I like the long comments. Only stop typing if you really want to. This is a place where you can freely give your opinion about whatever the post is about. Whether you agree or not. There must be a healthy debate of an issue so that people can hear both sides and come up with a solution. I truly feel like the more we speak, there is a chance of two things happening. First, we just might be heard. Secondly, we may come up with some answers to the problems that plauge the industry. So on my behalf, please, go on and on. I certainly do not mind at all.

Thank you for your comment,

*TRC*

To much negative and not enough lyrical content.

CD’s are like compilations now because these new cats are unable to carry an entire album alone…That’s why everyone prefers mixtapes and indivisual downloads..

This could go on and on, so I am done responding!

The distributors charge way to much for the cd’s… By the time you pay for the cd’s and the shipping, you end up paying $13 or more for each copy!

It’s not worth ordering them at all, especially if you are not sure they will sale!

Another issue is that the labels do not support the releases.. No promo, no tv, no radio, no nothin!!

The game is going down hill, sales wise, because older cts are tired of the rap non sense. It’s not about quality control and lyrical ability- it’s about the negative.

The more dope you push (wink wink) and people you rob, kill and beat down- the mor the labels are interested!

Check it.. Older cats in their 40′s to 70′s still listen to and purchase country music. That same age bracket for urban music is falling off because they now have kids of their own, girls in particular, that they dont want that shit played around them, thus lessening them listening/purchasing.

Bring back real hip-hop and lower the damm prices…

CD’s cost these labels no more then pennies to produce, so why the snd cost to the consumer is $13.99 and higher is crazy- kid!

http://www.sonicbids.com/vandal

Another problem is that retail chains such as FYE and wal-mart have implemented “placement fee’s” to make up for their loses. Thus charging the artists/labels two dollars a unit just to be on the shelves regardless of wether it sells or not. This can become very expensive. They also charge you for any promotional placement in their stores. No more going into a retail chain with a stack of posters and expecting to get one hung on the wall, This wont happen!

Alot of this falls on the label. They dont physicaly get out and work retail anymore becuase of the placement fees. Next, their not doing their job of soliciting the stores and making them aware of their release. There are people like Violet Brown who makes sure you get the proper placement in retail (transworld) but again, she cost money!

Im not trying to entirely blame the labels becuase alot of the retail buyers dont have a clue of what to order and what not to order. it takes a bunch of people coming in the store asking about the records to get someone motivated enough to investigate it and get it the store. Then again, if the label didnt pay for placement in that store. They wont buy it anyway!

It effects hiphop the most becuase most of the buying market is young and therefor “internet savy.” They know all the online resources to download it (legal or not) Country music still does better than any other genre in retail becuase the buying market is older and doesnt know how to utilize the internet as well as todays youth.

To get even deeper. Hip Hop is the most affected becuase there is’nt anything driving the consumers to go buy the records. Artists in the genre keep releasing the same old garbage and it was just a matter of time before consumers realized they were being taken advantage of.
Its why Artists like soulja boy can have a number one radio hit 6 weeks running and never go gold and artists like Bone Thugs go platinum with little or no radio play at all. Most consumers heard everything they wanted to hear from Souljas radio single, the real cult following fans will always buy albums. Basicly, most of todays artist lack fans, without fans you dont sell records. You got to give them somthing they can believe in to motivate them to go buy these records. I could go on forever on this subject but I feel this is already getting longer than your blog post itself!