing. When Napster first hit when I got out of college in the late 90's, we were using it to discover new music and then we were buying those records.

[@apexone5502]

I’m one of the few who always laments the day the Telecommunications Act of ‘96 was ever passed. Big corp ruined radio and media. I was more of the Hip Hop and R&B listener in that era (though there was always some rock music I had enjoyed) and even in those genres I noticed the change. Big corp homogenized radio to where I could go to any region in the country and the stations sound the same based on their respective genres whereas prior to that era I could remember how radio stations in different regions sounded different from other regions. I’m still pissed at Bill Clinton for being the one to help push that bill through.

[@MGrayl-ib5fo]

Possibly because the mp3s were all poor quality because, y'know, dial-up.

[@DeanFennell-or1je]

Lest not forget Limewire....

[@MonaJ888]

Right. I miss regional music. We had so many options back then. It was a balance. No one sound alike. U go to different states & cities who were 8:51 also promoting their local talents too & it was beautiful.

[@matthewprince9705]

Same thing happened in the UK, when Global Radio expanded and started buying most of the FM stations not owned by EMAP or the BBC. Great specialist shows with DJs who could hot mix and presenters who knew how to find and break music in all genres were dropped and cheesy young presenters came in who played whatever was pre-programmed in the system. Local radio studios were shut down and all broadcasts were from studios based in the HQ in London and broadcast nationwide.

[@donaldhall5074]

Rick, Great story. As a musician in Atlanta during the early 70's I csn totally relate to your content here. That was the time of Capricorn (yh. I know they were in Macon, but Atlanta made the bands) Studio One in Doraville, underground Atlanta, which provided a venue for a lot of us, and of course HotLanta where I took publicity pictures for 38 Special before they broke out. I appreciate your channel more than ycould ever now and am indeed a subscriber at 74 and have my XM radio stuck on "Hair Nation " Please keep what you're doing and know that the support is out here and "we love you, man"

[@Indoman_71]

I remember the pre-internet days of being in a band and pooling our money together to record a demo in a studio so we could shop it around to labels in hopes of getting a record contract. Ahhh, the starry-eyed dreams of youth.

[@fakshen1973]

Yes. But the power-shift from 3rd parties like recording studios, dubbing services, record labels, shipping, etc.... to some guy with an old laptop with an internet connection that has more power in it than an entire room full of gear in 1990... with total recall. I think we're trending back towards there being fewer big names in music and less touring. But that'll change in some form. Technology will have music moving in a different direction, again, soon enough.

[@nedkelly8553]

I don't miss recording in studios (in the 90's) where our budget and their gear essentially limited us to doing live takes with the whole band playing together and having to have everyone get it fucking perfect or else do it again. That was so frustrating and stressful, I hated recording. Now, with the ability to edit digitally, no tape, and the ability to record it by yourself if you want to for free if you know what you're doing ... Now it's actually fun.

[@sciencemansandera]

I did that with a group with the old 4 track recorder 😂❤👍👍

[@lornestein7248]

@@nedkelly8553 Yup.. Recording a drum track perfectly from beginning to end was almost always very difficult to do. At least for me.

[@Sarcasticron]

@@nedkelly8553 I don't understand...isn't that what you have to do when you play live? And isn't playing live the best part of being a rock musician? I'm not a musician, but that's what the bands that I listen to say. Hell, my gf used to be in a folk band that played bars and got paid in beer, and she said the same thing.

[@johnmckay8581]

As a regular concert attendee I think, in the UK at least, we are in a golden age of rock music. However artists receive no recognition from the main stream media, even if they can get into the national top 20 chart on release week. All the media push is major label artists, even the BBC, which is paid for by the British public. Please check out Elles Bailey, Tim Bowness, The Commoners, Robert Jon & The Wreck, The Hot Damn, The Cold Stares, Cardinal Black, Meer & These Wicked Rivers ( & many others. Don't let "the man" take music away from us!

[@sacriste]

You're a mind-reader, Rick. I was casually talking with my daughter in the car, I played a new song on Spotify and commented: "Wow, it seems that all music stopped changing around 2000" because the song sounded so derivative. And here you are explaining as an insider why that happened. You are amazing, Rick, thanks

[@rossmar4609]

Thank you Rick. I met you during the pandemic, obsessively watching all the videos that you had uploaded up to that point. You introduced me to music theory and production. You brought my passion for music back and I never left you after that. All of your videos are thought-provoking, reflexive, interesting and unique. Your enthusiasm and sensitivity are contagious. Please continue enriching our lives with your videos ❤

[@pacard33]

What I love about the A&R folks too was how much they allowed artists to DEVELOP their sound and talent. Some artists didn't sell well at first, but they became icons later as they were allowed the freedom to create. Good A&R guys saw the potential of true artists; bad labels got impatient and dropped bands too early.

