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Are digital "labels" killing EDM?

Right, let's start with a disclaimer:
I don't think there's anything wrong with selling digital music as such. I think it's a great way for us to get the back catalogues of labels that we couldn't before. It also saves us a lot of money when we don't have to pay �10 for every single record we get.

However...
Lately I've been noticing a trend of new pseudo-labels popping up who do nothing but sell us mp3s of young and naive artists who think they're going to make it big because someone makes us pay for the mp3 files we used to get free from the artist himself. This is slowly but surely leading us to the point where the market is full of sub-par, generic sounding FL/Reason tracks made by teens who think they're the next big thing, when in reality the only people who will ever hear from them are the TA's. Who's going to bother going through all those "releases" just to find the 1 or 2 good ones? Not me, that's for sure.

This trend is getting increasingly worrying, especially in the Music Producers Promotion forum here. People come in and think their first track is the next big thing and think it's going to get signed. They send their tracks around but - shock, horror - nobody wants to sign them... so they create their own label. At worst we have certain labels (no names mentioned) who go through the forum and trick the kids to "sign" their tracks to some would-be-label because we all know quantity over quality is what counts. Are these guys ever going to see any profit from these sales? I highly doubt it.

So yeah... I'm not sure if my ramblings make any sense, but it'd be interesting to hear your views.

i think if the music is quality it's bound to get recognized and "make it", if the track is shitty it can be up for sale wherever you put it but it'll still be shit and recognized as that - with no progress for the artist whatsoever.
people can pump out tracks if they want to but if it's not quality it's not gonna go anywhere so who really cares what they do.

I see your point, but I don't think this is going to destroy the scene, it's just going to change it. If anything this will make the good DJ's role that much more important because joe-everyman won't have the time to dig through hordes of sub-par productions just to find the good stuff. On the other hand it's bad for producers themselves. It makes it that much harder to stand out. But I don't think that's enough to destroy them. The ones who are driven by profit will get discouraged after a few years, while the ones who are driven by their passion for music will go on.

Re: Are digital "labels" killing EDM?

quote:

Originally posted by Mr.Mystery This is slowly but surely leading us to the point where the market is full of sub-par, generic sounding FL/Reason tracks made by teens who think they're the next big thing, when in reality the only people who will ever hear from them are the TA's. Who's going to bother going through all those "releases" just to find the 1 or 2 good ones?

Especially what you're saying here is correct. Seems like everyone thinks their tracks are the next big thing . I'm fed up going trough so many tunes, just to find a few that might interested me or cheer me up... This if very time-grabbing and I don't think I will keep this up forever, hehe ...

Digital download stores are already starting to weed out some of these labels on the basis of low sales, as obviously they realise the issues that having x amount of nameless faceless digital labels on their sites could lead to if it were left to grow.

Granted, there are new digital labels every day, but if it comes to a point whereby these labels cant obtain / lose an outlet such as say Beatport, then they wont be around for long obviously, hopefully pushing labels to think more in terms of quality over quantity again.

quote:

Originally posted by [B-O-F-H] Digital download stores are already starting to weed out some of these labels on the basis of low sales, as obviously they realise the issues that having x amount of nameless faceless digital labels on their sites could lead to if it were left to grow. Granted, there are new digital labels every day, but if it comes to a point whereby these labels cant obtain / lose an outlet such as say Beatport, then they wont be around for long obviously, hopefully pushing labels to think more in terms of quality over quantity again.

Hopefully this will happen soon then. The problem now is that there are so many of these labels, the 2 Nik mentioned being some of the worst offenders which are releasing sub-standard tracks which over-populate a genre already reeling from the number of labels in total.

The problem in general (in the MPP forum) is that nobody seems to have the balls to criticise anymore. 1 constructively critical post can do more for a tune than 30 which just say 'omg tune' 'wow i like this' etc. There was a time when this happened, and when the only producers getting releases were those such as Haak (who is a totally down to earth & friendly guy, on the forums not to promote himself foremost, which many of these people we're expected to support are) and in a lot of cases, these people bump their own threads etc, or even have multiple accounts to spam. I want to know what these people are giving to tranceaddict, as it's gone from being the best forum on the net for music to one that's just a combination of spammers & jackasses who can't debate properly or accept the opinions of those more knowledgeable users who've been supporting the scene for a lot longer.

