The Internet Is Improving/Fucking Up The Music Industry

I'm not gonna make this about illegal downloading/pirating.  That actually has nothing to do with what I'm about to say.  I do, however, believe the internet is having two very important effects on the music industry right now that are exciting and frightening at the very same time.

First, the good news.  The internet has become a viable medium for artists to reach their fans.  We're more likely to head to youtube to see a new video than watch 106&Park.  An artist can throw a mixtape on their personal website and toss the link to their twitter followers and instantly reach hundreds of thousands of fans without the need for a record label.  It's ironic that the same methods that have been used by indie artists looking for their big break are now being utilized even more efficiently by those who are already in the bright lights.  We clearly haven't escaped the need for record labels to feed music to the masses but it's nice to know that artists are reaching us in new ways and fans are actively seeking out good music rather than accepting what the suits at the top feed us.

But the bad thing is almost other side of the coin of the same good thing.  The accessibility that fans have is becoming an issue.  We know too much about the inner workings of the industry.  Hip hop blogs have been throwing up a new song release under the title of "Under Pressure" by Dr. Dre featuring Jay-Z.  Obviously this is a highly anticipated song but what I heard clearly wasn't the finished version.  The beat seemed a tad undercooked, there was no hook (at all), only two verses, and not even mastered.  I can't imagine that a perfectionist like Dr. Dre, who's been holding this album close to his chest for over 10 years, would want us to hear the song in THIS condition.  Of course everyone wants to be the first to "break" the new song so no one thinks to themselves "this song is unfinished, why leak it", and the fans don't care that it's unfinished, they'll hit the internet and call it wack.  Next think you know, word on the street is the new Dre/Jay-Z song is garbage.  And they don't even know what the full song sounds like.

There are pros and cons to everything but I think the ability for fans to now see through the curtain of the industry is doing more harm than good.  Fans feel entitled to anything and they consider themselves critics of everything that hits their ear.  Rather than enjoying the music, listeners throw salt and complain about everything, using the far reaching grasp of the internet as their platform.  I feel like I'm the last person left who just sits back, listens to the music I like and enjoys it.