By Keir Bristol
This week we’re going to switch it up a bit and talk about Third Man Records and the controversy they’ve been having with their fans about releasing limited-edition vinyl’s on eBay for significant amounts of money.
For those who aren’t aware of Third Man Records, it is Jack White’s (of the White Stripes, the Raconteurs and the Dead Weather) record label, record store, live venue and production house located in Nashville, Tennessee. In addition to Jack White’s bands, artists like Wanda Jackson, Secret Sisters, and Laura Marling are signed to the label.
Third Man Records
$15,000 of that money will be going to charity- as of now, Third Man Records has not named what charity that is. It sounds good, right?
Here’s the catch. There are only five of these limited edition records, sold for as much as $510.
Which means that if you are a fan of Jack White and you want these records, you better be making money, or else you’re S.O.L.
On December 2, the Guardian posted this editorial written by Ben Swank, Third Man’s general manager. Titled “Why We Sell Third Man Records on eBay,” Swank points out that there are people who pose as “fans” and then sell the records again, at a higher price, for their own profit. By selling limited-edition music on eBay, there is less of a chance of that happening. White said in response to complaining fans on Third Man’s forum:
“We sell a Wanda Jackson split record for 10 bucks, the eBay flipper turns around and sells it for 300,” he explained (via Antiquiet). “If 300 is what it’s worth, then why doesn’t Third Man Records sell it for 300? If we sell them for more, the artist gets more, the flipper gets nothing … We thought we’d let you decide how much they cost this time.”
The Raconteurs, (from left to right) Brendan Benson and Jack White
Fans are complaining that there are so few copies available. The problem is that just because a fan is willing to pay that much money for a record, doesn’t mean they can afford to. Not to mention, who is to say that the person who bought the limited-edition record won’t resell it, especially with all of this controversy going on? The discussion that this has made will only make the records even more valuable. The solution: make no limited-edition records at all.
But musicians these days are making very little money due to piracy. Is this the answer to preventing music from being pirated? Are the fan that are complaining the ones downloading his albums off the internet and not paying him at all?
Not to mention, the music will be available in other formats. (Therefore, the answer to the question about preventing music from being pirated is no.)
Many may re-call the digital tactic Radiohead used in 2007 with their record In/Rainbows- the fans decided what they wanted to pay for the album. It resulted in…. The manager, Bryce Edge summed the idea up well. “Digital technology has reintroduced the age of the troubadour. You are worth what people are prepared to give you in the digital age because they can get it for nothing.”
What do you think?