I'm admittedly a little off-subject today (see "Siren's getting back into Anime"), but there's some relevance here and it's a subject worth exploring.

As we know, the music industry has undergone a revolutionary change in recent years. The rug has been pulled from every major label executive's office around the world, the erosion of CD sales has been dealt with defensively; companies are suing customers, starting with the most passionate and working their way down. Layoffs are widespread, both at the major and independent sector. The end seems to be near. So what happened?

I have a theory. To me, it wasn't the ipod or even the internet. The Industry quite clearly fell began its inevitable decline on Tuesday June 24th 1997 - the day Sugar Ray released their seminal album "Floored".

I lived in Los Angeles at the time. While driving on the freeway I witnessed people nearly losing control of their vehicles while lunging for the preset channels on their car stereos. The single "Fly" arguably resulted in the simultaneous tuning out of an entire generation, and the insiders knew it. According to one  EX-Warner employee, "Something inside of me died when I had to sell that album."*

Currently, singer Mark McGrath is the host of American TV shows "Extra" and "Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll." Is it a coincidence television advertising revenue has sunk to a new low and the internet seems to be gaining traction overseas on the video front? Today people blame the housing market, but archaeologists may see it differently.

While Australians wait for broadband speeds to increase and economies of scale to lower, be thankful that the internet here has at least developed to the point where consumers can make informed choices. Case in point - I already know I won't be seeing the new Matthew McConaughey film "Ghosts of Girlfirend's Past" anytime soon, but if Dazed and Confused 2 gets made...count me in.

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* Atlantic Records released Sugar Ray in the USA, Warner released the album in Australia. Quote sourced from an Australian employee.