What does it take for an artist to be successful in the music industry today? What are some of the different ways that artists have promoted themselves and their work? How much of a role does social media play in an artist’s success? And do artists still need the backing of a major record label in order to succeed? Limit: 10 responses
Hannah Berkel
ReplyDeleteToday, musicians have the help of social media when it comes to finding success. Artists are able to connect more with audiences through social media than in the past. TikTok can be hugely beneficial for smaller artists, as songs that go viral on TikTok end up on the Billboard 100 and, “67% of the app's users are more likely to seek out songs on music- streaming services after hearing them on TikTok” (Whateley). Personally, I love finding a new song on TikTok, but I am usually in that other 33% of users who do not seek it out on streaming services after. Instead I save the video, forget about it, and never listen to the song again. Despite that, there have been so many artists discovered on TikTok in just the past couple years, showing how influential a social media presence can be for artists.
Nowadays, artists are not experiencing the level of financial success that they could be due to streaming. Although I personally think streaming is great because I enjoy getting access to an abundance of music for just one small monthly price, artists are not getting paid as much as one would think. For Spotify, they get paid between $0.0033 and $0.0054 for every song stream, and on Apple Music it is $0.01 (Andrews). These are miniscule amounts, especially for smaller artists who are not receiving millions of streams each month. Thankfully, artists are able to bring in revenue in other ways, such as tours and merchandise. I feel like musicians I follow are constantly promoting their merchandise on social media. Due to the pandemic, the state of live music was abysmal. Now, concerts have been making a return so that source of revenue has begun to pick back up. I went to my first concert in over two years just last month and it was sold out, so I think that concert sales and attendance will increase as people feel more comfortable.
As far as record labels are concerned, I do not think artists necessarily need them as much as they once did. There are certainly benefits to being signed to a major record label, but now thanks to advances in technology and the internet, artists can find success on their own. Artists like Chance the Rapper, Macklemore, Tyler the Creator, and many others are independent from labels and have still found extreme success, meanwhile there are artists like Lil Wayne who although successful, is stuck in a constricting contract with his label (“Why”). Ultimately, it is up to an artist to determine whether being signed to a label is worth it, but it comes with risks. Artists may not always have complete ownership over their music, may be unable to make decisions when it comes to their own music, and now with streaming labels are trying to recoup losses that they did not experience when there were physical record sales, so they take revenue wherever they can. I think we will see a shift where more artists choose to be independent from a label, especially as streaming grows.
Works Cited
Andrews, Travis M. “Spotify Backlash Offers Rare Insight into Reeling Music Industry - and Struggles of Working Musicians.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 23 Feb. 2022, www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2022/02/14/spotify-young-rogan-music-industry/.
“Why We Need to Leave Record Labels Behind in 2020.” Hip Hop Unrapped, Hip Hop Unrapped, 10 Mar. 2021, hiphopunrapped.com/articles-hiphop-rap-socialissues/why-we-need-to-leave-record-labels-behind-in-2020.
Whateley, Dan. “How TikTok Is Changing the Music Industry.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 3 Jan. 2022, www.businessinsider.com/how-tiktok-is-changing-the-music-industry-marketing-discovery-2021-7#:~:text=TikTok is an essential promotional,generated posts from their fans.
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DeleteTalya Castonguay
ReplyDeleteThe music industry has seen massive changes since the introduction of streaming platforms like Spotify, Pandora, and now Apple Music. Because of the changes in the industry, there have also been many changes for how artists release and promote their music. Social media has become a huge factor in the release and teasing of some artists’ careers. In today's society, when looking at the music industry, it doesn’t take many things to be successful, just a good song that people can connect with for whatever reasons.
TikTok has played a huge role as the app has continued to increase in popularity. Not only have they been able to bring songs from decades ago back onto the Billboard charts thanks to rotating trends, but they’ve also helped brand new artists gain a footing in this massive industry. According to an article on Insider, 67% of TikTok users are more likely to seek out songs on streaming platforms after hearing them on TikTok. That is huge for new artists just releasing their first song or EP, and if they can get one of their songs to be the center of a brand new trend, they will very easily be able to start up a music career (Whateley).
