AMP Drops Its Entry Fee But Will It Matter?
Will lifting the financial barriers to entry really improve The Australian Music Prize? We canvassed six independent labels to find out.
Earlier this week it was announced (via theMusic.com.au that The Australian Music Prize (The AMP) would now be free for all artists. It’s part of several purported changes to the AMP’s entry process, with organisers hoping to encourage a larger pool of entrants across a broad spectrum of genres.
Last year’s award – won by The Jezabels’ Prisoner – came under arguably more scrutiny than the prize had encountered in its seven-year existence, with judges such as Streetpress Australia’s Andrew Mast, Herald Sun music critic Mikey Cahill and M+N editor Darren Levin openly questioning the process that lead to a shortlist branded as “safe”. In an editorial published on the day of the announcement, Levin questioned the make-up, size and credentials of the 40-strong judges panel, ultimately arguing that “we got the shortlist we deserved”.
But will dropping the $95 entry free help create a shortlist that’s arguably representative of all facets of Australia’s music scene – from garage acts to hip-hop? We asked six independent music labels – the very people this new entry requirement is pitched at – whether it’ll change the way they feel about Australia’s richest music prize.
Sophie Miles
Mistletone
It's good to hear that the AMP have done away with the entry fee, as I know from many conversations with artists that the fee has deterred self-funded artists from applying, together with the finalists having become increasingly mainstream in recent years. There is definitely a perception out there that it's a waste of money applying if your music might be seen as challenging or outsider, compared to the more palatable artists who've tended to dominate.
From Mistletone's viewpoint as a label, the fee is quite reasonable and has not deterred us from entering our artists each year. What would make a difference for us as an independent label would be the ability to submit music electronically, especially if you're lucky enough to make the long list. The cost of sending so many hard copies of CDs for the panel to listen to is prohibitive, especially if you have deluxe packaging. The AMP doesn't even accept promo CDs, and in these days of slim margins and diminishing physical sales, it is a big ask to send so many precious copies which could have gone to retail or the merch desk. In this day and age it would make so much more sense for the artists (and I assume the judges) if the whole process was online. Could they not stream or download the albums via Soundcloud? This would be a massive step towards evening the playing field between independent artists and those with big budgets.
Nic Warnock
R.I.P. Society
I don't think this would encourage me to enter unless I thought something actually had a chance ie. Royal Headache last year [ed – it wasn’t longlisted]. To me awards and accolades of this type are partially on the merit of the record but I get the impression it's just as much about this very shortsighted idea of cultural importance; the album, or band’s positioning in the landscape of the Australian music industry. It’s not so much about the album, but what it represents. I don't think The Native Cats’ [Process Praise] or Kitchen's Floor [Look Forward To Nothing] – two of the best from last year – would have even gotten a look in if they had entered because acts need to be presented in a way that convinces most judges they're "exceptional artists" and culturally relevant for them to be considered. Acts that are certainly more about convincing the general public they're worth their attention than actually communicating anything substantial to the listener.
Joe Alexander
Bedroom Suck
Yeah, I suppose this would encourage us to submit titles. But to be honest, the problem is I've never heard about it enough in the first place – the due dates, where to submit, etc.
Shaun Hemsley
tenzenmen
I guess I would encourage a couple of bands I work with to enter this - one's I thought that might get a viable run. It's difficult to gauge what will happen this year if selection criteria has changed at all - I don't even know what the current criteria might be. For example, is it based purely on music alone, or do things like press, promotion and marketing come into it, too? I guess bands have nothing to lose now.
Steve Phillips
Sensory Projects
I think it’s fair to say that I’m not a fan of the AMP. A prize for the best album “judged” by a band of music industry folk has always made me feel queasy, and that’s not going to change if all of a sudden bands can enter for free. Mostly I think it’s simply sad to feel the need to create a competition out of music making. Honestly, think about it, that’s what concepts like The AMP do. It gives in to every paranoia bands already experience just trying to sell records and do shows. The competition aspect simply confirms for me that The AMP is flawed, beyond any effort to have a level playing field, and that level playing field could never be level enough so long as they’re hand-picking judges and using “a system” to determine the winner. Having a winner, suggesting that someone is oracle enough to choose “the best album” of the year, it seems elitist and odd.
I won’t go into my feelings about the records that have won over the life of the prize – all bands can make an argument that they deserve the proceeds of putting their energies into making an album come to life – but The AMP becoming free to enter will be interesting if, for no other reason, than to see what quality records this process can uncover. Surely that’s not really its ultimate intent though, is it? I’ve seen no proof of it to date.
