BUCKCHERRY GUITARIST KEITH NELSON SAYS U2’S FREE ALBUM GIVEAWAY “TELLS PEOPLE MUSIC ISN’T WORTH ANYTHING”
Buckcherry guitarist Keith Nelson says U2’s deal with Apple has devalued music and made it harder for bands who still rely on record sales.
The group’s Songs Of Innocence was automatically downloaded free to over 500 million iTunes accounts last week, reputedly costing the technology giant $100m – but Nelson says it sends out the wrong message.
He tells Northwest Music Scene, “I think music has been devalued in the eyes of the consumer, to the point where a band like U2 decides to just give its music away and basically tell people their music isn’t worth anything. That’s a bummer because I know what it takes to write a meaningful record and get it into consumers’ hands. They’ve sent a message to everyone that music is free, and that’s disturbing. It’s easy to do that when you’re a multi-millionaire and money isn’t something you worry about. But, when you’re a working band and you count on every dollar, it’s disappointing to see someone do that.”
Meanwhile, the UK Entertainment Retailers Association has slammed the U2 giveaway, saying it’s as damaging as piracy and called the promotion a “failure” after fewer than 7000 CDs from the group’s back catalogue sold after the stunt.
ERA Chairman Paul Quirk said, “This promotion is a failure on so many levels. It devalues music, it alienates the majority of people who don’t use iTunes and it disappoints those who prefer to shop in stores. Giving away music is as damaging to the value of music as piracy and those who will suffer most are the artists of tomorrow. If one of the biggest rock bands in the world are prepared to give away their new album for free, how can we expect the public to spend £10 ($16.25 U.S. dollars) on an album by a newcomer?”
Last month, Buckcherry released their Fuck EP on August 19th.
additional source: classicrockmagazine
They make more money on tour. It was good move.
u2 is one of the few bands that continues to make great music into their late 40s and 50’s. I heard a few songs off the new album and didn’t like it too much. But their last couple of records were pretty brilliant.
You can’t blame U2 for a lack of record sales. It’s been getting more difficult to move new music. With out without U2 “giving” away music, few people are buying rock music anymore.
Wil this hurt the sales of a new Jay z or eminem album? Hardly. People buy what they want.
i have thought about this for a day or so since iv’e seen this post, if you bought and paid for itunes – you should have the choice about what goes in it period . this is the beginning of a very slippery slope , who else can put information into your itunes account just because they struck some kind of a deal ? to me the problem is not U2 or their music , but how you can just put it in with out consent – does this bother anyone else??
Many of the successful bands that sustain themselves 1) have a passion for what they write. 2) will work hard to self promote…3) will play anywhere regardless of the windfall…I look at Skid Row.. Buckcherry…harder bands like Testament Overkill and Anthrax…. even Kix still making a living and doing shows…we see a lot about the music industry being dead and for me that’s a good thing…I don’t want industry… I want to see my heros slugging it out…happy I’m there to support them and busting their tails..if memories of 5 minutes on my bedroom floor can connect with the guys on stage that’s the draw.. That makes me open my wallet. … Sadly many of the bigger sellers don’t deliver as well live…their songs aren’t as good 8 9 10 releases in and I hope for the day where the hardest working and most passionate rise above. It’s happening…the glitz and millions are over..it’s the time to be self managing and self promoting to keep a bigger share of the earnings…
The biggest problem with the music industry these days isn’t a band giving their fans a free album. The biggest problem is the horrible quality of music in the mp3 format. mp3’s compress the music so much that you can’t hear everything clear enough to appreciate how much work the artist put into it. That’s why I’m re-ripping all of my CDs to a lossless format, and I’m not ever going to purchase music from iTunes again unless they start offering it in lossless and even hi-res audio formats.