Maarten is right that one can spend only so much time going on that record labels are the devil, or that they are completely finished. Inspiring and inspired artists with the ability to get their music made and heard has to be the goal. If they feel this can be delivered by the majors, then that’s ok by me. THe artist chooses. They are the client, not a piece of office fixture & fitting (sorry Mr Hands, but you really do not get it).

As for DIY, it all comes down to the definition. For some, DIY means going with a smaller label. For others, DIY is seeking the investment yourself, distributing yourself and marketing yourself. For others, DIY is about wanting complete control. So what happens if they get control, but with a major? Is that still DIY? If all majors go down the route of SonyBMG as laid out by Andrew and Maarten, then the majors are partners in DIY (according to some definitions).

Such a huge amount to manage does put off many artists. They look to their manager/representatives to take the pressure off of them. After all, a number of artists I know just want to make their music and rely on people they can trust to get the music made and out there. Yet, are all managers equipped to manage all of the elements of the DIY puzzle? Not every manager is a Gary McClarnan or an Ian Grenfell.

In the DIY panel, this issue came up time and time again. For some, the record label (big or small) offers the security and services they need. For others, they are just not that confident to go down the DIY route, as they do not feel able to manage all the elements. Those who are focused on the DIY route are looking for those who can help them achieve their goals. The artists with a clear understanding of who they are, and who their fans are or could be, will have a greater chance of getting ahead. This is where my worry is for many artists and their managers. The opportunity to get poor advice is immense.

There are many companies now offering 360degree solutions, investment opportunities and marketing expertise (including citizensound). Ultimately, some artists will get great advice, some will get their fingers burnt whilst others will keep looking for the right model and nail it by themselves.

As you rightly say Keith, the artists need to learn new skills. And so does the whole music industry. The key though will be a sense of shared learning. There are artists who have a greater understanding of leveraging the digital platforms better than many labels or ‘marketing’ specialists. There are managers who have pulled off brilliant investment deals. There are labels who are developing marketing models that others could learn from. Shared learning to me makes sense.

With regards to getting attention, I think it’s crucial for bands to be precise about why and by whom they want to be noticed. My own anecdotal evidence would suggest that a lot of artists still have a “just get noticed by anybody” approach and “hopefully get picked up by a label.”

In this world of access to the last 60 years of music and with the tools now available to nurture real relationships with our fans, a new mindset could be more profitable. New skills are required. Like you say, having a myspace page and hoping is not going to do it.

I hope Sony are encouraging artists to acquire these new skills because a lot of it has to do with personal interaction rather than interaction with a PR person.

Getting noticed is a bit more of a science these days. Creating and interacting with your mailing list should be module 1 in music colleges round the world!

Everyone can get some form of distribution, others are finding innovative ways of seeking investment or don’t need it given the decreasing costs of music creation.

In a world where people have an opportunity to access so much music choice, not just from this week, but from the last 60 years, an artist has a lot on their plate to get themselves heard and seen. Having a myspace page and hoping is not going to do it. Innovative marketing is going to be needed.

At In The City last year, I ran a panel on the rise of DIY music culture. With everyone saying the future is DIY, I wanted to get a reality check on what the implications are for artists. Getting noticed was the top issue that came from the panel and the audience.

Now that there are concrete things that both sides can do in both PR, web and marketing it could work really well.

As long as there is a plan and everyone knows what they are doing, everyone can work to their strengths, and although bands will have to work harder, they won’t suddenly have the reins taken away on signing, being told ‘our guys are working on it now’

We know that doesn’t work anymore. Looking forward to seeing your template.