Source: ezinearticles.com
If you've ever downloaded your favorite song as an mp3, from whatever website, then you already know that the music industry is changing rapidly. Offline sales of CDs are dwindling, and while profits from iTunes and other online media, plus live events are growing, the gap has yet to be filled for major label talent. The RIAA is going through a painful metamorphosis in this new digital economy, and, unfortunately, has chosen to lash out primarily at their own customers as a result. This hasn't stopped many of the thriving rock bands and new acts on the scene from being profitable, though. It simply required stepping out of the old way and finding new avenues to generate money and support for the band. One way many bands are doing this is through sales of t-shirts.
In a WIRED magazine interview with the creator of The Pirate Bay, arguably the largest illegal download group on the net, the savvy pirate stated that offline sales of REAL products will be the key to the future of supporting art, especially digital music. Major label rock artists are suffering greatly from this concept finding fruition in the minds of the masses. While Axl Rose might appear on HMV's top ten best selling t-shirts list and sit atop a merchandising empire valued at over $100 million, most artist are signing merchandising contracts as horrendous as the record deals they make. They are being payed a large advance on t-shirt sales, of which they only get 2% of the revenue if they're lucky, which they have to recoup over the course of a record or tour. They are, thus, ending up in the hole.
Many indie bands, though, have travelled a different route. They are touring like mad and pay for gas and food on the road with t-shirt sales. They design and distribute their own merchandise instead of signing their rights away to a major manufacturer. Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan spoke, "...with record sales slumping everywhere bands are figuring out other ways to make money on the road. So now, really, a record is sort of like advertising for your tour. That's where bands are getting smarter about touring economically, and paying more attention to merchandise and T-shirts and all that..."
Whatever can be said of the RIAA and the war against free music downloads, there are a number of bands which are finding that the sale of high quality t-shirts and other merchandise are keeping the music alive.
Ed Szczepaniak merchandising empire
(http://www.bandtshirtdesigns.com).
