Just read an article on Nelly's recent tweeting rant... basically he was angrily complaining that his record label didn't do their part in properly promoting his new album and thus resulted in poor album sales. Like, really poor. Read it here.
He argues that his 63,000 copies sold in the first week can in no way be blamed on him. He delivered a #1 hit single that sold 2.5 million copies in 2.5 months!
I was speaking to my lawyer the other day who also represents rapper Cassidy (Hotel, I'm a Hustla, Drink n My 2-Step, etc). Cassidy just released an album and only sold 10,000 copies the first week. That's absolutely terrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrible!!! Like unbelievably ridiculously terrible.
The problem is without a doubt internet makes it easy to download albums for free, but that's not the real issue. The real issue is that labels are so amazingly RISK-AVERSE that they would rather continue to push artists that people are really no longer interested in than take a chance with someone new.
In today's music world artists are basically one hit wonders. Maybe "one-album-wonders" now or "one-to-two-year-wonders" at max. Remember Asher Roth? Lady GaGa? Maroon5? Gavin DeGraw? Even huge acts like Taylor Swift and Drake and Justin Bieber are on their way out the door.
And then if you're like me, all you hear about all day and night are the up-and-comers, the unsigned hype. Meek Mill, Wale, Mac Miller, Wiz Kahlifa, Dave Patten! All of these awesome artists who cannot for the life of them get a label to help out (unless they sign away literally everything for just about nothing), and in return say f*** it and create their own hype and buzz grassroots style anyway. Oh but then the labels come knocking when all the hard work is done and they see a product that has already proven can sell (easy money!) -- only then are they interested. I absolutely hate labels!!!!!!
But the truth of the matter is, there's no real hope in making money in music right now unless you are licensing out to film and TV, or have enough clout and popularity to fill out large venues and make a few thousand for your live shows. CD sales? Selling your albums and music? Nopeeeeee
I'm in a bit of a bum mood this morning in case you couldn't tell. Music is a frustrating venture that's for sure. I'm off to work on some film stuff lol at least I can still dream of being a millionaire when I do that!
