Led Zeppelin Shows Its Age

So Led Zeppelin has finally decided to sell the digital rights to its music. They're about the last major band to figure out that digital distribution is the shape of things to come. Now it's only The Beatles and Garth Brooks are still locked in the past.

Cutting edge their music may have been once, but their deal-making skills belong squarely in the 20th century. They're distributing songs through Verizon. In an age when music is about ubiquity -- music that is everywhere all the time -- these old timers are still trying to strangle distribution by feeding it through a narrow mobile pipe. You must really respect your own music when you long to hear it as ringtones.

And what does Warner/Chappell think its doing? Taking a big, bold leap into (gasp) cyberspace? Hardly. Bear in mind that this is a band that has already sold three hundred million albums. There are, I'm sure, a few new fans out there -- but this isn't groundbreaking stuff on any level. In an industry that's lost four billion dollars a year over the last seven years, this isn't a life line; it looks more like keeping your shoes on in a flood. The old orthodoxy was that the labels may know not about music - but they sure knew about marketing. (That's how they lured so many bands, with so many promises, to sign deals that were the musical equivalent of child abuse. I've worked with the record labels and every time I did, I came away needing a shower. It's the closest I'll ever come to working with organized crime.) But how much marketing can you do for a band with such a vast installed base? Sixty million dollars may buy Plant and friends a few more vacation homes but it's not going to Warner with much spare cash to nurture new talents or devise bold new strategies. But then, it's never really been about the music, has it?

Warner/Chappell has been rightly criticized for dumb old-fashioned deal making. But it takes two to tango. It's probably hopelessly romantic to expect adventurous artists to be just as forward-looking in their deal-making. But a little respect for their fans might have been nice. Fortunately, all my Led Zeppelin tracks are safely ripped from CD onto my iPod so I won't get sucked into supporting a bunch of executives and musicians who appear to care about anything except music. And it's funny. I've never been a big Madonna fan. But now, looked at from a business perspective, I'm always going to be more interested in someone investing in the future than cashing in on the past.

Comments

[MarkSeattle]

With this new revenue stream, maybe they will finally pay the folks their deserved royalities for the songs they stole (dazed and confused, Stairway to heaven, communication breakdown,...) all of which are not in the public domain.

[WheelofVoter]

Led Zeppelin deserves all the riches of the world. Anything that compromises that outcome is evil. They are the kings. Business people are not necessary. Zeppelin should just start their own web site and charge for exclusive downloads there. It would be a huge success. Ms. IPOD better show due deference or her Led Zeppelin privileges should be revoked.

[mimsnpips]

Led Zeppelin never seemed to care about much of anything including marketing, or they did an excellent job of appearing not to care.

They didn't need marketing did they? Zep. made the radio continuously, and word of mouth was still a valid marketing tool 'back then'. All those albums and no MySpace page!

Even growing up in the '60s I didn't really get into their music until I saw a cover band named Zebra (N.O., LA) who played Zep better than the originals.

Thx for the post.

Ramble On, sing my song..

[brownearthling]

Zebra wasn't just a cover band- they had 3 or 4 excellent albums. really tight power trio lost to the 80's but worth diggin out!

[barely normal]

I suppose digital distribution is inevitable, but that is because the current generation of big spenders is more inclined to get something right now, rather than purchase something of lasting value, that can be safeguarded and copied for one's own use many times, taking away the problem of ruined discs in the car or portable player, and giving things othrwise not included 'digitally'. Liner notes, photos, and the like are not there at 1.29 per song, no matter who is hawking it.

Also, anyone who is content with mp3 quality is either hearing impaired or has never heard the difference.

[califlefty]

There where over 1 million requests for just 10,000 available tickets to there upcoming reunion show...and you want to tell them what they don't know from marketing?

[MaxTaylor1]

Interesting to see Bonham's kid on drums. Should be a great show.

[rektruax]

Smart post.

[Libsrule]

That's funny.

But yes, having worked with bands back in the 80's it is indeed like working with organized crime, except organized crime will actually give you a better deal.

This crap about going after downloaders for the musicians sake is just that. IF the musicians are lucky they will see about five cents for every thousand dollars recovered.

Maybe.

BUT Led Zepplin is still a great band and they may be late to the party, but then again they did finally show up.

The Beatles are idiots for holding out and as for Garth? Don't really care.

[rovezaleeker]

PLAY FREEBIRD!!!