This music recommendation thing is tricky. I’d never share what I’m listening to on Facebook, I’d be afraid of the abuse. But I was driving in Brentwood at one in the morning and when I pulled up to the mailbox there was a song on Sirius XM’s Coffee House that had me transfixed.

Now I’ll admit that I’d had a good day, records were touching me in a way no other medium can. That’s the power of music. When done right, it’s life itself.

And I wish I could remember what song they were playing before, because it sounded good too. But I’m idling in the dark and this sounds even better, it makes me want to drive all night just to listen to the radio.

So I whip out my hand-set to send myself an e-mail. Being careful to get the name of the act right, because I’ve never heard of it before, and if I make a mistake the Google machine won’t pop up the right result.

But I just entered "Breaks Co-Op" in the search engine and "The Otherside" came right up, the YouTube video was right there.

It was the same song, but somehow the visuals took away from the music. We’re leaving the MTV era. Music is something you listen to once again. While you stare into space and let your mind drift.

And the first link is to a Wikipedia entry, right above the YouTube clip.

And Wikipedia’s pretty rigid, they don’t allow just anybody to make a page. Most of these nascent bands have no presence.

And reading the entry I find that "The Otherside" was the number one airplay hit of 2005 down under, way down under, in New Zealand, where the band is from. It won Song Of The Year at the New Zealand Music Awards.

So, on a lark, I decided to search in Spotify, and there it was.

And there were only two reviews in iTunes, but one mentioned Elton liking the album so I did more research and I found this:

I’m Down With…Breaks Co-Op
By Elton John

My favorite album at the moment is by a New Zealand three-piece called Breaks Co-Op. ‘Sound Inside’ is a chill-out disc that sounds a little like Crosby, Stills and Nash. It’s brilliant, wonderful. Since I bought it in the store, I’ve played it for so many people. I played it for the head of my record company today. I’m on Universal and Breaks Co-Op is on EMI, but he said it was probably one of the best records he’s heard all year. It just kills me that these albums come out and they don’t sell or don’t get the right promotion. Everyone I’ve given it to – from the Killers to the Scissor Sisters – have all freaked out.

We’re coming together. Now that you just can’t make that much money in music, not as much as Mitt Romney, it’s becoming about the music once again. Forget those Top Forty acts, they’re all about the cash, they give music a bad name. But drop a huge notch below that and there’s a plethora of music that’s helping people get through the tough times, music that speaks to the heart and saves souls.

And now comes the disclaimer. If you’re a fan of hip-hop, of metal, if you love the Top Forty stuff, you’re gonna put fingers to keyboard and send me hate mail. And it never feels good. But all this data, the chart success and Elton’s endorsement, tells me what I felt last night was real.

P.S. I heard a live take on the Coffee House. I’m not sure if it’s the one that’s on Spotify, I think so, so I’ll include it along with the studio take.

P.P.S. One of the things I hate most is playing music for people. You’ve got to discover stuff yourself, it’s got to grab you when you’re not paying attention. Pull up this track and leave the computer, go about your business around the house, you’ll have a better chance of getting it.

Spotify link

Breaks Co-Op – The Otherside

I’m not the biggest fan of Chelsea Handler, but yesterday on Howard Stern she said she had sex with 50 Cent and their relationship ended because she used an epithet that was borderline racist, likening his behavior to that of the street.

Whew!

You’re not supposed to answer these questions, you’re supposed to be evasive, it’s supposed to be private.

But now privacy’s for pussies, the hoi polloi give it up online day after day, it’s the celebrities who are out of touch, no wonder they’re fodder for ridicule. Used to be we looked up to celebs, now we’ve got contempt for them.

I believe the whole paradigm was delineated accurately by Barney Frank in last Sunday’s "New York Times Magazine":

"Lawyers are very, very good at keeping you out of prison, but they will sacrifice your reputation and credibility to do so. So don’t be evasive and don’t be cute. And unless you think there is a serious chance you’re going to jail, don’t listen to your lawyer."

The Not-So-Retiring Barney Frank

Once upon a time, musicians were revered for being honest, and the resulting credibility made for long careers. Today the acts are evasive, worried about offending a potential audience member, and they come and go.

Lay it out there. Then not only is it behind you, you garner respect from those who care, for being forthcoming, for being honest.

Dishonesty is for politicians. But dishonesty has crept into not only the musicians, but the music itself. The biggest records of all time have been honest, whether it be "Jagged Little Pill" or any random Eminem album.

From: Mark Cuban
Subject: Re: Power Top Ten

You are dead wrong about acts and tv. If its just a song. Sure. But the days of videos on tv are long gone. If what’s on tv is a concert or unique live experience unique to tv, social at every level, you want to be part of the event. YouTube videos are about as social as the comments. YouTube is a great place to check out what you have heard about. Tv Is a great place to experience with your friends what you are excited to find out about

The folks who think that watching a YouTube video on demand is a replacement for a unique, shared, simultaneous music experience, even on tv, have never played flip cup or watched drinking made easy

Tv is social. Check out this new act on YouTube is serial. Huge difference.

M

1. The Promoter

Because he’s got all the money. Used to be the label had all the money. What money the label has left is being given to the executives. And the lack of remuneration to acts has them looking elsewhere. And the only other person paying is the promoter. But he’s too stupid to realize his power. If a few promoters just started saying no, the whole business would change.

