LADY GAGA, THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, AND HOW IT'S DONE IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Lady Gaga's opening the Grammys tonight, and probably nothing else so far in her career will signal her arrival at the center of the musical mainstream than her duet with icon Elton John.

But while John came up in an analog age of vinyl, plastic and carefully metered unit sales, Gaga's success is the best example of a new type of recording contract that goes beyond just selling "records."

"Underneath Gaga's haystack wigs is a case study of what it takes to succeed in the music business today. Gaga, 23 years old, has made shrewd use of new digital platforms, while still leveraging the clout of a major label, an institution deemed obsolete by many proponents of DIY culture. She is a product of a new kind of recording contract which goes beyond just selling records to encompass everything from touring, merchandise–even her make-up deal. Though she writes her own material, she is as focused on visual theatrics, fashion, and global appeal as she is on the music."

Read the entire piece from the Wall Street Journal here.