A great deal has been made about the decline of the music business. But few talk about the decline of the music. What if part of the reason the business is in trouble is that the music doesn't touch people that way it once did? How much is the lack or loss of gatekeepers responsible for the state of today's music? From American Idol to pitchfork.com, what are the reasons for the state of today's music?
JIM CALIGIURI has been writing about music for more than twenty years. A frequent contributor to the Austin Chronicle, his work has appeared in CMJ New Music Report, No Depression, Tower Pulse, Newsday, the Houston Press and other local and national media. He lives in Austin with his two dogs, Lucy and Bosco.
ED WARD has been a print journalist / author since 1965 in California, Texas, Germany, France. Worked for / consulted SXSW since inception. "Rock and Roll historian" for Fresh Air with Terry Gross, 1986-present.
CHRIS MORRIS reports on the music business for Daily Variety. He was previously music editor at the Hollywood Reporter and senior writer at Billboard, and was the longtime critic at the Los Angeles Reader and LA CityBeat. He hosts "Watusi Rodeo" on Scion Radio 17. He has been writing about music, and getting paid for it, since 1969.
