[discostu]

That's exactly my point. Unless they know they'll make their money back they won't sign anybody, this is keeping away the suprise hits that were how the industry made the extra dollars to push the industry over the top. Prefab top 40 is nice recurring revenue but the big big profit comes from unexpected sectors, they no longer mess with unexpected sectors.

[TheStickman]

That's exactly my point. Unless they know they'll make their money back they won't sign anybody
30 years ago, your argument was valid. Now it's not. The *new, marginal* ARTIST is the one on the hook for EVERYTHING. There is NO risk for the record company when they sign a new *artist* anymore. There hasn't been for a good many years now.