Future Models of Music Publishing

My new Kindle reader blog seems to be fascinated with the future of book publishing.  They proposed this new business model for books:

If we envision an ideal future for Publishing it might look something like this –

1. Authors. 
2. Publishers (when Authors choose to engage them). 
3. A Platform that facilitates creation, editing, buying, and distribution of books.
4. Readers.

We would want an equitable distribution of profits –

The Platform gets 10-30%, the Publishers get what Authors deem proper, and authors get the rest.

 

Followers of this blog know that I’ve compared the two models before:  see here and here.  This proposed model would have a couple of fascinating ramifications for the music publishing industry:

 

1.  It would put the composer in control of the music – they could use the publisher as a service if they wanted to.  (the opposite of this model is in place today)

2.  It would eliminate the middle man – the music dealers go away.

 

Let me stress this – I value the music dealers.  But I don’t think they will survive.  The consumer deserves the digital medium and the benefits that go with it.  We don’t want the music dealer cost built in, nor do we want the shipping cost.  The digital age allows us to cut out the middleman and streamline the process – thereby reducing the cost. 

 

It is time for a new model – perhaps the book publishing industry will point the way.