Feature / Music
Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (August 2007)

Top Five Non-Existent Reunion Albums Of 2007

1. Heroin - Here's Heroin (Sleeve made out of recycled Clikitat Ikatowi sleeves)

2. Lancelot Link and The Evolution Revolution - C.H.I.M.P.

3. The Archies - Archies Reunion Album

4. United Mutation - Mutation Ruling the Nation

5. Guyana Punch Line - Aum Shinrikyouth Crew

(Jon)

Top Five Signs The Record Industry Isn't Doomed

By now, you've heard the cries from all corners of the music industry: CD's are on their way out, forever. Illegal downloading has ruined everything. Artists, labels, management firms and PR companies are all screaming it, but things aren't as bad as they are making it out to be. CD sales will continue to fall, but that doesn't mean the entire industry is about to fold. Rather, this is just Darwinism of music and the weak shall be weeded out. The generic and the regurgitated will fade away, leaving only those who write music that pushes the boundaries and is written out of a deep love of music and a need to create left.

1. Sales are down; there is no denying that. But, look at the artists that are losing sales. It's not the hardworking independent musicians of the underground music scene. It's the major label artists that are crammed down our throats through all forms of the media that are seeing their record sales fall off. We the music buyer are fed up with the rockstar shtick and paint-by-numbers music; we want our music written by people that actually care about what they're writing, not some prim Donna that is just waiting for their next royalty check.

2. Independent artists have been slowly invading the sales charts. Five or ten years ago, the thought of an indie artists appearing on a Billboard chart was unspeakable - if they did, it was usually considered a fluke. But these days, artists from labels that operate out of apartments are competing on a peer level with multi-million dollar record companies. Specifically, genres like hardcore and punk, which have always operated on a DIY level, have been given more press coverage. This increased attention and appeal to underground music has allowed those genres to prosper and grow, and yet maintain their DIY attitude to their close-knit community. Though, a part of me hopes that this means that the world is just getting better taste in music finally.

3. Sales of albums purchased on the Internet increased 103% in 2006 as compared to the previous year. And with the recent influx of record labels releasing albums online (many of them exclusively) we can only expect that number to increase further. While the Internet sales only accounted for 16% of total sales for last year, one can expect that number grow immensely for 2007. This is just an educated guess, by no means am I an "industry expert". Digital retailers like iTunes, Downloadpunk, Rhapsody, eMusic, etc. will only continue to prosper in the years to come.

4. Store chains have been folding and scaling back across the country - Tower Records, Virgin, Sam Goody, etc. Just because record stores are closing, doesn't mean the world of music is dying as well. If you were to look at the percentages of records sold through online distros, I would guarantee that they have increased significantly since the music industry sales starting to slump seven years ago. Music buyers can get what they want quicker and cheaper online and shipped right to their house as opposed to traveling off to a big-box store only to find out they don't have the new *insert your favorite band* CD, but instead an endless supply of 50 Cent and Kenny Chesney CD's.

5. Finally, in a bit of a shocker, vinyl sales have increased over the first half of 2007. While most might find this surprising, I was even taken aback by this; it's really not as hard to believe as one might think. With a lot of record labels and artists including CD-R's or download cards (Disc Revolt and Dropcards) with their vinyl, the incentive to purchase vinyl has multiplied. Now you can spin your wax while you're at home, but also download the same tunes to your iPod and enjoy them wherever you go. Technology - got to love it!

(Michael)

Top 5 Side Projects That Will Incite Mass Excitement In AFI Fans

1. Blaqk Audio
2. Blaqk Audio
3. Blaqk Audio
4. Blaqk Audio
5. Blaqk Audio

(Matt)