Here's an interesting article

OK, since I have to post stuff beyond the assigned readings, here's one I found while conducting a boredom surf.

http://www.dmwmedia.com/news/2007/05/01/analysis-what-is-the-role-of-the-artist-in-a-digital-age

I think this article raises some interesting issues and provides a very good perspective of how an artist should treat this digital age. I especially liked the bit about how viral marketing provides a great way of getting your name out into the artists' field.  I think this author is right...instead of complaining about the limitations the internet has put on music sales, artists should focus on the new possibilities the Web presents.  I completely believe that there is a way to use free music downloads to your advantage, and I'm glad the author here sees that.

I'm one of those people who really gets excited every time she sees a new way of exploiting and using the internet.  Viral marketing, for instance, is a fantastic marketing concept and it's responsible for the success of many independent artists and films.  District 9 got so many viewers due to the simple viral method of putting up NO ALIENS ALLOWED posters...and another film, Downfall (a film about Hitler's last days), has become well-known only after so many gags revolving around a memorable scene were posted on YouTube.  One of those gags can be found here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eERaG5NXTQ

Tell me: why can't musicians and other artists exploit the internet in the same way?  To anyone who is familiar with deviantArt.com, a good example would be the cartoonist known as Rufftoon--as a fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender (the CARTOON, NOT the sucky-ass movie), I have grown to love her fancomics about the show.  Apparently, the Avatar producers found her comics as well, and now she works for them as a storyboard artist. Yet another great example of how digital media can really benefit an artist.

I think artists still have a lot to learn about the possibilities of digital media and the internet...if they can't, I can honestly assume that they simply didn't bother trying.