So, in the land of pimps and hoes, you guessed it, musicians fall in the hoe category. But! It’s time to get your piece of the “i”… I mean pie.
So Apple’s iPod and iTunes have been an amazing success. Worldwide both of these products have become a household name. What you didn’t know is that Apple has one of the BIGGEST subtle pimps of the 21 century. Actually, we’ll take it a step further… “Slave Masters!”
How?
Without the musician the iPod, and it’s crafty counterpart iTunes, would be worthless. In a day and age such as this, with the economy sinking faster than a Somalian pirate ship, the musician sees smaller and smaller returns for his/her hard work. “For the love” isn’t paying the bills. Is Apple’s sells affected by the new Great Depression? No! The pimp and/or slave master always eats.
What can be done?
It’s time to stand up! In iTunes, and on the iPod, there’s a nifty little function that records the play count of songs. What a great invention! See, you and I both know that the money iTunes pays per download is small. Plus EVERYONE IS DOWNLOADING MUSIC FOR FREE THESE DAYS. So I’ve come up with a just way to go about it. Apple should cut artists checks per play count.
Like with any and everything there will be some flaws (like with cassette tapes people still made dubs), but at least for those playing your music and connecting to the internet, their play count data can be collected and turned into residual income.
Why should Apple give you a few cents for a download when they KNOW people are downloading freely and it’s YOUR music that’s keeping them in business? You are the blood and organs in the body. Without the music the iPod and iTunes would die. There needs to be some sort of online artists registration where, deal or no deal, if your music is being played by an iPod or iTunes, then Apple will pay you per play count. It’s only right.
I’m sure some Apple rep before long will come in here and post something about the artists being taken care of. I’ll nip that in the bud right now, that’s bullsh*t! You don’t put the slave in the field to pick cotton, not pay them what their labor is worth, give them shabby living situations, and then claim, “their being taken care of.” You pay them what they are worth.
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Here’s a better way to look at it:
Apple has become the Sam Goody’s (they sell the music), and the radio station (they play the music). Before an artist would get paid from Sam Goody’s per unit sold, and then again through something like BMI for every time the song is played. Apple is only paying once.
If I were the ONLY musician alive and I decided, “Apple, you cannot legally play my music,” what good would the iPod be? Worthless. Without the musician the iPod is nothing.