At the Future of Music Coalition Policy Summit in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, I sat down with Brian Message, a member of Radiohead’s management team who claims recording artists can be more successful by taking control of their own careers, rather than considering themselves employees of a record label.
His core assertion: if a bands is capable of creating something of quality, success is a mere matter of forging an honest relationships with fans, which leads to respect, which leads in turn to sales, show attendance, and participation in the community around a band.
Given Message’s track record with Radiohead and his plans to pursue the same approach for other artists through his Polyphonic project, it’s well worth a view for those interested in how the music business continues to evolve. One conclusion we drew: that perhaps the industry’s “gold” and “platinum” designations, which have traditionally referred to the number of records sold, should instead refer to the number of dedicated fans who actively follow a band.
