The Cougar.

I just read this article by John Mellencamp on the Huffington Post. It's very interesting. He doesn't seem to be arguing for one side or another. He doesn't really blame anybody. He doesn't really talk about solutions. I just thought it was a very sad recollection of the way things were and the way things shouldn't be. It almost sounds like he's throwing in the towel.

I think he nails it though. Top down. I like that. It really is a good description of what is wrong with "the music industry" these days. The only thing that I think he misses is that the Internet is a way to regrasp the concept of "bottom up". It's probably going to kill the way things were, but for the bands starting out this way, I think it's nothing but good news. I think. Maybe?

And my major point - you can't have it both ways. You either have a major channel where everybody makes money every time anybody hears a piece of music ever, or you have a free channel where small bands have as much of a chance for exposure as the large bands. If you take away that free channel you take away the exposure. I know, I know. "None of the artists choose to be in that free channel." Very true. But if give them the choice...that free channel isn't going to be there for long. So what's the solution then? Give your music away until people want it and then start charging for it? I don't think that would go over very well.