The Cost of a Hit...

[Turbo Gerbil]

interesting article...

http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/...ake-a-hit-song

[Jahn]

so me on my macbook making music on garageband that came on my computer putting it on bandcamp for free with a pay what you want thing like Radiohead isn't going to make me a hit is what you're saying. i can live with that.

[harpinon]

Thanks for the article.
It seems a shame that artists get so much credit for songs when they play such a small part.
It's a bit like getting duped.
I would like to think of my favorite songs being written by Robert and Jimmy deep in the cotswolds after enjoying a big fatty.

[frank62]

A hit is a hit is a hit. 2 3 4. repeat.

[Cody]

So Rebecca Black is really a rebel who stuck it to the Man.

[Turbo Gerbil]

Originally Posted by harpinon

Thanks for the article.
It seems a shame that artists get so much credit for songs when they play such a small part.
It's a bit like getting duped.
I would like to think of my favorite songs being written by Robert and Jimmy deep in the cotswolds after enjoying a big fatty.

Many Pop Artists are performers rather than songwriters, so it's not surprising. On the other hand, Gaga's last album was written by herself and producers while on the road in a specially equipped studio bus. Which might have been even more expensive than getting 40 songwriters in a room, who knows.

[27sauce]

20K dollar producer?!?!! Yeah right

[james...]

Or in the case of kings of leon...it costs you your band...

[louderock]

I'm in this business. These figures aren't accurate. Doesn't cost that much.

[27sauce]

Originally Posted by louderock

I'm in this business. These figures aren't accurate. Doesn't cost that much.

thats a relief!

[Cody]

Originally Posted by louderock

I'm in this business. These figures aren't accurate. Doesn't cost that much.

You mean people in the entertainment field might be lying to the public to make themselves look cooler and richer than they are?

[Dave2512]

This only applies to manufactured pop music made for a specific market. Lots of artists get big with good old fashioned sweat equity and talent.

[louderock]

I know a girl who was a writer in one of those camps. A songwriter doesn't get paid to do a songwriting session. It's an investment of time on their part in hopes of landing a song with a popular artist. Their publishing is their payment. A hit song is worth a FORTUNE!

Plus, there aren't hardly any studios charging $2500 per day. Lucky to get $1500 per day these days for the top studios.

In pop music, the producer generally is the "songwriter" which means they create the music track. Additionally there are "topline" writers which basically means the lyrics and melody. A producer will get paid a fee for the master recording if it's used on the album.

[LPSlinger]

Originally Posted by Dave2512

This only applies to manufactured pop music made for a specific market. Lots of artists get big with good old fashioned sweat equity and talent.

But even artists who put in the hard work and have the talent eventually need a label behind them for promotion and marketing with connections to Clear Channel and Live Nation/Ticketmaster to really get "big". At some point there almost always has to be a large infusion of money to take people from local/regional to national success.

[LavaMan]

Well....I think this is a small segment that spend this kind of money - not wise money spent business speaking...especially when you can do most of your viral marketing on the web for free basically...

The whole landscape is changing...kinda dumd really to spending that kind of money...IMO