[NewMusic] Death of the record industry (cont'd.)

[Matt Davignon]

I think what Rick Rubin does in the industry is a pretty important and
mostly missing element. I wouldn't necessarily make the same choices
that he makes, but I do appreciate his position on a few things. (For
example, writing songs 'for the ages' rather than to finish an album.)

I think one of the main reasons that record labels are in danger now
is because nobody is currently making decisions based on the music.
I'm still surprised by how little popular music has changed since the
90's. That's touched upon in the article: "There was a time when if
you had something that wasn't so good, through muscle and lack of
other choices, you could push that not very good product through those
channels. ... Well, the world has changed. And the industry has not"

I kind of see Rick Rubin as a throwback to early record label heads
who were originally music geeks.

Matt