[@a2ndopynyn]

Exactly. A three-album de4al was basically putting the band into school. They'd do the first album, with all the songs they wrote trying to get a deal. Then they'd do the second album, with all the songs they wrote while touring the first album, and hopefully growing as writers and performers. The third album wasn't automatically expected to go gold, but it should outsell the first two combined or come pretty close, and the band by that point should start having a good bit of top billing on their shows. Then, they'd get picked up for two more records, which was like having passed to the next grade in school. Now? If your first single isn't immediately "trending" and whatnot, there isn't a second single. *Never mind a whole album.* AND, the record company expects the musicians to spend every waking hour on social media, promoting their stuff - of which the record company still takes 90%+ of the money across all delivery systems (CD, downloads, streaming, etc.) - for no compensation. ALSO, bands now sign deals giving the parasite record companies a fat percentage of their _f---ing T-SHIRT SALES!_ There are a lot of reasons to hate the Clintons. (I've lived right next to Arkansas for 40+ years and have known lots of people from there; don't bother arguing.) But to me, they did no greater damage to the country - and the world - than when Bill signed that 95 Telecom Act. And before anyone accuses me of partisanship, Newt Gingrich was the GOP's Speaker of the House back then, and that clown let that law get to Clinton's desk for him to sign. But that law basically destroyed music as a widespread popular art form.

[@ronfrosig7354]

Great example would be The Beatles.. Vee Jay Records (Black Owned) released The Beatles first Album Please Please Me but, decided to drop them from the label because, of slow sales. Sir George Martin heard something Vee Jay didn't. He gave them time to evolve. They had a #1 single on their first Album with Parlaphone under George Martins gentle guidance......

[@commandercaptain4664]

@A 2nd Opynyn The point of creator music is to bypass such draconian greed. Of course this usually concludes that most acts are reduced to either EDM mixbots or basic guitar flailing folksters, with everything else requiring an actual budget and melodic craft to achieve. All the more reason for those who can achieve the latter to remain todays standout hopefuls, as long as they don’t fall for the evergreen studio trap. Taylor Swift’s naïveté in this regard (as if that was ever a first for any act) should be the last of that for anyone paying attention.

[@AslansAngel1]

I always felt the opposite. Once the record labels got ahold of the bands, and molded them into what they thought people wanted, the rawness, purity and integrity of the music went away. There are so many bands that I prefer their earlier works compared to their newer music that was honed for the masses. I think that's why I have always loved Rush. They were able to experiment yet maintain their integrity because they never conformed to what the record labels required of them.

[@danpetitpas]

@@ronfrosig7354 Huh? Capitol Records passed on The Beatles in 1963 and VeeJay picked them up cheap. Capitol soon realized it had made a huge mistake and sued VJ a number of times. VJ sold at least a million copies of Introducing the Beatles (maybe even more) between injunctions but made some legal mistakes and didn't have the money to promote the Beatles and fight Capitol and had to agree to stop sales in late 1964. VJ certainly didn't "drop them." They had a 5-album deal and would have been happy to be their American record label. Parlophone was owned by EMI which also owned Capitol Records so it was ridiculous it didn't pay attention to its parent company. Your story is a little mixed up.

[@MetaSynCreta]

I love hearing these behind the scenes talks of the music industry. Rick's knowledge and history of this world is fascinating.

[@adobbs92117]

Our radio station here in San Diego KGB for about 7 or 8 years produced an album a year showcasing local bands called “Homegrown “ It was fantastic! And extremely popular. It was a great music scene here in San Diego. Then as you said, the local radio stations became “ corporate “ and the focus was off the locals and on the popular music of the times. So sad ! Rick I thought I knew a lot about music until I subscribed to your channel. Thank you for sharing your music experience and your take on music and the business of music. A lifelong follower and supporter of your channel. !!

[@fishtailfred8686]

Saw some great bands at San Diego Street Scene!

[@adobbs92117]

@@fishtailfred8686 oh yes !!

[@rickemmet1104]

From time to time, I still sing some of those songs, "...and your back in, Chula Vista, Chula Vista, ba dom ba dom..." or, "We're Gypsies from Bonsall, there's no stopping at all, We're Gypsies from Bonsall..."

[@Scott_works]

San Diego in the mid eighties had a great jazz scene. Art Good and Lites out Jazz. Humphries. Pacific Beach Cafe. B Street Cafe. I used to go see Fattburger all the time. And Hollis Gentry.

[@tdz69]

We had the same thing on Long Island NY. Local station WBAB had a Homegrown show and it was awesome. Shame how the industry just imploded.

[@JoePorterPercussion]

Love your channel Rick, nice to hear about all your experiences throughout the ever changing times!

[@JanSchultink]

Yes, it is new technology that enabled you to reach a big audience, but that would not have happened without all the experience you built up during decades of hard work before KZbin even existed. Thank you for all that!

[@PaulPaul-vj2vx]

as much as I agree with Beato that social media took power (which I too think is a good thing), we shall not forget, that 10-12 years ago it was so much easier to be noticed in KZbin, compared to the amount of material that is uploaded every second nowadays... its like a buffet that gets longer and longer and people have more and more to choose... so I truly believe that nowadays luck is one of the most important factors on getting a viral video on KZbin in order. to start a successful channel... would it all have happened the same way for Beato without the Dylan Videos? I doubt that, though people like him definitely deserve that attention (don't get me wrong) ....

[@jimmiphaze5785]

You're the greatest Rick your channel is the wealth of information and everybody should be listening and participating in it teachers are special people

[@spritelass6712]

When new rock music disappeared from radio I mainly found new bands on YT. It also opened me up to new types of music. I hope that with all the different platforms available that music continues to be as vibrant and creative as it always tries to be.

[@atomic-fox]

The history of the music industry has always fascinated me, and it's great to hear how it has changed in the past 20 years straight from the source. Merci!

[@deathybrs]

I think the other side of the coin is that the signal-to-noise ratio for music creators has gotten pretty crazy - the discoverability problem. Being a great artist isn't enough, you have to get good at 21st century marketing, and it is hard - a lot harder than learning an instrument for many creatives. So, IMO, it is both easier AND harder to be a popular music creator these days, depending on the artist's brain.

