MUSIC IS DEAD THE RE-RUN

As marketers we know the general public would rather live in a lie than know the truth. The lie is seductive, it's everything you want to hear, and often played to your favorite beat. 

The music industry has recognized your need for music and positioned themselves as gatekeepers to success. By driving the price of music down towards zero it allows for a few interesting things to occur. 

First, by making it low cost, it's easily produced and distributed. Now, your message can reach the world in an instant.

Why might this be important?

Record labels realized that musicians are simply opportunities for permission. They've earned your trust and your heart which then allows them to speak to you about certain things. They sell you on a rich and lavish lifestyle while plugging various products and brands in a rather contagious and ingenious way.

Since music fails to be profitable record labels know that it has to be a platform for something bigger. They work to perfect models to turn nobodies into somebodies virtually overnight. Up until now I feel their efforts have been somewhat limited with perfumes and clothing lines, but a few have managed to successfully re-brand themselves in a new and compelling way (Common, 50 Cent, Jay Z, Will Smith, etc.) . The fact that people  believe their favorite artist still writes their own music seems somewhat silly after they've been discovered. They'll go on, and on about the fact that they write every line and spin an amusing tale in an attempt to build trust and loyalty with you; as if this is this is some sort of indicator of trust to begin with, but non the less you fall for it and so it goes. 

If you actually pay attention to their lyrics the message becomes even more disturbing. Let me explain; the market has often been referred to as a "cold hearted b**ch" that like a woman you have to respect her, and seduce her in order to lay in bed with her. That being said, the next time you listen to your favorite song and the artist either refers to a woman or a love affair in some way, they're actually speaking directly to you about you. Most of the time they're mocking you, hating you, loving you, or speaking on the loneliness that the top affords for. The fact that people honor these individuals is some what puzzling consider they have no respect for you.

My advice: stop wasting your time, money, and energy on this garbage and put it to better use. Some artist are so cocky as to come right out and tell you without hiding the fact within witty metaphors; most notably Little Wayne and his affiliates Young Money referring to themselves as the "devil" calling his record label the evil empire and throwing it in your face repeatedly while laughing all the way to the bank. 

The real question then is whether their intentions were always this ruthless or if we're to blame for their bad attitudes. One things for certain, when people say music is dead you'll know why.