We are now officially in the post-MTV era.<\/p>\n
We thought P2P would bring the major labels down, but what is killing them is
the same thing that killed MTV, their lack of credibility.<\/p>\n
In one weekend, one DAY actually, MTV destroyed twenty years of good will.<\/p>\n
For over a decade now, people have been saying that there’s no music on the
channel.\u00c2\u00a0 But MTV perpetrated a ruse, and the media went with it, for everybody
needs a rallying point, everybody needs a clubhouse.<\/p>\n
But MTV was running on fumes.\u00c2\u00a0 At least musically.\u00c2\u00a0 It was all about "Cribs",
"Real World", "Pimp My Ride".\u00c2\u00a0 But they didn’t SAY this, they said it was all
about the MUSIC!<\/p>\n
Kind of like the major labels.\u00c2\u00a0 Sales are down because of FILE-TRADING!\u00c2\u00a0 Ever
think that you just can’t believe in the acts anymore?<\/p>\n
Now no one can believe in MTV.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s a national joke.<\/p>\n
Oh, I wouldn’t expect the ratings to tank overnight.\u00c2\u00a0 After all, where else
are you going to see Bam Margera threaten Don Vito?\u00c2\u00a0 Where else are you going
to see your demo on TV.\u00c2\u00a0 But no longer will anyone mistake the channel as a
music outlet.<\/p>\n
You see MTV broke the trust.\u00c2\u00a0 As did the major labels.<\/p>\n
That’s the way it used to be.\u00c2\u00a0 A band broke over three albums.\u00c2\u00a0 You gained a
small group’s trust, you constantly garnered new believers, and your fans
turned new people on to you.\u00c2\u00a0 To the point where you were suddenly mega, overnight
in the eyes of the straight press, but after a long hard slog in the trenches
in reality.<\/p>\n
Can you say Peter Frampton?\u00c2\u00a0 Four solo albums in.\u00c2\u00a0 Never mind his work with
Humble Pie and the Herd beforehand.\u00c2\u00a0 He took the best of what he did and put it
out on a double live album.\u00c2\u00a0 And it wasn’t overexposure that killed him, it
was the follow-up, "I’m In You".\u00c2\u00a0 It didn’t speak to the fans, it spoke to the
newbies, the CASUAL fans, who aren’t really fans at all.\u00c2\u00a0 And, as a result,
Peter’s core fan base abandoned him, and never came back.<\/p>\n
If only he’d put out another "Wind Of Change".\u00c2\u00a0 If only he’d stayed true to
himself instead of chasing the dollar.\u00c2\u00a0 Or, listening to Dee Anthony TELLING
him to chase the dollar.<\/p>\n
Don’t say it’s overexposure.\u00c2\u00a0 Hell, nobody was as exposed as the Beatles, but
they NEVER played it safe, they kept testing the limits, to the point where
their records STILL sell.<\/p>\n
MTV abandoned the core music listener.\u00c2\u00a0 They went for the instant bucks.\u00c2\u00a0
And, the major labels followed them.\u00c2\u00a0 What was aired was flashy, with expensive
video extravaganzas.\u00c2\u00a0 Moved some units once, but never again.\u00c2\u00a0 And, nobody
wanted to SEE these bands.\u00c2\u00a0 They had no FANS!<\/p>\n
It’s all about your fans.\u00c2\u00a0 If you think of serving them, you can’t go wrong.\u00c2\u00a0
If you play it right, you’ll make a living, and, if you work really hard, and
have a little bit of luck, you’ll go big time overnight.\u00c2\u00a0 There was no video
for "Frampton Comes Alive", no big marketing campaign, the music sold itself,
that’s the only way.<\/p>\n
So, it’s over.\u00c2\u00a0 When MTV says it’s about music not only is the PUBLIC gonna
laugh, the media is too.\u00c2\u00a0 All as a result of the Live 8 fiasco.\u00c2\u00a0 I mean if you
cut Pink Floyd off during "Comfortably Numb", you OBVIOUSLY aren’t about the
music.<\/p>\n
Oh, but MTV’s for TEENS!<\/p>\n
Well, hate to tell you, the teenage heads INTO music LOVE Floyd.<\/p>\n
Then again, they’re not watching MTV…\u00c2\u00a0 They gave up, disgusted, long ago.<\/p>\n
MTV didn’t stay true to its mission.\u00c2\u00a0 It would have grown more slowly, would
have paid fewer dividends, but it would have had a longer shelf-life.\u00c2\u00a0 I mean
do you want to be New Kids On The Block or Van Morrison?<\/p>\n
It’s all about credibility.\u00c2\u00a0 We’re never going to believe MTV when they talk
seriously about music again.\u00c2\u00a0 We’re even going to see the acts that appear on
the station as whores, which they are.\u00c2\u00a0 Hell, did you see the 2004 Video Music
Awards?<\/p>\n
If you want cred, if you want to garner true fans, you’re better off making
it via MySpace, which doesn’t reach as many people INSTANTLY, but is viral, and
word spreads on good shit.<\/p>\n
MTV’s downfall is so instant because they did it in front of so many.<\/p>\n
But, even though the whole world wasn’t watching, the major labels and
terrestrial radio have done the same thing.\u00c2\u00a0 They’re hollow vessels, that fans no
longer believe in.\u00c2\u00a0 People have moved on.<\/p>\n
You’ve got to generate belief.\u00c2\u00a0 Fandom is not casual.\u00c2\u00a0 Fans are honest in
their devotion, you’ve got to be honest back, you’ve got to respect them.<\/p>\n
If the foregoing doesn’t have you nodding your head, saying ah-ha, you’re in
big trouble.\u00c2\u00a0 Because everybody knows this.<\/p>\n
And now control has been wrested away.\u00c2\u00a0 Music lives on the Internet.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s
not about how you look, but how you connect.\u00c2\u00a0 The public spreads the word on
good stuff, and kills bad stuff via instant word of mouth (ever notice that good
stuff leaked months in advance STILL sells, whereas bad stuff leaked in
advance tanks?)<\/p>\n
It’s a new world music order.\u00c2\u00a0 And MTV has a marginal place in it, at best.\u00c2\u00a0
And it can’t come back.\u00c2\u00a0 Just like you can’t get back together with your high
school girlfriend who abandoned you for someone better-looking, who was an
idiot.<\/p>\n
It takes a lifetime to build trust, and a day to blow it.\u00c2\u00a0 Just ask MTV.\u00c2\u00a0
They’ve proven the paradigm.<\/p>\n
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