Surviving (and thriving) In The Music Industry
February 22, 2012 Leave a Comment
The music industry has made such a complete 180 in the past few years, that it’s enough to make you dizzy. The days of A&R reps finding a new band, recording them and putting them through the star making machine is pretty much a thing of the past. The mid to late ‘80s was one of the heydays in the music industry. From The Police and Motley Crue to the GoGo’s and the Chili Peppers (originally Tony Flow and the Majestic Masters of Mayhem) bands were signed and snatched up out of the local rock scenes. Those were the days of powerful large labels and upstart independent labels. Most bands sparked for a minute or two and faded away, some are still on top today. But the difference is that back then there were labels that were willing to take a chance on an artist or a band, produce, market and distribute their product. That was also the heyday of MTV. A video in strong rotation could launch a band. Touring was still important, but bands could do so more sparingly. Radio and video exposure could help keep an act in the spotlight. CDs were sold directly to the consumer. Artists actually made money by selling their music.
Fast forward to 2012. The world I just described is as anachronistic as that of the era of the horse and buggy. Everything has changed. It is now a true struggle to make money by selling music. Touring and merchandising is a must. The days of musicians and record labels spinning gold by selling music are over. Not long ago there were bands who wouldn’t consider selling their music to an advertiser or TV show. They could make their revenue off of an album and then CD sales. With product placement now becoming the name of the game, recording artists are having to rethink their approach and their career paths.
The upside is that there is more of a level playing field. More singers, bands and musicians now have an opportunity to get known and develop a career. But, it has become more of a do-it-yourself world; musicians, who know how to work social media, blog, and launch traditional media campaigns, can still establish a presence, create a fan base and build a buzz. There is still a way to launch a music career and make money while making music, but musicians now have to be savvy marketers. They need to understand PR, media relations, publicity and the basics of marketing. It’s a bit daunting, that goes without saying, but for those who learn the ropes, it also puts the power squarely in their hands. It’s true that labels launch many a band, but there are also myriad stories of bands who were taken advantage of and ripped off. Musicians now have to be more savvy about marketing and business, but they also command more control. In the long run it could be a decent trade off.
Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012
