Musicians: Art for Profits!

Writers have publishers, painters have exhibitions, and actors have agents, but none of them have the industrial involvement of music. Music is a global profit making enterprise. Is this good or bad?

The Beatles started a 20th century movement of personal wealth and fame that no musicians in the past had ever achieved-indeed, music was a play thing of Royalty and the rich, and musicians lived at their beck and call, with lowly stations in life. Some of the best musicians of all time never even received basic recognition during their lifetimes!

The top pop stars are now like living Gods, and have more power and influence than politicians! This is the plus side of making music in to an music industrial enterprise, and it has supported large investments in instruments, lighting, and stage backdrops; many marketers depend on music events to plug their wares. Music is an especially effective way of selling to young people. Artists such as Bob Geldof have used their prowess in music to support social causes, and to bring them on the center-stage of world opinion. The world has begun to realize the power of music as a medium of commerce, apart from its established holds on the worlds of entertainment and recreation.

Folk music and classical forms may not have got their due, and many talented people stay away from forms of music which cannot make a quick buck. This is the downside of developing music for profit that important and traditional forms of Art tend to get neglected. Many invaluable forms of music handed down from generations in the third world, die of neglect.

Perhaps the Internet will change this, making it possible for small musicians to publish their work, and for listeners to enjoy music without the powerful intermediaries. Many audio and video web sites grow in popularity by leaps and bounds. However, it remains to be seen whether the world of music lovers will support genres and new artists shorn of corporate publicity, and enable them to reach financial self-sufficiency in raw money terms!