[@bloodsugar6005]

I'm always telling people that my favorite artists (and probably theirs too), would not make it today. No one would ever have heard of Leonard Cohen if he came up in this time. First of all, he got into music because there was money in it, when there was not enough in poetry and fiction. And most, if not all, of my favorite artists have no stomach for self promotion- rightly so, it's unbecoming and ineffective.

[@deathybrs]

@@bloodsugar6005 So true... that last part is why I have no prayer at all of making it in music. As a creative, social anxiety, self consciousness, imposter syndrome, and all the other issues that are so common amongst us creatives will NEVER let me succeed. It's OK, though... I love making music in spite of not being able to make a living at it, and NOT having commercial interests frees me up to just do my own thing, which certainly has its advantages.

[@bloodsugar6005]

@@deathybrs Amen to that. If it makes you feel any better, my band and i don't really have those problems and we're still getting nowhere, lol. I remember hearing a story about how bad Kurt Cobain was at selling t-shirts when he was coming up- said he couldn't sell one to save his life- and thinking that's about how most artists are. We're just proceeding as if there was something going on- making an EP, writing poems etc... I really like your stuff; reminds me of things i couldn't name, and gives me a good feeling.

[@mattrobinson7750]

Do you have any songs on KZbin?

[@deathybrs]

@@mattrobinson7750 I do, though most of what's on the page linked to my profile is remixes - most of my original stuff is older, as I had been focusing on remixes for a number of years just because I was having fun.

[@Naniamania3]

Spot on, Rick! I'm 60. I've been signed, been a session guy, a hired hand, a producer, a writer, etc. There was a time when you needed the labels and a portion of the industry as an artist, but it became nearly impossible for most artists to make a viable living or find an audience when the rug got swept out from under the industry. This is a GREAT time to be an artist and creator because anyone can put their content out independently without a need for anything other than the willingness and the ability. Audyences have the means to find you and there are times when the algorhythms actually help. Just do it as they say.

[@brucesmith3740]

Well produced records are gone. People want free music. The music industry is dead, they will make $ on all the recordings by artists have died.

[@themadmallard]

@@brucesmith3740 there is something to this, the production of music is a difference science than its creation. But common music consumers aren't really interested in what goes into that at this time. And people have always wanted free music, nothings changed there, ever since tape recorders became available.

[@robgrano6814]

This side of the thing is true, but the flip side, which isn't so great, is that the proportion of good stuff to bad is dropping, because of the glut of the production of mediocre material you have to filter through to find the gems. In toto there's more good stuff out there, but it can be harder to find, because the industry seems geared to promote mostly the type of stuff that the masses are already listening to. The democratization of the music business is a good thing, but over-democratization inevitably lowers the bar.

[@axnyslie]

The double edge sword is the music market is now grossly oversaturated with so much bad computer generated sound files, Short soundbyte clips for the ADHD TikTokers, not music created by artists. It's nearly impossible now to be heard as a single voice in a sea of noise.

[@richardgleichmann7671]

Finally got it so the "algorithms" send mostly music and content that is worth seeing or listening to.. But as mentioned.. It is a blessing and a curse.. because there is more than can be seen or heard.. The fact that there is just literally SO much access to content.. it makes really good music "less special" (as it were)...

[@cs.0903]

That is SO true. Record labels were absolutely willing to take risks because there was so much competition from other labels.

[@dixonhill1108]

Irony is rick doesn't realize that KZbin is basically doing exactly what labels started doing in the late 90s. They're consolidating like crazy. The KZbin algorithm is pretty much snuffing out anything that isn't semi professional. If you've tried searching for content you'll notice they're not even giving you complete searches anymore. Videos I've seen a hundred times can't be found, despite the fact I know that they are there. You now search for something and after 10 entries you get "people also watched". It's absurd how readily the search function refuses to allow you to look for actual things.

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

And now it's completely homogenized pap.

[@gsk5161]

I'm 62 yrs old and I hear the exact play list of songs on FM radio that I heard when I was 15. No growth at all, I listen to talk radio now.

[@RokDAWG1]

I remember jumping on your channel early on. There was around a thousand people subscribed & it was growing seriously fast. It’s still growing like crazy. You’ve certainly earned it.

[@terenceguerrero2834]

As a music educator, I try to break down the music industry for my students and how the mediums have rapidly changed since the 90's. Your breakdown of the past 25+ years was fantastic! I'm always so impressed with how you break down songs and sharing thoughts on pedagogy etc. Thank you.

[@paulauksztulewicz4803]

I still find joy in creating music, whether there is a listening ear or not. I can’t think of any other form of expression that can unplug you from daily surroundings and place in a pleasant feeling.

[@rayschoch5882]

Well worth the 14:21 of my life to watch. Rick brings not only lived experience, but intelligence and insight to the music I've listened to for half a century. I know zero music theory, and am not a real musician, but I have a good ear, and his analysis of individual songs (e.g., Steely Dan, The Cars, etc.) is always interesting. Glad I'm a subscriber.

[@pine3737]

Thank you! I'm going on sixty-nine and been playing electric bass professionally for over fifty years and you are 100% right! "The Communications Act of 1996" was the death of regional music getting popular. What killed local music was in the 80's, 90's was states raising the drinking age from eighteen to twenty-one after Vietnam. That's when I got a straight job teaching high school.I believe change is good, but greed is bad.I lived in both music worlds now. The past one you were part of the band, now you send your track to who knows where. I cash the checks and feel nothing.