"The AMP becoming free to enter will be interesting if, for no other reason, than to see what quality records this process can uncover."
One question that should be answered is, if it’s now free, will the artists that entered and paid get their money back? If the PPCA funded the $30,000 prize, what happened to all of the cash from the bands that entered? And how will free entry affect the administration of the prize this year? Questions I’m not even sure I want the answers to.
All these questions probably sound like sour grapes coming from a label whose artists have entered The AMP in years past but failed to show up on the radar, be it the long or shortlist. But I have been uncomfortable with the vibe of The AMP and remain so. In fact, the vibe of it is all wrong to me. Where I was reticent before I will be openly reticent now – and I hope I’m not the only one who feels this way.
Dan Lewis
Special Award
I'm not sure it will make a difference to the overall winner (bar a couple of anomalies there's generally an MOR bent to the whole thing), but as a label I want to get as much exposure as possible for the artists I work with. This definitely makes it simpler and more viable for myself, and no doubt for other smaller labels who don't have the kind of resources that the larger indies have access to.
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Sophie's comment about the amount of cd's require is probably a more relevant issue than any entry costs, as i'd assume in many if not most cases it could well outstrip the $95.
digital should be the way to go, zip files for everyone!
Yeah I always heard more about the number of CDs required rather than the entry fee, so it surprises me that there's been this much talk about the fee being axed.
More looking forward to revelations of the hinted-at changes to the judging process.
this is the most literal example of passing the buck i have ever seen.
hmmm
Yup. Pass the hat around and find $95, it's not hard. Giving away multiple copies of product you could use for an income? Not the best idea.
hahaha
I think the biggest problem lies in the long-listing...and the fact that you HAVE to enter. A good judge should be able to offer his/her opinion on the greatest Australian albums of the year before they then go and pour through all the entrants. The concept of a long-listing procedure is fine, but the fact that almost all of the records lauded by the contributors of this website didn't get a look in means it has failed not just the AMP, but Australian music as a whole.
I'll take the car please Larry
i can't remember what one for the last two years. i know it was the drones, augie march, did eddy current win one year? i mean, i presume gotye won. he wins everything else.
how culturally relevant is the amp award anyway?
won
Fuckin Jezabels won which is about a hundred times even less interesting if that was even possible
oh, that's right. good grief.
Winners
The reason the mercury prize works so well is that it's given to bands that aren't necessarily popular or favourites. Obviously the music culture in australia is very small, but as it goes the jezabels were favorites for the award to begin with, if the whole focus of the awards shifted to picking bands that weren't favourites it would work a lot better. as i've said before, a band shouldn't have to have JJJ airplay to win the award. The AMP may as well be called the 'Best band being played on JJJ award'
Yep.
They're damned if they do, damned if they don't though, as far as non-mainstream music goes. The still young prize needs Jezabels more than they need it.
Though the Mercury Prize winners list is pretty damn mainstream.
How many CDs do you have to provide them with? If they don't take promo CDs, would that mean that vinyl/digital-only releases are ineligible?
for the most part they've become mainstream-ish after winning the award, but yeah you can't really compare the australian scene to anything like the uk or america. fact is JJJ has the monopoly on creating the 'alternative' music scene in Australia, i.e. the beige wave.
Probably. Considering how common this is becoming, that's a fucking disgrace.
I don't know why I get so worked up about the AMP...it means nothing. I guess it's one thing for the Jezabels to get radio airplay and an entirely other thing for them to be given an award telling the world their record was the best thing Australia put out last year.
it doesn't seem right that one person i.e. richard kingsmill has the ability to make careers for musicians or break them. the fact he's called 'the king' makes it that much worse.
not being very familiar with the process for the AMP i was curious as to why M+N asked labels for input - shouldn't bands be submitting on their own behalf?
most indie labels submit on their artists' behalf, plus if we polled bands you'd be seeing this article in a month...
guess it's just easier to ask different labels that represent a bunch of different bands as a whole than to just ask a few bands individually.
x post
Kingsmill as evil overlord of the j's is the biggest myth in australian music
Cash prizes shouldn't accompany any ''critical'' music award
ha! i'll submit everything this year (if it's digital....) won't even tell the bands.....
it's interesting looking at the mercury list.
you'd imagine that some of the big surprises - roni size over radiohead, ms. dynamite over the streets, klaxons over amy winehouse, speech debelle over anyone - were the breaking of the artist as much as the making of them.
I'm not saying he is an evil overlord
Everyone in the music industry already makes more money than the musicians themselves. Why not take a little bit more away? Pffft.
