Tommyland
Member
Going forwards from the piracy topic, I’m in the middle of writing, so this post isn’t quite 100% coherent but I’ll share for now and see what others think:
In 2007, Joshua Bell, one of the world’s greatest violinists, took part in an experiment, where he dressed in jeans, a t-shirt, and a baseball cap, and played 6 classical pieces spanning approx. 43 minutes at a subway station, as over one thousand people walked by. He was also playing his $3.5million violin, handcrafted in 1713 by Antonio Stradivari.
A few nights previous, Bell had played at Boston’s Symphony Hall. Now he stood in front of commuters, playing for mere coins. The experiment was to see how people would respond to world class artistry in a mundane context, where no one was telling them it was great. The people failed. In all, Bell received $32. Not bad, but nothing special either, given his world renowned talents.
In my opinion, this experiment illustrates why bands and solo artists are finding it harder to sell their music. Given that music is everywhere and almost everyone is doing it, trying to stand out in such an oversaturated industry is damn hard, and is in effect, a mundane context. Maybe (unsigned / self-starter) musicians are viewed more like street buskers these days, in the sense that no matter how good their music is, society as a whole aren’t expecting to be blown away.
Remember, the reason a lot of bands became huge is also because they were hyped and held up as future music icons in the press. They were given an elevated status, and this gives people a reason to pay attention. Music alone doesn’t always sell. It’s also about who the band is, their personalities, their story, etc. We also read magazine editors and bloggers raving about them too, which adds to the appeal.
Have you noticed how your own attitude has change towards the value of music and other musicians? And if so, in what way?
In 2007, Joshua Bell, one of the world’s greatest violinists, took part in an experiment, where he dressed in jeans, a t-shirt, and a baseball cap, and played 6 classical pieces spanning approx. 43 minutes at a subway station, as over one thousand people walked by. He was also playing his $3.5million violin, handcrafted in 1713 by Antonio Stradivari.
A few nights previous, Bell had played at Boston’s Symphony Hall. Now he stood in front of commuters, playing for mere coins. The experiment was to see how people would respond to world class artistry in a mundane context, where no one was telling them it was great. The people failed. In all, Bell received $32. Not bad, but nothing special either, given his world renowned talents.
In my opinion, this experiment illustrates why bands and solo artists are finding it harder to sell their music. Given that music is everywhere and almost everyone is doing it, trying to stand out in such an oversaturated industry is damn hard, and is in effect, a mundane context. Maybe (unsigned / self-starter) musicians are viewed more like street buskers these days, in the sense that no matter how good their music is, society as a whole aren’t expecting to be blown away.
Remember, the reason a lot of bands became huge is also because they were hyped and held up as future music icons in the press. They were given an elevated status, and this gives people a reason to pay attention. Music alone doesn’t always sell. It’s also about who the band is, their personalities, their story, etc. We also read magazine editors and bloggers raving about them too, which adds to the appeal.
Have you noticed how your own attitude has change towards the value of music and other musicians? And if so, in what way?