[@The9mmProfessor]

and with that... Thank you Rick, once again. Amazing indeed. You will ALL be hearing my noises soon enough.

[@scottpederson952]

I grew up playing in a few bands, worked in a recording studio in Chicago, worked as a DJ, went to college to get a degree in music and business (heh, the business side of the music industry). As it turned out, I got into computers instead, but never lost my love for music. This video outlines how I still think I chose the better career path. Now I watch the historic videos about bands playing in their garage, Gig'ing around the city and traveling in vans - It resonates with me. Love to hear your stories, and the behind-the-scenes!

[@michaelporter8242]

Rick this same concept applies to TV too. No longer are we limited to what a hollywood producer says we can watch. I can watch your channel for music, then go watch a guy clean a yard, watch aviation, watch a TV or movie highlight, or car repair. It's been years since I've turned on the TV for a non sporting event.

[@Kilroy_5150]

Rick, i do enjoy your shooting from the hip approach about the industry. There's no hype, no music in the background to church it up, no special effect, just the hard facts about things. That's a nice change. nuff said?

[@shrevesoule3567]

I think it's a great summation of what has happened to the industry. I miss the old days of waiting for your favorite Led Zepplin album to come out and radio stations taking the time to play 1 side or the whole album for the listeners.

[@mikearchibald744]

@ghost mall I cringe at some of the music I listened to because radio had decided it was popular. I'm glad my brother had good taste in music because thats what I listen to, and compare new music to it.

[@howardjohny]

New releases were on Tuesdays ♫

[@steveclatworthy7215]

Rick, you are an American treasure. PLEASE, just keep doing what you are doing. This is consistently the best of the many channels I follow.

[@gibranprismasoul9303]

Cool video pal greetings from Mexico city, it's encouraging what you've said because if one have passion for what one do we can share it and gain some feedback and unexpected outcomes from it

[@seattlevegas66]

I am 66 years old and am (finally) starting to accept new models. The main reason is Emmett Cohen. Being a jazz musician, I have also been lamenting the lack of real, non-tech, music. Emmett has given me great hope that future will have great jazz, without auto-tune and available. He has shown us a model that is now a force to be reckoned with!

[@NickGates100]

We all have our part to play. Never heard of Emmett Cohen until reading your comment, just checked him out - wow! Thank you Jef! And of course Rick for bringing us all together.

[@kukurukuchudnoe]

@@NickGates100 please give us a link for his music you mostly adore

[@MajorCatas]

I would have never listened to Jazz in days gone by. It wasn't on the radio and I didn't understand it. KZbin led me to Rick Beato -> Adam Neely -> Martina Da Zilva -> Emmet Cohen and on and on. It's awesome. Same goes for punk.

[@Smoothblue90]

Thank you. Did not know about him.

[@PortervilleMusicSociety]

I am only 39 but this channel helps to inspire me all the time. I cannot express how much I love to hear about the industry from how it used to be and the stories of how the people who surive how they survived being able to love what they do and talk about what they do. Thank you so much for your musings and willingness to express it all so transparently. Much respect, Paul

[@sergioruiz9388]

Great historical music business summary, Rick. Concise and down to the point. I’m a retired advertising executive (also a musician), who worked for major global ad agencies and run one in LA. At the time I wanted to create an ad agency (and I did), to support musicians and help them find their space (as I did for brands) - this was in 2009-2012- but then I realized that labels were only interested in getting my clients’ budget - from my corporate clients- and use their artists to promote our products/brands - which was NOT the idea! After a few years of this, I decided to abandon the music side of the agency business and concentrate only in the ad business as it was. My conclusion then was that the music labels didn’t have the knowledge and ‘strategic’ expertise and sophistication to understand the media communications business as agencies did. Labels are basically promoters (like car dealers) for the most part and lack strategic thinking to develop artists as an ad agency develop brands. Too bad. Music will survive, is in our DNA. Music labels are a different story, like car dealers, here today but maybe gone tomorrow.

[@caseymcconnell2539]

We have WTMD in Baltimore that is run out of Towson University and connected to public radio, so they do the news roundup on the hour. They play all the new music that they choose based on their listeners. It is the best place to hear new music. I always spin the dial when I go to a new area to find the local stations.

[@lorenharris2965]

Towson Mass Comm alumn here! You guys have it all now!

[@theplanetruth]

Love TMD. ALSO RNR!!

[@jeffwolinski2659]

TMD is great, RNR is now gone.

[@toddbernstein3407]

As someone who's old enough to remember the days of physical media (LPs and such), I have to say the time we're living in now is amazing for music distribution. I know fully well at this point I won't get a record label contact, but I can upload music anytime I want and reach a broad audience and get immediate feedback.

[@DashGlitch]

The business of music killed the business of music, businesses have 1 goal - profit, something that can’t be conducive to caring about the actual creativity.

[@jmhotels]

Im big fan of yours, thank you for being on here and sharing your history and your stories, it’s important especially for younger people as well as older

[@AJGreen-cn8kk]

I can barely name the great musicians I've been lucky enough to discover on KZbin. Great players from all over the world, that without this exposure I would never have heard them. And don't forget the legends still performing for us on here. Happy to have some of today's greats to be touring again, too.

[@1gypsy731]

Liked "Happy to have some of today's greats to be touring again, too."

