NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL

A record label deal and TV exposure are great scores, but for most musicians, usually those things don't come as a package deal.

The Time Life label, best known for hawking its multi-artist compilations via infomercials, has signed a deal with Joan Osborne to release her new album, Breakfast in Bed, next month and promote its availability via TV spots.

"As an artist, you must be on the lookout for different opportunities," Osborne told Billboard. "We've all seen the Time Life ads on late-night TV. This is a great way to reach people who don't necessarily seek out new records."

In her heart of hearts, Osborne probably wishes the music industry was more like it was in 1995, when a major-label imprint released her breakthrough album, Relish, which contained "One of Us," a Top 5 pop hit in America.

But as she told Billboard, "the old business models are falling away," and she's 100 percent correct. The major labels don't operate the way they did when Osborne hit the scene (or even a few years ago), and the same goes for radio stations and MTV. So thinking outside the box is necessary.

It wouldn't be unusual if some cynical musicians -- and maybe some fans -- wrongly dismiss Osborne's Time Life deal out of hand, thinking it cheapens her music or reputation. But don't be surprised if what she's doing becomes as commonplace as artists licensing their songs for commercials. That had its share of detractors in the beginning, too.