Finally, onto "real music recordings" as an example. This label is run by a guy who's been involved in the illegal mp3 trading business for ages, and is just using this as an excuse to promote himself for his dj gigs & make some money off these artists too (allbeit not much) and I feel really sorry for anyone who's been released under his label as he's not the kind of personality we need in the scene, there's already enough backstabbing & assholes running everything.

I've said it before, I'll say it again. The More tunes released.. the more choice you have= better. If you're too lazy to look for the tunes you like, that's not anyone else's fault but yours.

Having said that, I do agree the self-promotion around here has gotten a little ridiculous, especially in the new tracks section.

Some of it I like, and some of it I don't like. It depends on the artist, not the label. Real Music Recordings being one of them, has some really great stuff, like Ethereal's "Inamorata", Shawn Mitiski & Tyler Michaud's "Daydream (esp the Hydroid Remix), Mikka Leinonen's "Calm Waters" & "Leaving These Shores", Exoplanet's "Meteor" and "Morning Lime" and a few others. However, i've noticed some of the artists on there are quite "traditional" or "amateurish" in that they reuse the same old trance riffs and build ups/breadkowns which bug the hell out me, examples like "Behind The Sun" by Mooforce & Foreign Sun, "Fireflies" by Vast Vision & Partners In Crime, or Six Senses "Innocent Thoughts". I don't mind breakdowns and build ups, and I love trance, but I really like more innovative approaches to these things, more gradual breakdowns.

E-TCR is a little better IMO. They have some really cool stuff, like Mark Thorton's "Now You See", which I will concede is somewhat traditional and simple, but with it's remixes, and even with the original, it's a nice piece of music, and Sophie Sugar's "Isis" is a nice, Skyform's "Infinite" is cool, and so is JPL's "A Place Called Home (esp the Passiva 138 BPM Remix). I don't like Lost Witness's "The Waiting Game" and i'm not a big fan anymore of Summer Sessions's "Blossom" (it was pretty cool when I first head it last summer, but now...doesn't do a whole lot for me, the typical over-used early 21th century trance sounds again).

K.. that's a little absurd. So you want all the labels to release tunes that YOU like. Some people still like the riff or traditional style, just because you don't like it doesn't mean it shouldn't be released.

as far as i'm concerned...if you can't get your record on a decent, well established label...it's probably shit and shouldn't be pressed to begin with.

quote:

Originally posted by Numidia K.. that's a little absurd. So you want all the labels to release tunes that YOU like. Some people still like the riff or traditional style, just because you don't like it doesn't mean it shouldn't be released.

No not saying that, I'm just stating my opinion on the releases on those two mostly digital labels (even though ETCR has branched out into vinyl). People really misinterpret what I say on here all the time..bugs the hell out me. If people do, thats great, I'm just saying I prefer other sounds in trance releases. I'm not saying they "shouldn't release stuff like that" and for the people that do great, but I personally don't like "trance riffs" anymore, just like I don't like "heavy metal-guitar riffs". This is just a personal thing, no reflection on those who like it...I edited it to restate "some I like, some I don't like" to clearly state this a personal reflection. Maybe I was wrong to say some of it was bad and some of it was good, they are all good in their own right, but that doesn't mean I have to like it all. Some of it is a bit more "polished" then others.

quote:

Originally posted by Floorfiller as far as i'm concerned...if you can't get your record on a decent, well established label...it's probably shit and shouldn't be pressed to begin with.

Yeah, so they sell them as mp3s instead.

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Originally posted by Mr.Mystery Yeah, so they sell them as mp3s instead.

well yeah exactly. i'm just saying if a good label doesn't want your tune...there's a reason...it probably sucks

quote:

Originally posted by Floorfiller well yeah exactly. i'm just saying if a good label doesn't want your tune...there's a reason...it probably sucks

Indeed. I'm not saying these people shouldn't produce but they should at least make stuff 2 or 3 levels above what they are now. It is possible to get signed to a 'big' label as an amateur but it needs more talent & less 'sameyness'

quote:

Originally posted by Floorfiller as far as i'm concerned...if you can't get your record on a decent, well established label...it's probably shit and shouldn't be pressed to begin with.

How do you think those labels became established in the first place?

There are heaps on tracks on the platipus label that are absolutely retarded... therefore if a track is on a "established label" it doesnt necessarily mean that its any good...

quote:

Originally posted by ONION How do you think those labels became established in the first place? There are heaps on tracks on the platipus label that are absolutely retarded... therefore if a track is on a "established label" it doesnt necessarily mean that its any good...

true, but as a general rule i'd say it's pretty true. most labels have some mistakes on them


i'm not saying there is anything wrong with start up labels...but they need some talent and solid releases. most of the people starting there own labels these days don't have it.

