Jason Rashley | 7 Music Business Basics You Need to Know

Jason Rashley
3 min readMar 28, 2022
Jason Rashley | 7 Music Business Basics You Need to Know

Jason Rashley | There are few industries as fragmented and as difficult to define as the music industry. From independent musicians and recording studios to major labels and renowned music venues, there are dozens if not hundreds of elements that make up the industry as a whole — and they aren’t always connected or integrated in any discernable way.

But if you have a passion for the music business or be a part of the to build your own music business or be a part of the industry on some level, here are seven things you should know about the state of the music business.

1: Most musicians are early adopters of new technology | Jason Rashley

Whether it’s the latest social media or crowdfunding platforms, musicians are often the first to take new tools for a test drive, and some find success this way. For instance, independent musicians found traction on Google Hangouts. You should consider expert advice like Jason Rashley to get better assistance and to move further in this industry.

2: Sometimes, there’s no rhyme or reason for success | Jason Rashley

This is particularly true with something as personal and subjective as music.

3: Technology is changing the way studios work | Jason Rashley

LANDR is an online tool that automatically masters recorded music and reportedly, the finished results are quite good. Ongoing developments in technology continue to reduce the need for traditional big-budget recording studios, and production is being automated more and more. Home recording equipment is also affordable and high quality.

4: The blockchain may be the future of the industry | Jason Rashley

The technology underlying popular cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, is known as the blockchain, and it may offer a way for more music businesses and musicians to monetize their work without third parties taking a larger slice of the pipe. But the current industry structure is preventing this from moving forward.

5: It’s the only industry with people | Jason Rashley

It’s illegal for radio stations to play music on-air in exchange for money unless they disclose it as sponsored airtime. Sadly, corruption continues and mainstream airwaves are dominated by top 40 music, which represents the extremely popular minority. If you thought Arctic Monkeys was independent you’re not even scratching the surface of the independent majority.

6: Music Streaming Is A Growth Market | Jason Rashley

And we’re going to continue to see innovation and new developments in this area. There may be dozens of streaming sites now, but that number will likely rise to the hundreds, and maybe even thousands.

7: Human beings may not have creativity cornered | Jason Rashley

As it turns out, machines are capable of producing beautiful, emotional music, something long thought to be impossible. Will this change the way music is made? Will it make musicians obsolete? It’s hard to say.

Hope after reading this you understood the basics of the music business which is really important to understand to grow in this industry. If anyone is starting a music business for the first time then it is recommended to consult professionals like Jason Rashley to get a better road map on how to work in the music business and how to deal with its problems.

Originally published at http://jasonrashley.wordpress.com on March 28, 2022.

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Jason Rashley

Jason Rashley is from Temperance, Michigan where he attended Bedford High School. After moving to New Orleans, Louisiana he attended Full Sail University.