Christian Music Industry
by Joshua Brewer, posted 09/10/08 19:59:57
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The Christian Music Industry now accounts for over 1 billion dollars of revenue each year. UNFORTUNATELY, an unbelievable majority of that money is controlled by secular record labels solely focused on the all mighty dollar rather than the Almighty Himself.
Here is a great article published by BusinessWeek, titled, "The Big Record Labels' Not-So-Big Future"
BUSINESSWEEK ARTICLE
The bottom line is that traditional record labels are going away and the only thing that they can do to stay alive is jack up prices to maintain profits.
In an article covering a take over and restructure of EMI (a major record label) the CEO Guy Hands made this statement:
"We had labels at EMI that were spending five times as much on marketing as their gross revenues. We told them you could stick a £50 note ($50 bill) on the cover of a CD and have the same effect, and we also wouldn't have to pay them (the record label managers). Those sorts of comments don't go down too well."
( read the full article here - TELEGRAPH UK )
RECORD LABELS KNOW THE TRUTH ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING AND THEY ARE RUNNING SCARED!
The days of paying $15 - $20 for a CD that only has 1 song that you like on it are OVER!
With the internet, you can burn your own CDs or fill your iPod, just with the music you enjoy.
So think about this... even with record labels disappearing and bands taking their music directly to the consumer via the internet, there is still one thing that remains a HUGE need of every techno-savvy band on the planet. . . MARKETING!
Nothing is worse than having the greatest song in the world but no one who knows about it. Here is where YOU and the Harvester Program step into the money stream that is already out there and in place, money that is already being spent and consumed by companies that care nothing of the Kingdom of God.
Now let's add in a little more drama of how the record labels spend your money. Not only do they take your money from Christian Music sales to line their pockets but when they reinvest it, they reinvest most of it into promoting music that you wouldn't listen to and you certainly do not want your kids to listen to. It is called "PAYOLA" and is one of the many travesties of the music industry. Radio stations are paid off to play the same junk over and over again until we are forced to say. . . "you know at first I didn't like that song but its actually kind of catchy." Then 10 years later when you see the video on VH1 you think. . . "man, that really was a DUMB song." AND YOU ARE RIGHT! But when you are force fed that garbage, it's kind of like lima beans, brussel sprouts or liver, you just end up tolerating them rather than liking them.
Here is an article about PAYOLA from the New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/22/business/22music.html?pagewanted=print&position=
WELL IT IS TIME TO STAND UP AND TAKE CONTROL OF THE FUTURE OF MUSIC ON THE INTERNET AND IT IS ABOUT TIME THAT CHRISTIANS LED THE CHARGE ON SOMETHING.
When you get a discount from a company for "referring a friend", where does that money come from? Answer: the company's marketing budget. The money is already there and companies are willing to give you money (or discounts) for helping them market.
Now think about this. . . how many times do you share a cool song with a friend and do not get a penny? Well, it does not have to be that way any more. Because companies and bands are willing to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in their marketing budgets, your word-of-mouth advertising does not have to be FREE anymore. YOU can now tap into that income stream with the Harvester Program. Hundreds of millions of marketing dollars are just floating out there on the internet looking for the most efficient and effective way for bands to get their music in touch with the largest audience possible.
So whether you are interested in:
Helping your Ministry go Full-Time or
Pursuing a Christian Ministry Marketing Career or
Diversifying your Income Streams or
Making some Extra Money Working From Home.
THE HARVESTER PROGRAM is a great way for you to help yourself while you are helping others.
