Back to the future?

Reuters is reporting on the rumor mill surrounding the major labels and various mergers and acquisitions that are in the works. While the tone of the article hints at even more consolidation of the music business, reading between the lines paints a slightly less clear picture. Three of the five majors (Vivendi Universal, AOL Time Warner and Bertlesmann) look to unload their music operations in one form or another, but the report doesn't really show that they'll necessarily be folded into one of the others. That's certainly possible, but it may be equally likely that the music gets divested from these huge conglomerates. This could potentially be a watershed moment in the industry, as the lack of focus on the music side of the music business by these huge companies has been one of the myriad reasons modern music is so damaged right now.

It's wishful thinking, I guess, but as the corporate love affair with massive media conglomerates seems irrevocably over, one can hope that the monolithic companies will cut their record labels free so they can aspire to be more than just a line on a corporate ledger sheet.