The best way for musicians, folk singers, and performers is to by-pass the music industry rather than take them on. The internet allows access for this. It tends to democratize by offering alternative outlets for music that is not controlled by the industry.

Today, the music industry is on a downward trajectory because it doesn’t really meet the honest needs of the consumer. Still, it operates in the same way as main stream news. It impedes access to music that could be heard and appreciated by the public.

There are those who are sophisticated enough to bypass the influences of media control, which is what the music industry is. Others are short-changed because the general public is not given a choice in their preferences.

As a working musician, I am concerned about this issue.The cultural artistic life of a nation is being hampered by a musical imperialism based on the usual profit motive rather than the intrinsic value of the art. Anyone concerned about the value of folk music should be interested in this issue because it affects audiences for this music. You might think that what happens to the music culture of a nation is not personally important to you but as a musician and music teacher I see the corruption of the value of music taking place in the US. The music industry is at fault. Without the true value of art, democracy is meaningless.

The role of music in society is an analogue for what we are experiencing now. Artistic pursuits are denegrated to money making or treated as “entertainment” for diversion. Our culture is one of escapism and trivializing rather than reaching for meaning in our lives. Folk music is in danger of being considered a cute pastime rather than an important index into our history.