While I agree there's room for innovation of other, non-distribution aspects of the music industry, it is precisely distribution that is most obviously broken and thus prone to be tinkered with.
No DJs? Why, there's plenty, they just don't get typical "airtime" anymore. Countless music blogs exist for every genre and niche, not to mention the algorithmic streaming/recommendation services.
"Would you rather save the recording industry, the VC’s, the music technology startup companies or the musicians that provide the means for both those entities to actually exist?"
That's a loaded question, but its greatest fallacy is implying only one can survive. VCs will back whoever they think will bring them a profit and by their nature will seek disruption. Labels are supposed to be handling marketing on behalf of the artists, but mostly exploit them. And tech startups are at the mercy of the labels (and the market). I'd do without the labels and keep the rest. And this might be the greatest opportunity in the industry: the next gen label.
No DJs? Why, there's plenty, they just don't get typical "airtime" anymore. Countless music blogs exist for every genre and niche, not to mention the algorithmic streaming/recommendation services.
"Would you rather save the recording industry, the VC’s, the music technology startup companies or the musicians that provide the means for both those entities to actually exist?"
That's a loaded question, but its greatest fallacy is implying only one can survive. VCs will back whoever they think will bring them a profit and by their nature will seek disruption. Labels are supposed to be handling marketing on behalf of the artists, but mostly exploit them. And tech startups are at the mercy of the labels (and the market). I'd do without the labels and keep the rest. And this might be the greatest opportunity in the industry: the next gen label.