The Trent Reznor/ NIN case study

[AgingYouth]

Good luck and good night!

http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2009/02/06/the-trent-reznor-case-study/

How Trent Reznor and his new business models are the way of the future for the music industry. Which is what Astroninja is doing right now.

 

[AEnimic]

Trent will set the trend to the future music business!

He's a real amazing musician, very true. Being able to find this business opportunity and fully utilizing it while Radiohead went on to get another record label. Not saying that Radiohead is sucky to do so, but Trent is a real revolutionary in music. However, it has always been done by smaller bands, but seeing NIN doing it, I think it might help smaller bands get bigger. But as usual, the same "no effort, no rewards" cliche will be brought up. Which is true.

 

[AgingYouth]

Nah, Radiohead just got a company to distribute In Rainbows. They are not signed to XL Records as in a traditional artiste contract.

 

[absynthe]

too bad i don't have trent's business skills.

 

[THOA]

^ nothing that cannot be learned.

 

[tangcw00]

very good presentation

CwF + RtB == Business Model

 

[Gerry]

Members 'Stretta' & 'Synthhead' just below the video link titled 12 responses came out with interesting points. -
That Trent is already an established artiste with his fan base and the subject about if it could still be possible to translate into a formula that new artists can follow to make it big.

That Trent either has the finances to engage a marketing team OR...Trent has the finances and 'Market Saavy' enough by himself to finance his own marketing strategies without the engagement of a marketing team.


http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2009/02/06/the-trent-reznor-case-study/


A Record Contract is basically about music production, marketing, distribution and management (Events/Live Performances).


And record companies are represented by A & R Managers (Artiste & Repertoire Managers) to sign on newbie artistes whom they 'Think' are commercially sellable/viable.


Very Often : Record Companies are like 'Bank Loans' whereby an artiste gets paid a certain agreed/signed percentage of royalty only if the financed amount of money is recovered through record sales (R.O.I. = Return Of Investment), etc.


It is the composer who gets paid more royalties percentages than an artiste who does not compose their own music.


And an artiste is encouraged to seek advice from a music lawyer/attorney to read or even ammend their contracts till both parties are comfortable.


Personally : I had taken noticed to Trent Reznor personae and his music arrangements (But not the lyrics) when he produced 'Natural Born Killers' Soundtrack which was a good compilation. And Trent would occasionally send bulletines to me on myspace to invite me for free downloads or invite mixers to mix his singles, etc.

 

[Nisazif]

ohno. whatever happened to practising hard to get yourself signed to a label and then making good music to share with fans.. kudos to trent and NIN, but methinks he just set the bar PREEETTY high in terms of the amount of work required for future music-makers hoping to make money from music-making. haaaaaiz

 

[visa]

ohno. whatever happened to practising hard to get yourself signed to a label and then making good music to share with fans..

labels are profit-oriented, and will rip you off as much as they can. practice hard, then share the music with your fans yourself. the internet and new media has made it possible.

 

[dir]

Good labels do actually exist, contrary to public opinion, and of course they're profit-oriented, we all live in a capitalistic society. Good distribution and marketing is essential if you want to get your music heard on the right channels. With the advent of internet and web 2.0, online music distribution have exploded to the point where almost everyone has an album on the internet and a blog to promote it -but to remain relevant and gain more support beyond online fans, you'll have to spend a great deal of money or get a decent backing from a label.

 

[Mobius]

Music will make one big round and go back to more live performances for the artiste and bands to make a living. Ever notice the increasing number of bands and artiste coming to singapore to perform? some are really big acts that have never came in the past (during the mulit platinum selling heydays), now they perform at every opportunity they can.