Lost songs and apparent changes in the music industry

All the talk of the lost 300 (not the Spartans) made me curious enough about music publishing, that I spent a little bit of time trying to piece together who holds publishing rights and how to acquire those rights etc and in this process came across this article from the Atlantic. 

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/01/old-music-killing-new-music/621339/

The article makes for some interesting reading as to what is happening with the industry. The most startling claim is that old music makes up most of the market and has lead to bidding wars from investment firms for various artist catalogs. All of these artist being either old or dead!

I have no idea what transpired between GT and the publisher of the lost 300, but after reading the article my mind goes to cost. Anyone investing in these catalogs will expect (demand) a return. At least I would. And those that can't afford the bump, would be "bumped". Because after-all, the data is clear, people are listening to the old stuff and in this day and age it is pretty easy to collect royalties, so the revenue will be coming in from somewhere.

Anyway, it's a long read but quite interesting.  

Private equity strikes again. 

William, thanks for the link but even though I couldn’t read the whole story, my intuition was right in that the classics are rock at its best, and darn few can compete with “our music!!”

 I’ve always dug my heels in to the fact that music has evolved (for the most part) into a pathetic form of gadgets and software trying to reproduce instruments. You have to go to acts like Mammoth and Greta Van Fleet to hear Rick and roll, and they’re trying to emulate the classic rockers at best! Face it; unless another Beatles comes around, the world will be faced with keeping the old stuff pumping or be faced with the recycled samples called new music.

GT instructors are some of the very best in the rock n roll teaching industry. Hands down. GT, please do whatever you can do to secure these amazing lessons you do painstakingly create to teach the greatest music ever. If it means we pay more, let’s do this!  

More on the issue(s).

In the past couple years I've seem a flock of articles about artists buying back the rights to their songs.  Most of the reporting states or at least implies a lot of money was spent to do it.  If those musicians are willing to license their songs (I've read some simply refuse) then I imagine their price reflects the price they paid to get their material back 'home.'  Here's a recent story about Fogerty and CCR tunes...  https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/john-fogerty-says-his-ccr-songs-are-home-where-they-belong-following-50-year-battle-over-rights/ar-AA1aRtnw?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=66c04f37e6b147d9a4d445f7ec850203&ei=231  (orignally from Fox Business)

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Interesting article William, thanks for posting the link.

In my opinion copyright laws are simply out of date.  It seems they were created during the vinyl, radio and cassette heyday.  None of these laws seem to consider education/learning, culture, etc.

I believe an amendment should be made to grant copyright for teaching purposes, a flat-rate for anyone who wants to teach it.  It should not be within the copyright holders power to remove teaching rights.  After all the song was originally released had its earnings time and is still paid whenever it is used in film, tv, radio, etc.  Now it is part of the culture and should not be subject to a "bonfire of the vanities" removal from public consciousness

But heck, that is just what I think and no matter how sensible it will never be enacted because $$$... right?

But members also need to consider the possibility that copyright has been removed because the message within the old songs no longer drives the current narrative.  They no longer convey the message that is wanting to be conveyed.  So if copyright is removed on teaching sites then how long will it be before your streaming music sites get these songs pulled?  Oh, and you sold all your CD's and cassettes to get some cash or clear up the clutter right?  If they turn of the switch at the streaming site then you won't even be able to listen to those songs anymore.

This is just the tip of the spear

Crimmunity, as much as it pains me to read what you wrote, I’d be an idiot to not believe it could absolutely come to in a different world and time. Control of much is in the hands of relatively few. 

I think Guitar Tricks is still a great place to learn guitar even if they lost through no fault of their own 

300 songs that the greedy publishers took away from them even though Guitar Tricks tried so very much

to keep the songs.

I think Guitar Tricks is so great that they should raise their monthly rate to $24.95 they are that good.

Thank you so much Guitar Tricks for your great helpful wonderful site.

I can understand why old music makes up most of the market, really. More exposure. The radio plays the same 20 songs every day. The same 9 songs are in every movie coming out. Also, newer artists don't have a clear musical identity. Country music, for example, began to suck back in the 2000's. I don't even know what the heck they're trying to get their influence from, rap or pop? They were all market chasing. IDK, man, it's not great. And newer artists will change themes so much or tones in an album it hurts. I was checking out this power metal band, they're cool, but the front man is trying to look like Bruce Dickinson and trying to sound like him. It ruined the experience after I caught on to his antics. 

A blues guy I was checking out, the album was all over the place. He's crying about nothing, then the tone changes to storming the bar. It wasn't great and it wasn't coherent. I'm always checking out new music and find myself disappointed quickly. Honestly, I did like the theme for the new Spider-Noir show though, but for all I know it's something different next time.

Then there is AI music. That makes me nuts.

I also found an all chick metal band just to learn there was a dude writing all the music and just hiring female musicians to play the music. That sucked becuase the music was marketed differently. 

Honestly, the two newest groups I like right now are Borknagar and Ghost. Both of the bands came out in the eary 2000's, late 90's. Borknagar is like a progressive black metal band that has great melodies, very forklore like sound. Ghost is the whole band rocking and it is not too distant from Alice Cooper's hard rock. Yet they play metal subgenres while keeping their musical identity. It helps when everyone knows confidently what they want to play. 

Like, I know what I want to play. Power metal with thrash elements. It's fast, and there is room for the music to breathe. I got power chords that take barres to send the emotion forward and melodies that add tension and provide relief. I'm just working on the speed parts that give the rhythm tight timings. A lot of people who like the music I do just want to play faster and sweep the fretboard. Power metal isn't fast; it breathes. Thrash metal isn't aggressive; it grooves. Having an identity that is coherent and consistent doesn't seem to be the goal of new music.

BORKNAGAR - Up North (OFFICIAL VIDEO), I think this is their most popular song.

Ghost - Lachryma (Official Music Video). This is from their new album.