Artists have found many different ways to promote themselves and their music. One of the most recent ways is through releasing documentaries that will show viewers the process of them writing their most recent album. Taylor Swift being a good example, her Miss Americana, available on Netflix not only promoted much of the music she was writing at the time of its production, but also the path her career has taken, and it also gave viewers a more in-depth and personal look into her life, and some of the struggles she’s faced over the years. Something coming up very soon is Olivia Rodrigo’s Driving Home 2 U, a 2-hour documentary showing her process of writing her hit debut album, Sour. This album will be released to Disney+ on March 25th (Dailey). Similarly, to promote her new album, 30, Adele had a special that premiered to Paramount+, One Night Only. In this she performed some new tracks from her album. This method is being used by many other artists, and it’s a successful tactic. Showing a more vulnerable and personal side allows viewers and fans to feel more connected to these artists, and it will allow for their listening experience to mean even more.
So, considering the shift in the music industry, this begs the question; with social media playing such a large role in the popularity of artists, songs, and albums, is being signed to a label necessary anymore. Put shortly, no, it isn’t. Labels have been struggling as of late, as artists often don’t want to conform to the guidelines some labels have regarding the kinds of songs and videos they can put out. Chance the Rapper is a very prominent artist who refuses to sign to a label, despite having several offers. He continues to remain unsigned because he enjoys being able to write songs and perform whatever he wants. He can choose whatever shows he performs in, and does not have to answer to a label (Barnes). So, while many of the biggest artists in the industry are still signed to labels, I believe that over the course of the next 5-10 years we will see an even larger number shift over to being unsigned artists, so that they can release whatever kinds of music they like.
DeleteThe music industry is always changing, and popularity of genres and artists are always shifting with the industry. I believe that we will continue to see new ways in which artists utilize both social media and marketing methods to promote themselves and their music.
Works Cited
Barnes, Tom. “9 Artists That the Music Industry Will Never Own.” Mic, Mic, 16 Apr. 2020, https://www.mic.com/articles/118796/these-are-9-artists-that-the-music-industry-will-never-own.
Dailey, Hannah. “Olivia Rodrigo Announces Intimate Documentary Detailing Creation of 'Sour': Watch the Teaser.” Billboard, 18 Feb. 2022, https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/olivia-rodrigo-sour-documentary-film-announcement-1235032929/.
Whateley, Dan. “How Tiktok Is Changing the Music Industry.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 3 Jan. 2022, https://www.businessinsider.com/how-tiktok-is-changing-the-music-industry-marketing-discovery-2021-7#:~:text=TikTok%20is%20an%20essential%20promotional,generated%20posts%20from%20their%20fans.
In today’s day and age, artists need to be creative with their marketing approaches to make themselves successful in the music industry. Everything has shifted to being online and music artists have become strategic in their approaches. One of the most popular ways that artists are becoming successful is on TikTok. Since the pandemic, TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms. TikTok provides short video clips and users can attach a song to the video. According to Dan Whateley from Business Insider, “Songs that trend on TikTok often end up charting on the Billboard 100 or Spotify Viral 50” (Whateley). Many artists have been discovered on TikTok, because their songs were trending on the app. Music labels are also aware and conscious of this new behavior. Dan Whateley also noted, “Many record labels have teams dedicated to monitoring the app, so they can help fan the flames on a trending song when it starts to take off” (Whateley). Record labels are constantly monitoring the app to see the emergence of new artists. Every time someone uses a new song in their video, the artist becomes increasingly popular, and users will want to hear more of their songs. Having a record label helps to back up these emerging artists in their future career. But, there are other ways that artists self promote their work.
ReplyDeleteMany users want a glimpse into the lives of famous artists. Fans want to follow their lives and see what they’re doing. Music artists have taken advantage of this by constantly posting on social media and creating visual content for fans. Olivia Rodrigo, one of the most notable artists of 2021, created a documentary about her album for her fans. Rodrigo blew up with her hit single “Driver’s License”, which eventually led to her debut album SOUR. John Janick, chairman of Interscope Films said, “It’s an authentic look into her creative process, her incredible drive and who she is as an artist and person” (Dailey). This is just another way that artists are self promoting. Fans want to hear about her story and how her album applies to her life.
Social media is one of the key factors in determining an artist’s success and future. Many users follow their favorite artists on social media to see their lives and personality. The fans want to maintain a relationship with their favorite artists and learn more about them. Social media has taken over our lives and everyone uses it to stay connected with each other. Artists promote their music on their social media platforms to their millions of followers. Followers want to be among the first to listen to a new song. Social media is a direct representation of the artist. Janie Whitefield from Venture Music stated, “People across the world, especially teens, tend to grow attaschments and become heavily influenced by creators online because of their personality, style and looks'' (Whitefield). Fans want to establish a connection outside of the artist’s music. Social media enhances the success of artists. It also allows for artists to participate in collaborations with different brands. Many artists will be influencers for different brands and they will post it on social media. Social media has opened up the doors for artists in how they express themselves and interact with fans.