'Everyone in the music industry already makes more money than the musicians themselves''
I thought most were losing their jobs? is anyone making money in the industry?
My point is that it creates a conflict of interest. The award has turned into Triple J / majorish label backed bands shitting all over more deserving artists. I think a lot of the outrage about how poorly run the AMP is would go away if The Jezabels and Lisa Mitchell had won just another meaningless industry award.
Depends what you call 'making money.' I'll submit about a grand to the ATO as my earnings for the year. I'd hazard a guess that that's probably not too shitty.
Many managers, label people, those at touring companies can. I've spoken to many of them today, in a professional capacity, on the sly, at my shitty, shitty day job. It's not much, and it's getting worse, granted, but I think it sucks because I don't like working and I wish I didn't have to. I don't resent these people personally of course - I could have trodden this path myself. I realise it's fraught with insecurity too. Thinking about it though just blows my mind.
Correction: Lie. I have negligible people skills.
But you know, there's an ''industry''.
Also, you're right about the definition of ''making money'' - I guess most of what a band makes is reinvested, and it's rare for a band will get to the stage of having per diems or a wage.
the pluggers get paid! he he!
It seems kinda odd too that the award can only have one winner. I'm sure there is a reason for this. But if they could extend on that then I guess they could be more broad in their taste.
Agree that the major cost seems to be in all those copies of CDs. I run a vinyl/Digital only label pretty much so it puts me out of the race straight off. I would press CDs if people bought them but they don't so i'm not doing a pressing just to enter a prize i'd never win!
that's a good point actually, usually with awards there is some sort of prestige in getting nominated in the first place, which can at least be some compensation for not winning. but it seems that getting short listed for this award is completely irrelevant, which says a lot.
WINNING this award is completely irrelevant.
Looking at those shortlists from year's past reveals a fuckload of shit albums actually. The only way to make an award prestigious is by keeping it in good company.
Hm, interesting that the public scrutiny last year all came from Melbourne-based media...
that was my point bro
steve phillips: right on.
ain't a competition
steve knows the score. waste of time.
so err, some stuff's been announced.
Part of the shake up this year also includes the judges ability to automatically consider ALL Australian releases for the prize. Thus, the acts listed here have been deemed as having ''shortlist potential'' and so are hereby being ''invited to enter'' the competition.
While this new method perhaps poses as many questions as it seeks to answer, if the acts with ''shortlist potential'' listed here are any indication, we should at least see a far wider (and accurate) reflection of what's actually happening in Australian music. And to the reshuffled format's credit, fans and bands alike can visit the AMP's Facebook page to find a list of 2012 releases and email organisers if you believe something to be missing: info@australianmusicprize.com.au
The first 26 albums to be invited to enter The Coopers Amp:
Alpine - A Is For Alpine
Bearhug - Bill, Dance, Shiner
Bushwalking - First Time
Catcall - The Warmest Place
Charge Group - Charge Group
Children Collide - Monument
Deep Sea Arcade - Outlands
Dirty Three - Towards The Low Sun
DZ Deathrays - Bloodstreams
Emma Russack - Sounds Of Our City
Forty Thousand Sisters - Goodbye Broken Sled
Grand Salvo - Slay Me In My Sleep
Hermitude - Hyper-Paradise
Hilltop Hoods - Drinking From The Sun
House Vs Hurricane - Crooked Teeth
Jess Ribeiro & The Bone Collectors - My Little River
Liz Stringer - Warm In The Darkness
Made In Japan - Sights & Sounds
Missy Higgins - The Ol' Razzle Dazzle
Ollo - Ape Delay
Pond - Beard, Wives, Denim
The Bamboos - Medicine Man
The Hello Morning - The Hello Morning
The Maple Trail - Cable Mount Warning
Tim Hart - Milling The Wind
Xavier Rudd - Spirit Bird
Judges will soon announce more official invitees to the longlist, which will then be whittled down to a shortlist of 9 in early 2013. The winner will then be announced in March and take their $30,000 prize to the bank/Centrelink.
And the prize for most confusing music prize goes to...
+1 for ''the AMP sucks''
it is also sponsored by Coopers, proud sponsors of jumps racing and the SA Liberal party. awesome.
And the mighty Redlegs!
I can't believe there hasn't been a news piece on this though. Got announced last night!
we're still trying to work out what the fuck they're on about...
not sure if the announcement is sparkling or pale?
8.0/10
glad it's not just me then JJ...
Zero points for trying
Shit starts with the letter s.