…So the challenges, I guess, are to get good at predicting ‘great’ before the market takes action, and to be clear with yourself and your colleagues about what exactly you’re trying to build.
Seth Godin is writing about monetising art, but he may as well have been talking about TV programming, film making or the music industry.
After all, the great decline in the record companies isn’t because of piracy, MP3s or anything like that – it’s about really, really bad A&R. Back in the old days, people LOVED music. Now the music industry is filled with middle of the road marketers and brand managers.
People who really, really love music and have “good ears” have been driven out or now work in management, venue operators or tour promoters; the only parts of the industry which are now booming!
The thing is – quality doesn’t scale. Never has, never will.