Works Cited
DeleteDailey, Hannah. “Olivia Rodrigo Announces Intimate Documentary Detailing Creation of 'Sour': Watch the Teaser.” Billboard, 18 Feb. 2022, https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/olivia-rodrigo-sour-documentary-film-announcement-1235032929/.
Whateley, Dan. “How Tiktok Is Changing the Music Industry.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 3 Jan. 2022, https://www.businessinsider.com/how-tiktok-is-changing-the-music-industry-marketing-discovery-2021-7#:~:text=TikTok%20is%20an%20essential%20promotional,generated%20posts%20from%20their%20fans.
Whitefield, Janie. “Why Artists Should Be Invested in Their Social Media.” Venture, Venture, 2 Feb. 2021, https://www.venturemusic.com/blog/why-artists-should-be-invested-in-their-social-media.
Robert Lyon 1/2
ReplyDeleteSome may argue that being a music artist today is easier than it used to be given the rise of internet usage and streaming platforms to promote their music to millions. Walker Hayes, the country artist whose song “Fancy Like” made it to top through Tik Tok. His Tik Tok dance with his teenage daughter had over 21 million views. What was so interesting about this is that people started making their own father/daughter Tik Tok’s sending the song to the top of the iTunes charts. He had been a country artist for years that wrote songs for others and tried to get his foot in the country game. I am sure, not even Walker Hayes thought that a teenagers Tik Tok would send his music to the top of the iTunes charts over Taylor Swift and other more famous artists.
Since consumers are no longer purchasing their music from mall stores, the music industry and its artists need to adapt to platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. Companies like Tik Tok use influencers to test out new and upcoming music, even if it's just in ads they run without us knowing. Influencers are here to help artists succeed. An artist can essentially test out a new song on social media before they “officially” release it. From a favorite tailgate anthem to listening to a song while doing everyday tasks, influencers share their passion for the song with their audiences. In return, audience engagement with this influencer's content becomes positive and the consumers become engaged with the music as well. It is a genius marketing scheme if you ask me.
Not only has the music industry changed as a result of technology but has also changed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. During the height of the pandemic artists couldn’t perform in arenas with sold-out audiences but instead looked to create live, streaming events on social media platforms. These new avenues brought live events to millions of new followers. Artists were using their Instagram platforms to link their followers to merchandise in their fan shops, another strategic marketing move. So, you can argue that the pandemic combined with increasingly popular social media platforms have given music artists new marketing tools.
Given all of this streaming that happens daily, how are the big music labels making their money? Since most streaming services require a paid subscription, the companies would look to have some arrangement and get their revenue from them. Big record labels still offer credibility and more avenues to distribute your music, but at a cost. So, if you are an upcoming artist, you certainly have more ways to make your name known than those before you. Ultimately, the right combination of influencer, label company and Tik Tok dance will land you, "fancy like”.
Robert Lyon 2/2
ReplyDeleteWork Cited
“5 Reasons Record Labels Still Matter: Features: Label Services.” MN2S, 19 Oct. 2020, https://mn2s.com/news/label-services/5-reasons-record-labels-still-matter/.
Dailey, Hannah. “Olivia Rodrigo Announces Intimate Documentary Detailing Creation of 'Sour': Watch the Teaser.” Billboard, 18 Feb. 2022, https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/olivia-rodrigo-sour-documentary-film-announcement-1235032929/#!
Whateley, Dan. “How TikTok Is Changing the Music Industry.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 3 Jan. 2022, https://www.businessinsider.com/how-tiktok-is-changing-the-music-industry-marketing-discovery-2021-7#:~:text=TikTok%20is%20an%20essential%20promotional,generated%20posts%20from%20their%20fans.
Windsor, Pam. “'Fancy like' Is a Big Hit for Walker Hayes - Thanks, in Part, to Tiktok & His Teenage Daughter.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 10 Dec. 2021, https://www.forbes.com/sites/pamwindsor/2021/07/28/fancy-like-is-a-big-hit-for-walker-hayesthanks-in-part-to-tiktok--his-teenage-daughter/?sh=58a255fe6709.
