Paritipatory media - fan culture vs big businesss

I am watching a stir (albeit a mild one) about live recordings of an artist's new music pre-CD release. Jason Mraz fans are (generally) of the opinion that his music shouldn't be recorded pre-release because it will get him in trouble with his label (theoretically because it will somehow hurt sales of a CD that doesn't even have a release date at this point)? Mraz is one of my favorite artists, still holds one of my top concerts slots, and is a reason I do what I do. However, I'll admit I'm not particularly invested in his fandom, and I didn't really pay any attention to it in the past few years. I've been looking more into youth culture and music, and I've come to expect full videos of every concert date, the idea that anything I miss will be on YouTube by the morning. I wonder if part of it is a generational thing, that fans who are older don't see the videos as part of community participation and instead see them as in direct competition with traditional media? I'll admit I'm less versed in adult fandoms and their reaction to new media, but I'm interested to understand more.

Regardless, I've never thought a label would care about anything being on YouTube as soon as humanly possible. I've sat in meetings where the fact that things were on YouTube spread by fans was applauded (even things that were clear copyright violations.) Digital participatory media is such an uncharted territory, and there's a lot left to be worked out. But I don't think for any reason a label should be worried about fan media hurting sales. It's free publicity, it's the sign of a thriving fanbase. Every person who takes the time to record represents a whole interested bloc of fans waiting for the company to sell them that band and that band's new material. If you're satisfied from a live rip from a YouTube instead of an actual studio version I doubt you were buying the CD in the first place. But hey, maybe you'll come out to the live show. Let's maximize the streams of revenue that work, create new ones, and worry less about those that are failing.


Edit Links to the Mraz songs are currently down but I can tell you they're great and make me really excited to pick up the CD this year.

attention:

I stood above the crowd at a recent concert, watching its pulse. Every show has one, a collective beat with which the crowd responds to the musicians and the musicians pump back out to the crowd. Thump-thump. This one was one of the most beautiful I’d seen, and effortless back and forth, the crowd surging as one, lifting their voices, the band’s instruments in response.

I’ve watched shows from every plausible angle and above is one of my very favorite, if only because you can see all reactions equally. Often, when I watch from the stage, I am insanely jealous of the musicians, their ability to put energy out there and have it returned like that. It’s a heady feeling, even from the peripheral. Watching from the audience I am jealous as well, though slightly differently. (often simply because I am crushed and I wish I had the performers space to move). But from above I can respect the balance, the fact that it’s hard to say who gets more out of the equation, fan or performer, in the long run. And the simple understanding that no one has to be the winner, that title can be shared.

Musicatalyst: (n) someone or something whose attitude toward music causes others to be excited or entertained.

So here I am, watching from above, mindful of the dual nature of music professional and music fan in my experiences (and in most music professionals' experiences; I’d be sad to know of a music professional who hated music.)

This is an excise for me, and hopefully entertainment for you. An anonymous, insider’s glance into the industry of music, and a fans view of what I think is great there. If you know who I am or figure it out, keep it to yourself. I’d rather be anyone you imagine me to be.