Dirty Little Secrets of the Record Business. Why So Much Music You Hear Sucks

Editorial Review
For disgruntled music fans wondering why music played on the radio is not only worse now than in the past but also not nearly as revelatory as it once was, this book presents a detailed discussion of how the record business fouled its own livelihood. This insightful dissection covers numerous aspects of the industry's failures and shortcomings, including why stockholders play an important role, how radio went from an art to a science and what was lost in that change, how the record companies alienated their core audience, why file sharing might not be the bogeyman that the record industry would have people think, technology’s effects on what and how music is heard, and dozens of other reasons that add up to the record industry’s current financial and artistic woes. With eye-opening observations culled from extensive interviews, this exposé offers insights into how this multi-billion-dollar industry is run and why it’s losing so much money.

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Customer Reviews

MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT UNVEILED

2008-06-01
IN READING "DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS OF THE RECORD BUSINESS" I COULDN'T HELP MAKE THE CONNECTION TO DON BRUNS'S FICTION SERIES, FEATURING MICK SEVER, A MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST. SO MANY OF THE FICTIONAL ADVENTURES IN BRUNS'S SERIES RELATE TO HANK BORDOWITZ'S NON FICTION, EYE-OPENING INSIGHTS. THE LATEST BRUNS' MYSTERY, "ST BARTS BREAKDOWN", SEEMS LIKE IT'S RIGHT OUT OF CURRENT EVENTS. FOR ANY ONE INTERESTED IN THE UNSEEMLY OR SEEDY SIDE OF THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, I'D RECOMMEND "DIRTY SECRETS" AND "ST BARTS BREAKDOWN".

A Must Read for Music Fans & Musicians

2007-06-05
I came across this book at my local library. After looking through it, I decided to check it out. This book, written by someone who works in the music biz is a must read for not only musicians but music lovers as well.

The author, a veteran of the music biz shows why music sales are down & why blame for that goes to the music biz itself. From forcing VERY bad music down our throats to briding radio stations to play this music. Also forcusing only on the youth despite the fact that they make up only a small % of those who actually buy music (fact is most music buyers are older folks & 60% of all music sales are back-log catalog or reissues). It's not surprising that people have either stopped buying music altogether or go online to look for the music they want.

Broadacst radio is also in the same boat as we see more & fewer stations
being owned by fewer and fewer owners, there's a decrease in musical diversity on-air. Thus causing an exdous of people towards satelle & internet radio.

Then there's the record companies screwing over their artists. One artist in the book went from going Gold (selling half a million copies) to flipping burgers.

I can keep going, but you're find out more in the book. Also "The label: the story of Columbia Records" by Gary Marmorstein is also worth reading.

I Was Hoping For More.

2007-05-25
While DLSOTRB:WSMMYHS is an entertaining and at times fascinating read, I found little new information. Instead it offers further evidence of the endemic corruption within the record and radio industries. Still I can recomend it, particularly as an introduction to the harsh realities that face those who seek success as recording artists. Makes a good companion to Hit Men: Power Brokers and Fast Money Inside the Music Business

A Shot In The Foot

2007-04-29
Scam, scam, scam, one cut sounds good, on a CD of say ten cuts, and then things like "Junk Music" you know electronic this, and electronic that, and bogus lyrics about nonsense subjects. Then there comes the lyrics that are outrageous, where women are refered to as bit**hes and hos', the kind of thing that got Imus fired. So let us also fire the recording excutives who allow these lyrics to be in the music in the first place. No matter how one tries one cannot justify the constant use of these terms. For artistic expression, or otherwise. So no wonder people go to the internet to download their music just to get what they want, and leave the fill in garbage behind. The recording industry has indeed shot itself in both feet, and instead of looking at itself, they blame everyone else. Including the public they have so misused over the years.

Here is a book turning back the veil and giving everyone a look see at what lies beneath. All the scams, aganist the artists, and the buying public as well. Then there is something called market friendly music, somewhat cookie cutter music, instead of the true expressions of the artists. Recording excutives telling you what you want to listen to instead of music which may or may not determine how long said artist's career will be.

Let us not speak of independant recording companies, there are very, very few, if any they are all owned by Universal, Sony, or some other big company. Again designed to have absolute control.

Thinking of a recording career make this book a must read, to give you a heads up.

fascinating and inspiring

2007-01-27
A great read - full of worthwhile information and lots of laughs, too (light and dark). The author synthesizes analyses of the many elements of what is a sprawling, multi-tentacled, story into a cogent, satisfying, whole. The book's provocative title may lead some to wrongly think this a sensational expose - more sizzle than steak. Rather, it's a plain-talking look at the business of music that deserves to be read by any and all who care about the subject. This is a book I'll be happily recommending to all my friends and colleagues.