There’s an important debate taking place right now over the economics of subscription music services such as Spotify and Rhapsody and the like, particularly regarding how artists are compensated from them.

Unfortunately, it’s being debated very poorly. The assumptions, misconceptions, and flat out inaccuracies underlying today’s debate over streaming music economics are truly staggering.

(Full disclosure: I consult for digitalmusic.org, which counts as members every music subscription service. Among other things, that role includes advocating for the music subscription business. However this is a personal post reflecting personal opinions and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of my employer or any of my other clients.)

So let’s clear a few things up right now.

Continue reading ‘Deconstructing the Misconceptions of Streaming Music Economics: A Biased Analysis Based on Logic’

Is there anything more chickenshit than a company that hires an independent consultant to do a job but then doesn’t pay? Why go through the process of signing a contract, working together for three months, having nothing but good things to say about the work, constantly promising payment is just a few days away, and then ultimately not paying what’s owed?

I’ve only been an independent consultant for about six months, but I’m already going through this situation right now with one of the first clients I signed after leaving Billboard. I’m not naming names (for now, anyway) in the hopes that this can still be worked out amicably (although the lawyers are now getting involved).

Everything started off great. The CEO seemed like a straight up guy with an interesting service and we hit it off from the start. We signed a contract for me to help them with strategic communications/messaging for a three-month term, and got right to work. The deal was for me to be paid a flat fee at the beginning of each month to cover my time for that month. But the checks never came. At first I wrote it off to accounting snafus and the typical disorganization of a busy startup. But as we entered the third month of the term with payment still not received, I had no choice but to suspend service until he settled up the account. Continue reading ‘My Client Won’t Pay Me and Stopped Answering My Calls. Here’s What I Think About That.’

I wanted to wait a few days after the passing of Steve Jobs before posting anything more than what I wrote for Billboard (most of which by the way was written prior to his death, the way pretty much all obits of famous people are. It’s a crass reality of journalism).

Because when someone of the stature of Steve Jobs passes away, there’s going to be an inevitable period of reminiscing on his life and legacy. But I also feel it’s a time to reflect on our own lives, career and accomplishments; not to see where we measure up, as the vast majority of us certainly will fall woefully short of his standard. But rather to be inspired by the example someone like a Steve Jobs sets for us all.

Continue reading ‘Never a Fanboy, But Always a Fan’

Sometimes even writers must rely on the words of others to best express themselves. And who better to turn to than the great Bob Dylan?

This is my last day at Billboard magazine, and the title of this post best encapsulates my state of mind as I look back on the last seven years. Actually, to be accurate, it’s my last full-time day. I’m going to remain on as an advisor/consultant for the FutureSound conference that we’re putting together (www.futuresoundconference.com) Nov. 17-18 in San Francisco. And I’ll be writing a few freelance feature stores for Billboard now and then.

But for the most part I’m now striking out on my own. Within the music industry, I’m looking to do some consulting and advising with both startup and established companies. My goal is to see how the unique skill set I’ve developed as a journalist at Billboard can be best translated into other roles. You can find a full list of the projects I’m most interested in on the “about” page of this blog.

Continue reading ‘He Not Busy Being Born is Busy Dying’