Hollywood: The Greatest Showman

Chapter 34: Indie music

The melody and lyrics deep in the mind have never been forgotten. Once awakened, they flow freely, but Renly was stunned because the recording software on the computer didn't capture them at all. He had to pause his performance and earnestly begin studying the recording software.

Maybe he shouldn't bother and simply record a video and upload it directly to YouTube. Why bother recording a digital audio source here?

However, this should be a gift, not a debut. Thinking of this, Renly reluctantly put away his lazy thoughts and began earnestly exploring the recording software and searching for recording techniques once again. By the time dawn broke, he finally completed the recording of "Cleopatra," a little over three minutes long.

Indeed, recording music was a very troublesome matter, and Renly felt sore and tired. He needed a break.

Leaving the computer, he brewed a pot of coffee in the kitchen, and the rich aroma of coffee finally revived Renly's drowsy soul. However, since he was halfway through, quitting halfway wasn't a wise choice because Renly knew that once he gave up, this matter would likely be abandoned, and he wouldn't bother with it again. So, he had to push through with this gift.

Pouring a second cup of coffee, he thought for a moment and decided not to add sugar or milk. Holding the coffee, he returned to the computer and recalled the website Neil had introduced him to, the Song Cast.

A few years ago, it was extremely difficult for a musician to release their single or album because the distribution channels were controlled by large record companies and distribution companies. Not to mention the scarcity of publicity and promotional resources.

For instance, the United States is a country on wheels, and radio promotion is the most effective way to promote music. However, the playlists played by major radio stations have already been signed into agreements, down to the list of twenty-five songs to be played in a week and their frequency requirements. Over ninety percent of radio music playlists are controlled by large companies.

This is also a significant reason why independent musicians find it nearly impossible to make a breakthrough.

But now, thanks to the new model of online music, YouTube and Facebook are one way, and iTunes is another, but both ultimately serve the same purpose, providing a platform for independent musicians to showcase themselves. Although the limitations of publicity and promotional resources still hinder their development, at least it opens a window for them, resulting in notable successes like Justin Bieber after the evolution of music forms in the new era.

Renly's knowledge of music was very limited, but after reading the Song Cast website agreement, he suddenly felt enlightened.

Although independent musicians can now bypass the traditional distribution companies and directly release their music on online platforms like iTunes, providing purchasing and downloading options, the process is very cumbersome. It requires comprehensive details such as music format, duration, recording quality, and also imposes strict requirements on the quantity of music. For example, Apple requires a minimum of fifty registered songs under an artist's name to upload to iTunes. Such restrictions have discouraged countless independent musicians.

Moreover, iTunes is indeed a large corporation, and the intricate legal clauses are enough to give people a headache. Even though Renly wasn't a law student, he knew that independent individuals have almost no room to survive in confrontation with large corporations. Their interests will be squeezed to the lowest line, and there are many hidden clauses in the contracts of large companies that further exploit the interests of independent individuals. Of course, the advantage is that they are big companies, so there are no tricks; everything is open and transparent!

In this situation, the Song Cast provides another platform for independent musicians, or more accurately, a possibility.

For most independent musicians, they may just want to test the waters and see if their music can be successful or simply want to find a platform to attract more attention from music companies through selling their music.

In the internet age, traditional self-promotion methods are no longer applicable. For example, sending demo tapes to record companies, participating in big-name artists' opening acts, or auditioning for "American Idol." Instead, there are YouTube videos, iTunes digital sources, and similar online methods.

Of course, compared to free videos on YouTube, online music sales can generate some income, which is undoubtedly more attractive.

Song Cast is such a website that has emerged in response to this trend.

It is actually an online music retailer, somewhat similar to traditional distribution companies. Independent artists upload their music to the website for release, and then the website handles system organization tasks such as file format conversion and illustration formatting, and then completes the distribution to various online music sales websites, including Amazon, iTunes, and all other mainstream websites, with just one upload.

