[besson3c]

FANTASTIC documentary:

Hulu - Before the Music Dies - Watch the full feature film now.

The official description:

This documentary explores the reason why so few companies currently control the music played on the radio and for sale at retail stores, and whether corporations really have the power to silence musical innovation.

There is a lot of info here on the music business, how music is sold, about the economics of the music business and the major labels, about radio, pop talent today, iPods, file sharing, and a whole bunch of other stuff. A wide range of artists are interviewed including Dave Matthews, Eric Clapton, Elvis Costello, Questlove (dude from the Roots), and many others...

There is a lot of really cool music and video footage played too, possibly some bands that you may have never heard of before.

Great documentary!

[besson3c]

Has anybody seen this already?

[Laminar]

No, but it can't be as good as this movie.

[macaddict0001]

I remember seeing the trailer a ways back, it looks interesting.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by macaddict0001 

I remember seeing the trailer a ways back, it looks interesting.

I just watched it a second time... It's kind of structured into (probably out of order):

- what has changed in the music industry, why things are they way they are now

- what is going on in the music industry and how bands are signed, the economics of the big labels

- an experiment where the people putting together the documentary created a pop star by working with the guy that wrote for Jewel. Technology such as auto-tune

- the visual aspect of music today

- how big name bands that we've come to love today might not survive today since they won't be given a chance by many of the big record labels, the short-sidedness of the big labels

- Doyle Bramhall's experience with a major record label

- Dave Matthew's record label, and an internet radio station that are trying to do things differently

- how large radio chains such as ClearChannel have cut off our access to music that doesn't make it through focus groups that are designed to maximize ad revenue

- file sharing, the iPod

- Advice from big stars about how to succeed, about becoming famous and how there is often a difference between commerce and music