CDs Anyone?

Steve Raybine:

Blog # 4;

CDs Anyone?

If you haven't noticed by now, CD sales are down within the music industry. This is not good news to those of us who record and promote our own music. My new CD (In the Driver's Seat) cost approximately $22,000.00 to make. I printed 1,500 copies of the CD, which brought my total expenditures to $25,000.00. I then embarked on a radio campaign, which thus far has cost $4,200.00. Moreover, I did some advertising for my CD release party, which brought the grand total to $29,500.00. Soon, I anticipate spending another $2,400.00 for phase 2 of the radio promotional campaign, which will bring us to $31,900.00. Ouch!






Recording and promoting your CD can be an extremely expensive endeavor. Granted, some people record and promote their music for far less than I do, but for the quality of the CD I need to produce for my market, this is what my CD's generally cost me. Remember the good old days when an abundance of potential record companies might sign you as an artist and advance you money to record your music...and promote it? Generally speaking, those days are over for the vast majority of musicians recording CD's today. We live in the independent artist era, when the myriad of expenses associated with your recording project are incurred exclusively by you, the artist. Have you heard the old joke, "How do you make a million dollars in the music business as a jazz artist?" Answer: "Start with two million!" What a deal, huh?






The internet and digital downloading of music has been an advantage for many musicians, myself included. However, with individual song downloads being so prevalent, entire CD sales have suffered--significantly. Many consumers adopt the philosophy, "Why buy an entire CD when you only want one or two songs for your Ipod?" Moreover, with all of the illegal duplication of CD's that occurs, many people are quite content to copy a CD from one of their friends, which results in the loss of income for the recording artist. Unfortunately, it appears as though music retail record stores are slowly going out-of-business, because people just aren't buying CD's like they once did, which I believe is due in part to internet music sales and depressed economic times. High-profile artists within their respective genres are generally able to still sell significant CD's (product), because they tour extensively (often for large crowds) and audiences are more inclined to buy CD's at a live show. For artists that are unable to tour regularly, which is an expensive undertaking (band expenses; lodging; food; promotion; etc.,), they can't sell enough CD's to recoup their initial investment in their music. So, they essentially lose money on their CD's, but are at least able to remain viable as a recording musician, even though their sales may be marginal.






These are not particularly good times for creative artists trying to survive within a depressed industry and economy. Most recording artists I know within the jazz marketplace (and others) are struggling with their financial situations. There are always those select few that are able to maintain their status quo and perhaps even thrive despite the prevailing music-business and economic trends--lucky them! I realize that because of the exorbitant fees associated with my own project, I may never be able to finance another CD--at least one of the magnitude of my current project. This, of course, is of great frustration and sadness to me, but a reality that I and others am forced to confront. For now, I will remain optimistic about my current CD project and enjoy the moment, because this time may never come again. CDs, anyone?






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