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Elizafox

It used to be recording artists would make their money through tours (written authors to an extent also), merch, etc.

Ticketmaster has ensured artists don't profit from that unless they sell out a venue and do a gruelling tour for 8 months, either.

Merch? They've always been grifting artists. It's the only way most artists can make anything at all, though.

6 June at 19:17 | Open on social.treehouse.systems
4 comments
Elizafox

People just do not know how this industry works and they look at Spotify as this great evil, which works great for Ticketmaster and the RIAA. Whilst you get pissed at Spotify's grifting, they can rob the artists blind. It's like a con man distracting you with a shell game whilst someone pickpockets your friends.

I feel independent artists who refuse to play the RIAA and Ticketmaster's games (justifiably so) also overestimate how much people are willing or even able to pay for music these days, or how small their audience will be without promotion (which costs money). Yes Spotify are terrible and ripping off artists. That's true. However, it isn't like things were better *before* Spotify even if you distributed music yourself (honestly, *especially* if you did).

People just do not know how this industry works and they look at Spotify as this great evil, which works great for Ticketmaster and the RIAA. Whilst you get pissed at Spotify's grifting, they can rob the artists blind. It's like a con man distracting you with a shell game whilst someone pickpockets your friends.

6 June at 19:19 | Open on social.treehouse.systems
Elizafox

I've been adjacent to artists my whole life btw, lots of friends who are musicians, many of whom have done it before Spotify existed. None of them do it for a living. They've all tried. Yes even before Spotify. It's not possible unless you're extremely good. Even then...

6 June at 19:30 | Open on social.treehouse.systems
Elizafox

This is btw why I've never done music even before Spotify. I knew there'd never be any money in it, and I'd spend a fortune on equipment that just wouldn't pay for itself and I'd be depressed about it. I'd pour blood, sweat, tears into something that would ultimately make me more upset. Sure I could be an amateur... but most artists are not amateur.

6 June at 19:37 | Open on social.treehouse.systems
Dr. Quadragon ❌

@Elizafox This.

People who want to do any kind of art, and think that this will bring them a lot of wealth are either inexperienced or insane.

Friends, fame, love, influence, satisfaction with the act of creation itself - may be, though none of this guaranteed. But not the money. "Rich artist" is the exception rather than the rule.

> Sure I could be an amateur... but most artists are not amateur.

I disagree with this one though. A lot of artists see themselves as amateur, most of them, really. It's an impostorship syndrome. You just don't see them as that because you have it too.

@Elizafox This.

People who want to do any kind of art, and think that this will bring them a lot of wealth are either inexperienced or insane.

Friends, fame, love, influence, satisfaction with the act of creation itself - may be, though none of this guaranteed. But not the money. "Rich artist" is the exception rather than the rule.

7 June at 0:52 | Open on mastodon.ml
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