Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
50
THE
MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
NOVEMBER 15, 1919
TEN CENT EDITIONS OF POPULAR SHEET MUSIC DOOMED
forced upon them by the printers' strike now in
progress. If it is true that it is impossible for
Cost of Production Renders It Impossible for Publishers to Issue Sheet Music to Retail for Ten a publisher producing non-copyright sheet music
to retail it at 10 cents per copy, then it would be
Cents Without Sustaining Severe Losses—Fifteen Cent Editions Gaining in Favor
foolhardy on the part of a publisher of popular
For the past few seasons all indications have 13 cents a copy it would be possible for the copyrighted music to attempt to do so. For the
shown that the publication of popular music to publisher to stay in the business of publishing publisher of non-copyright editions avoids the
retail at 10 cents was doomed. It is a known fact so-called popular music. A big obstacle, how- expense of paying royalties on every copy sold,
that the profits to the big publisher with a large ever, in the publishers' efforts to inaugurate a and in addition has works mostly of the class that
organization have been only a fraction of a cent 15 cent edition, has been the larger syndicate are termed standard numbers, which can be pro-
per copy, and many have believed for some time organizations who have a maximum charge of dnced in voluminous quantities for the simple
that if it were not for the mechanical royalties 10 cents on all articles purchased in their stores reason that the sales of such numbers vary very
it would be impossible for such large companies outside of their branches on the other side of little throughout the different seasons.
with heavy overhead expenses to continue to the Rockies and on the Pacific Coast. These or-
No publisher is probably in a better position
supply syndicate stores and others with sheet ganizations have been adamantine in their desire to know his costs than is the publisher of non-
to maintain a 10 cent maximum on sheet music, copyrighted music, for he eliminates many of the
music at &y 2 cents a copy wholesale.
At the present time, in the printing trades in and as they have over five hundred retail sheet expenses that the publisher of a copyrighted song
the city of New York, where most of the larger music departments and pay the publishers in ten is forced to meet in order to exploit his numbers.
publishers are located, there is in force a printers' days' time, they have been a large obstacle in
The publisher of popular 10 cent music who
strike, and whether those involved in the strike the way of the publishers accomplishing their has been laboring under the impression that he
win or lose it has already been agreed that the desire.
has been publishing at a profit will probably by
printers themselves will get a raise, the strike
Recently one of the larger of these concerns close analysis find that if it were not for other
really being because of a difference of opinion sent out a general order to all their sheet music sources of revenue, such as mechanical royalties,
as to the number of hours that shall compose a buyers in which they encouraged their depart- he would not be able to continue in business.
working day. If the profit to the larger publisher ment heads only to purchase music from the
It is thought that at least one of the larger
has been only a fraction of a cent on popular larger publishers of popular songs. In this it syndicate stores will not at once attempt to raise
music, and this has been conceded in almost would appear, if they intend to continue to make the retail price of their sheet music, inasmuch as
every instance, the additional cost under the new 10 cents the maximum price, that they have made they have always made it a point to impress the
arrangements of publishing popular music will a great mistake, inasmuch as it is quite impos- public with the fact that 10 cents is their maxi-
absorb anything in the nature of a profit.
sible for the smaller publishing house with a mum on any one article purchased. But if they
That the publishers have realized this, and larger overhead expense to issue music to retail find themselves very shortly without hits it is
have acknowledged from time to time that it at 10 cents and to show a profit. They then a reasonable conclusion to anyone who makes
would be almost impossible for them to stay in force the smaller publisher to look elsewhere to a close analysis of the situation that they will
business were it not for other sources of reve- dispose of his products, and at the same time be forced to raise in order to get the hits, as far
nue, again has been shown by the spontaneous it is almost impossible for the larger publisher as their music departments are concerned.
action of most of the larger houses in issuing to continue supplying popular music at the pres-
The publishers who have inaugurated during
works to retail at 30 cents per copy. This they ent wholesale price. If they will continue in the past two seasons 30 cent catalogs have in-
are doing with so much success that it is sure this attitude, they have nowhere to turn for variably done so successfully. They are receiv-
that they will continue to place more and more goods of fast selling qualities.
ing the utmost encouragement from the higher
of their numbers in that priced catalog if they do
In addition to all the above, one of the largest priced syndicate stores who have a maximum
not discontinue and eliminate 10 cent music alto- publishers of non-copyright music in the coun- price of from 25 cents to 50 cents. With this
gether. From time to time there have been ef- try will shortly announce that their publications encouragement and the success of the numbers
forts made to make the retail price of popular will in the near future be issued to retail at 15 themselves, their position is not in the least
music 15 cents per copy. It is thought that at cents per copy. This move has been probably weak, and if it were, the situation that they must
NOW ITS UNANIMOUS
THe Performers
TKe OrcKestra Leaders
The Trade
All Said We Had The
Jazziest Fox Trot Song' of THe Season
NOW THE PUBLIC ARE
WHEN
DEMANDING
YOU'RE
ALONE
Retails at Thirty Cents
ARTMUSIC, Inc.
145 WEST 45tH STREET
NEW YORK CITY