It's the culture, stupid!

Beyonce is shocked at Bob's suggestion that most people
don't know her new music. It's on the interwebz!

Bob Lefsetz on culture, some fascinating observations... excerpt from Modern Life, read it in full here...

"... So what we're experiencing is a winnowing out process. Everybody can play, but only a few can win. If you think the Huffington Post is for tomorrow, you only live in today. The "New York Times" has nothing to worry about, because they're the only company that features real, in depth reporting, and he who controls information wins in the end.

But the "New York Times" is laboring under the conceit that it's bigger than its writers, which is completely topsy-turvy. Today we believe in the individual, whether it be Elon Musk, Tim Cook, Ezra Klein or Rupert Murdoch. You hitch your star to the star. Otherwise you descend. 

Because people don't trust institutions, they don't trust corporations, they only trust individuals. So if you're building an enterprise, focus on the talent. We can all identify with the talent. We believe Nate Silver has authority when it comes to data, the new people writing in the "New York Times" Upshot...WHO ARE THEY?

So you've got two sides to the equation, the seller and the buyer, and what's even worse, so many are both. Very few are passive today. People may be surfing the headlines, but they're also embellishing their personal brand, they want you to stop by at their Facebook page, check out their Twitter feed, when we ran out of time eons ago. 

So we gravitate to that which is in our face all day every day. Which is why if you want to be a famous musician, you've got to dominate the news cycle. This is what the Kardashians do so well and the bands do so poorly.

Or else you could make a song so good that it dominates the discussion. But we can't even agree on a song of the summer this summer. Is that because one's not good enough or because there's no consensus, because we're all scurrying off in our own direction.

So there are some who sit home self-satisfied, saying they know what's going on, when that's damn near impossible.

And then there are those who not only yearn for the days of yore, they keep bitching about what is lost in the new era.

And then there are those who do their best to keep up. And they're the majority of the population. They're trying to cobble together a life. Trying to decide what is necessary. Whether to look for love online or in real life. Whether to turn off their devices to enrich the experience or be fearful of missing out.

It's the culture stupid!

You might think it's about money and quality and marketing, but the truth is the culture has changed, and those who do not adopt their companies and their products to the new culture are bound to be forgotten.

Today you can truly be famous for fifteen minutes and forgotten shortly thereafter.

The key is to sustain.

And you do this by being in front of everybody with a quality product on a regular basis.

And that's damn hard to do. That's why Luke Bryan puts out two albums a year, why his label keeps pushing singles to the top of the chart, and most Americans still have no idea who he is!

Beyonce may be famous, but few know her new music.

And "Orange Is the New Black" may get great reviews, but who's got 25 hours to dedicate to the show when there's so much else to experience? Or, if you do, what else are you sacrificing?

So stop bitching and start figuring out how to play the new game.

Everybody else is."