Week Major Paper Essay Example

Lyrics, "the most lucrative of all custom deals between an Indies and major (Grasses, 2005) ever resulted."In September of 1985, CBS, the distributor of Columbia, made a deal with independent label 16 Lyrics (Grasses, 2005, p 1157). Despite initially having a small staff, 16 Lyrics relied on their music artists to not only record but also assist with administrative duties such as answering phones and acting as secretaries. Although having the backing of a major label provided financial support and national exposure, their arrangement resulted in lower profits and an increase in workload (Grasses, 2005, p 1210). The contract with CBS required 16 Lyrics to recruit artists, manage their budget, promote and advertise at a grassroots level, and accept a 14% royalty on album sales (Grasses, 2005, p 1210).CBS exercised authority by having the final say on selecting contractors to represent 16 Lyrics, holding ultimate control over Indies label operations, and obtaining ownership of all recorded masters of contracted artists. Despite the partnership painting a picture of freedom, CBS appeared to have a favorable position over 16 Lyrics, minimizing their profits and control as a smaller independent label. The primary goal of this partnership was to crossover Hip Hop with Pop music genres in the industry, which had yet to be promoted and advertised by a major label during the time. This was considered a significant risk, but worth taking by CBS and 16 Lyrics. However, due to lack of experience and knowledge required to achieve this goal effectively and efficiently, many of the business practices of 16 Lyrics were subpar. By signing the deal with CBS, 16 Lyrics believed they would gain access to

both national and international distribution mainly granted for Columbia releases.According to Grasses (2005), CBS did not prioritize making "16 Lyrics" visible outside of the United States. Universal Music Group (MUG) currently owns and oversees 16 Lyrics. Grasses accused major labels of being controlling and monopolizing the industry while also calling executives greedy. MUG's overview states that they develop recording artists and promote music across various formats and platforms. Grasses described major labels as an intricate structure with ten departments, including sales, marketing, promotion, and international - mimicking MUG's services. By trusting a single company's various departments, one relinquishes a significant amount of control. A bill called the Local Radio Freedom Act was presented to the House of Representatives in February 2013.The concurrent resolution summarizes that the United States has thriving broadcasting and sound recording industries thanks to the longstanding symbiotic relationship between the two. Despite repeated calls from the recording industry over 80 years, Congress has consistently rejected imposing a performance fee on local radio stations for playing music on the radio, as it would disrupt the mutually beneficial relationship between local radio and the recording industry. Local radio stations provide free promotion to the recording industry and performers through radio airplay, interviews, showcasing new performers, promoting concerts, and selling associated merchandise. Congress recognizes that airplay and promotion from both noncommercial and advertiser-supported free broadcasting has significantly benefited the sales of many sound recordings and careers of many musicians. Additionally, major labels own masters of the music, indicating their continuous attempts to capitalize off artists and smaller independent record labels they control. This information was posted on recording by Flogger, Asterism.According to Asterism (2007), owning

the masters to recordings involves owning the copyright of a song, receiving performance/mechanical royalties, and controlling points on a record deal. Meanwhile, MUG explains that in music catalog management, Mum (Universal Music Enterprises) adds value through marketing initiatives and coordination of commercial issues across local and international markets.
Furthermore, Christian provides an example of how a song's breakdown works in terms of TV commercial play and single purchases. The master is an asset that can be bought, sold, licensed, or borrowed against. If a song is used in a commercial for a $ask deal, the songwriter and publisher get paid $k each while the owner of the master gets paid $ask. The artist may receive around $500. In terms of a $.99 download, the breakdown is as follows: $.30 goes to the tunes; $.10 goes to the songwriter/publisher ($.05 each); $.06 goes to artist royalty; and $.53 goes to the owner of the master (Christian, 2011). The obvious differences in structure and culture within this partnership raise concerns for the success of 16 Lyrics as an Indies label in the music industry.If 1 6 Lyrics had implemented total quality management (TQM), would their label have gained more control and power? Despite the dense and vague information available, research suggests that major labels have successfully monopolized the industry. Despite their overall success, it seems 16 Lyrics were shortchanged in the beginning. Nevertheless, understanding TQM principles could have vastly improved the owners' profits, rights, and management efforts. To start, they should have utilized lean principles for comprehensive quality definition (TCO A), measuring techniques (TCO B), and comprehension of new product development processes (TCO C). Better knowledge of

TQM may have leveled responsibility among all parties involved in the partnership.In order to implement lean techniques, a five step process must be followed, which includes identifying value, mapping the value stream, creating a flow, establishing a pull, and seeking perfection. To enhance customer focus and utilize the NAPS metric, information from both a purchase analysis and new product concept survey should have been gathered after partnering with CBS. This would have allowed 16 Lyrics to measure overall satisfaction with their music offerings and performances, as well as predict future actions in support of contracted artists. To define or solidify quality, surveys should have been distributed and collected at every performance or appearance of Run DMC or any artist managed by Simmons. Though not in a tech age during the 1980s, it was still possible to obtain a large response rate. To map out the value stream with an end user focus, creativity would have been necessary. For example, putting a survey in each album and instructing consumers to provide honest feedback by mailing it to fan mail or dropping it off at select record stores in exchange for a chance to win a free ticket to the next show. The responses could then be measured for prospective concepts for the new sound of hip hop, which would have been a task well-suited for Rubin.As contract workers, it is important to remember that artists are also customers who pay for studio time or even just beats. By introducing them to glimpses of the future of Hip Hop sound and recording their responses, it is possible to create a flow and establish interest. Implementing Lean techniques

aims to create perfect value, considering both internal and external customers, as well as how receptive they may be towards future plans. As the Lean Enterprise Institute, Inc. suggests, continue refining and removing waste until perfect value is achieved. Reflecting on this assignment has given clarity on approaching the clothing industry when ready to launch a dream clothing line. Despite some past success, the goal is to expand with mass production/printing of artwork and motivational phrases.I also aspire to fulfill Rubin and Simmons' dream of gaining greater exposure and establishing a partnership with a larger company. However, I must remain vigilant and not succumb to the mistreatment that smaller businesses often encounter. I believe that having access to a significant amount of funds does not justify restricting the creative process or limiting the creators' profits. As recommended for 16 Lyrics during its grassroots phase, I will enter negotiations armed with the results of my own research, confident in my own worth, and unwilling to settle for a deal simply in exchange for major support.