Newsweek "The End of Selling Out" with PJ

michelleelise

Anyone else see this? Pretty fair article, I think.

http://2010.newsweek.com/essay/the-end- ... g-out.html

I liked this point they make...

"And because the vast majority of younger listeners have themselves contributed to the collapse of the traditional music industry by downloading free music online, they’re less inclined than their ’90s-era predecessors to condemn a new band for selling its songs or signing with a corporate sponsor. When you’ve stolen from someone, it’s sort of inconsiderate to scold him for seeking money elsewhere."

Indifference71

Good article. It all makes sense except the writer saying that "The Fixer" is the best PJ song since 94.

T-Bone 82

Very interesting article and it definitely rings true. How can you blame any band today for utilizing any medium in getting their music to fans? The early and mid 90's were so much simpler: you released a song to radio, made a video, and had a record label backing it to gain exposure. Now everything in the music world is so fragmented with downloads, ringtones, facebook and myspace, etc. It's now become an exercise in finding precise ways to reach your target (no pun intended) market. And if that includes lending your song to a car commercial, a movie, or streaming it on your myspace site then that's what bands are going to do.

I really do not have a problem with any of it. As long as the artist is not compromising his or her integrity, then it's all good.

Lizard

Indifference71 wrote:

Good article. It all makes sense except the writer saying that "The Fixer" is the best PJ song since 94.

The writer said that???? Wow. that's WAY OFF!!

Flagg

The only thing I would like to point out is that almost every one of these articles misses the fact that the album is widely available outside of Target. You can get it from the Ten Club or iTunes or at any independent record store across the country. Don't like Target? Fine, get it independently then. Get it from iTunes. I wish they would make that distinction because every time I hear about Backspacer from some DJ or some music snob or talk show host it is about selling out because they made an exclusive deal with Target.

Also, the Target commercial is not a commercial for Target. It is a commercial for Backspacer, available at Target. That may be splitting hairs, but the commercial is promoting Backspacer, not Target's deal this week on laundry detergent and dog food.

And as far as ringtones go, I can get ringtones of almost any PJ song on any carrier and was able to do so before Backspacer came out.

Anyway, I don't begrudge Pearl Jam for making the Target deal. More power to them. I am also no Pearl Jam apologist. I have criticized them in the past over many things. But now, there is just no other practical way to sell your record (especially without a label). Target in this case is just taking the place of the record company and distribution company. I hope it paid of for them so they can continue making records.

PureandEasy

he may mean chart wise, because I think it is the highest single chart wise in years

michelleelise

Flagg wrote:

The only thing I would like to point out is that almost every one of these articles misses the fact that the album is widely available outside of Target. You can get it from the Ten Club or iTunes or at any independent record store across the country.

Yeah, I bought mine at an indie and I wanted to point it out to the writer but the Comment feature isn't working for me :x

recordjunkie

michelle822 wrote:

Flagg wrote:

The only thing I would like to point out is that almost every one of these articles misses the fact that the album is widely available outside of Target. You can get it from the Ten Club or iTunes or at any independent record store across the country.

Yeah, I bought mine at an indie and I wanted to point it out to the writer but the Comment feature isn't working for me :x

I totally agree, I bought mine from an indie store and the Ten Club. I wish the article made reference to the indie stores. I think it is great that PJ supports the indie stores.

dreamweaver

Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah

Princess KJ

Come on everyone lighten up- it's their product, they can do what they want with it. It you don't like it, don't buy it. It's a free market.

michelleelise

dreamweaver wrote:

This guy is suggesting Pearl Jam is selling out and it's fans are too lazy to call it out..

When I read it I felt like the writer was actually saying that the whole idea of labeling someone a "sellout" has almost always been sanctimonious crap. Not so much that we've gotten too lazy but that our attitudes have matured and we don't get all riled up.

"in 1990s the pendulum swung too far in the direction of reflexive self-righteousness, with rock fans automatically rejecting anything “tainted” by commercialism. Nowadays, our attitude is healthier: for better or worse, it’s the quality of the music that matters, not the label it’s on or the ad it has or hasn’t appeared in"

Jeff Murray

michelle822 wrote:

I liked this point they make...

"And because the vast majority of younger listeners have themselves contributed to the collapse of the traditional music industry by downloading free music online, they’re less inclined than their ’90s-era predecessors to condemn a new band for selling its songs or signing with a corporate sponsor. When you’ve stolen from someone, it’s sort of inconsiderate to scold him for seeking money elsewhere."

I agree they have to make money in different ways these days. Bands on labels aren't making their money on record sales anymore, it is in touring and merchandise. Just don't become a jingle writer!

I agree with others that it would be nice if they reported that the album was available in independent record stores as well. Shed some light on the little guys!!

I tried making a comment too and it seems to be disabled. Probably feared being lit up!

HeavyHands

Flagg wrote:

The only thing I would like to point out is that almost every one of these articles misses the fact that the album is widely available outside of Target...

Also, the Target commercial is not a commercial for Target. It is a commercial for Backspacer, available at Target. That may be splitting hairs, but the commercial is promoting Backspacer, not Target's deal this week on laundry detergent and dog food.

Flagg is spot on.

That was a good article and a good overview of the past decade. I think the author took the time to formulate his argument and back his point up with actual historical information (i.e: that hip-hop has been more commercial viable than rock/pop for a long time).

People could do worse than to read it.