[@kagenotatsumaki]

Exactly. My favorite band is a Japanese band called BAND-MAID and if not for KZbin not only would I never had found them, but they probably wouldn't have made it past 2 albums before the label dropped them because it was their song Thrill from their second album that got millions of views and kicked them off.

[@Thedrummersalmanac]

And, Rick…. You probably don’t even remember this… but a few years ago, I had relocated from NY to ATL, only about 15minutes away from you. This was right around when you did the interview with Vinnie Colaiuta. I reached out to you, I think through Twitter, and you actually called me back. Which was amazing. We had a conversation while you were on your way to pick up Thai food for your family. Lol We talked for a little while and you gave me some great advice about social media, and doubling down on it. At the time I had a little under 4K subs on KZbin from an old vid that had gone viral years before & some education stuff I had done with Vic Firth. But no Tiktok and no Instagram. Now social media content is my main thing… and that in part had a lot to do with that conversation and your advice… so I just want to say thank you for the content you make… the inspiration you give to all of us as a well as the time & personal advice you gave to me a few years ago. THANK YOU 🙏

[@jeffnelson6904]

Great video Rick! Very insightful and its amazing how much the music industry has changed in the last 20+ yrs. Always look forward to more of your videos

[@richardjansen3838]

Rick, I enjoy your channel very much. You're personable, easy to listen to, great tonality in your voice (almost an overtone), and point out the good and sometimes the bad in all types of music. Hope you reach a Trillion viewers.

[@traviszimmer8842]

I Had no idea you were in Billionaire . I saw you open for The Cult back in the day and I rocked that Billionaire tape all the time, loved it.

[@4Mr.Crowley2]

Rick I really wish you’d do a video on how Max Martin has dominated all production and songwriting since Britney’s first album - he wrote so much material for Taylor, Katy Perry, Britney, etc etc. That sound has dominated everything for 20 plus years while record companies were/are refusing to support new talented bands that might change the sound of popular music.

[@yougoseo1580]

The most important thing you ever said~ "Any one can do it. . .that's the most amazing thing! Thanx Rick!

[@jasonanderson875]

Rick, i love your show and as a former dj of over 17 years, i've been preaching this same message to people about the Telecommunications Act of 1996. I started in radio in 1989 and i saw the transformation of "real" radio turn into the homogenized white noise it has become. Today, it doesn't matter what format it is because country sounds like pop, pop is hip hop and hip hop is country and rock forgot how to play notes and solo's because they don't have to. To quote from Almost Famous, "It's all just an industry of cool" and that's not a good thing. Anyways, i want to say thank you for bringing more light to this. I appreciate it!

[@davidweihe6052]

You may as well complain about the Jones Act from 1920, which my HS Geography teacher did back in the early 1970s (it is really quite that stupid). It is entirely too “Inside Baseball” to get anyone interested.

[@chuckjls]

Very interesting to learn how records get made financially. I never realized that it cost $500,000 to produce and make a record. I can see why now there are a lot of good artists we never heard of.

[@jazzbassoonpaul]

As always-another wonderful video from an amazing musician, producer, writer and KZbin success story. The one thing that I think could be talked about more is how to monetize on KZbin as that is always confusing-maybe I’d better learn that on another KZbin video, it could be a hole in my education. I started a KZbin channel about 2007 and I have over 2000 subs-yet I’ve never figured out how to monetize because of changing circumstances within how are KZbin does that. I realize 2000 is not considered a lot of subs. I would definitely agree that social media has helped my career as I have been hired for bands for tours, and for recording through my Instagram channel. It has helped me make money by being a platform to show what I can do-although I need to work on how to make more money on KZbin. Thank you Rick for all your incredible work and inspiration!

[@patedwards932]

Great seeing your success Rick. You are a real inspiration for all of us I think. I was thinking of your band members as you talked. I'm sure they are amazed as you are. I know that guy. Keep on going brother. Love your interviews. They bring the artists out of the shadows partly or maybe mostly because they happened upon someone they can trust that knows their language. We are all indebted to you. Thank you very much!

[@helenevans9332]

Thank you for explaining the music industry to me. It i is an inspiring take on the current music industry. My son is may I say a brilliant musician Jeremy Tuplin but I always wondered why it was so hard to get taken up by a major label and now I understand it is not necessary. Thank you 🙏

[@arthurslugworth4661]

You are one of the few examples of a person I am seriously glad about youtube and facebook (euch) existing for the time they have. For the most part a wasteland, but you exist as the great educator you are and were able to keep on truckin' because of these platforms.

[@rebeccamarkey2760]

So jealous of your son! I'd love to have had my father teaching me at such a young age. You are great, Rick; and dang you know so much about music!

[@jorgepereira-spanishdeligh3069]

Rick, you are a truly inspiring figure and a father to musicians world wide. I have been watching your channel for years; rarely I make a comment, but I have learned so much by watching you talking and playing and explaining what, at times, we all know but forget. The initial video with your son rightly guessing those weird chords should be in a museum in the future, as it is disarmingly beautiful. I hope he one day becomes a big star. If you ever come down to Australia, give us a nod!

