New Music Business Blog

Hello,

My name is Erik Rostad and today I am starting a blog about the music industry. We are witnessing some historic changes in the way music is sold and consumed. Everyone is aware that the major music companies are scrambling. What’s cloudier is what will replace the outdated business model. There are start-ups in beta form around the country trying to come up with the new thing. All industries are going through rapid changes, although none as strongly as the music industry.

So what will come of the chaos? My wild guess is that people will continue to listen to music that touches the soul. But where will they hear about it? How will people overseas hear about it? How will we in the USA stay informed of what is going on overseas? What will ensure that the right music is heard? The focus of this blog will be two-fold, staying informed about the changes in the industry and writing about the global music scene.

You’re probably wondering why I chose the funny name. Well, Kokopelli is a Native American god that represents the spirit of music. In fact, Kokopelli’s flute playing was said to initiate springtime by chasing away the winter. So while I concentrate on the business side of music, I always hope to keep the spirit of music in mind as well.

I will approach this blog from three angles. I have played violin since I was three years old. Along the way, I have picked up some basic knowledge and five other instruments. I have also experience and education in international business and am intrigued about the global side of music. The third approach is as a violinist for a grammy-nominated artist. I got a glimpse into the industry and met some amazing musicians in the process.

I used to sell t-shirts. They didn’t give me goosebumps or wet my eyes. Music does.

Stay tuned,
Erik
erikrostad.com