Do Right And Kill Everything...DRAKE....came out yesterday. I bought it at 8:05 am from Target. I'm ate up.
I would like to thank Drake NOW, not later, for being such a forward thinking artist. As a Millenial, he basically grew up on "free" music. Napster debuted in June 1999 when the DRAKE was a mere 12 years old and for the next ten years he witnessed the battle between music fans, record companies, and recording artists. A little know fact about the year Napster came out: cd sales actually INCREASED the year after Napster was released. I can attest to this fact: I downloaded my fair amount of songs, mostly remixes by DJs around the country, but I did download a song or two from white rock bands that I heard in passing on television. It opened up my musical world immensely. I am a diehard Incubus fan now and turned my sister on to them as well. We have seen them in concert, and have bought every CD they have release since hearing "Drive." And even went back and bought previously releases.
Drake was on the Ricky Smiley Radio Show today not lamenting the fact that his CD was leaked two weeks before its release, but was unfazed. His rationale: I've been giving away free music for years. My fans will know what they are getting and be excited about buying my CD.
Brilliant.
Listen up record companies and RIAA, music fans are sick and tired of plunking down as much as $18.99 for music sight unseen (excuse the mixed metaphor). The music industry is a like an 8 track trying to make it in a digital world. The music industry is lacking innovation in marketing. The old models are not working anymore. The 360 deal is akin to slavery. You can't make an overly produced super ubiquitous single when the rest of the CD sounds like an fucking afterthought. I'm not with it. It's ridiculous to for an industry to make a piss-poor product and be angry when people would rather forgoe a purchase (it will be on the radio anyway) or downloading a semi-fucked up bootleg. There are tons of way to bring the industry back. Things don't stay the same. Progess is inevitable. Music industry is trying to hold on to the past with an iron grip, but it's like trying to hold on to water...it just slips out your hands.
Drake's model of free music is one way to create a fanbase and loyal customers. Another way is to slash the prices of CDs to $5. Old CD's should ALWAYS be a lower price than newer releases. Still another model: employ artists like you do any other worker. Structure a ocntract like a salesperson: base salary plus commission based on sales numbers. I mean I just came up with that last one while I was sitting here blogging.
I'm very, very, very happy with my Drake purchase. It's classic Drake (funny to say about someone's first studio release, huh?). Organic. Not overly produced. Each song could stand alone. The CD is a perfect fusion of R&B and Hip Hop. I will continue to listen to his free music and his monetized music. I will buy his CDs as long as he makes them.
DRAKE is the Truth.