The Future of the Music Business: Music Pro Guides

Great book. The book provides the reader with valuable information not only about the future of the music business but also about the present. The book is very informative and well written. The CD attached to the book provides many useful resources. This is the only book I found which seriously deals with the implications of the rapid changes in the music industry and related business and legal matters. `Chapeau' to Mr. Gordon.

Having been in the music industry fifteen years and having written a book myself, I want to give KUDOS to Steve Gordon for compiling a great collection of cutting edge interviews that explain how the FUTURE of the MUSIC BUSINESS is HERE! The variety of musicians, executives and those 'in the know' provide a framework for the aspiring music industry pro, unsigned artist or anyone interested in the music business. Eric Kline President/CEO Inside the Music Business www.insidethemusicbusiness.com

What Steve Gordon has managed to achieve, where other music industry authors so often fail, is to recognise first and foremost (i) the truly breakneck speed in which the music industry is changing and (ii) provide a means of communication via the book, CD-Rom and excellent Radio Broadcast to enable the reader to keep pace with it. To emphasise this, no text book alone is going to successfully explain `The Future of the Music Business' but it can provide the framework in which to begin to try and figure out which way it's going to go. As text books go, it's written in a straight talking style akin to the Don himself - that is Don Passman. `Nuff said. Whilst the book gets you up to quickly speed on developments in the music industry, from applying the law to web casting to new business models which attempt to monetise MP3s, you know for sure that the industry will have moved on by the time you complete it. That's when the CD-Rom kicks in, as you can tune in to Music Industry Seminars, hosted by Steve Gordon which allows you to hear the DEBATE. I stress the word `debate' as no one knows which way this business is really heading - hence I believe the answer lies within the debate(s). The seminars made me understand this, as you can pluck important issues in the passing dialogue like `subscription fees for unlimited downloads' versus `publisher percentages per track downloaded' which make you immediately think `diminishing returns'. Who knows - but crack that puzzle and you might have the next hot new business model? Following on from the CD-Rom, the next step is to plough through the numerous radio shows that he has generously uploaded for free onto his website. The shows vary in quality and content, but some of them are priceless! The value in listening to a broadcasted debate between an experienced music lawyer and a P2P legend of our time like Wayne Russo far outweighs the content and ability of any text book. Indeed that particular interview has gained cult status amongst those heads who are really trying to fathom which way the industry is going. Not so much a book review but, firstly, an appreciation that the author understood from the outset that a book has a short shelf life in such a fast changing industry and second, an appreciation that he has gone further than anyone else I know to continue helping us understand the business through his invaluable radio broadcasts. Highly recommended!

A useful primer for the digital age of music. Covers all the bases, an indispensible resource for the DIY musician or would-be indy record company executive. As the major labels slowly lose their death grip on the public, talented and unique artists are presented with the opportunity to fill the void- but they'll need this book !

one of the most comprehensive and well written books on the new music business. clear and consise information, that is both informative, but easy to read. whether you are in the industry or just fascinated with what is new and coming in the future...this is a must