Posted on 05/23/2024 3:48:00 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Steven Van Zandt has a pessimistic outlook when he ponders the future of classic rock.
During an appearance on Club Random with Bill Maher, the E Street Band guitarist examined the way music consumption has changed.
“Right now, because the record industry is dead, there’s no more record sales other than Taylor Swift and Beyonce,” Van Zandt declared. Instead, he explained, films and television shows have become the best way for recording artists to make money. However, even that has become problematic because musicians have upped their licensing fees in order to survive.
“You got a bunch of whatever, 25 year-olds with a song list with a number next to it,” Van Zandt noted. “So if you want to make a movie or TV show, you ask for the song, they look at the number and they charge you that number, which is always high because there's no other income.”
Because classic rock offers material that’s recognizable to a wide swath of listeners, it's often the most-licensed genre of music. However, Van Zandt believes the filmmakers will pull away from classic rock in the face of soaring licensing costs, thus removing an important avenue for songs to be exposed to new listeners.
“This is a real problem. And I think 10 years from now, 20 years from now, it's going to be a problem because all this music is going to die if it's not promoted and heard,” Van Zandt insisted. “It's going to be like, Motown who? Rolling Stones who?”
Steven Van Zandt Hopes Laws Around Song Licensing Will Change
Van Zandt suggested law changes around licensing music as a compromise to keep filmmakers and musicians happy. He then noted how different the modern landscape is compared to when the E Street Band and Bruce Springsteen got started.
“When we started, music in movies was free. It was free,” he explained. “Martin Scorsese. He didn't even ask for permission to put [the Ronettes’] ‘Be My Baby’ in Mean Streets because it was free. And people thought of it as promoting the records. Nobody’s promoting the records anymore.”
Van Zandt pointed to the popular series Stranger Things as an example of how TV and film can bring new attention to classic tracks. The guitarist insisted such licensing is vital for classic rock's continuing survival.
“When our generation goes, who’s going to know about this stuff?”
:)
Are You Ready?--The Hi-Flyin' Combo (2020)
Our local “classic rock” station plays the same 50 songs all day long.
Zzzzzzz
He had a “pessimistic” view on everything. F’n idiot is a liberal
Like SVZ, and Bruce, now Mick Jagger, and McCartney, et al, they’ve embraced Leftism.
This not only alienates much of their audience, it also drains their creative juices that defines rock and roll
Plenty of good music still being produced. It’s just coming out of Northern Europe in places like Finland.
You might like it. SVZ is the star, and it’s a bit “out there” like Sopranos was. Three seasons, on Prime.
Earle Bailey (Deep Tracks) is one of the last ones still alive and spinning.
Thanks.
almost all “classic” rock should be in the public domain by now. Eternal copyright is going to kill it if nothing else will.
That's part of it. Eternal copyright isn't helping either.
That sign’s been updated to include “Sweet Child o’ Mine” and a few others, too, depending on the store.
a thousand years from now, people while know who Bach was and will listen to him. If the music is good, it will be remembered. It is unfortunate that by the time modern-day copyright expires, a lot of really good music will be forgotten. Some will be rediscovered 50 years from now.
He does a great takedown. Rick is awesome.
we’ve commenting lately about the extremely crappy made-for-just-this-movie-or-TV-show “songs” that no one has ever heard of before and wondering why none of the classic rock songs were used anymore ...
van zandt explained perfectly what’s going on:
“Right now, because the record industry is dead, there’s no more record sales other than Taylor Swift and Beyonce,” Van Zandt declared. Instead, he explained, films and television shows have become the best way for recording artists to make money. However, even that has become problematic because musicians have upped their licensing fees in order to survive. “So if you want to make a movie or TV show, you ask for the song, they look at the number and they charge you that number, which is always high because there’s no other income.”
Because classic rock offers material that’s recognizable to a wide swath of listeners, it’s often the most-licensed genre of music. However, Van Zandt believes the filmmakers will pull away from classic rock in the face of soaring licensing costs, thus removing an important avenue for songs to be exposed to new listeners.
“This is a real problem. And I think 10 years from now, 20 years from now, it’s going to be a problem because all this music is going to die if it’s not promoted and heard,” Van Zandt insisted.
[so basically, the mindless, ubiquitous greed of what’s left of the music industry will kill the goose that laid the golden egg]
Good morning Mr Tyler. Going down?
I like it all, but beautiful music, easy listening, bossa nova, even 101 strings stuff, Bacharach, smooth jazz, elevator muzak, wow....good background music around the abode.
Shopping store music back in the day was sweeeet. Yes indeed.
All the radio stations, record company executives push is hip-hop crap 24-7. It’s all garbage. So far 3 out of 4 of my kids hate it all and like classic rock and 90’s country.
Earle Bailey (Deep Tracks) is one of the last ones still alive and spinning
Recently discovered his channel. Worth listening
We’ve heard this before. Rock and Roll was supposedly dead before the Beatles and then dead when disco arrived.
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