Understated point of the new century: THIS WHOLE THING IS ABOUT CONTROLLING YOUR SUPPLY CHAIN. Congratulations to the author for being the first (that I've read, at least) to point this out. If more people understood the complexities of how a supply chain worked (and knew how to fit that knowledge into a larger context) there would be a lot less harsh criticism about how this band has conducted itself (business-wise) in the past few years.

nfanel

Flagg wrote:

Anyway, I don't begrudge Pearl Jam for making the Target deal. More power to them. I am also no Pearl Jam apologist. I have criticized them in the past over many things. But now, there is just no other practical way to sell your record (especially without a label). Target in this case is just taking the place of the record company and distribution company. I hope it paid of for them so they can continue making records.

agreed on all of this.

that's what drove me nuts last year when people were outraged over the verizon stuff - it was another way to get their music out there and hey, the more people that are introduced to the magic that is PJ...the better.

great article. i've always hated the term sellout.

Arthur Digby Sellers

Its just the economics of the current situation in the music industry. Plus, how else do you get people to hear your music? Sometimes the commercial sells the music as much as the product.

I thought it was funny the comment about how every brooklyn band would kill for an Apple commercial. I met the former drummer for the Yeasayers parents this summer and even though he isn't even in the band anymore he is still getting paid for some commercial they used their song for. Royalties from CD sales don't pay the bills anymore.

Cosmo

People just need to get over themselves. It is not 1994 any more... the industry has changed, the market transformed. Move forward.
...
And from my observations... the people who most likely to use the term, 'Sell-Out' are typically talentless nobodies who can't produce anything that anyone else would buy.

blondieblue227

*cringe*

i hated that word since the days of the old old pit.

pj is in control now. how is that selling out?

anyway, since i've turned 30 that word has lost a lot of meaning.

BF25394

Flagg wrote:

The only thing I would like to point out is that almost every one of these articles misses the fact that the album is widely available outside of Target. You can get it from the Ten Club or iTunes or at any independent record store across the country. Don't like Target? Fine, get it independently then. Get it from iTunes. I wish they would make that distinction because every time I hear about Backspacer from some DJ or some music snob or talk show host it is about selling out because they made an exclusive deal with Target.

Also, the Target commercial is not a commercial for Target. It is a commercial for Backspacer, available at Target. That may be splitting hairs, but the commercial is promoting Backspacer, not Target's deal this week on laundry detergent and dog food.

And as far as ringtones go, I can get ringtones of almost any PJ song on any carrier and was able to do so before Backspacer came out.

Anyway, I don't begrudge Pearl Jam for making the Target deal. More power to them. I am also no Pearl Jam apologist. I have criticized them in the past over many things. But now, there is just no other practical way to sell your record (especially without a label). Target in this case is just taking the place of the record company and distribution company. I hope it paid of for them so they can continue making records.

You make a series of excellent points, but I disagree with some of your last paragraph. Pearl Jam could get a record deal in a heartbeat if they wanted one. They wouldn't make $5.00 per record, but they would have no problem getting a deal. So that's a choice they are making. Target cannot take the position of the record company, as it is not in position to promote the record the way a record company does. Target cannot work the singles to radio, send preview copies to music writers, set up band interviews with media, etc. Pearl Jam, in the guise of Monkeywrench Records, is basically promoting it themselves. As far as distribution is concerned, Target's distribution only extends as far as Target. If Pearl Jam were still on Epic, the record would be at Target... and Best Buy... and Wal-Mart... and every other record store in the country.

This is what happened: Target paid Pearl Jam an amount up front (supposedly, $5 million for 1 million copies). Target keeps whatever it makes from sales. It hopes it will sell enough copies to make back its investment (say 500,000 when factoring in promotion costs, like the TV spots). If it doesn't sell enough copies to make back the investment, it still hopes to profit off the deal by drawing consumers to stores with the exclusive who end up spending money in the stores that they wouldn't otherwise.

Ledbetterman10

michelle822 wrote:

Anyone else see this? Pretty fair article, I think.

http://2010.newsweek.com/essay/the-end- ... g-out.html

This writer loses credibility with me when he says "Oh, and by the way: Pearl Jam’s latest single, 'The Fixer,' is the best song the band has released since 1994." Makes me wonder if he's heard ANY of the songs released between 1995-2008.

Johnnyguitarwatson

best song since 94 ? what a tool. please put down the crack pipe...

Red Mosquito75

good article but c'mon fixer the best since 94. This must not be a fan that wrote the article

Thorns2010

Ledbetterman10 wrote:

michelle822 wrote:

Anyone else see this? Pretty fair article, I think.

http://2010.newsweek.com/essay/the-end- ... g-out.html

This writer loses credibility with me when he says "Oh, and by the way: Pearl Jam’s latest single, 'The Fixer,' is the best song the band has released since 1994." Makes me wonder if he's heard ANY of the songs released between 1995-2008.

I read it as best single released to radio since '94.

Outside of Given To Fly, they might be right IMO.

Ledbetterman10

Thorns2010 wrote:

Ledbetterman10 wrote:

michelle822 wrote:

Anyone else see this? Pretty fair article, I think.

http://2010.newsweek.com/essay/the-end- ... g-out.html

This writer loses credibility with me when he says "Oh, and by the way: Pearl Jam’s latest single, 'The Fixer,' is the best song the band has released since 1994." Makes me wonder if he's heard ANY of the songs released between 1995-2008.

I read it as best single released to radio since '94.

Outside of Given To Fly, they might be right IMO.

He said it's "the best song they've release since 1994." But even if he did mean singles, The Fixer still sucks and is not as good a song as I Got Shit, Who You Are, Nothing As it Seems or World Wide Suicide.