‘The Music Business Sucks—So Does the Magazine Business’

The music business sucks. At least that’s what everyone tells me. You hear the same thing about the magazine business. “That’s a tough business,” people say.

Is there such a thing as an “easy” business? Being a pro athlete might seem easy, but try throwing a 20-yard pass with a 300-pound lineman ready to separate you from your shoes. No thanks, I was never good with pain. If I get a paper cut I call in sick.

So if I detest pain, why am in the music magazine business? (My company, Zenbu Media, publishes Relix, Metal Edge, Metal Maniacs and Global Rhythm.) It would seem to be a double whammy. Fortunately, it’s not. Music is not going away and neither is the printed page. Picture yourself on the beach trying cuddling up to a great article or novel on your PC. It doesn’t feel the same. It’s kind of like a Stepford wife. Sure the PC is a fantastic way to connect, socialize, learn and listen but it lacks one thing. Tangibility. People flock to concerts and music festivals in record numbers to see the artists, feel the vibe and experience something real. Tangible. It is easier (and cheaper) to sit at home and watch the Rolling Stones on YouTube, but you miss the energy, the camaraderie and the feeling of true artistry.

Music has never been more accessible (legally or not). Myspace and other social networks have made it easier for garage bands to be heard. Hundreds of thousands of them. From all over the world. How do you choose what to listen to? How do you cut through the crap and find the gem? Ask the people who live for music. Those who are out every night and are never without pods in their ears.

Fortunately they write about it, too.

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Relix

By Steve Bernstein -- Steve Bernstein is the President and vision behind Zenbu Media, a multi-media music company whose properties include Global Rhythm magazine, Relix magazine, Metal Edge, Metal Maniacs, Relix Records, the Green Apple Music & Arts Festival and Zendition, a digital publishing division. Mr. Bernstein retired from Citigroup in March 2005 after a 23-year career in order to focus his full time and attention on his growing media company.

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The Music and Magazine Business

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 02/12/2008 - 13:38.

"The music business sucks"? This has got to be most inaccurate and tired caption of 2005, 2006, 2007, and now 2008. For all the reasons you state in your blog, the music business is not on a decline: CD SALES are on a decline. Physical CD's are just one of the avenues to obtain music these days. Ask the brass at Apple's iTunes division if the music business sucks and they are sure to yawn in your face. Come on, let's be accurate. As for magazines....the old "cuddle up to a computer on the beach" is also an overused and outdated tag...it was first used in the late 90's when the threat of the digital book hit the media. Publishers print based on advertising dollars available, so when our trusted Brand names start to cut back on advertising dollars (which most say they will not - recession or not), then we can talk about a "magazine crisis"...

Re: The Music biz and that sucking sound

Submitted by Elysia on Thu, 02/14/2008 - 15:27.

Big corporate music does suck, and more power to the destruction of them all (die labels, die!). How to separate the wheat from the chaff on MySpace, etc.? It's easy. If they're on a big major--not a subsidiary--they probably suck. If they are on a sub-of-a-sub-of-a-sub, a small indie, or no label...or from anywhere other than NYC or LA, they're probably worth checking out! ;-D

Re: The Music biz and that sucking sound

Submitted by Dylan Stableford on Fri, 02/15/2008 - 22:40.

Elysia, why don't you tell us how you feel about major labels? Don't be shy now ...

No Way!

Submitted by Brian Garvin on Mon, 03/03/2008 - 01:32.

The music business rules.. get real. from Oceanside, CA.

music business sucks

Submitted by icky on Mon, 04/07/2008 - 11:41.

the music business is one of the most cuniving, brutal, evilist ,cut throat, business there is especially the indie labels ,,these people will take from the dead to get fame and fortune..the managers are about greed and will fill these artistes with lies just to get there money ..more artistes need to come out and expose this industry.

So why the hell am I publishing music magazines?

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