In Which Warner Music Goes Bankrupt

Warner Music Group, one of the 4 big labels, has announced that they stop all free online streaming of their label's music. Services such as Last.Fm, Pandora, and Spotify will not be affected currently, as this plan so far only effects new streaming services. A quote from Warner chief executive Edgar Bronfman Jr states:

"The 'get all your music you want for free, and then maybe with a few bells and whistles we can move you to a premium price' strategy is not the kind of approach to business that we will be supporting in the future."

Edgar is entitled to his opinion and to run his business as he sees fit, however I cannot fathom how he thinks this is a good move.  The sale of plastic disks has been declining as more people go online to find and buy music. The more people that hear your music on services like those mentioned above, the more potential buyers you have.

On the flip side, say you are signed to Warner. I'm no musician, but if I were I would definitely want as many people as possible to hear my music. Obscurity is a bigger threat than piracy to all but a handful of artists. Now the people who control your music just announced that they are making it more difficult for people to be exposed to your music. How does this help the artists that the label is supposed to represent?

This also ruins my plans for my music streaming service I had been dreaming up.  Without such Warner acts as Avenged Sevenfold, Deftones, DevilDriver, Dio, Disturbed, Dream Theatre, Faith No More, Garbage, HIM, Jane's Addiction, Megadeth, Günther & The Sunshine Girls (ooooh, you touch my tra la la.. its classic!).. well you get the idea. Its just not worth it. Its a shame too.  I was going to call it XM, and it was going to be HUGE I tell you! Huge.

Way to doom your artists to obscurity Edgar.