Remember this post? The trend — and the debate surrounding it — rages on. The London Times recently ran this piece, with quotes from a member of one of our favorite bands, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, advocating the partnership of musicians directly with brands. The thought being that as record companies have failed to deliver on so many levels for years and years, partnering with a brand actually makes more sense for some musicians – brands have the money to do more direct marketing with them, and the brands are less likely to care about owning masters or publishing rights. For musicians struggling to make a living plying their craft, it may not seem like a bad option. It’s possible that the notion of “selling out” and aligning yourself with a brand to get sales is a thing of the past. In a climate where some groups are getting fees in the 5 digits for a 45-minute show without ever having a single physical release (this is true, trust us), taking brand coin doesn’t seem so insane anymore.