For artists who've already had success, going the independent route is much easier with the financial security they have. But for newer artists, how do they not only make and market their music but also afford to live at the same time? How much money does an artist need for a traditional album cycle and is that still the best way to release music? With the number of labels struggling to offer old-school style deals with huge marketing budgets and personal advances as the revenue from recorded music declines, artists are having to look at alternative routes for financial and industry support. But do musicians want to run and manage their own business? Does this mean the role of artist manager would change to become a label manager, too? In the UK, schemes like Icebreaker, Power Amp, Ingenious, and more recently Polyphonic (from among other founders includes Radiohead's manager Brian Message) are starting to make waves. Some, but not all, are looking at the bigger picture where revenue can be earned beyond the mechanical royalties. Taking revenue from rights like merch and live is the only basis upon which they feel they have a chance to recoup their investment. And this is all happening against a backdrop of copyright ownership. Is it possible, against all the challenges that artists face today, to own their own copyright and is that a valuable asset to them?
http://schedule.sxsw.com/events/event_MP7594
