Performance Royalty Tax: Good, or Bad..?

[LibertyNT]

While I don't agree with it, I have no intentions of opposing it, either. Why? I keep hearing ads (on Clear Channel stations, no less) stating something to the effect of "local radio will cease to exist." True local radio ceased to exist about a decade ago, and with all the voice-tracking and syndicated crap it's getting less and less local all the damn time. Bring back local radio and I'll oppose it. Otherwise, "local" radio can take a long walk off a short pier.

Great post, Neal.!! I agree! Hopefully, this "tax" will pass and force these monopoly companies (Clear Channel, CBS, Cumulus, etc.) to have a fire sale and rid themselves of these money pit stations, selling for pennies on the dollar. Then smaller ownership companies can buy them up and make them LOCAL again. Local sales, local talent, etc. Sounds like a WIN for the industry!! And hopefully, a LOSS for the big companies who stole the LOCAL stations away from us in the first place!

The Small Ma & Pa Stations Will be the first to die Button Pusher...

 

[bluze1]

Performance royalty fees are a crock. A songwriter gets paid by BMI/ASCAP the performer if not tied directly to the songwriter/publishing house, pays a couple of cents a CD to the songwriter and publisher combined, based on sales of the CD. The performer should be happy to get the promotion of radio, although with corporate consultants doing the programming, the performer is going to be lucky to ever be heard on a major station in a large market. CD sales is the money link for the performer. Someone alluded earlier that the performers make money touring, that just isn't so. Touring is a break even proposition if you are really good at controlling costs. Even major mainstream acts find it nearly impossible to tour without mega corporate sponsorship.

 

[crow]

I have seen what certain bands are bringing in AFTER they pay all their costs. There are PLENTY of bands out there that are making good money. Yes, these are usually much bigger bands/artists. However, any artist who thinks they should be getting more money from a radio station is simply wrong. It's the stations playing there damn song over and over that make them the stars. Yes, I know stations benefit from the artist air play... but why shouldn't they? On top of that, we all know that radio has to pay BMI/ASCAP etc... to play said artist. If the artist wants more money, then they need to turn around and get said money from the record labels... and not from radio. If radio is forced to pay more to play... then I believe you will see less artists being played especially new artists and of course you will see less LIVE radio... if it wasn't already bad enough. That money to pay the artists has to come from somewhere... so you start cutting costs if your a radio owner.

However, these are just my opinions...

 

[Kent]

One area where I'll agree with bluze is that, when it comes to the touring, the artist has to know how to manage money in order to make money. When doing a show, the artist normally pays the venue a flat fee upfront just to perform, and the artist gets to keep the ticket money. Of course, the ticket money has to pay the entire band, the support staff (sometimes called "roadies"), the cost of getting to the show plus the rent on the venue and any/all other expenses. So, yes, it can be difficult to make money on a tour, especially if you can't manage your money, and it's possible to perform and lose money. I saw a Kenny Rogers concert about four years ago, and he seemed genuinely pissed about being there. He was hostile to the band and the audience and even spoke badly about the whole area. He messed up several of his most popular songs quite badly, too. He pretty much ran off stage after the show, and his bus was leaving the parking lot before most of us got out of the theater. I've often wondered if he was so upset because he didn't sell enough tickets to make money off of the show.

However, there's another side of touring. I just got back from a Sugarland/Keith Urban concert. Given the ticket prices and the attendance, only an idiot would think they didn't make a fortune. My family alone spent $365, and that was just for five seats of an almost sold out show! If they didn't make a fortune, it was definitely their own fault!

 

[scrtr84]

Sounds to me like Kenny Rogers has just become a grumpy old man. No offense to the guy or anything because I love a lot of his tunes from days gone by. But is he still making music? Or maybe he had a bad hangover?

 

[thunderradio]

Kenny has had issues going back to the 80's and his famous "answering machine" fetish with Billy Bob Harris the stockbroker as his go between.

 

[TheBigA]

My understanding is that Kenny Rogers still flies in a private jet to all gigs, so he can be back at home that night with wife and twin sons. Most of the major headliners have the private jet. They don't get that kind of service by being poor. And one thing that keeps Kenny in high demand on the concert circuit (and he'll be the first to admit this) is the continuous radio airplay he's received over the past 55 years.