This is an interview series in preparation for my SXSW Panel: The State of Music Blogs in 2010. I reached out to a number of influencers, musicans, labels, marketers and music fans to get their perspectives on the topic and will be posting these in a series leading up to the conference.
Today we hear from local Minneapolis musician Tim O’Regan of Darkfold.
Why do you think music blogs are so popular?
Because they give people exposure to music they would not have heard of otherwise. Once you find a blogger with similar taste it becomes a no-brainer to follow their lead.
How do you think music blogs/aggregators/social networks have impacted the industry?
They haven’t impacted them as much as they could have because the labels resisted them. All our best resources from mp3.com to bittorrent has been attacked and/or driven underground. Bloggers shouldn’t have to fear persecution for putting songs online. In and ideal world music bloggers would put short genre or theme-based mixes together that people could easily download — from major-label and underground artists. Technology would enhance the presentation and ease and logistics and that could make music blogging far more popular and mainstream.
How have they changed your music consumption and/or marketing efforts?
If it were easier to hear the songs without having to download/sample them and if there were more blogs of similar musical taste I would focus on them more. But I plan to promote my band to the ones I know about.
What’s the best thing to happen to the music industry in the last year or so? Apple being allowed to lift the DRM restriction of the iTunes store. Not all songs are unencumbered but it’s a start.
What’s the worst?
The industry’s continuing, pointless war against file-sharing. From suing a MN mom Jammie Thomas-Rasset for 1.92 million for sharing 24 songs to successfully killing bittorrent sites Mininova and The Pirate Bay, the losing battle continues, unmolested by logic. An acceptable musician-payment framework is still elusive as well.
What is the single biggest strategy/technology/innovation/societal shift you think will impact music in 2010? The economy might be a big factor. If unleashed from legal restraints mobile tech could change the music landscape.
Other reading:
Read other State of Music Blogs in 2010 interviews.
RSVP for the State of Music Blogs in 2010 SXSW panel.