[@mattg7952]

Hip hop hitting mainstream in 92/93 was it. By 97 in high school pretty much everyone listened to rap. That was it, major cultural and generational shift between gen x and gen y. Now it’s all designed to fit in 60 second or less clips and guitar solos don’t fit the mold anymore

[@garyfreeman6277]

Hey, Rick! I'm not an official musician, but love music and used to be in the radio biz and you nail it here. I like how you touch on the whys and wherefores of the demise of bands/ music and how we knew it, but you also couple that with your optimism that people consume differently and bands can, potentially, have success without the 'gatekeepers' telling them they can't. BTW, thanks for sharing your old band's tune. Very good and radio-worthy, IMO. Keep up the great work. Love the channel, Bro! Gary

[@CamJamsTube]

Love this!!! You breakdown 'everything music' so well. Have been watching your channel for years and years and continually point new people to it. Your interviews are the best out there! And you interview all of my fave musicians! It's always great to see the musicians open up to you once they see that you know as much about their music as they do. The Sting interview especially. In the very beginning he was like, ok, another interview, lets get this done, but then you started to talk and you could just see his enjoyment as the interview proceeded. That is pure Rick Beato! Loved it! You're a class act Rick and we are so fortunate to have you out here sharing your wealth of knowledge with us. So happy that this channel has had such great success and has become such a great platform for you. Thank you so much! 🎶🎸🎶

[@vortexalerand9949]

I think gatekeeping in art(but in no way excclusive to just art) is necessary and a (esp. nowadays) widely and you could even say detrimenally misunderstood mechanism, necessary to the longevity of a scene, movement or style. one could even say that it holds some significant level of responsibilty within its definition

[@justinwiley2072]

The change in the technology has led to the small 'd' democratization of how music is distributed - the decentralization of things. Cynical me imagines that the KZbins/TikToks/etc will, more and more, put their corporate fingers on the scale, and decide who sees what. Great video - thank you!

[@mattpotter8725]

@ghost mall And even if this isn't the case the social media companies and their algorithms, tuned to make them money, not offer a wide, diverse music offering to the listener, is happening. I've been thinking about this while gatekeeper concept and whilst I don't think the situation that was allowed to develop in the US (the big record labels buying up and controlling what two stations played) was healthy, I don't think the same situation happened in the UK, we always had the BBC Radio not under this model, promoting young new talent (from Amy Winehouse to Adele to Ed Sheeran to Florence and the Machine), but even better we had people decide and curate the music that was played to us, it just wasn't just corporate interests. I know it wasn't the BBC, but I remember the story of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody and how the DJ Kenny Everett player it to death despite the band being told no one would play an 8 minutes long track (or however long it was) and it beginning huge. Would that have happened in the US? I doubt it. I think streaming changed everything with these big tech companies taking a huge amount of the money and not enough paid to the artists (and thus their record labels) to sustain the model as it was, making they had to go for safe, more established artists rather than take a chance on a dozen, most of which wouldn't make it big.

[@TheLinuxYes]

things are more centralized now, not decentralized. power/wealth is more concentrated now than 30 years ago.

[@ChristopherKempNOLA]

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

[@John-gx4ml]

You really give us some wonderful insight into the world of music and the business of music. This commentary is just another example not only applies to music but to any passion or idea anyone has and wants to share with others on You tube. Thank you.

[@CatAndBearone]

I loved working on student radio where we chose the content ourselves. We had been building up a following across Europe until tech issues took us off air. We played local artists, underground artists who were signed and artists who sent demos into us. This was 2012-14. I miss it a lot. I have a cousin who does an alternative radio show now and I've made up a playlist of music I find for her to check out and decide if she wants to play it. She's plays a real variety of stuff including these new artists and it's a joy to listen to. I'm under 40, I still buy music magazines and look out for new music. I try to get to concerts, though my health limits it. I love your channel. I love the bands you pick out and I love that you are open to a variety of genres and listen through those Spotify charts to see what diamonds are in there. I love the interviews and I love you taking apart songs. I had wanted to go into the industry but I hit my teens/20s as all those changes happened. Keep recording your videos, Rick. They are so refreshing!

[@fichtenstrasse]

I miss walking into a record store and spending all afternoon discovering records guided by sections or by asking a knowledgeable person at the counter. The internet, or youtube for that matter, is anything but.

[@keith6706]

Hardly. What the Internet provides is a lot more knowledgeable people at a lot more counters who can suggest good work in a lot more sections of the store. The skill you need to develop is figuring out which of those knowledgeable people you would trust for recommendations. Once you do that, the possibility for finding the gems increases dramatically. I've seen the same thing in fiction, written or visual: I've picked up books to read or things to watch that I never would have given a second glance at before because of recommendations of people online that I've learned to trust. Sometimes I like them, sometimes I don't, sometimes I'm indifferent, but I've found a lot more that I've liked than not.

[@Birdbussa]

@@keith6706 not people though. Algorithm

[@Sarcasticron]

I don't understand. Isn't that what the algorithm is for? The YT algorithm is really good at predicting music that I will like. And there's also the whole reaction video scene...

[@solaris70]

they made sure we got used to being connect to our personal mobile 📲 device sO' we wouldn't produce big carbon footprint 👣 shipping printing manufacturing buying selling in big air conditioned buildings or be driving around doing anything like that.

[@solaris70]

exactly 💯 no vinyl, cassette , cd in your hand hopefully that cell phone 🤳 battery 🔋 staying charged to see and listen to your content you found

[@arthurbristol1611]

I'm impressed by your commitment to educate. You keep us informed and entertained. You've developed a pedagogy for guitarists of all skill levels, to improve with minimal effort, at a reasonable price. Above all, I feel a comraderie with your personality, I identify with you as a like-minded soul. I appreciate your humanity.

