Trials and Tributizations

There were a number of recent articles in the NY Times that reflected the odd current and future state of the music and record industry (the continued and the somewhat outdated use of "record" also reflects the odd state). There were three recent tribute concerts in NYC involving the music of Dylan, Django Reinhardt, and Fats Domino--all seemed to revolve around the reverence for the artists. The tributes all sound interesting and all were all reviewed in NY Times at the following web addresses:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/09/arts/09dylan-sub.html?ref=music

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/09/arts/music/09djan.html?ref=music

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/10/arts/music/10fats.html?ref=music

Also in the NY Times, was an interesting discussion about the present and future of the record industry at the following web address:

http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/20/whats-the-future-of-the-music-industry-a-freakonomics-quorum/index.html?ref=music

Then there's a story about how Billboard changed its record charts rules to allow in an example of the record industry's attempt at a "new marketing approach," the Eagles' new album being sold exclusively at Walmart. This story is at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/08/business/media/08music.html?_r=1&ref=music&oref=login

The stories (for me) signified how the greater talents in music continue to be reinvented through such means as tributes and reinterpretations, while the music industry continues to fall behind the technological advances, and makes lame efforts to reinvent itself.