6200 'likes' on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/22newenergymusic

140 album pre-orders: http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/22newenergymusic?utm_campaign=project4005&utm_medium=activity&utm_source=facebook

so 98% of people think it's more important to "like" a band than support them -why don't people get it that for bands to keep making music, they need some financial support. This just says it all to me as to how little music is valued these days

Then again, we're all usually begging to give Devin money!

I think it's more complicated than that. The band in your post are pledging for their debut record, if they were more established I'm sure they'd have many more pledgers (Breed 77 just did a pledge for their fifth studio album and went over target, they've been around for 16 years). It's INCREDIBLY easy to say to someone "hey like my band on Facebook" and for them to go "LOL OKAY!" *cliiiick*; but not so easy to say "Hey give me

Well said. It wasn't that long ago when small-time or unheard of bands needed to get by with flyers and word of mouth, and were more easily screwed over by labels looking to make a quick buck.

At least with social media, they have a better chance of bypassing the latter and gaining a larger fanbase. Sure, for many the value of the Like button seems to be more than purchasing the music, but it's better than never having heard of the band in the first place, if they are of your interest.

The music industry has always been selective and fickle, however, so laying blame will always be a grey area.

My opinion, I could be wrong.

Very valid points and I guess I should have made it clear that this is just a very neat example of a pattern I've noticed in terms of bands having huge followings of Facebook that sure are massively higher that what I remember as record sales

[djskrimp]

But, then you have this:

http://www.theprp.com/2012/05/09/news/l ... -is-dying/

[swervedriver]

I thought Marilyn Manson was old news and that his last few efforts sucked balls? Don't quote me on that, I got it via hearsay.. but wouldn't that be a more plausible reason?

Trying to do everything from recording to publishing independently is possible, but takes a hellish amount of work. I have to say that it's entirely possible to break even or make a small profit when you're just looking at that part of creating an album. I know that from first-hand experience, even with the help of some kind folks here. However, if you want to sustain a living that way it is nigh impossible, especially if your band consists of more people than just yourself. But it's also good to realize you don't generate a steady income via album sales, that's what touring is for. Of course then you get into the booking world, where you can look at both album sales figures to gauge how popular a band is, but there the facebook likes could also play a part to estimate how many people would be interested in attending a show.


Fortunately, in my case, we are able to manage regular employment next to our band activities to generate a living and budget, up to the point where we are currently planning to record our second full-length this summer in a proper studio (in contrast to our homegrown-not-really-a-studio we made our last album with). Perhaps the industry is dying, or just rotten, but the music itself surely is not.

Being into music isn't that popular as it looks. There's a lot of "music is my life, I listen to aaaanything from rap to metal" people, which listen to bunch of single tunes from bunch of artists ("they have only one good song!") and don't really bother with sacrificing $$$ or their attention to just, lets say, listen to an album as a whole. Those are the clickers I guess. Plus, instant youtube gratification don't work well for sales too.

Actually the whole broadband revolution makes me wonder if we aren't watching the end of music as we know it. Part of a charm in music was its scarcity - not many people were making it, you had to move your ass to get that rare vinyl, even duping tapes was an opportunity to make a trip etc. It's not a rare treasure, obtained after a long journey anymore - I usually buy my shit from 7digital, which means I have my purchase after about two minutes. And I'm totally used to it already. Same about the whole making-music-as-magic - any idiot with a computer is doing it now (see signature). I think there's possibility the music makers population is slowly overtaking the amount of potential audience. Maybe we will finally get bored to shit with music and just find some different, engaging activities. Like astral pong, laser weaving or meerkat surfing, I dunno.

No idea why I wrote the last paragraph. I think I'll go pluck some bass now.

[Keeker]

Fashions and trends are often cyclical. But people will always enjoy music. I would not lose hope. It may be in flux today and I've heard every generation crying, 'good music is dead' from when I was a kid right up until now. It'll find a new form and a new ways of presenting itself in its own good time.