Lauren Clemons
ReplyDeleteFor an artist to be successful in the music industry, I think they must be passionate about making music and unique. It’s hard for new artists to get started and succeed, because the industry is very competitive and there’s so many talented artists out there. Also, people tend to listen to artists they’ve been a fan of for years or even artist that are huge in the industry/ trending.
Artists have promoted themselves by giving their mix tapes to people in public. Also, by sharing themselves on social media platforms, performing in public/small concerts, or opening for another artist. But I do think social media plays a huge role in artists becoming successful: According to “Social Media's Critical Role in the Music Industry: Musician's Institute.” social media platforms are the new way for artists to develop and connect with their fanbases (In the Know). Over the years, we have seen artists utilize platforms like Twitter, Instagram, TikTok Youtube, and Facebook to generate movement in their careers. Social media continues to give musicians the opportunities they previously could only have through record companies. If social media didn’t exist, I think it would be a lot harder than it already is to get started. Social media can make it possible for someone to have a career in 24 hours. Also, larger artist can give a shout out to smaller artist, and that can really help them grow and bring a larger audience to them. But with: TikTok, YouTube, Sound Cloud, Instagram, Facebook, are such big platforms where things can go viral. Scott Braun and Usher discovered Justin Bieber on YouTube; if it wasn’t for YouTube would Justin have been found?
With TikTok artists can be discovered by people using their songs in their video: According to “How Tiktok Is Changing the Music Industry.” TikTok is an essential promotional tool for music artists and record labels. Songs can rise up organically on the app even if they've been outside the mainstream for decades. Marketers can also hire influencers to try to make a song take off, sparking a wave of user-generated posts from their fans (Whateley). TikTok is even brining listeners to Spotify which is a large music platform: “Spotify Has a Gen Z Problem. Or Is It an Opportunity?” states the one app beloved by Gen Z is TikTok. Spotify has long seen TikTok as a friend and a funnel. People hear a song on TikTok and then go to Spotify to listen to the whole thing (Shaw).
But with any social media, it just takes a few shares to turn into millions, and an artist’s life is changed. But I think a fanbase plays a huge role in artists success, because they’re the ones that make it possible for them to have a career. I think when artist go viral and are talked about a lot on social media, I don’t really think artists need a major record label to succeed. I think their voice and fans will be enough for them; when people listen to music, I don’t think anyone is really worried about the record label they’re with. Artists have gotten their career started from social media and without a major label behind them.
There are so many different shows out there that allow artists to share how unique they are: American Idol, The Voice, Americas Got Talent, etc. There is big artist today that have been on some of these shows: Carrie Underwood, Fantasia, Adam Lambert, Phillip Phillips, Jordin Sparks, and more. I like that these kinds of shows exist because it gives people an opportunity of a lifetime that they may have never had if the show didn’t exist.
Overall, I think social media plays a big role in artists careers and success. I think if social media didn’t exist it would be harder for artists to get discovered today.
Works Cited
ReplyDeleteShaw, Lucas. “Spotify Has a Gen Z Problem. Or Is It an Opportunity?” Bloomberg.com, Bloomberg, 2021, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2021-12-19/spotify-has-a-gen-z-problem-here-s-how-it-s-learning-from-tiktok.
“Social Media's Critical Role in the Music Industry: Musician's Institute.” Musicians Institute Hollywood, 21 May 2021, https://www.mi.edu/in-the-know/social-medias-critical-role-music-industry/#:~:text=Social%20media%20connects%20fans%20to,stronger%20relationship%20with%20their%20fanbases.
Whateley, Dan. “How Tiktok Is Changing the Music Industry.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 3 Jan. 2022, https://www.businessinsider.com/how-tiktok-is-changing-the-music-industry-marketing-discovery-2021-7#:~:text=TikTok%20is%20an%20essential%20promotional,generated%20posts%20from%20their%20fans.
