Rebecca made a post today about a topic that we’ve discussed between the two of us, but I wasn’t going to make much noise about it, the main reason being that I had a hard time wrapping my head around the point I wanted to make. I’m still not sure if I’m making one, but the comment I was leaving on her blog post was getting too long. I figured that I might as well just make my own post about it.
Let’s have Rebecca bring you up to date with the issue at hand.
Death Cab (For Cutie) was played on DSC w/Adam Curry and since then everyone’s thinkin ‘OOH WOW actual music on a podcast that i recognize!’ to that john and i roll our eyes – there’s a LOT of great artists out there (some well known, some not-so-much) that are available, podsafe, and i’m glad that my husband’s got the keen ear to pick them out and share them with the rest of us.
from what i understand, as long as you have permission (or they’re listed as ‘podsafe’) – you can play the artist on your podcast ie. John’s played Matthew Good with permission. also, other well-known bands (in certain circles) have released tracks that are podsafe, ie. Less Than Jake‘s – Look What Happened (along with other Epitaph artists). so those are all available for your podcasting pleasure – you just have to know where to look. [miss604.com]
Back when I was first starting out and the whole podcasting buzz was most among media and computer, freaks and geeks, I played Death Cab For Cutie[wiki] numerous times. Of course, that was prior to going completely podsafe with the music that I play. I got emails from people saying that they had always heard of them but never listened to them until they caught them on my podcast. I know for a fact that I turned some people on to Death Cab back then, and the cuts that I was playing was all pre-“Transatlanticism”.
Additionally, there are so many people freaking out because Death Cab is this major label artist posting their stuff on the Podsafe Music Network. The reality is, they have only been apart of Atlantic Records for the release of “Plans”. Prior to that, they were on Barsuk Records[wiki], a nice indie label out of Seattle, W.A. They cranked out five records with them since 1998. Atlantic Records obviously wants in on The O.C.[wiki] hype and signed them up since major labels are trying to do everything they can to make a buck these days.
It’s outstanding that the band has offered up some of their music on the PMN, albeit only one track that is availble as of now. I beg to differ with those out there that say this is a huge step in having more mainstream artists available to podcasts. Death Cab has been pounding the pavement for a long while now, and it was their fifth album, “Transatlanticism”, that got them on the pop culture radar.
There are some who say that signing with Atlantic for the release of “Plans” is a surefire sign that the band has sold out. Music is a tough business that way, and they are probably the poster children of being one of the most successful, independent bands of our time, not to mention being incredible song writers. Now, they get paid more being with a bigger label. It remains to be seen if the band with suffer in their creative process at the hands of record executives.
I have to say that to all those podcasters out there, Death Cab For Cutie is not this mainstream, major label band that is stooping down to “our level” and giving their music to the podcasting community. They started out small and have made themselves into what they are today. They understand the advantages of exploring every avenue they can to distribute their music.
It\’s very interesting post. Id like it. Thanks!