Software and Other Prerecorded Compact Disc, Tape, and Record Reproducing in DMV

Bringing this down to a local level and get into some Muiscnomics here is the DC, MD and VA which is arguably one of the largest economic blocks which operates under the guise of a Metropolitan area ``which can include across State borders alliances and is primarily where the economic growth is coming from  and come to find out we don't really have any organized effort to export entertainment out of the DMV.

So I've taken the time to search for how the District, Maryland and Virginia fared in exporting its local music by compiling the. Industry Snapshot Software and Other Prerecorded Compact Disc, Tape, and Record Reproducing (NAICS 334614)  for each of them via the Census.gov website. Each of the outcomes is linked on their initials DC, MD VA.

DC

Until now there has been no recorded record industry output from the District of Columbia. There is a developing effort which I've been part of called  DCMadeMusic which is soley about exporting DCmusic out of the District. Currently, Mayor Bowser and her administration are making strides in  music and signaled this renewed focus by bringing music into the purview of the TV & Film office ~music and changed the name  Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment. Then let a campaign and industry veteran Angie Gates.On a personal note I've made it no secret that the workforce in DC is ideally suited to be the holders of 100s if not thousands of jobs in the growing economic arena. 

MD

While Maryland is showing some industry data, as the CEO of one the companies reported as an exporter of 334614 goods in MD there was not much help from our local or State economic development offices and basically under the former Gov, we were under assault as a business in MD. I've noticed that the new Governor Hogan has been active in the arts via his wife's time and efforts including working with Jane Chu at the NEA on supporting the Maryland Arts Council. It's still up in the air as to what if anything the Governor will do and I've seen no effort to support Maryland Made Music so your guess is as good as mine. 

VA

I've  talked then candidate Terry Mculliff, now Governor, prior to his election about a vision and any plans to be part of the growing trend of techtainment with music in particular, being a priority.  And, while he was enthusiastic for it there's just no one focused from the top of the state as far as I'm aware.  On the local level an effort by Tim Anderson Associate Professor & Chair Communication & Theatre Arts at Old Dominion University. to stabilize and grow the Norfolk music scene while capturing the historic gifts that have come to music from Norfolk, VA. I'll have a blog about this later in 2016. 

Why not jump in the game with the Brits and sell ourselves some entertainment, jobs and culture diplomacy by the release from the hearts and voice of it's citizens. 

In a Medium post about Entertaining our Economy to Death Im sorry to say I can highlight the point by the September trade data with the US showing a whopping (((((-1,112.3 for September)))) which is when 25 hit our shores in route to the stores for holiday shoppers to snap up at record-breaking pace

Adele's 25 has now sold more than 5 million copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen Music.

Think about this...The number one record in the USA is coming into the USA reflected in the trade data totals; And, little ole UK is kicking our asses!

Ending on a positive note

This local level thread is something that we saw explode with the birth of a MusicCitiesConvention and the expansion of our City Music Deal (TM) into Cleveland via the ClevelandMusicDeal.com lead by Quincy Taylor.  Moreover, I hope to see in 2016 various levels of government across the DMV and the country for that matter (Who doesn't support US Made Music?) coming up with more #musiccities coordinators, czars and economic development plans that include music such as Mayor Megan Barry in Nashville with her continuation of the Nashville Music City Council. Theses are all great steps and who knows what could happen if we got the Music Act going.

PS Digital was only 42 percent of total sales for last year.

While the Sky ain't falling Distribution isn't getting any easier either - which explains everything.

While Glenn is right that music sales are down at the start of 2014 there's a couple of things that the article and for that matter very few people are considering.   And, that's the State of Distribution and the lack of it's importance it has in the mindset of so many when they are talking about the Music business. 

Let's be clear being on a Major Label means it guaranteed distribution. The END.... 

Trust me every major selling artists knows the value that their distribution team brings to the table and that why you see so many old guys, since it's still mostly guys -- save the few executives like Jess Sarmiento; CoCEO of Altavoz Distribution and Leota Blacknor; VP at Caroline Distribution -- in so many pictures with all your favorite music stars.  -- I'll look for a video I have of Katy thanking her's at a convention two years ago. 

Nelson Jacobsen, Ron Spaulding & Jess Sarmiento #MusicBiz13la

However, back to the point... Considering that only one full service distributor has entered the marketplace since 2004 and consolidations have been going on since 2005 there was going to come a time when the chickens err CDs, BluRays, DVDs and Vinyl --yes some is coming back* come home to roost and that is nye.

So what is happening you ask?    If you've been in this business since the 90s think 1995 store returns and 1997 bankruptcy coming together at one time.  Start with if you didn't notice there where a crap load of releases in the 4th Quarter and consumers didn't consume.   Ego Hoc returns are already in trucks heading back to distributors and labels will be finding out about now.  Plus the merger of the onestops and their combining warehouses along with there other distributors moving warehouses created a cluster jam few could have predicted. 

Sure there are some great things happening and efficiencies are being reached at the very high levels; however, the trickle up that is the music business is about to trickle out.  

We need to start thinking that Distribution is the engine that STEAM runs upon and if we don't plan for it just like electronic parts, food, beer & wine and pot growers whom all know distribution is King Music just won't go any where.  While cities like Austin, Nashville Seattle and fingers crossed Washington DC are starting to understand the importance of music to it's culture and economy.   

There is a cycle that will invariably happen and just when things start reaching a boiling point in each city and the musical talent comes together to generate tangible IP and goods.  This talent has to get it's self in a bus, car or van and get to the next place; So, they can spread word of their music while  a distributor (there are only a handful of companies that do it) have to be along for the ride to make sure that every store online and physical is carrying the releases and knows that story behind it and the artists putting it out.

However before that happens planners, investors and those that are looking at the direction that we want to grow our economies from the local to the global markets nothing must start to consider, fund and promote as economy partners in the economy.    

PS  Soundscan is showing that physical music is  presently outselling digital music. 

Altavoz his throwing it's A into STEAM and so should you.

 So STEM is great STEAM is better and since it integrates Science & Technology plus Engineering & Arts with Math.

Hence the name.


Just taking a look at this blog you'll notice that I'm pretty PRO USMADEMUSIC and we're just not going to have music or any Arts with out education being a foundation where our future (KIDS) are introduced to it.

Here's a fact.

Students who study art are 4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement and 3 times more likely to be awarded for school attendance. 

Here's another.

• The US used to supply 80 percent of the Worlds Music today we supply 10 percent 

One last fact. 

• There are more people born every day and every single one of them needs art. 

Having first been introduced to STEAM via the Recording Academy Grammy on the Hill events I realized that for my company to survive let alone the US's place in the world of culture and economics to remain relevant we have to do something about it. 

And @AltavozDistroCo we're not waiting until 2014 we talking it this year.   I'll be making an announcement at the Washington DC Random Hacks of Kindness Dec 7th about a new program that we'll be helping to convey to school, community leaders and economist so stay TUNNED.........

1. http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-arts-education