Amanda Perlin, Question 3
ReplyDeletePart 1
To become successful in the music industry, an artist must have the following characteristics: Right Attitude, Great Work Ethic, and Ability to Listen. Today, musicians can connect with their audiences through social media. This is a huge advantage for them as they can reach out to more people through these platforms. TikTok is a great promotional tool for artists and record labels. It allows them to reach out to a wider audience and monetize their songs without being limited by their genre or platform. TikTok also allows advertisers to hire influencers to create viral songs and stir up interest in their fans. “Some artists even write songs that directly reference TikTok trends in the hope that it will help it gain steam on the app.” (Whateley). The song promo deals that music marketers and influencers make on TikTok are becoming an important source of income for creators. In the article, How TikTok is changing the music industry, it states, “Some users can earn hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a single video where they promote an artist’s track.” (Whateley). Jesse Callahan, the founder of Montford Agency, mentioned that music marketing on TikTok is a huge part of the industry's success, as it allows artists to be discovered and made a lot of money. “Music marketing on Tik Tok is huge”. (Whateley). There are many ways artists have promoted themselves and their music and social media plays a huge part in that. According to the article, How Social Media Has Affected The Music Industry, The music industry is constantly changing and it's no secret that social media has become an essential part of the industry. “The music industry is constantly evolving, and social media has proven to be a major influence in that during the last decade.” (Trendjackers Team). Due to the rise of digital music production software, it is now more accessible to a wider variety of people. This, in turn, leads to more variety and choice in listeners. “Due to the rise in digital music production software such as FL Studio or Ableton music creation is now more accessible than it ever has been”. (Trendjackers Team).
Amanda Perlin, Question 3
ReplyDeletePart 2
Although social media can be helpful for artists, it does not guarantee success. Instead, it can be used to improve one's skills and connect with compatible people. According to the article, Spotify Has a Gen Z Problem. Or Is It an Opportunity? Since its launch in 2007, Spotify has been ahead of its direct competitors in terms of attracting Gen Z listeners. To reach this demographic, the platform has partnered with various influencers, such as Addison Rae and Alex Cooper. “Spotify has sought to increase appeal to Gen Z podcast listeners by doing deals with social media influencers like Alex Cooper and Addison Rae.” (Shaw). Do you need a record label to become an artist? The answer depends on many factors, such as your goals and how successful you plan on becoming. For example, the Warner Music Group, which is a multi-media and record label company headquartered in New York. It is one of the biggest three recording companies in the world. Warner Music Group Corp. has acquired 300 Entertainment, which is an independent record label that has artists such as Young Thug and Megan Thee Stallion. “Warner Music Group is buying 300 Entertainment, the record label of Megan Thee Stallion, for about $400 million.” (Shaw). The music industry is constantly shifting, and fresh ways of marketing and promoting yourself are becoming prevalent. The music industry is constantly faced with changes in technology and social media, and it must adapt to the changes as they occur.
Works Cited:
Shaw, Lucas. “Spotify Has a Gen Z Problem. Or Is It an Opportunity?” Bloomberg.com, Bloomberg, 19 Dec. 2021, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2021-12-19/spotify-has-a-gen-z-problem-here-s-how-it-s-learning-from-tiktok.
Trendjackers Team. “How Social Media Has Affected the Music Industry.” Trendjackers, 13 Dec. 2018, https://trendjackers.com/how-social-media-has-affected-the-music-industry/.
Whateley, Dan. “How Tiktok Is Changing the Music Industry.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 3 Jan. 2022, https://www.businessinsider.com/how-tiktok-is-changing-the-music-industry-marketing-discovery-2021-7#:~:text=TikTok%20is%20an%20essential%20promotional,generated%20posts%20from%20their%20fans.
Derek Goldrick-
ReplyDeleteFor an artist to have long lasting success in this day and age, it takes a lot more than just raw talent. Some other key aspects that I believe play a huge role in music artists success is their fan base, personality/likeability, and in most cases, looks. The importance of an artist’s brand is just as much of a key to success as them producing good music. Oftentimes, if a fan base likes the artist enough, they will play the new music in hopes it will grow on them. I know I have done the same to artists I favor.
Artists today have so many different platforms at their access to use for promoting. From television shows and commercials, to the use of the radio, and now most commonly used; social media, music is everywhere around us.
Social media is a perfect advertisement for an artist to have success. When an artist has a big following, it creates a massive platform for them outside of just their fans that listen to the music and go to the concerts. The social media aspect allows other people that are not fans to find the artists instagram page, in which they usually have clips and videos of them singing new songs, popular songs, or even unreleased songs as trailers. Tik Tok is a great example of this. New and even experienced artists are able to promote their songs as short and catchy snippets that easily get stuck in people’s heads. Statistics show, “Songs that trend on TikTok often end up charting on the Billboard 100 or Spotify Viral 50. And 67% of the app's users are more likely to seek out songs on music- streaming services after hearing them on TikTok, according to a November study conducted for TikTok by the music-analytics company MRC Data.” (Whateley). Thus, showing that having a big following on social media can increase the artists viewership on videos and overall fans listening to the music.
