On the other hand, Prince really is that bat-shit crazy.

But sometimes I just put the whole thing on random and delve into the sea.

@Isabel – That was a very well thought-out response.

Let us remember that barriers to entry in the music business (i.e. access to the means of production and/or capital) simultaneously create barriers to entry in music listening (by constraining supply and applying pricing pressures onto what is elastically demanded). If a person must pay for each piece of music they may justly consume (or conversely produce), they will consume (or produce) carefully. The probability of stumbling upon a hidden gem – those artists and genres that we run into throughout our lives by no less than divine intervention – rapidly diminishes without the freedom afforded by unlimited choice. What a shame to miss out on those pieces of music that without warning drop into our lives and at once change our musical (and thus worldly) understanding forever after. These are the musical discoveries that force us to evolve as listeners, and arguably as human citizens. Are these not the moments we crave as we download that which we may or may not listen to? That’s part of it anyway.

Yes, digesting the infinite music libraries that we are seduced into developing (by what I assume is not only our love of music and thrill-seeking, but an unquenchable consumer instinct) is not only overwhelming, but quite literally impossible for a large number of enthusiasts. Nonetheless, we cannot dismiss music in our libraries that we would not otherwise be forced to discount by lack of access under limited choice. It’s true – I might not get around to listening to the Slavic composers anthology I ripped off someone’s ipod, but you can sure as hell bet I wouldn’t be buying it on itunes with 20 bucks in my account and a list of albums I have to pick off in order of importance. Furthermore, the African drums collections I discovered on shuffle, would most probably not have found itself on the Internet, let alone my laptop, if it weren’t for technology’s deterioration of certain barriers to entry (i.e. resources).

While I’m clearly an advocate of cultural (e.g. musical) consumption in infinite quantities, I feel compelled to comment on the consumerist nature of ad nauseam musical archiving. We know we don’t listen to all of the music we download, yet its ownership comforts us in a way that only the brainwashing of consumer culture could possibly explain. Why is it that streaming albums never has quite the same effect? The borderline physical satisfaction of acquiring (versus enjoying) music is simply unfelt when listening in communal space. It seems to me that the ritualistic library building of certain enthusiasts (of which I am shamelessly one) has only somewhat to do with the experience of listening, and perhaps more to do with the act of consumption as a character building exercise. As long as people consciously or unconsciously measure their identity and personal value by that which they own, property will continue to represent 9/10 of the law.

I could not help but think when the author suggested that his music library was so large as to be literally indigestible, that he may well have said that his dick was too big for vaginal intercourse. That being said, I can’t deny that I myself am not shamelessly represented (to some degree) by my artistic collections over time. Could not we all write autobiographies through playlists? I’m fairly confident that with some level of attention, any diversified listener could easily benchmark the evolution of my musical tastes with my level of education, sociopolitical leanings and emotional status – not to mention those of my significant others over time.

While the level of self-interest intrinsic to Mr. Silverman’s argument is significant, it is outperformed by his arrogance. Since when has corporate endorsement reflected true talent or ingenuity? I could easily make the argument that these characteristics are mutually exclusive, although its cliché would surely bore you to tears. I don’t argue that there is a level of legitimacy that may come with the exposure and education of certain “industry experts,” however; there is also an appropriate level of consideration that can be fairly attributed to their varying points of view. Their unchallenged dictation is at best, limiting to the consumer and at worst, fascist. Is this not a democracy after all? Should we not be endowed with the power to self-determine something as critical to our cultural foundation as art and music?

Furthermore, while I appreciate the input of “industry experts” on anything upon which I may spend my time and/or money, their opinions as to what constitutes “legitimate” music are, at the end of the day, speculative. You know why the economy blew up in 2008? Because a bunch of “industry experts” told a lot of less educated people that sub-prime mortgages were a good idea, despite the fact that there were many spectators out there with differing points of view. I would hope that we may learn from that mistake.

SoundExchange is no different in its tendency to under-account. Yet there is currently no watchdog mechanism for artists and writers. Where is the public record of the royalty calculation/payment formula used by this non-profit organization? The total budget breakdown with overhead included? With BMI, ASCAP and SESAC, competition between the three agencies encouraged accurate reporting. The current highly-paid leadership of SX has no such incentive and, unbelievably, no background in the music industry.

Having a performing artist in place at SoundExchange may not be the sole answer. But it’s certainly a step in the right direction. It will push the agency closer to the transparency that’s missing. Having an artist advocate in place makes sense in an organization which exists for the purpose of getting artists and writers paid. Someone has to watch the so-called watcher.

I’ve sat down with both John Simson and Dick Huey to interview them for my TV show The Highway Girl, which examines life in the digital age for artists. I’ve also spent time with Michael Hausman and Walter McDonough, two other board members. I’ve done business with Pat Rains, who’s also on SX’s board.

It’s a shame that people have to write musicians off as not being good business people. I’ve worked with computers since the 1980’s when I was at Dun & Bradstreet. I’ve always been fascinated by technology and began producing one of the first music podcasts in late 2004. I created and have run The Highway Girl in 2005, a multimedia entertainment company for artists and travelers. The company was one of only 10 out of over 400 applications selected for the prestigious Techstars Program in Boulder, CO.

I love the Internet and I have a strong understanding of SEO. Google Singer Songwriter and I’m the first name you’ll find. I did that myself. I also built the prototype website for my company The Highway Girl and I maintain the site to this day. I’m proud to say we are a company run by three people who care about artists and changing the music industry. We’re one of the first channels on the Roku Player and will continue to use to technology to further the careers of independent artists.

Thank you for your support.