Sonic Youth makes some new friends

To be really blunt about it, any band or musician who's not looking for new ways to distribute and sell their music is a complete fool. Going with a traditional, non-independent record company, though it's been seen as the ultimate break to get a contract, has never really been all that safe. And that's especially true today as record stores and the entire mechanism of selling physical copies of music have been suffering at the hand of diminishing CD sales.

So when Thurston Moore announced that it was going to distribute a Sonic Youth singles/hits compilation through Starbucks' Hear Music label, a few purists were apparently shocked and disgusted that a band that has always represented unbridled artistry in music could partner with such a blatant symbol of commercialism. Though I haven't seen any complaints myself, Billboard seemed eager to mention that there were plenty.

It seems like such a betrayal because unlike the Universal Music Group or so many large record companies, Starbucks is incredibly visible. In most cases,when people
buy music from a major label, they don't see themselves as buying the label's product. They just know they are buying the CD in their hands and rarely if ever notice the fine print saying who recorded, distributed, and owns the rights to the music. That's a sharp contrast to when people buy something from Starbucks where it's practically impossible to ignore the company colors, logos, and name all over the shop and its products. So it appears much more capitalistic when Sonic Youth plans to distribute its music through Starbucks.

Then there's the undeniable fact that the traditional paths that musicians use to promote their music are drying up. Terrestrial radio has been homogenous and unwilling to take any risks for at least the last ten years. The record store, especially the smaller, independent ones aren't faring very well financially. And due to the higher royalty rates Internet radio stations will have to pay starting today, it may become even more difficult to hear look for and hear new music.

Starbucks' Hear Music label has been wildly successful compared to the abovementioned sectors of the music industry, becoming part of a lifestyle brand under the Starbucks name. I can't say that I am a supporter of the idea of a Starbucks lifestyle brand, but It appears to be an effective way to introduce and distribute music to people that would be interested in discovering something new. In that case, it's hard to say that it's a bad thing from a purely musical standpoint.