Derek Goldrick 2 -
DeleteArtists do not need the backing of a major record label in order to be successful. Morgan Wallen, the most popular country artist, and arguably the most popular artist at the moment. Had his record label drop him, when he had a racial conflict back about a year ago (Savage). Morgan Wallen’s record label dropped him and yet he took time to sit back and fix himself for the mistakes he had made. While he was doing this the majority of the world was listening to his music still causing him to jump to the top of the listening leaderboards. As shown in MRC Data’s top Album list, in 2021 his album ‘Dangerous’ was number 1 (Caulfield). He was trending at the top for weeks in a row without a record label, and this just goes to show that you do not need to have a record label in order to stay successful.
Sources
Caulfield, Keith. “Dua Lipa's 'Levitating' Is Most-Streamed Song of 2021 in U.S., Morgan Wallen's 'Dangerous: The Double Album' Is MRC Data's Top Album.” Billboard, 6 Jan. 2022, https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/dua-lipa-morgan-wallen-us-2021-mrc-data-1235016079/#recipient_hashed=62dfc0b27ad1de67d64a0c44fb55f17fe8a7cd610e9d3f50edf2cced899812f7.
Savage, Mark. “Morgan Wallen: US Country Star Dropped by His Record Label over Racial Slur.” BBC News, BBC, 4 Feb. 2021, https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55929170.
Whateley, Dan. “How Tiktok Is Changing the Music Industry.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 3 Jan. 2022, https://www.businessinsider.com/how-tiktok-is-changing-the-music-industry-marketing-discovery-2021-7.
Jordon Bennett 1
ReplyDeleteThe music industry is constantly changing, it takes more than just talent to become successful. Promoting, and marketing yourself and your music plays a major factor in whether a career takes off or struggles to get attention. Music has changed over the last few decades. We went from the Red-Hot Chili Peppers to One Direction. Musicians from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s cared about making good music, with poetic lyrics, true sound, and a passion for music, whereas we see artists in today’s age caring more about money rather than performance. Songs like Anaconda by Nicki Minaj are so successful today is because of its overplayed earworm tune that attracts people in because of its edgy lyrics and music video. (Lefevre) Artist like Minaj is so successful because of the way she markets herself. Looking forward into the future, it’s evident that social media and other forms of media are a great tool to promote yourself.
TikTok is now a worldwide phenomenon. Artists and labels are using the platform to their advantage to promote songs and artists. Songs can either organically grow mainstream because of the app, or marketers hire influencers to help the launch of a song. (Whateley) Songs can take off organically from TikTok, like Fleetwood Macs, ‘Dream’, or marketers can pay influencers to help boost popularity, like Surfaces ‘Sunday Best’, after media company Flighthouse paid over 20 influencers to amplify popularity. (Whateley) TikTok has become such a major promoting tool that there are now marketing agencies, dedicated to song promotion on the app. (Whateley) This is showing the power of social media in promoting artist as artists could blow up because of a popular trend on TikTok. Olivia Rodrigo’s promotion was also a success, starting her career on Disney’s, ‘High School Musical: The Musical: The Series’. (Dailey) Once her first single, ‘Driver’s License’, the young audience were already aware of her name because of her acting. This form of promoting has also been a success for the likes of Selena Gomez and Ariana Grande, who have come from Disney and Nickelodeon, to become two of the biggest pop artists in the world. This trend will continue as artist will see how successful this form of promotion is.
Jordon Bennett 2
ReplyDeleteBecause of social media, streaming platforms and other marketing advancements, it’s become easier for independent artists to release music for fans to see. (Rory PQ) Even though independent artists have their benefits like ownership of their music, which means 100% profits, and creative control, being signed to a label will still overall boost an artist career. The recording label will have the financial backing and quality equipment to make the music sound as perfect as it can be. (Rory PQ) The recording label will also have their own connections to products, services and media like radio and TV. With that, the label will have a strong marketing team that could do all the promoting for the artist, and the label would pay the bill. (Rory PQ) So overall, being apart of a record label will help boost the artist and the music.
