Music sales today...

[NWBasser]

One really awesome aspect of internet availability is that I've found so many new artists that I never would have heard of through radio airplay.

I don't mind paying iTunes for music that I've found through Youtube, bass forums, and this forum (thanks Maxi!). A whole new world of music has opened up to me this way.

I'd like to see things work better for the creative artists though. For instance, I think it would be a good idea of Youtube took a bit of their ad revenue to pay ASCAP fees or some similar artist compensation system.

[R_of_G]

One really awesome aspect of internet availability is that I've found so many new artists that I never would have heard of through radio airplay.

I don't mind paying iTunes for music that I've found through Youtube, bass forums, and this forum (thanks Maxi!). A whole new world of music has opened up to me this way.

Exactly. For instance, take an artist like Kasey Anderson. I found him through Twitter. In fact, the first few weeks I followed him I didn't know he was a musician, I just thought he was funny. Then he started posting stuff about his new album so I checked it out. Within months I bought his entire catalog. The guy uses social media very well to promote his music and has a following he couldn't have had ten years ago. He's currently doing a Kickstarter-type fundraiser for his newest album and seems to be getting a good deal of support for it. Bands like American Aquarium and Glossary have successfully done the same.

I'd like to see things work better for the creative artists though. For instance, I think it would be a good idea of Youtube took a bit of their ad revenue to pay ASCAP fees or some similar artist compensation system.

That's an excellent idea.

[marnold***]

For instance, I think it would be a good idea of Youtube took a bit of their ad revenue to pay ASCAP fees or some similar artist compensation system.

They have made deals with the labels, although I don't know the details. Of course, making a deal with a label doesn't mean the money is necessarily filtering down to the artists.