Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
DECEMBER 31, 1921
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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
THE QUESTION OF THE TEN CENT CATALOG REVIVED
The Efforts of Certain Trade Factors to Bring About a Return of Ten Cent Music Will Hardly
Meet With Success, Due to the Fact That Music at That Price Cannot Be Made to Pay
Despite all the practical and sound arguments
that have been offered by publishers and others
against any attempt to again market ten cent
editions of popular music there appears to be
a persistent movement to that end in certain
circles. It is hinted that the desire for the re-
turn of ten cent catalogs rests chiefly with the
ten cent store syndicates, who would thus again
be in a position to handle popular prints, but it
seems that there are also those among the pub-
lishers who favor the plan without reckoning
the consequences. In fact, it was rumored that
ten cent catalogs would be on the market in Sep-
tember with a view to stimulating sheet music
sales after a rather dull Summer season, but the
new catalogs did not materialize and are not
likely to be featured as a general thing for
months to come, if ever.
Interviews with well-informed popular pub-
lishers lead to the belief that it will not be
possible to return to the ten cent catalogs, which
means a wholesale rate of seven cents, or less,
for a number of excellent reasons, first among
them being, naturally, the higher production
costs. These higher costs are not confined to
printing, which has advanced heavily and shows
no sign of receding to any degree, but include
higher royalties paid to song-writers and sub-
stantial advances in distributing and general
overhead costs that are not subject to any mate-
rial readjustment.
No Immediate Prospect of Price Reduction
Certain of the publishers admit that they
would like to reduce their wholesale prices,
which would lead to a reduction in retail prices
and probably much greater output through in-
creased volume of retail sales. At the present
time, however, the margin of profit allowed to
the publisher is too close to warrant a cut. As
one publisher expressed it: "Even under market
conditions as they existed in 1914 it would be
impossible for us to wholesale our numbers
profitably at twelve cents, much less at a rate to
permit of a ten cent retail price."
Those who cling to the ten cent catalog idea
urge that although there might not be any real
profit for the publisher under that plan, he could
depend for his profits upon the mechanical roy-
alties. In short, the idea is to rob Peter to pay
Paul, a mighty poor business plan under any
conditions. In the first place, mechanical royal-
ties, so far as the average publisher is concerned,
are uncertain quantities and depend upon what
he is able to get on the records and rolls and
what mechanical companies select his publica-
tions. Following out the argument to its logical
conclusion the publisher who depends upon me-
chanical royalties need only devote his energies
to popularizing his numbers through the medium
of vaudeville singers and orchestras to a point
where they attract the attention of the record
and roll men, and then forego getting out a reg-
ular edition of sheet music, thus saving print-
ing bills, the cost of his sales organization and
much of his overhead with the exception of his
professional department.
Publishers Have Learned a Lesson
The popular publishers, in many instances in
the past, depended largely upon mechanical roy-
alties for their real profits, but the development
of the word rolls and the war conditions, which
increased music costs and took popular prints
out of the ten cent stores, taught the necessary
lesson, and there appears to be no real inclina-
tion among the leading publishers to return to
the old hand-to-mouth selling plans.
The publishers believe that, given normal con-
ditions, it may be possible later to do business
on a twelve cent wholesale basis. At the pres-
ent time one of .the most potent arguments
against such a move is the fact that mechanical
royalties just now are not large. All but the
larger companies in the mechanical reproduction
field are in arrears with their royalties and some
of them are not in a position to pay at all. This
is a situation that cannot be lightly overlooked
and one which will, for the present, forestall any
movement for price reduction.
It may, at some future time, be possible to
publish music at twelve cents wholesale, and do
so at a profit. Mechanical royalties, of course,
would not be taken into consideration, and with
their past experience it is hardly possible that
publishers will ever consider mechanical royal-
ties when establishing prices for their goods.
What the Ten Cent Advocates Promise
The promise of those who would like to see
the return of ten cent music is that they will give
the publishers unlimited support and co-opera-
tion, and will handle only the works of the most
active publishers. This, of course, can only be
guaranteed in word and is insufficient to per-
suade the publishers that the proposition would
be a success.
The publishers know from experience that the
syndicates did, do and will use the larger pub-
lishers and their goods to attract customers to
their counters, after which they will push un-
known and mediocre goods, in which they have
a selfish interest, to the fore. The promise to
abstain from such tactics, of course, is naturally
regarded with some suspicion.
An instance was recently given where a small
publisher in Dayton, O., wrote a big syndicate
offering his goods for twelve and one-half cents
per copy for a thousand copies. The syndicate
in question will likely accept this offer, as it
means a little larger profit than can be acquired
by handling the goods that are nationally ex-
ploited. This one instance goes to prove that
wide exclusive support is not generally given
the active publisher by the syndicates.
No Chance for Ten Cent Editions
All of which leads us to believe that the re-
turn of ten cent music, as far as the fast-selling
hits are concerned, is impossible. There may
be reductions in the wholesale and retail prices
later, but, at the present time, with the dropping
of mechanical royalties and all other things con-
sidered, it is hardly to be thought of.
As far as the purchase of music is concerned
it appears that it would be a most agreeable
proposition to make some reductions, particu-
larly on novelty numbers. Consideration is being
given to the advisability of such an arrangement,
but the low volume of sales at the present time
does not lead publishers to believe that there
would be any marked increase in the quantity
of distribution by such a change. With more
activity prevailing the publishers, no doubt, will
be more amenable to a proposition of that sort.
PI
o
BROADWAY MUSIC^ CORP. MOVES
The Broadway Music Gorp. moved late last
month to its new quarters in the Robertson-Cole
Building, at Forty-eighth street and Seventh ave-
nue. It will occupy the entire fifth and sixth
floors of the building, totaling 3,300 square feet
of floor space. The business and accounting de-
partments will be situated on the fifth floor and
the professional and band and orchestra depart-
ments will be on the upper floor.
NEW PUBLICATION BY FEIST
Leo Feist, Inc., New York, has arranged to
publish a new fox-trot, "Afterwhile," composed
by Vincent Speciale, a well-known composer and
a member of the Ambassador Artiste Ensemble
at the Ambassador Hotel, Atlantic City. Mr.
Speciale has previously devoted his efforts to
the production of more serious compositions.
NEW REMDCK TRISCO MANAGER
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., December 24.—Ben Ber-
mon was recently appointed manager of the
local offices of Jerome H. Remick & Co. Harry
Levitt is assistant manager.
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