Dailey, Hannah. “Olivia Rodrigo Announces Intimate Documentary Detailing Creation of 'Sour': Watch the Teaser.” Billboard, 18 Feb. 2022, https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/olivia-rodrigo-sour-documentary-film-announcement-1235032929/.
Whateley, Dan. “How Tiktok Is Changing the Music Industry.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 3 Jan. 2022, https://www.businessinsider.com/how-tiktok-is-changing-the-music-industry-marketing-discovery-2021-7#:~:text=TikTok%20is%20an%20essential%20promotional,generated%20posts%20from%20their%20fans
Lefevre, Lily. “Past vs. Present: A Commentary on How Music Has Changed.” Lancer Spirit Online, https://www.lancerspiritonline.com/14293/a-e/past-vs-present-a-commentary-on-how-music-has-changed/.
“Being an Independent Artist vs. Signing to a Record Label: Icon Collective.” Icon Collective College of Music, 27 May 2020, https://iconcollective.edu/independent-artist-vs-signed-artist/.
Just as most industries today, today’s music scene is not yesterday’s. Due to these constant changes, artists must be well-rounded in order to stay afloat. In the rise of the streaming industry, many big labels are still pulling the strings. However, success as an independent artist has never been more achievable. This does not mean it is easy to blow up, but the tools are much more accessible than in the past. The number one tool that an artist has today is social media for many reasons, mainly being that it is free and infinite. Even into the 2000s artists could only interact with people on stage and in person, and even then they typically only reached current fans. Now using social media they can keep their fans up to date with immediate updates, and they can flood the timeline of new potential fans using that same content with different hashtags and SEO applications. Instagram and Twitter are great for small visuals and information, while TikTok and Triller have taken a landslide lead in the snippet game. Attentive artists are flooding Instagram and TikTok daily with new snippets, studio skits and mini music videos to aid their audio, and it is working for many. It is truly incredible how many careers TikTok and Instagram reels have made, simply because people have to know the name of the song they are hearing twenty times a day. That effect compounds and within a couple of months, many bedroom artists are receiving plaques at their door for one studio session. Social media is the first place an independent artist should look for marketing, and it will be this way for some time. Not only can artists keep fans updated through social media, but they can also show personality that music cannot. As the Business Insider article “How TikTok is changing the music industry” details “TikTok has really become a critical part of artist storytelling” (Whateley). The Bloomberg article “Spotify has Gen Z Problem” also emphasizes the growing influence of Spotify, stating “Spotify isn’t alone here. Facebook has a Gen Z problem. Instagram has a Gen Z problem. Netflix might even have a Gen Z problem. Everyone but the TikTok finds the younger demo elusive” (Shaw). Another underrated way that smart artists are getting ahead is through press. Today, everyone knows someone that has a blog or a podcast. The smart artists are reaching out to new blogs everyday submitting their music and an artist bio for a feature. Upcoming blogs and artists leverage each other’s potential to make a name, and it is a good way for both sides to win. Also, many of the bigger blogs now offer paid placements as a way to make their own money, and many independent artists are putting money towards these investments as well. The third main way that artists are getting heard is through playlisting. The major streaming platforms all have algorithmic playlisting now which helps many artists without marketing funds and prioritizes good music. Also, the amount of influence that user playlists have is growing by the minute, and smart artists are finding these curators on social media for their chance at a spot. With all of this being said, a label deal is certainly not necessary to make it today. But presence is. As the Washington Post article “Spotify backlash offers rare insight into reeling music industry - and struggles of working musicians” states “You can’t record music once every three to four years and think that’s going to be enough” (Andrews). The funding and network of big labels will certainly expedite the process, but you always pay for it one way or another, and it is usually on the back end where the recording masters are, aka the money printers.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited
ReplyDeleteAndrews, Travis M. “Spotify Backlash Offers Rare Insight into Reeling Music Industry - and Struggles of Working Musicians.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 23 Feb. 2022, https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2022/02/14/spotify-young-rogan-music-industry/.
Bloomberg.com, Bloomberg, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2021-12-19/spotify-has-a-gen-z-problem-here-s-how-it-s-learning-from-tiktok.
Whateley, Dan. “How Tiktok Is Changing the Music Industry.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 3 Jan. 2022, https://www.businessinsider.com/how-tiktok-is-changing-the-music-industry-marketing-discovery-2021-7#:~:text=TikTok%20is%20an%20essential%20promotional,generated%20posts%20from%20their%20fans.