Bob Dylan at age 65, is the oldest rock-and-roll star to go straight to No. 1, as BBC News reports both on and off-air. The intriguing and unPC bit that is left out of the web but reported in the airwaves, is how Bob Dylan may well have benefited from a generation of fans who still favour getting music CDs over downloads from the web.
Now if I recall correctly, a few days ago, there were reports on Universal Music offering U2 soundtracks for FREE downloads on the web.
Is there a digital and perhaps generational divide between Bob Dylan and U2 fans such that record companies have to differentiate their distribution channels? Umm… interesting.
Gen X-I 
I think the online airwaves are a whole new channel to exploit. Limiting artists to CD sales is no longer making sense. Online stations such as Last.fm and Pandora did a good job promoting the lesser known artists. I can imagine the big record companies coming with similar ideas of a online social radio station to introduce new songs and artist to people. With more artists using web technology to sell there music, it may come a time when being a rock star is just not as fashionable as the geek in MIT. Every artists’ status would probably fall.
Comment by Mr. Dew — September 8, 2006 @ 5:30 pm
One reason why Steve Jobs is so termed the iCon, is precisely his ability to make viable the
option to sell music online – a venture that helps sustain the continuing viability of the
record industry. But really, I reckon the future of the music industry is an unknown venture.
Time will tell whether the CopyRight or CopyLefters will win the battle.
In the meantime, I’m still enjoying my free downloads from time to time, oh yeah, Im not
buying entirely into this intellectual property stuff.
Comment by fujinitsuki — September 9, 2006 @ 8:29 am