Monday, October 29, 2012

Is Trent Reznor Selling Out?

Trent Reznor image from Bobby Owsinski's Music 3.0 blog
Trent Reznor has been an ongoing inspiration to DIY musicians everywhere, as he's written the blueprint for addressing your fans via social networks, tiered merchandising, unique marketing, and so much more (it's all illustrated in the Music 3.0 book). His announcement last week that he was going back to a major label raised some eyebrows, since signing to Sony Music is such a great departure from what he was all about for the last 3 or 4 years.

Now he recently announced on Facebook that he was collaborating with the horrendous Beats By Dre, the money play by Dre and Jimmy Iovine where they sell hi-priced yet inferior headphones to unsuspecting listeners in the name of "better sound quality." Here's his statement:
Some of you may have read that I have begun working with Beats By Dre. For the past year I have indeed been involved with Dre, Jimmy Iovine, Luke Wood, and the rest of the team on a number of very interesting projects that will start to emerge next year. I have been wanting to experiment and focus my energy and creativity in some different directions, and Beats has afforded me that very opportunity. The process has been challenging and fascinating and as much as I'd like to tell you about the things we've dreamed up... I just can't.Not yet...(I can tell you it's probably not what you're expecting!)
The Trent Reznor we know and love stands for principle and a "I'm doing it my way regardless what you think" attitude. Collaborating with Beats smacks of selling out for a payday. I guess he needs the money, but it's sure disappointing. TR was my shining example of the best of the DIY world. Time to find another hero.

If you really want to make a better sounding headphone look like Beats, here's how.



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1 comment:

Léo Saramago said...

It's alright, Bobby. The message still comes across: The Music Industry is no longer in the hands of Music related people. And, as it retracts, we have no choice but to start a New Model. Whenever I read complaints from people working in the USA, specially about budgets, I get the feeling I'm watching a rerun. If the pattern repeats, there won't be anyone to show new artists to soon enough, 'cause all the Industry does is sit and wait - yes, it can get worse. Dreams of building a career need revision. In my case, the cultural shock stranded me, it was overwhelming. It took me years to decide to take matters in my own hands, to go against the stream and my personal life suffers the consequences to this day. I'm not sure people are willing to pay this high price. The sooner they start to adapt the better and the Big Labels will absorb those who achieve success, so we shouldn't look for symbols anymore, just take action. As Tina Turner would have sung: We Don't Need Another Hero.

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