The state of the music business – and therefore the curriculum taught in a music business school – is undergoing a sea change. Look no further than the most popular television program in the United States, “American Idol,” which defies the long-standing tradition of musicians honing their craft on the club circuit, building their chops in front of a drunken crowd demanding satisfaction. If you could make it there, you could make it anywhere. Just about every band that would go on to sell out tens of thousands of seats every night in arenas and stadiums around the world started out playing in front of mere dozens (and that on a good night). Now, the era of instant celebrity means TV and the internet can put an unpolished performer in front of millions of eyes, bypassing the impoverished dues-paying stage of an artist’s career.
An independent record label in Los Angeles – the ARK Music Factory – made a name for itself by penning and producing the YouTube sensation “Friday.” The parents of Rebecca Black, a rather typical thirteen year old girl, paid thousands of dollars to ARK to let their daughter sing and perform this original song in a professionally filmed music video. The song was derided by professional and armchair critics alike, yet it was still viewed by millions.