[@Aramizito]

Ay my Office at work I have these vinyls decorating my space since 2009. Recently a coworker walked up to my desk, who have been admiring my vinyl collection, and says: “Do you know Rick Beato? He breaks down these rock bands’ music and explains their recording.” That was last year. Today I am addicted to this channel. If you love music in any format, shape, or form; this is the guy to listen to. Thank You, Mr. Beato…for sharing your talent, experience, dedication, and knowledge with us. Your passion and love for music is a school to us all. Cheers!!!!! … Enjoy, learn, and love your videos (content), keep them coming!

[@travisrainey1171]

I was in a few bands back in the 90s and I often wonder what the hell happened to radio and to the dream everyone used to have have of getting signed to a record label. You just explained all of it.

[@JoeStuffzAlt]

At some point, I couldn't listen to the radio anymore. The mainstream rock format first killed my taste in classic rock, but then I needed a long break from more modern songs.

[@JoeStuffzAlt]

@@lucasoheyze4597 I wish this was true. On the mainstream radio lineup, they mix modern rock with classic rock. Okay, let's go to the classic rock station because maybe they would have something different. So much overlap Okay, let's go to the competitor radio brand. Almost the exact same lineup. That song you were trying to get a break from 15 minutes ago? Yeah, they are now playing it

[@TheMattmatic]

@@JoeStuffzAlt Now all the recorded music in history is there to listen to at the click of a button, so why would anyone listen to the radio really?

[@JoeStuffzAlt]

@@TheMattmatic Mostly forgot your USB Thumb Drive and your smartphone is out battery. If the radio was a good way to discover new music without me turning it off due to a song I heard too many times, I'd listen to it.

[@Keverember]

“$483,000 on a record” 😳😳😳 Love the story of that record and how it got you into production. Great video, Rick!

[@ASTROMEGA]

My budget is fat, round ZERO! 😉😎💫

[@Fearzero]

I made my 3rd for $50k and it sounds better than this lol.

[@rudygracia5573]

Some famous bands spent a lot more than THAT on a record!1/2 a mil is on the low end.

[@cortical1]

@@Fearzero Can we hear it on streaming? What is it?

[@dustinsosebee]

@@cortical1 “Ascension” is the album name by Billionaire

[@DeanFennell-or1je]

Thank you Mr. Beato for this. It kinda levels the understanding and lessens the resentment of the artist of the old school ways. Having the music, getting it out there and then doing live shows without A& R or is there those promoters who can make it happen with the local radio stations. The playing field now days is wide open and we hope the fingers are working....

[@christophergetchell6490]

Love this format of video where you take us outside on a journey! I think one of the best things you could do for your new interview space is maybe to make it so that you can easily change it up periodically.

[@marthamartanovitc8248]

Thank you for sharing your journey and thoughts, Rick. And also for the inspiring words for future Content-Creators.

[@Mrsitarman]

Although I could be wrong, but I have been a musician, had a recording studio beginning with two 4 trks then an 8 trk and eventually a 16 track 2" which we synced up to the eight track, so I met many of the old time A&R people and musicians of those years, but I think I can't entirely agree with you on this Rick, possibly because I am seventy years old and was aware of the music business at a very early age because my father played in big bands and became a school band teacher so there was always music happening in our house sometimes with rehearsals and later mono tape recordings and I was a ten year old tape operator for dad. So back in the later 50's we listened to Frank Sinatra, then later Elvis, Buddy Holly, and finally the Beatles in 1964 on Ed Sullivan which lit my fire enough to trade my Calrinet for a guitar. But unfortunately the gap created by micro fragmenting of the market place by adding Hard Rock then Metal and Heavy Metal was in my humble opinion what was the beginning of the end of the music business then Punk and Hip Hop and Rap finished it off because there are so many micro markets and us old timers would rather hear silence than most of the newer genres which appeared in the following years after the 1970s. It is a real shame, but things change appears to be the standard of how things happen and now I almost never listen to radio or anything new, I rarely hear anything resembling the beautiful music of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s that I would be motivated to listen to let alone purchase. Now that said you are from the next generation after mine so you were more open to hearing all the distortion and basically for a lack of a better term noise that became acceptable to the youth of the following years. For example the a little bit of fuzz went a long way to memic the sounds of horns in solos which were great but when the entire songs were nothing but distortion it was too much! So what has happened because of too many micro markets fragmenting the ability of the major labels to make the huge profits because the A&R people signed up everything regardless of the quality of the music until the magic was gone from most markets. Does any of this make sense to you?

[@msannthrope_2049]

Billionaire sounds really good. Like Jane's Add plus Cell plus bedroom pop. Gosh. I was born into the wrong family. I wish I had parents that were musically talented, taught me music. My life would have been drastically better.

[@DavidLVelasco]

Love your stuff Rick…All what you said is also true for the Book Publishing industry…I wrote 10 technical books for my industry and created a very lucrative business out of thin air for almost no money, just my time, talent, knowledge of my content and Amazon publishing platform…. I would have never been able to get a mainstream publisher to publish my books.

[@mikeglassburn]

Truly appreciate your channel.

[@PaulGillings]

Spot on as always Rick, great video. Pros and cons to the modern music industry as well as the 'old school' view. I was a semi-successful musician that took a break when my career went south in my early twenties and pre-social media era. Now I'm back it's like all that never happened and I've had to start again. Making content is exhausting and not what I wanted to do with my life but it seems like if I don't constantly make it I won't get anywhere. I would love to just focus on writing and recording songs but it never seems to be enough. I love your channel, thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.