Presently, the promoters give all the money to the acts, to their detriment, they can’t seem to help themselves, they’re like sports team owners, protect me from spending again! But the NBA owners made progress and so can the concert promoters.

He with the money wins.

2. YouTube

It’s all about exposure. Over time, YouTube’s power to break an act will fade, as streaming services gain further adoption, because music is something you hear, not see. But right now YouTube is our national jukebox. Make sure your music is up there, even if it’s just scrolling lyrics in the frame.

Don’t equate YouTube with Vevo. Vevo puts money first, image second and listeners third. YouTube’s got it right, make it easy for listeners to find and experience the music they want to.

3. Facebook

Because that’s where you tell everybody else what you’re listening to, that’s where online word of mouth takes place, especially now with Spotify/streaming service integration.

The way you break an act is not by getting it on TV or radio but by fomenting word of mouth. And when this conflagration takes place, which is rare, be ready. Make sure your music is on YouTube, Spotify/streaming services, and that your homepage is easily navigated (NO FLASH! – and it doesn’t work on iPhones!) and allows people to listen to all your music too. The worst thing that can happen is someone wants to check you out and you’ve got the music locked up behind a pay wall. That’s old school for old farts.

4. Irving Azoff

Because he’s the promoter and the manager. But Live Nation has to a great degree missed out on electronic music. Irving Azoff is riding the horse of today extremely well, but the horse of ten years from now…I’m not so sure.

5. Coran Capshaw/Red Light

His time has finally come. Not only does he have management, a label and concert promotion, he’s now got more successful acts than just the Dave Matthews Band, hell, he’s got Pretty Lights! Capshaw’s got a young team that’s aggressive and has its finger on the pulse. Unfortunately, there’s so much dead weight it threatens to sink the ship, there are too many B & C players, but unlike Frontline/Live Nation, Coran is thinking about tomorrow. Frontline/Live Nation is about what’s selling today. But now, with so many managers of hit acts aligned with a conglomerate, it’s about ferreting out what’s going to sell tomorrow.

6. Ticketmaster

More innovation here than at any label or any competitor. And unlike the RIAA and MPAA, Ticketmaster is trying to turn around public perception, it’s trying to get on the side of the people. There’s money left on the table in the music business, and only data will tell us where it is.

7. Agents

It’s less about power and more about being on the side of the artist. No one is more powerful to his acts than Frank Riley. And when it comes to the big picture, Marc Geiger is the visionary. You need a representative who can nurture your career. Who is willing to leave some money on the table to ensure your longevity.

8. Spotify

Because you’ve got to listen somewhere. And everything is there and everything is free and people will pay for streaming on their handsets, they just don’t know it yet. It’s all about seeing the future. Didn’t everybody say Apple was dead, even after Steve Jobs came back? Don’t get stuck in the past catering to a vocal public which says it abhors change and ultimately embraces it.

9. Mobile

Digital photography killed Kodak, the prognosticators were right. These same prognosticators have been stating for years that mobile will triumph, the sun is rising on mobile right now. Smart phones are almost ubiquitous, it’s all about portability. You want people to be able to easily access information about your act on their mobiles, a mobile-compatible site is worth it if you’re a star, and also make sure your music can be heard on a mobile via streaming.

10. Radio

At the bottom of the list and continuing to fade. Because radio believes its responsibility is to anybody but the listener. Terrestrial is all about the advertiser. Satellite is terrestrial without commercials. Pandora is tune-out city. People will not sit and passively listen, that’s a declining paradigm. To believe radio continues to triumph is to believe people won’t use their TV remote control, won’t flip from station to station. Radio’s great for talk, pretty lousy for music. But it can still build acts today, which is why it’s on this list. But it should be in your rearview mirror, or else you’re gonna end up in the rearview mirror.

Not On The List:

"Rolling Stone": Jann Wenner cares about politics more than music. The brand means nothing to the younger generation. Can be an interesting read, but running on fumes.

Lucian Grainge: Thinks his competitor is Doug Morris, a septuagenarian who believes a radio hit means everything. Lucian should worry about Live Nation, not Sony Music.

Jimmy Iovine: He doesn’t care about music, he cares about money.

Sonicbids, et al: About money, not music.

Songkick: They care about music more than money and like too many kids just don’t realize how business works, they’re no match for Irving Azoff.

Apple: Its failure to go into subscription music services is like BlackBerry refusing to embrace apps/hand-held web-surfing. The future is subscription. If Apple doesn’t control it, it will lose power. Hell, it’s already lost power in the handset business, Apple controlled MP3 players with its iPod, but Android is a worthy competitor to the iPhone.

TV: There’s no reason to watch an act on television when it can be pulled up, on demand, on YouTube.

"American Idol": That’s show business. Music is going back to being the hottest of media, something that speaks directly to your heart and soul. To think Jennifer Lopez is about music is to believe Heidi Klum can sing because she used to live with Seal.

"X Factor": Simon Cowell has a will to survive. And he will do his best to do so. Mark Burnett doesn’t need "The Voice", Cowell needs "X Factor".

IMPALA: Because you can never win with a legal strategy. Just ask Tivo. Independents can do nothing but complain. They’re almost as ancient thinking as the acts and almost as broke. They yearn for a past like the one in Nick Hornby’s "High Fidelity", but that ain’t gonna happen. Music is gonna triumph, but how we listen and how we pay are going to be completely different.