A recent BBC website article examined Jacques Attali’s 1976 prediction of the now ongoing crisis of proliferation in the music industry. He claimed that the capitalist system as we know it (big corps profiting by selling music as a material commodity) is doomed to fail. In order to grow, more music must be produced; but the more music that is produced the less we are willing to pay for it. Supply inevitably outstrips demand. In today’s electronic and connected society, the power that music corporations have over supply, and the subsequent control over value, is greatly diminished. The pursuit of profit in its current guise is a risky and dwindling business.

I think, as the artist, musicians should be bold enough to not only except the changing face of music but to embrace it. What isn’t good for the bank balance could well be good for the soul. By regaining control over expression and direction, music itself can be reinvigorated. Music as an art can become a more natural and organic medium, a more shared and free experience. We can sway the balance from the material wealth of a minority to the cultural wealth of many.

I have always found it strange that artists of all types tend towards ransoming their output as a means of income. Treating art as a commodity poisons artistic value with monetary value. It blurs the lines between art and artifice: pure intentions and cloaked commerce.

So how should musicians go about earning a living? Well, for a start, elevating music itself above commercialism would lead to a more enriching and diverse music scene with a greater audience. The music economy would grow. The key difference would be that the distribution of this wealth would be more equal. Musicians could have full and rewarding careers, but with less hope of fame and fortune as a result.

This month's favourites:
   Madrugada, Live from Tralfamadore
   Jane Austen, Persuasion
   Dr. Strangelove (1964)