The Future of The Music Industry: The 360 degree deal

We all know that the music industry is changing. Rising technologies have forced it to, but is the future the 360 degree deal? The deal between artists and companies or corporations like LiveNation, and not a label!? I certainly hope not (their tickets are so expensive!), but this latest article from Pitchfork about (one of my favorite bands) Portishead leaving their label, Island Records, and looking for different opportunities makes me a little nervous...:

Portishead Are Free Agents

Photos by James Cadden

After returning to the realm of popular music with last year's Third, Portishead are now free agents after fulfilling their contract with Island Records. According to a MySpace post from the band's Geoff Barrow, "we spent the day discussing the future of the P as we are free...well free of a deal and free of commitment...for now!" Publicists for the band confirmed that this does indeed mean that the band are no longer on Island, or any label.

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Barrow stated, "with the world being the way it is there are lots of options open...but if you lot have any bright ideas of how we should sell our music in the future lets us know , why not!" ...

This does bring up a good point-- in this age of album-as-tour-promotion, how does an infamously show-averse band like Portishead survive? Perhaps they should try to strike some sort of licensing deal with every too-chic nightclub/coffee bar/boutique on earth. Or, you know, play shows. ...

Read the whole article here. I hope that Portishead will go the same route as Radiohead did and kind of be independent from any company, rather than become a "band as a brand", but like the article says, Portishead does not seem as fond of touring as they need to in order to be successful without a record label or corporation. A 360 degree deal means that Portishead would have a lot less control over themselves as a band, and I would hate to see that hurt the band's creative process and ultimately the music. But, then again, 360 degree deals are more typical for bands like Madonna and Paramore, and Portishead is no Paramore. They could be safe after all!