Originally Posted by GlockMeAmadeus 
As a music fan, I couldn't be happier about the gloomy state of affairs. There is no better way to weed out the good from the bad than to remove all of the tangible incentives. I believe we are rapidly approaching the day where the measure of success changes because the artist's goals change. Truly creative artists make music because they have to, not because they think there is a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.
Next week: Singles v. Albums
This is exactly what I was thinking whilst reading this.
Sadly the one taste of the 'big time' that bands still get in this country, and way too soon at that, is playing big venues. If any average-at-best wannabes wanna play big venues in this country - keep going - there's a fair chance you'll be upgraded from small local pub to 2,000 capacity venue within a year.
Seriously, in this country, bands don't have to pay their dues anymore before they hit the big venues. A single or two and they are (too) often playing the big venues. Maybe there are less 'big bands' around now, and that's why the venues have to get in anyone they can, but then again they seem to sell out too, so that can't be it.
Who knows, but it's annoying.