an excellent article about the economics of music on the "fringes"

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=25889

A very good analysis which I think can be applied to virtually all other musical genres not considered "Top 40". I am not sure I agree with the author's point of view that taxes should be used to subsidize one's music. I remember dealing with the old JCOA music distributor in the '80's. They prided themselves on being avante guard and for an artistic elite, and then whined about nobody buying their records. I'm not sure taxing me to support them really appeals to me. Just because somebody wants money isn't a good enough reason for me to give it to them.

What I see as the problem is the government subsidizing the essential monopoly that controls pop culture, (through radio and television). The current efforts by the State to virtually outlaw Internet radio are a perfect example of this. The author complains about the market, but I think he's buying into a fiction - there is no market. It's two or three megacorporations run by the same type of people, (accountants) and controlling the law-making process in such a way as to guarantee their control. I won't go into detail on this - there are plenty of sites out there which do. Contrary to what the author says - I WANT there to be a real market in pop culture - we just aren't allowed to have it. Now, I'm not saying that that will inevitably result in the resurrection of avante guard jazz, or performance art, or doo wop, or any of a hundred sub-genres and pop cults. But it would give them a chance to be exposed to new audiences, (especially through Internet radio). Some art forms simply won't make it, I'm not sure that means they need to get paid money by the government*. (Lots of activities don't make it - I tried my hand at designing wargames (which failed) and you don't see me demanding a subsidy). If you create something that people want and they can get access to it, then it will survive. The government and the major media companies are trying to stop that - and to me, that is the fight.

*I do however see the value for preserving such music from a museum-like point of view. But I

(Thanks for the link, Erik!)