I don't like the fact audio jelly charges �2.99 for some mp3 singles, if thats the only one you want to buy you also pay a charge of like 50p. Its silly price for an MP3.

quote:

Originally posted by ONION There are heaps on tracks on the platipus label that are absolutely retarded... therefore if a track is on a "established label" it doesnt necessarily mean that its any good...

If you're talking about some of the most recent of their releases or perhaps those on the Platipus:Euro sublabel, I might just agree there.. can't really think of any of the old releases that are retarded though

However to stay ontopic: I just can't imagine how one can actually be proud to be signed to one of those half-arsed attempts apparently trying to be a professional recordlabel (no offense intended)
Getting a track signed to one of those new digital labels, just to get it signed, and earn a buck-and-a-half with mp3 sales wouldn't really excite me.

quote:

Originally posted by Lunar Phase 7 I don't like the fact audio jelly charges �2.99 for some mp3 singles, if thats the only one you want to buy you also pay a charge of like 50p. Its silly price for an MP3.

Agreed, but but most of their releases are 1.25, they just charge more for early releases and promos, and sometimes just a little more for some new releases, like 1.99. But I would agree, it is quite expensive, well especially converting it into US dollars, it's a bit more than Beatport is.

i've found that buying from those online mp3 stores is pretty much a waste most of the time. they usually don't even offer most of the good material that's newly released...they only offer the popular ones...

^ Most Platipus tunes are turd. They do throw out the occassional belter though.

And I see no wrong in Digital Lables, they wont sign unless its at least half decent, and there is plenty of shit signed and being released on big lables such as MoS, of which most artists on here could create if they wanted a quick buck.

I think small profit made by producers on mp3 lables such as trance tribe encourages up coming talent and shows that their efforts do get some rewards, and thus ensures we constantly have new blood breathing life into the scene.

quote:

Originally posted by Floorfiller i've found that buying from those online mp3 stores is pretty much a waste most of the time. they usually don't even offer most of the good material that's newly released...they only offer the popular ones...

Actually Beatport and AudioJelly has plenty of tracks that aren't exactly the big tunes out there. It's a mixture of big tracks, with lesser known ones. I've found lots of lesser known chill out, progressive and breaks tracks on Beatport. But with trance, yeah they pretty much have major labels, but they have a few smaller ones, like TranceTribe. But it just depends on what you like. I seach around Beatport a lot for stuff that i've never heard of before, and sometimes the lesser known stuff is better than the big tunes.

quote:

Originally posted by Lunar Phase 7 And I see no wrong in Digital Lables, they wont sign unless its at least half decent

I can't agree with this (which is the reason I posted this in the first place).

Since the "releases" are digital, there are no real expenses in running a label - therefore there's no need to be selective about what you're signing whatsoever. It's just a case of getting as many releases out as possible for the maximum profit. After all the sales are low so the more "releases" you get out, the more chance of profiting you have...

quote:

Originally posted by Lunar Phase 7 ^ Most Platipus tunes are turd. They do throw out the occassional belter though. And I see no wrong in Digital Lables, they wont sign unless its at least half decent, and there is plenty of shit signed and being released on big lables such as MoS, of which most artists on here could create if they wanted a quick buck.

well when i say good labels i'm not talking about Ministry of Sound...i think their terrible. i'm talking about real labels like Distinctive, Bedrock, and their genre equivalence...

quote:

I think small profit made by producers on mp3 lables such as trance tribe encourages up coming talent and shows that their efforts do get some rewards, and thus ensures we constantly have new blood breathing life into the scene.

i don't want them breathing life into the genre if their breath stinks...

quote:

Originally posted by Spirit5 Actually Beatport and AudioJelly has plenty of tracks that aren't exactly the big tunes out there. It's a mixture of big tracks, with lesser known ones. I've found lots of lesser known chill out, progressive and breaks tracks on Beatport. But with trance, yeah they pretty much have major labels, but they have a few smaller ones, like TranceTribe. But it just depends on what you like. I seach around Beatport a lot for stuff that i've never heard of before, and sometimes the lesser known stuff is better than the big tunes.

that's just been my experience. most of the time when i go and find a new track that i would like to get...they don't have it for download.

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