Copying Music Expands the Music Business

One of the common things that comes up during episodes of Music Business Radio is something I call "life of a song."  This can mean a number of things, but usually refers to:

• Recordings that are so popular they receive airplay years after their initial release dates
• Recordings on a "classic" albums that continue to sell consistently, years after being released
• Songs that are covered again and again - sometimes in the same genre, sometime not
• Recordings that are licensed years later to movies, television, and/or commercials

The stories that come up are as unique as the songs (and songwriters) affected.  Sometimes the result of something like this is big paycheck for the songwriter and publisher, but sometimes things goes way beyond that and can totally rejuvenate careers of the original artists, allowing them to tour more successfully and record/release new material.

But it goes way beyond that... In fact, I believe that "life of a song" is actually what's going to keep the music business going.

Music is one of those things where, when you hear a song that you like, you want to hear songs that are similar.  It's very similar to surfing Amazon.com, finding something you need, seeing the "People Who Purchased This Product Also Purchased These Products," and finding more things that you suddenly can't live without.  You didn't realize you "needed" them because you didn't know they existed.

As we get deeper and deeper into music technology, and it becomes easier and easier to record and distribute music, there will be more and more noise to cut through.  But it's also easier and easier to find out about new artists (and old artists), if you know what you're looking for...

And that is why "life of a song" is important...it lets you know what you're looking for, even if you didn't know you were looking for it.

So when a dance music fan hears this in a club...

He can now ask the question, "I wonder what that sample was?" And find this...

Now, the guy is "into" R&B music.  When when he looks deeper into Gwen McRae, he's going to find she covers Bobby Bland...and that leads him to look into blues.  And where did blues music come from?  It goes on and on...

Obviously, not everybody into house music is going to go this deep, but some will.  And when things work like this, it leads to more money for publishers, labels, artists, songwriters, and everybody in the music business.  It also exposes new writers and artists to styles of music that will affect what they're creating.  Then the cycle starts over again...

I get emails and calls from musicians that don't like to sample and don't like to cover songs.  When I ask them what they sound like, they can't name a similar act because they "don't sound like anybody else."  This is hilarious to me. 

Think you don't sound like anybody else?  Think again... If you're playing a 4/4 time signature and playing a major scale or open chords on a guitar tuned EADGBE, you sound like somebody else.  Don't fight it!  And since you sound like somebody else, why not go a little deeper?

If you like Beatles, don't be afraid to copy them.  If you like Rage Against the Machine, don't act like you're the only musician doing socio-political rock music.  Instead, embrace the fact that everything we do as musicians is influenced (in a big way) from somebody that came before us and go with it.

Your biggest enemy is that your songs will never get heard.  Never.  Being open to copying and being bold in acknowledging influences not only helps the music business, it's also good for your fans, since it gives them something to grasp onto that cuts through all the noise they have to deal with. 

So do your fans (and the music business) a favor by copying something right now.

Thoughts?  Post 'em below...

Comments

[E. Michael Harrington]

David - you make some excellent points here. I agree that nothing is so original as to seemingly come out of nowhere and every musical artist and songwriter/composer sounds like someone else. Patent law has it right. When one applies for a patent, one has to list the "prior art" - you have to list prior inventions which your invention has built upon and/or is related. It's just a fact. If some music, for example, was completely original, or "novel" (a word that can get complicated in a legal sense...), than there would likely be no audience and it would be not be understandable or comprehensible.

I also agree that one should always acknowledge one's influences - all of the greats did (note Beatles' comments throughout their careers on who influenced them, and how meticulously carefully they imitated the artists they covered - Buddy Holly, Carl Perkins, Little Richard, etc. They were paying tribute and acknowledging their debt.

If a scientist as brilliant as Sir Isaac Newton can state, "if I have seen so far it because I stand on the shoulders of giants," then surely songwriters can give pay homage to their influences.

Thanks for a very well written piece, Dave.

[Noel Gallagher]

Hey David,

Be aware of getting people sued for plagerism after reading and reacting to this article.

[David Hooper]

It's something to think about... Just recorded an episode of Music Business Radio that talks about this. http://blog.musicbusinessradio.com/2010/06/in-the-studio-michael-harrington.html has more info.

[RunkRock]

You are right on with your comments about artists who resist defining themselves by relating their output to the sound of others. I resisted this for a while, but a friend insisted that I come up with the a sentence or two that might help someone decide if he/she might be intrigued by my music. So I now have an amalgam of quotes relative to my debut album, GOOD COMPANY:

SONGS YOU WON'T FORGET. CLASSIC ROCK WITH A CONTEMPORARY TWIST: JIMMY BUFFET MEETS RANDY NEWMAN IN A REGGAE BAR WITH BEATLES-LOVING TRACY CHAPMAN FANS, ONE OF WHOM IS DATING AN EAGLES GROUPIE WHO LOVES BOOGIEROCK, CHOPIN, AND BILLY JOEL: "ALL I WANT IS SOME GOOD COMPANY!" I LOVE THIS STUFF, BOB. THE MUSIC MAKES ME FEEL GOOD.

and it works! I get lot more responses and inquires using this in my marketing materials.

[tammy]

Hey David, i was just thinking about this as a new turn in my own song writing.
i've started to sample in some echoes of old songs (a lyric, melody line, etc) that i hear in my own music. it gives the audience a reference point and gives me an opportunity to acknowledge some great song writers whilst potentially putting myself in their league (here's hoping!)....will try it out tonight live in berlin.
thanks for voicing my yet unformed embryo into a thought out idea. makes life a little easier.
i still owe you a cd i know....postage is expensive from europe....
:)
tammy

[Lou Lombardi]

David,
As I read this I was "amening" you the whole time. These are things that I have thought myself for years. Remember a little band called Van Halen? They had "covers" on every album until 1984. The Rolling Stones were a cover band. They were sort of "pushed" into writing. There are also examples of covers that were bigger hits than the original... Remember Garth Brooks' cover of Billy Joel's "Shameless"? If a "cover" gets you in the door with fans, then good for you! You have a much greater chance of someone at least hearing your own songs.

The same goes for your influences. The format of my band is very much like Gov't Mule...we have our distinctions (more funk influence, more Led Zeppelin influence etc...) but I definitely drop Gov’t Mule name to people who want to know what we do. Often people want to hear more music like the music that their favorite bands play. If you sound like someone, you fill that need. What a great way to leverage you music.

Lou

[redd]

I really believe that embracing inspiration and the interconnections between sounds and styles is good for music - great post! There is an amazing music video history on http://www.Frequency.com for those seeking diverse inspiration (and speaking of sampling!;):

http://www.frequency.com/topic/music-videos/2293

[elcantwell3@netscape.net]

I once (a long time ago kids) attended a lecture series on creative thought. Salvidore Dali said (and demonstrated) that all creativity was the result of imperfect imitation. Someone tried to do this, failed, and created something new and different. The memorable quote was, "he who imitates nothing creates nothing". It was a major event for me.

[Psyaviah]

Hey,

We understand this philosophy. Begin influenced is always the case. There's just so much around that inspired you, mostly on subconscious level..

Grtzz
Yves
Psy'Aviah