"It's clear now that the Web has once and for all replaced TV's role in the music business."
That quote is pulled from a ReadWriteWeb piece talking about how the lonnnnnnng awaited Guns n’ Roses album, Chinese Democracy, has just been released through the band’s MySpace profile page.
It’s a pretty extraordinary statement, and helps to highlight the immense role that the Internet now plays in promotion, marketing, and commerce, particularly with regard to media.
In terms of music specifically, I grew up during an age where MTV dominated the music world. Artists like Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Prince became planetary-wide idols thanks to the power of music videos that were played on continuous loop on MTV and on other emerging cable television stations. Even during Guns ‘n Roses’ heyday (quite a long time ago now!) the power of music marketing on television was dominant.
In 2008 though, the Internet rules all. Even if Chinese Democracy doesn’t break sales records (and if my vote counts, it won’t so much), the digital revolution rolls on.
