"From Prince to Swift: A Timeline of Artists Fighting Back Against Industry Exploitation"

The music industry has a long history of artists struggling against its often exploitative practices. Here are five notable examples of artists who faced challenges due to the industry's greed and how they navigated or broke away from these difficult situations:

Prince and the Battle for Creative Control: Prince famously changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol and wrote the word "slave" on his face during performances to protest against Warner Bros. Records. He felt they were limiting his creative freedom and not releasing his music at his preferred pace. Eventually, Prince gained control of his master recordings and became a strong advocate for artists' rights.

The Beatles and the Apple Records Dispute: The Beatles, despite their massive success, had numerous financial and legal troubles with their record label, Apple Records. This led to significant personal and professional conflicts, contributing to the band's breakup. They later regained control over their music, but only after a long legal battle.

George Michael's Fight Against Sony: George Michael sued Sony Music in the early 1990s, claiming his contract was effectively servitude. He lost the case but brought significant attention to the restrictive nature of long-term record contracts. This case highlighted the power imbalance between artists and record labels.

Kesha's Legal Battle with Dr. Luke and Sony: Kesha's legal battle against producer Dr. Luke and Sony Music over allegations of abuse and her attempt to break her contract brought to light the complex and often harmful power dynamics in the music industry. Though she faced significant challenges, including a stalled career and legal setbacks, her case sparked widespread discussion about artists' rights and personal autonomy in the industry.

Taylor Swift's Masters Controversy: Taylor Swift's public feud with her former label, Big Machine Records, and subsequent inability to own the masters of her early work, has been a high-profile example of artists struggling to control their music. Swift's response was to re-record her first six albums, creating 'Taylor's Versions,' as a way to regain artistic and financial control over her work.

Elvis Presley's relationship with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, was one of the most significant and controversial aspects of his career. Parker, a former carnival worker, became Elvis's manager in 1955 and played a crucial role in his rise to fame. However, this relationship has often been scrutinized for several reasons.

Financial Arrangements: Unlike the standard manager-artist relationship where the manager typically receives around 10-20% of the artist's earnings, Parker took a much larger percentage of Elvis's earnings. Reports vary, but it's often stated that Parker received as much as 50% or more of Elvis's income from various deals. This arrangement was highly unusual and is seen as exploitative by many.

Career Decisions: Parker's influence on Elvis's career was profound. He was instrumental in negotiating Elvis's move from Sun Records to RCA, which was a pivotal moment in his career. However, Parker also made decisions that are widely regarded as detrimental to Elvis's artistic development. For example, he encouraged Elvis to focus on making movies in the 1960s, many of which were critically panned and seen as formulaic. This focus on movies often came at the expense of his music career.

Limited Touring: Elvis famously never toured outside North America, which is attributed to Parker's lack of a valid passport (he was an illegal immigrant from the Netherlands). This limitation potentially cost Elvis a significant amount of international exposure and revenue.

Financial Mismanagement: There were instances of financial mismanagement and questionable deals made by Parker. For example, he was known for gambling, and there are reports that he gambled away large sums of money, some of which belonged to Elvis. Additionally, Parker made deals that were more beneficial to him than to Elvis, including merchandise and movie contracts.

In conclusion, while Colonel Tom Parker was integral to Elvis Presley's initial success and rise to superstardom, their relationship was fraught with financial and professional decisions that were arguably not in Elvis's best interest. Many believe that Elvis was undercompensated and poorly advised, leading to missed opportunities and financial losses throughout his career.

These stories reflect the ongoing struggle for fairness and respect in the music industry, a theme that resonates with the message in Pink Floyd's "Have a Cigar." Each artist's approach to coping with and addressing these challenges has varied, from legal battles to public advocacy, highlighting the complex nature of the music business.