With hot issues like this brewing situation we uncovered with SoundCloud and Universal, it's one thing to have writers speculate; what we want to hear is the people who are on the frontline: producers, remixers, DJ, and label owners. If we had a choice of who we'd want to speak to, it'd be Soulection's Joe Kay, who is not only a DJ but a real curator of future music. He's finding the next in line, and doing well with the people he's pushing. Over the last 24 hours he went on a spree of posting a number of SoundCloud links for up-and-coming artists, as well as speaking his mind on his fears and frustrations regarding this ordeal. It looks like a takedown of a radio show sparked the initial tweet, and he just went on from there.
You can hear the frustration on a number of levels, but the one I want you to focus on is the fact that what got taken down: a radio show. Now I don't want to go on a rant, but I can sort of understand a label bugging out over a remix of a song that you're giving away for free. But we're talking about a DJ / curator that has an established sound, a brand that flows in that sound, and a radio show that's highlighting music that probably influences their sound; at the very least, it's shit they love. Theirs is not a payola deal, and you can't front: radio shows make people aware of music. Why ELSE do most mainstream radio outlets play the same batch of songs every day? Now assume that the DJ either got the music from the label/PR rep for promo purposes, or purchased it legally. You're penalizing someone for playing something they bought legally, when it comes down to it. I know there are situations with radio laws and licensing fees and all of that, but the heart of the issue is someone being punished for highlighting things they enjoy. It's a sad situation, and a big part of the gap that needs to be bridged between how people use these platforms and how the recording industry can benefit.
Anyways for those who wanted to hear Joe Kay's "Searching for the Sound of Tomorrow" selections during the last day or so., we put them in a convenient playlist for you:
