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? And do artists still need
the backing of a major record label in order to succeed? Limit: 6 responses
Sophia Toppo
ReplyDeleteBlog 6
With the music industry flooded with a large variety of artists, there is plenty of competition to be successful. While being talented isn’t enough to make a successful profit, artists need to be clever and innovated when it comes to his or her careers. According to the readings for this week, some trends I have noticed that have lead to the success of many artists in the music industry are to create partnerships with popular brands and have live performances.
Getting your name out to a large audience is important for being successful in a competitive industry. Lady Gaga is a great example of how her creative, bold, and original creations have driven her to success throughout the years. Recently she released the video of her new award winning single “Stupid Love.” What was so unique about this video was how it was filmed entirely on an iPhone 11 pro. This was a very smart move for Gaga who has been known for doing very creative and out of the ordinary videos in the past. According to the article in Variety, “…because of the company’s size, Apple allowed Gaga’s album campaign to have unprecedented
exposure on their platforms”(Herman, 2020). This helped create more awareness of her new song to a larger audience for a longer period of time. By partnering with brands, there are definitely benefits for both parties.
Another way for artists to be successful and promote themselves is through live performances. Usually when an artist drops a new album, there is either a world or national tour to promote the music. In the music industry there is so many different aspects to creating and producing music. There are times when artist have trouble making compensation for their work due to streaming services. According to an article on Medium, “Touring is important for any artist because you are able to establish yourself within cities where current and potential fans live…touring is also important because it is the best way to make money as an artist today”(Emily, 2018). Touring provides many benefits for artist because it not only promotes their music but also provides profits.
While major record labels have produced a large variety of different music artists, it may not always be necessary to be successful. I am currently taking a popular music class where we examine the music industry and how major record labels function. These large labels are successful in producing popular music, but the artists themselves have little to no control. As technology is increasing, there has become a slight decrease in the need of these major labels. According to the article in Medium, “While the internet and inexpensive home studios put more power into the hands of the artist, the fact that nobody actually buys music anymore was the nail in the coffin for major labels, opening the floodgates for artists to become independent”(HipHopUnrapped, 2019). With streaming services and social media, artists can promote themselves without the restraints of a record label. As technology is continuing to increase, I wonder if record labels will start to falter in the future and more artists will be independent.
DeleteEmily (2018). Why Touring Will Be Your Biggest Source Of Revenue. Medium. https://medium.com/bandbasher/why-touring-will-be-your-biggest-source-of-revenue-2464fd47b655
Herman, James Patrick. (2020). Inside Lady Gaga’s Fantastical ‘Stupid Love’ Music Video. Variety. https://variety.com/2020/music/news/lady-gaga-stupid-love-video-apple-iphone-behind-the-scenes-1203522089/
HipHopUnrapped (2019). Why We Need To leave Record Labels Behind In 2019. Medium. https://medium.com/music-for-inspiration/why-we-need-to-leave-record-labels-behind-in-2019-bfa1db45036a
As the music industry has changed tremendously, artists have to keep up with the new trends to be successful today. The last decade of music has created a different outlook on how artists reach their audiences. This connects to the statement, “Judging by the fact that the last decade in the music industry was characterized by tumult and revolution in every sector, the year ahead will be no different — and we already have plenty of clues as to where and how that will play out. As tech companies, record labels, artists, songwriters, and the industry’s other players brace themselves for highly anticipated government decisions on copyright infringement and radio royalties, they’re also holding a number of other slow-burning matters in the backs of their heads.” (Wang, Millman, Ingham). For example, this impacts the artist-fan relationship with drastic changes. The article also states, “For most artists — from indie acts to the bright-burning supernovas — the main methods of communication with fans over the last decade have been social media (free, but limiting) and concerts (expensive, impersonal, similarly limiting). In the technologically sophisticated era of Web 3.0, that’s due for an overhaul, and soon.” (Wang, Millman, Ingham). This shows how artists are now utilizing social media in ways like never before. Social media is a key way to succeed in the music industry, as it creates a connection to the consumers. This is how the consumers keep up with the new information and popular music in a way they are comfortable doing. This connects to the statement in the article, “Some artists are too stubborn to listen to fan demand because they are stuck in the artistic and creative world. Some are like pollen in the spring time and blow in whatever direction the fan-winds decide to go. Both are extremes, but one truth is that in our reality-TV generation, fans want to know the person behind the artist now more than ever before” (Hess). This is a significant example of how the industry has changed and artists need to learn the new techniques to receive constant success. This quote stood out to me, “As an artist gets more popular, so does the need to create intentional fan moments.” (Hess). Social media is a strong viable path to help them do this. They continue to promote themselves and keep up with the fan base. It also creates a strong connection since many can target social media to be relatable. Artists have promoted themselves on Instagram and Twitter. They post about their typical routine or a sneak peak of their new song. One can share a photo of a mix or post a short teaser clip of a song. This helps the fan base feel involved and it creates talk among peers all around the word.
ReplyDeleteThis connects to the question if artists still need the backing of a major record label in order to succeed. The article states, “Before artists were able to use social media, Soundcloud, and Garage Band to take promotion, distribution, and recording into their own hands, being signed by a record label was undisputed gold standard for a successful music career.” (HipHopUnrapped). As streaming got so popular it become a threat to record labels. This created trend in streaming services. It creates ways for artists to be independent and that they can accomplish anything the label does. “In 2019, musicians no longer need labels to distribute their music, yet the percentage of royalties they offer continues to reflect the CD production model of the past. While record deals differ, a Citigroup report claims artists are still taking home just 12% of the $43 billion made by the music industry in 2017.” This shows how social media is taking over and really making an impact in the music industry. “While there are some success stories, there are plenty of examples of rappers such as Lil Wayne and Lil Uzi Vert feeling trapped by their contracts and having their music held hostage by their labels for multiple years.” (HipHopUnrapped). These artists started a trend that many are following. It will be interesting to see how streaming impacts the music industry even more.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited
Hess, Patrick. “The Music Industry Formula for Success Does Exist.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 7 Dec. 2017, www.huffpost.com/entry/the-music-industry-formul_b_5783810?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAANL1GNHtW-42d02NjZ_OdQnyjTIWZqyvO91Qejg5bhjFE5IBLl4hPAnGF6ziatHV-VdrPSw6ML6CQ2qXMkNKrBl-UgHct7rElTPqGqcWxm6m54Hn_2kvjJwdYeVo0j3BHAYoMsmrMr_R76kBJS_stTdldwLYBXJefmUYef0tTEmR.
HipHopUnrapped. “Why We Need To Leave Record Labels Behind In 2019.” Medium, Music For Inspiration, 8 Sept. 2019, medium.com/music-for-inspiration/why-we-need-to-leave-record-labels-behind-in-2019-bfa1db45036a.
Wang, Amy X., et al. “Where the Music Business Is Going in 2020.” Rolling Stone, 21 Jan. 2020, www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/music-business-stories-to-watch-2020-928849/.
John McMahon
ReplyDeleteBlog 6
Looking at today’s music industry, an artist doesn’t necessarily need a label to be successful. Sure, having the backing of a record label definitely helps with exposure, advertising and promotions, but at the end of the day doesn’t deal with what it’s really all about: the actual talent and whether or not people actually enjoy it.
In an article on Medium titled “Why We Need to Leave Record Labels Behind in 2019” by contributor HipHopUnwrapped, record labels still follow a business model that “is centered around selling physical copies”, although the vast majority of album sales comes via streaming services (HipHopUnwrapped, 1). The days of selling CDs and vinyl are all but gone, but the industry as a whole seems to reject this notion. To essentially stay afloat amongst the change in how people consume music, record labels will often make a “360 Deal” with artists, which means they get a cut of all an artists’ revenue including “tours, performances, merch sales and more” (HipHopUnwrapped, 1). Knowing this, independent artists are having much more success. Independent artists such as Macklemore and Kendrick Lamar have found success in signing with Indie Labels or not signing with any label at all initially, only to build up their fame and following and negotiate a contract with a label down the road that’s fair to them.
Another way that artists have found success in the music industry is to just consistently and frequently churn out music. In an article by Billboard titled “'The New Normal': Why Indie Artists Are Releasing Music at a Much Faster Rate in 2020” by Eli Enis, Enis highlighted how the change in how consumers listen to music (ie. streaming) is the reason why they release new music so frequently. In his article, Enis mentions a comment by PolyVinyl label Director Seth Hubbard saying “now with Spotify being what it is, and social media being what it is, the reality for a lot of artists is that they need to tour more often to make a living. I feel like a lot of bands keep grinding and putting out new music [because it’s] one way to just keep the cycle going.” (Enis, 1). In addition to releasing albums more frequently, artists are releasing singles as a way to “establish a commercial foothold” (Leight, 1). In an article by Rolling Stone Magazine, author Elias Leight explains that artists like Taylor Swift and Justin Timberlake put out numerous singles before their respective albums to garner attention and as a way to stay engaged with their fans.
Overall, the music industry as a whole is flawed - one that is still modeled around the past and doesn’t reflect that of the current age. Record labels haven’t accepted that streaming has taken over as the main source of consumption for music and unfortunately the industry’s model hasn’t changed, resulting in a vast amount of money that isn’t going to the artists. Artists have to take drastic measures in order to stay relevant, including pumping out music and releasing music independently.
Works Cited
Enis, Eli. “Why Indie Artists Are Releasing Music at a Much Faster Rate in 2020.” Billboard, 18 Feb. 2020, www.billboard.com/articles/business/streaming/8551261/indie-artists-faster-releases-2020?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%2BTemplate%2BBB%3A%2BMulti%2BStory%2B-%2B2.0&utm_term=daily_digest.
HipHopUnrapped. “Why We Need To Leave Record Labels Behind In 2019.” Medium, Music For Inspiration, 8 Sept. 2019, medium.com/music-for-inspiration/why-we-need-to-leave-record-labels-behind-in-2019-bfa1db45036a.
Leight, Elias. “Why Your Favorite Artist Is Releasing More Singles Than Ever.” Rolling Stone, 25 June 2018, www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/why-your-favorite-artist-is-releasing-more-singles-than-ever-629130/.
When people think of the streaming wars, they often think about how the race to be the most popular streaming platforms affects large companies. For video content, we have Netflix, Hulu and Disney Plus. For audio such as music and podcasts, Spotify and Apple Music dominate the market. When thinking about the battle to gain control of this new medium, people don’t tend to think of the artists. Music artists have had to change their entire strategy as to how they reach audiences, stand out amongst the others, and keep fans coming back for more.
ReplyDeleteTraditionally, the music business was not profitable for all parties. Sales came from one thing for smaller artists who weren’t yet touring: CD sales. Selling CDs is a very straightforward way to make money from an album even though it might not be as affective. It’s a one-time sale. Nobody wants to buy two of the same CD twice, so once the consumer buys one disk, there are no more exchanges of music for money. Today, it is much more important that an artist keeps a person coming back. A stream is not a one-time buy. A fan can keep coming back an endless amount of times to listen to a song or album, and each time they do, the artist gets more and more money. It’s a less safe way of doing business in the music world, but it works for artists who can stay ahead of the curve.
One thing that artists are doing to gain footing in the streaming market is simply making more music. Quantity is very important in the music world because, especially for an already popular artist, it will just mean more and more songs for fans to stream which maximizes the revenue stream from the music. Not only this, but dropping music on streaming platforms is so much cheaper than the long, drawn out process required to make a CD album. Greg Katz, who owns independent label New Professor Records says, “When I was growing up, it was very, very, very hard to get a CD into a store…It was a system that required factories and semi-trucks just for a fan to have the opportunity to listen to your songs again. Now that is completely over, and with one click you can reach everyone in the world. So I think that increased access is something that is great for artists across the board.” (Enis). Since it is so easy, many artists are dropping albums very close in proximity to keep the hype for their music afloat in a very saturated market.
Artists also have to learn to be more personable and interactive with their audiences. Social media gave artists a great start to that, and concerts have been allowing some contact between artists and fans. However, this is only going to increase in the near future. Fans want to feel like their favorite artist is someone that they know and are very close with. An artist willing to go that extra mile to interact with fans is going to beat an artist who isn’t doing this to valuable streams. Nobody knows what the next step is that will bring fans and artists together, but it is coming very soon. According to Rolling Stone, “Streaming’s buffet-style business model has torn down the barriers between fans and music; the innovation that finally brings fans and musicians together will be just as monumental.”
In an industry where it’s so easy to be fake for clicks, the artists who display the most real and organic connection to fans succeed the most. In early 2019, pop artist Khalid teamed up with Sony Music and RCA Records to put together a campaign for his upcoming album, “Free Spirit.” In this genius marketing scheme, the artist and his crew drove a van across the country, visiting different colleges along the way. Once at the colleges, Khalid would give out merch, talk to fans and ensure that even people who hadn’t heard of Khalid would give his new project a shot (Onward State). It might seem like a lot of work, but even the slightest bit of separation from competing artists can prove to make or break an artist’s career in the extremely competitive streaming market.
DeleteEnis, Eli. “Why Indie Artists Are Releasing Music at a Much Faster Rate in 2020.” Billboard, 18 Feb. 2020.
Kidwell, Cassandra. “Khalid's Merch Van Brought Free Shirts, Spirit to Penn State.” The Daily Collegian, 21 Mar. 2019.
Wang, Amy X., et al. “Where the Music Business Is Going in 2020.” Rolling Stone, 21 Jan. 2020, www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/music-business-stories-to-watch-2020-928849/.
Today, I think one of the biggest aspects of a musical artist’s success in the industry is accessibility. We’re living in a world of instantaneous access, particularly when it comes to music: streaming services, radio, and YouTube all give us the choice of pretty much any song ever recorded, at the very second we want it. Social media and a 24-hour entertainment news cycle allows fans to keep track of stars day by day—and sets the expectation that a star’s private life should also be known by the public.
ReplyDeleteIn the past, a star’s accessibility to their fans might be dictated by the constraints of their record label: what they put out and when, what they can tweet or post, and how they can dress and act. However, the advent of new technologies have put more power into the hands of individual musicians and bands. Tools like Garageband and other music-making sites allow artists to create tracks from home, for a fraction of the cost it would originally be with the help of a record label’s equipment. And these aren’t obscure, out-of-touch techniques— “for a testament to their value, just consider that Lil Nas X made his money-printing hit “Old Town Road” using a beat he bought on the latter website for $30” (Wang, Millman, Ingham). That same song was declared “the most-streamed song of 2019, with a stunning 2.5 billion on-demand streams (audio and video combined)” (Caulfield). Similarly, free or low-cost sites like Soundcloud, YouTube, and even Spotify let artists upload their music all on their own, without a label as the middleman, for the world to instantly access. The entire process is dramatically shortened, as compared to “20 years ago, when doing so would have necessitated booking studio time and a four-month block to press the physical product.” (Enis).
All of this also helps stars gain that crucial accessibility to fans. The decline of labels has simultaneously stunted the growth of their traditional model, the “two-year album cycle”, and has instead mutated into “the model of never going away” (Enis). It’s much more common now to see artists release a near-constant stream of content, whether it’s EPs, singles, and playlists, in the times in between bigger projects. With social media becoming so prevalent, and the amount of information people see every day so vast, musicians have found that “simply keeping an artist’s name in people’s minds can be incredibly difficult. For a fledgling indie artist who’s just beginning their career, putting out a single shortly after a debut album is a way to maintain a presence in the conversation.” (Enis). These efforts, though, go even beyond just an increase in releases. Artists now work with tools like “startups that allow direct artist-to-fan messaging; others are planning fundraisers on Kickstarter, sending subscriber-only newsletters on Patreon, and raising engagement (and modest sums of money) via other means.” (Wang, Millman, Ingham). They collaborate with live-event companies such as AEG Presents, which uses user information to implement things like loyalty levels, text messages for exclusive merch, and in-the-moment deals for upgrades, all to “help design more exciting, personalized concert-going experiences.” (Wang).
DeleteDo artists still need to rely on record labels for commercial success? Not anymore. The music industry has leaned towards the traditional underdogs: the indie records, the Soundcloud rappers, the kids making music in their basement. I think it’s exciting to see who shows up next.
Works Cited:
Caulfield, Keith. “'Hollywood's Bleeding' Is Nielsen Music/MRC Data's Top Album of 2019, 'Old Town Road' Most-Streamed Song.” Billboard, 9 Jan. 2020, www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/8547651/post-malone-hollywoods-bleeding-nielsen-music-mrc-data-top-album-2019.
Enis, Eli. “Why Indie Artists Are Releasing Music at a Much Faster Rate in 2020.” Billboard, 18 Feb. 2020, www.billboard.com/articles/business/streaming/8551261/indie-artists-faster-releases-2020?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%2BTemplate%2BBB%3A%2BMulti%2BStory%2B-%2B2.0&utm_term=daily_digest.
Wang, Amy X. “Future 25: Brooke Michael Kain, Chief Digital Officer at AEG Presents.” Rolling Stone, 30 Sept. 2019, www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/future-25-brooke-michael-kain-888992/.
Wang, Amy X., et al. “Where the Music Business Is Going in 2020.” Rolling Stone, 21 Jan. 2020, www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/music-business-stories-to-watch-2020-928849/.
In order to be a successful artist today, it’s almost impossible without the use of social media.
ReplyDeleteWe are seeing more and more artists coming up without the backing of a major record label simply with the use of social media. It used to be that most artists would have different gigs whether it was at a local bar or at an event and the main objective was to get your name out.
As times have changed, social media has made it much easier to build an audience. However, simply using social media won’t necessarily make an artist successful, but rather being able to create content that will go viral and expose that artist to a wider audience than just their followers.
You have artists like Cardi B and Lil Nas X that got a real push into stardom through their use of social media. Their personality is a big part of what makes their brand so strong and as a result, even if people don’t listen to their music, they still know something about them. Cardi B is known for being “real and raw” and not having a filter and that translates into her music, while Lil Nas X is known for being a “troll” and just having a carefree humorous approach to everything and that is shown through his music.
Aside from social media, the actual selling of records is just as important. Most people, as in the past, look to sign with major record labels because it has always been looked at as a signification of success. These record labels offer “vast amounts of capital, radio connections, marketing, publishing, distribution, and legal teams...” (HipHop Unwrapped 2019). However, with artists becoming more aware of the ins- and outs of the music business, they are realizing there are some sacrifices that have to be made and this includes often giving up their rights and missing out on a majority of their money. Although it’s nice to have that backing, artists are realizing that they can make a whole lot more and have creative control over their music if they are independent. Artists such as Tyler the Creator, Mac Miller and Chance the Rapper have proven that being an independent artist, although difficult, is a lot more rewarding. All you need is a dedicated core audience.
When it comes to actually making music and marketing it to people, things have gotten simpler. “For the first time in history, artists don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to put out a hit song.” You don’t absolutely have to invest in expensive equipment to create beats when artists like Lil Nas X made millions off of “ a beat he bought on the latter website for $30” which became ‘Old Town Road’(Wang, Millman, Ingham 2019). However, once again, the marketing aspect for the song mostly came from the use of social media and people sharing the song with their friends. If it wasn’t for social media, many people wouldn’t have heard of Lil Nas X, Billy Ray Cyrus would’ve never done a remix and most people wouldn’t have been dressed up as cowboys making videos. A study conducted by MusicWatch found that “Two-thirds of social media users agree that they discover new artists on social media, and nearly 60%are visiting online streaming services/platforms to listen to music after they see an update, tweet or post” (Cole 2019).
It seems that the new way of marketing and promotion today for artists is free marketing and promotion. By simply creating a “moment” or something for fans to build off of, it increases the chances of their music breaking into the mainstream audience. Memes will be made, dances and skits on Tik Tok will be made, people will play the music behind in their stories and all of this will happen for free. Overall, artists today don’t really need the backing of a major record label to be successful. They just need to be likable in some aspect and the rest will come along. The only time that an artist may need a record label is if they want a bigger budget and even then, being established already will likely get them a better deal than the 360 deals newer artists get.
DeleteWorks Cited
Cole, Sean. “The Impact of Technology and Social Media on the Music Industry.” Econsultancy, 10 Sept. 2019, econsultancy.com/the-impact-of-technology-and-social-media-on-the-music-industry/.
HipHopUnrapped, HipHop Unrapped. “Why We Need To Leave Record Labels Behind In 2019.” Medium, Music For Inspiration, 8 Sept. 2019, medium.com/music-for-inspiration/why-we-need-to-leave-record-labels-behind-in-2019-bfa1db45036a.
Wang, Amy X., et al. “Where the Music Business Is Going in 2020.” Rolling Stone, 21 Jan. 2020, www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/music-business-stories-to-watch-2020-928849/.
Dylan Lewis
ReplyDeleteThe music industry is a rapidly evolving industry that, like the film, television and even video game industries, has been heavily impacted by the rise of streaming platforms. One of the major impacts streaming services have had on artists is through their ability to collect data on musicians’ audiences, which, according to an article from Rolling Stone entitled “Where The Music Business Is Going In 2020,” can “offer an unprecedented degree of understanding about one’s own audience” and allow for artists to “glean insights into touring, marketing, and demographic data” (Wang, 1.) With this sort of information, artists and record labels can figure out exactly who their main fan base demographics are and how best to cater to them through marketing and touring, helping to maximize their outreach and potential profits in a way that was never possible before.
Another major change in the music industry in recent years has been the increase in musical output many artists have undertaken. While, in the past, artists could release one album, tour off of it for two years and continue to profit and remain relevant, the miniscule payouts artists receive from streaming platforms along with how audiences are constantly able to find new music through the internet have forced musicians to start churning out new music much more rapidly in order to stay relevant in today’s industry. In the Billboard article, “Why Indie Artists Are Releasing Music at a Much Faster Rate in 2020,” music publicist and marketing specialist Jamie Coletta states that releasing music between albums is “another chance to go after press, plus it’s got a little bit of a sales aspect to it [in terms of streaming revenue]. Then I think it’s also about the way our attention spans are changing, and the way album cycles are changing. For a developing artist, a lot of the time, you need something new in order to get people to look back at you" (Enis, 1.)
In many ways, the internet has made it both more difficult and easier for artists to become recognized and establish fan bases by themselves. One group that epitomizes the importance of the internet and social media in marketing your music is Odd Future, a hip-hop group that was fronted by now-superstar musicians like Tyler The Creator, Frank Ocean and Earl Sweatshirt. Without any help from major labels, Odd Future were able to find their fame by utilizing the internet in ways that most artists had never thought to do before. As said in the Pitchfork article, “How Odd Future Changed Everything,” “[Odd Future] constantly updated their Tumblr and YouTube with photos and videos—of the collective working, skateboarding, eating, or simply just hanging out. The pseudo intimacy of these posts also helped them transcend from local friends to cult stars; they were a group where everyone was made to feel included, a family that brought in fans on the other side of the screen.” Their impact and use of the internet to make a name for themselves in the music industry can be seen today through how many artists interact with their fans through social media in order to form a direct connection with them.
Works Cited
Wang, Amy X., et al. “Where the Music Business Is Going in 2020.” Rolling Stone, 21 Jan.
2020, www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/music-business-stories-to-watch-2020-928849/.
Enis, Eli. “Why Indie Artists Are Releasing Music at a Much Faster Rate in 2020.” Billboard, 18
Feb. 2020, www.billboard.com/articles/business/streaming/8551261/indie-artists-faster-releases-2020?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%2BTemplate%2BBB%3A%2BMulti%2BStory%2B-%2B2.0&utm_term=daily_digest.
Younger, Briana. “Found Family: How Odd Future Changed Everything.” Pitchfork, Pitchfork,
31 July 2018, pitchfork.com/levels/found-family-how-odd-future-changed-everything/.