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I'm currently pursuing my lifelong dream of being a comedian.  After six weeks of nerve racking open mic performances, I have risen from the amateur rank of not-another-douche-bag-that-thinks-he's-funny to the slightly more revered not-this-unfunny-douche-again.  But, I'm learning.  The availability of an amateur stage is essential to the development of every performer.  Stage presence, telling a joke or singing a song, holding a microphone properly and captivating an audience's attention are seemingly fundamental lessons for entertainers.  But these things mean little if there isn’t any substance behind the act.

In rare fashion, I caught myself watching the hit television show, American Idol.  American Idol is a talent contest designed to springboard an amateur singer into fame and fortune.  Initial rounds of auditions before a panel of judges are followed by audience voting which determines a winner.

Take away the glitz and glamour of the competition, and the performers on American Idol are no different from me.  Just like me, the majority of contestants lack essential performance skills.  Because of this, the contestants are undeserving of the show's bounty.  Sure, these kids might be able to sing, but that's not the goal of the contest.  American Idol is out to cash in on an accomplished entertainer.  The end result is a skewed vision of what talent is.  They want a performer first and a singer second.

My concern is just how accurately the show’s formula reflects how “show business” works.  Industry producers and executives rely so heavily on an entertainer’s ability to perform, that talent can sometimes fall by the wayside.  Because of these operations, the "artist" the public is exposed to is a salesman for the music industry; in most cases he's a talentless, organ grinder’s monkey dancing on a street corner as part of a marketing campaign.  Think of any pop culture icons you’ve ever heard of and you get the idea.

It’s sad that many people who dream of becoming part of show business are forced to split time developing their talent while also working an audience.  Performers who cannot accomplish both of these requisites are left out of the limelight.  Unfortunately for fans of music and the arts in general, we miss out on a ton of talent.

I’m very thankful that there are opportunities for new artists to find a stage.  Open mics and other amateur shows allow people to show off their talents without the pressure of pleasing anyone.  It’s a showcase of raw talent.  And, actually, it’s a lot of fun to watch and perform.

Stage presence is one of the most important skills a performer can have, but it is not the most important.  The ability to act, sing, dance, tell a joke, throw a baton, etc. is essential.  In most cases, however, we’re not exposed to that.  Somewhere along the lines we exchanged intrinsic value for the pocket-lining monetary value.  In most cases, it's just not all that pleasing to listen to.

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The Music Genome Project is one of the most fascinating innovations for the music industry.  The project designates a strand of attributes or genes to a particular music genre, band, song, etc.  The idea of "music genes" allow users of the interface, Pandora (and others), to effectively manage personalized playlists over a streaming radio feed.  I think the most incredible feature of this application is that the project can match a listener with music that he may have never heard before but fits his music gene.  This system is revolutionizing the way people listen to music.

This technology has been around for awhile; the project started ten years ago.  But the developments in the technology are drastically increasing the way the music industry makes money by marketing artists and their music.  The ability of this project to expose music to millions of people is astonishing.

Traditional methods of marketing musicians is quickly moving into the vast expanse of social media and digital sharing.  File sharing and pirating music has deeply cut into the profits of production companies.  The Wall Street Journal reported that in 2009, U.S. album sales dropped thirteen percent compared to 2008.  WSJ also reported that digital music sales were up forty percent (The Wall Street Journal, 2009).  Instead of fighting the loses, industry has begun to shift the way it sells music.

However proactive this seems, musicians have been taking advantage of these free media campaigns for years.  It is now easier and cheaper than ever for a band to build a brand and get music to listeners.  Through this exposure, bands are able to give out free samples in hopes that people will come back for more.  And it works.

Even if music fans don't buy the music, they still need a feeling of inclusion.  They spread the word using social media.  With outlets like Twitter, fans can have a first line of contact to their favorite bands.  More people listen in on the conversation and soon enough (barring the music is good), the bands gain ground.  They play shows to bigger crowds, make live appearances and have more products to sell.  They make money.

With innovations like the Music Genome Project aimed at spreading music and more media outlets to share music, the world is becoming a smaller place.  The community of music makers and listeners is more accessible than ever.  Joining the two is as easy as it has ever been and business is working the way it has for years.  The music business lets the community know it is there to provide a service and ensures that service is great.  Profits aren't shrinking, they're shifting.

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