[@jesalbrtarteaga64]

Rick You’re the Man brother! Love watching your channel and listening to your experiences in the Music world past and present.keep up the awesome work & positive vibes.Thank You for your sincere time,ROCK ON!

[@scottbarnard7459]

I haven't listened to commercial radio in years. My local NPR where I used to live (WNIJ) has a local music showcase show that brought in local artists from northern Illinois/southern Wisconsin and gave exposure to those who may not have had it. In Tampa where I live now, community radio WMNF has a local music program every Friday that brings in local artists. WMNF is a great station that has no format - one evening they are playing blues artists and another evening they are playing Latin jazz and salsa - I love it!

[@wolfgangwalk337]

I doubt someone like Ren would have had success with even the best A&R people. But here he is, being seen by millions of people who never thought a guy with a nylon string guitar and a hospital gown could rock them so hard.

[@wolfgangdevries127]

Yeah, can't be a coincedence..

[@user-sr2nc9ge1d]

I was absolutely thinking of him while thinking about music exposure now compared to when I was growing up (80s & 90s). I don't think an art piece like "Hi Ren" would be on the radio or MTV. For that, I'm grateful for platforms like KZbin making artists like Ren accessible, though I'm aware of the other side of the coin. I have to give a shout out to Rick because he has such a deep knowledge and appreciation of music, that through him I've discovered so much many more artists, old & new. Thank you Rick!

[@MeneTekelUpharsin]

@@user-sr2nc9ge1d Who is Ren?

[@soloharmonicsrobj8246]

I am an amateur musician that started on KZbin a little over a year ago. I went from no exposure to 14 subscribers in that time. Obviously a drop in a bucket compared to the professional side of the music industry. For me it's a Learning curve and I am focusing on better music video production. Thanks for your videos that describe your experience with in the music industry.

[@RealityBoat]

make a tiktok

[@andywomack3414]

Most of the media I now consume comes from KZbin. The music business needed killing it seems. Corporate media is also taking hits. Do KZbin creators threaten the establishment? I think copyright should be non-transferable.

[@PavelFomenkov]

Well, my channel is an example of that. Without it, I would just play some music for myself and kept going, because I never intended to be a musician. But KZbin allowed me to share my love for the music (Mark Knopfler's music in particular) and I started to get a hang of it, and now I'm dabbling in teaching. So it's a beautiful, gradual experience, and even somebody like me - a man without any real musical background and education, can get a bit of success. KZbin is an amateur's paradise, and I love it.

[@optionselleck2860]

Your band sounded really good, gave me Jane's addiction vibes.

[@saulcruz2483]

Love your content!!! but what i love the most your personal views and thoughts and stories about music and the music industry of the last at least 30 years!!!

[@lornestein7248]

I quit the music business around 2002 after playing the bars-small halls for 10+ years. I had to learn that being a good songwriter is a totally different skillset than just being a good musician. None of my band members nor I could write quality original music. Without the songs, there was No possibility of success.

[@rudygracia5573]

Yep.I learned THAT when I moved to,and lived in Nashville.Songwriting was where it was at!Unfortunately,That never appealed to me,the performance did/does.

[@markplain2555]

Rick, I hope you read this: I used to be all for the "open technology" and getting rid of the 'gate keepers". Some time I came across 2 sites, Jamendo and Magnatune (I think that's the name) where musicians can put up their music and it's an open system. I'm not 100% sure of the business model, but in essence it does something like KZbin just no video. . . I am sure there is some really good stuff out there but there is simply so much music that I can't find the good stuff. If you look at the most viewed you quickly realize that some people listened to a track (and stopped listening a few seconds in), and the number of views tick up. Seeing a slightly higher number of views, you click to realize it's not very good but you just contributed to the number of views... oh cr@p. Now this snow balls. . . I then asked myself, "I wish there was someone who knew how to filter this music and bring me good toe tapping beats with nice, riffs and nice sounds." I then realized and appreciate the good value of those record companies, local DJs, etc who brought me amazing music. . . I know I sound like a "my time was better" kind of guy, but I truly do feel that the music of present is lacking in substance and seems very focused on a basic formula. . Am I wrong?

[@radumotrescu3832]

You have to realize that there was good music back in the "old days", but the gatekeepers we're doing their job and didn't allow anybody to distribute their music to a larger audience. But, the gatekeeper problem existed: how do you account for gatekeeper bias? You we're fed "good" music, but that was what the gatekeeper liked and wanted to listen. If the gatekeeper is a good then all is fine. If the gatekeeper is bad, them everything is just horrible. As Rick mentioned, the radio music got homogeneous because they followed the money, then the record business started doing the same, and they started cranking out low production music, industry plants, legacy artist's relatives, etc. There IS good music nowadays, and even the top 50's and top 100's have good music, but you may feel like things are so different because we moved away from a rock-centric view to a hip-hop-centric view. And for black hip-hop artists, that was an uphill battle with the music business, because most of them HAD to have rock backgrounds to be seen, check out Dr Dre's really early work. I'm a younger person, and still don't "get" old school rock, it just doesn't do it for me, no matter how many videos and analysis I do on them, because the context I was raised in was different than yours or Ricks.

[@markplain2555]

@@radumotrescu3832 I like your comment - I really do. If you are ever in Toronto, let me know - I'll treat you to a beer.... if you are old enough to drink beer