PUBLISHER’S BEAT
Fair Play — Fair Pay DPARENTI@STREAMLINEPUBLISHING.COM
PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER
STREAMLINE PUBLISHING
DEBORAH PARENTI
I wish I had a quarter for every time I walked through a station lobby and saw an artist sitting patiently with a label rep, waiting to see the program director. Many were eager-eyed, talented hopefuls riding on the chance that the station PD would hear in his or her latest release a charttopping prospect. Some had a few hits already under their belts but were aware that consistent airplay was key to continued success and remaining “top of mind” and a “must add.” And there were the occasional well-established multi-platinum sellers who had been around long enough to understand that competition is always nipping at your heels. It’s been a relationship that has developed over the years, one grounded in mutual admiration. An acoustic concert in the conference room with pizza, soda, and enthusiastic staffers — what’s not to love? I have tremendous respect and admiration for music and musicians. They are a special and talented breed, and I have been fortunate to know and be close to a few of them. My late brother was a gifted guitar and piano player. I have numerous friends who play in bands, some professionally. In a perfect world, there would be no “struggling artists.” They would be able to make a living solely from the art they create in whatever form that art takes. Of course, unknown musicians, hungry
painters, and struggling sculptors first must have exposure. For musicians, that includes radio stations. For painters and sculptors, it involves knocking on the doors of galleries and other art venues. But those galleries don’t pay artists for the space. Instead, they usually seek a commission on the canvases they sell because, like everyone, they have to make a living too. Sound familiar? So while “corporate radio” certainly could do more to help new talent, paying artists on top of PRO fees and other station overhead that keeps those on-air lights flashing is probably not going to get new talent more airplay. In fact, it might work in reverse, perhaps even diminishing that opportunity as stations become more inclined to play it safe by sticking with sure hits. Or stations may drop music formats entirely in favor of lesser fees or free talk. In part that is because of the approximately 15,000 radio stations out there, less than 2,000 are in the hands of “corporate radio.” And while the big players are certainly influential in markets across the country, that leaves an awful lot of stations that are not as likely to be on what many assume to be “autopilot.” Whatever the ownership, there are thousands of stations out there that are real partners in their communities, and we all know what that means when there is a local disaster — or a long-term pandemic. That’s also a
commitment all those streaming services can’t touch in the same way radio does. But it costs money to maintain that level, any level, of service. It takes revenue to pay staff, licensing and FCC fees, rent, maintenance and repair, promotion — and the list goes on. Ever hear the saying about “robbing Peter to pay Paul”? It’s apropos here when considering all the players involved in music, musicians, airplay, and licensing. Major labels have been enormously influential in greatly limiting what’s considered “popular music.” It is estimated that over the past decade, major label artists released more than 90% of all top 10 songs. That kind of power implies an enormous influence over what kind of music is played and subsequently makes the charts. It’s what music industry insiders refer to as the “blockbuster strategy,” where the primary investment rests in a handful of extremely profitable artists and albums. As we continue to peel back the layers of this onion, we uncover yet another dynamic: streaming services. Two years ago, Spotify introduced Marquee. Marquee is a program that allows labels to purchase “in your face” pop-up ads that heavily promote a new record or artist. In a Rolling Stone article, George Howard, a professor of music business at Berklee College of Music,
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