Furthermore, Song Cast is also an important showcase platform. Many big-name producers or record companies use such platforms to find promising singers and actively explore new talents. Although the decline of the music industry has been evident since the twenty-first century, the demand for newcomers in the industry has never diminished.

Song Cast is not the only company providing music publishing services, but it is one of the most mature and successful ones currently operating.

This indeed saved Renly from a lot of cumbersome procedures. No wonder Neil said earlier that everything is now simplified.

Establishing an account, uploading music, writing down song titles and descriptions... Then Renly found out he even had to upload a single cover - this meant he had to temporarily create one, which was really troublesome for him.

He collapsed onto the bed, the soft blanket incredibly comfortable, and drowsiness overwhelmed him once again. Renly almost wanted to give up. Indeed, he was more suited to lazing around in bed than dealing with recording music, designing covers, or uploading audio. It was just too bothersome. He'd rather spend five hours watching a Broadway rehearsal than sitting in front of a computer wrestling with recording.

He sighed deeply, telling himself: this is just a one-time thing, just a special gift, so he'd better finish it in one go.

Even if Renly wasn't reborn, he clearly understood that the modern music industry was in dire straits, both globally and domestically. Gone were the golden ages of the seventies and eighties; even in the highly commercialized nineties, the music market was still flourishing. But now, not only has album sales plummeted, but even today's annual sales champions might not make it into the top ten of the annual charts ten years ago. The entire market has transitioned from the era of albums to the era of singles - everyone is selling singles. Moreover, the quality of music has also declined significantly.

There was a time when jazz, blues, soul, pop, rock, rap, country, folk... Various types of music dazzled people, with a specific music genre rising to dominance in each particular era, such as folk music in the sixties, rock in the seventies, and disco in the eighties. However, beyond these, there were also a plethora of other music types that delighted audiences, and almost everyone could find their own unique style of music.

But now, the music industry was becoming narrower and narrower, completely dominated by pop and rap. Alongside the decline in music quality, other music genres had almost no room for survival. Folk music was one such example.

In the sixties, folk music was once popular worldwide, and it was even powerful enough to change politics and culture. Folk singers like Bob Dylan, David Bowie, and Joan Baez, who sparked civil rights movements and changed the course of history with their music, truly changed the world with their music.

In 2016, Bob Dylan won the Nobel Prize in Literature, awakening people's curiosity and attention to folk music. However, in the past twenty to thirty years, the space for folk music had been squeezed to the extreme. Although it hadn't been phased out like disco by the times, it was not far from it. In Billboard's singles and albums charts, it was difficult to see folk music, even in the top fifty, let alone the top ten.

Renly was a reborn individual, and he also knew that the future belonged to electronic dance music. The plight of folk music hadn't improved, but had further slid into the abyss.

So, recording "Cleopatra" was purely a gift to Stanley - Pioneer Village could survive in the precious land of Manhattan, and even Woody Allen and The New Yorker magazine praised it, relying on Stanley's sincerity and persistence. Jazz, rock, folk, grass music, and other music genres that had almost lost their survival soil, Stanley exhausted his lifeblood to preserve a trace of their existence.

Renly didn't believe there would be another chance. This was also the current situation of independent music, harsh and indifferent, but it was the truth.

Thinking of this, Renly sat up straight again, carefully thought for a moment, rummaged through the computer's album, and finally found a special photo - the gate of Pioneer Village, the quaint and somewhat dilapidated gate, low-key and quiet, with the clean and clear sunlight streaming down in the afternoon, giving off a washed and clear feeling, yet bearing the traces of history.

On the right side of the window was a banner for "Cleopatra," and on the left was a signature for "Renly Hall," not deliberately highlighted, as if it were originally part of the window.

With this, the single cover was completed.

Returning to Song Cast and completing all the information, after clicking upload and watching the progress bar reach one hundred percent, Renly closed the computer and rolled directly onto the bed, finally able to rest.

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