Self-Inflicted Wounds Hurt Music Industry

Re “Grammys Find Sales in a Funk,” Feb. 24: As your article points out, today’s music industry is suffering. Unfortunately, it is suffering mostly from self-inflicted wounds. Record company executives seem concerned solely with signing the mega-superstars who can deliver the next blockbuster album. Motivated more by dollar signs than music, some of these recording artists seem to have forgotten to include the “art” in their albums. Creativity, imagination and passion for music take a back seat to figuring out how to appeal to the broadest cross-section of the public.

Executives have remained mired in a late 20th century model of distribution in which they alone control access to music. Trying to extend that control into the 21st century, they are now pursuing copy protection schemes which dictate to fans when and where and on what devices we can listen to the music we’ve purchased.

The one bright spot in this clouded musical landscape is that digital technology is now giving some measure of control back to the artists. New technologies make recording and producing music easier than ever before, and the Internet makes possible low-cost distribution directly to the fan. Perhaps in this way musicians who still have a passion for music will be able to connect with music lovers with a passion for music.

David Salahi

Laguna Niguel

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David Geffen asks: “Where are this generation’s Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, the Beatles--who are they today?” Hard to have sympathy for an industry that refuses to listen to music not delivered by an agent or lawyer. It’s called rejecting “unsolicited” material. The justification is that it’s impossible to sift through the thousands of tapes and CDs routinely submitted. Yeah, it’s got to be difficult listening to music eight hours a day. And who out there would do it for the minimum wage? Boo hoo.

Philip J. Hilow

Sunland