Recently, well at least within the past year, one of my favorite musical artists has claimed on the Internet that the recording industry is in fact, dead.

I'm pretty sure I agree with him whole-heartedly.

For the longest time, I have believed that in order to find "good music," one had to search high and low.

You're simply not going to find it on the airwaves. For the most part, music on the radio is just not good anymore.

So I found myself spending countless hours in record stores just looking. Looking for what I thought might be "good music."

Simply looking for something to listen to.

Then it dawned on me: Why not just keep listening to the tried and true?

I have given up on the recording industry, like many others.

Record companies continue to spit out what they think is the next big thing. Then, anyone who listens to regular radio is force-fed this music as the industry hopes you'll convert and eventually like listening to it and you'll buy this music, whether in the store or online.

Somewhere along the line, the industry itself quit doing what it did so well for so long.

For the longest time, the music industry was willing to take chances on artists and let them grow, mature. As a musician, this is something that does happen.

I have been playing music since I was 13 and I can honestly say that the music I write today is much better than it was all those years ago (not going to tell you how long).

But now, the music industry is only looking for that big hit.

CDs aren't moving out of stores like they used. Fans of music don't buy albums anymore.

They buy songs. And I don't think this is the fault of the fan. This is the fault of the industry.

They simply don't promote like they used to. They don't nurture like they used to.

As an artist, you've got to have the "big hit" right away, at least, if you want to "make it in business."

It seems that if an artist is signed to a major label and doesn't have a hit after two or three single releases, they are dropped or thrown to the wolves.

Fans used to buy music by artists they trusted. You knew you were going to get great music on the entire album.

Now, a record will include what the industry believes to be four "big" hits and filler.

I think the industry as a whole believes fans are morons. They only want to hear the "big hits."

That's so sad. Because there are still artists out there churning out an entire 50-plus minutes worth of music that is enjoyable.

But you've still got to search high and low to find it.