The Age Of Discovery…Do It Yourself Bro!
Buzz In The Bizz by Benny White
The music industry has truly become “the wild west” where anything goes and fresh ideas are essential. The last 12 months was yet another arduous period for the recorded music industry. Major labels saw continued difficulty breaking all but the most multi-dimensional entertainers. Superstars have begun to shun the traditional label model in lieu of more promising and forward-thinking business approaches, while new artists finally seem to understand that it is up to them to build their own careers.
Those brave enough to stick out the toughest time in the business must learn to adapt and adopt the ideology that necessity truly is the mother of all invention. This includes rethinking every aspect of how new artist music is created, marketed and distributed.
Technology has leveled the playing field for both signed and unsigned artists alike, creating an open forum for content to be distributed and disseminated by a willing audience. Let’s face it, YouTube, iTunes, MySpace, Facebook and other social networking platforms that support music applications have changed the way people discover new media content. A great song no longer needs to pass through layers of bureaucracy within a label to then pass through, well, more layers of approval by gatekeepers at terrestrial radio and television outlets. Quite simply, content is out there and available to anyone on a global level the instant it is uploaded, giving music fans a plethora of unfiltered choices.
New Models Emerging
Major labels continued to sign and develop less new artist talent in 2007 than in previous years and have even standardized “360″ deals to help justify their risk on investment. Adding further injury to the traditional label model, Radiohead, Madonna, Nine Inch Nails and other marquee acts have expressed their displeasure with the “old system” and some have even taken it a step further by engaging in non-traditional deals that increase the profit margins on their music and related products, removing those previously bankable revenue sources for their former record labels.
Radiohead may have taken the most aggressive steps towards a new model by allowing their fans to “name their own price”, a move that won whole-heartedly support based on the fact that it is non-conventional. This bold example of pushing the boundaries of the traditional business model is not THE answer, but an interesting alternative whose actual results and viability will only be ascertained over time. It will be through the case studies of many incarnations of forward-thinking models such as this one that a consistent and stable option will emerge.
Singles Scene
On the digital distribution side of the equation, iTunes has received both criticism and praise for embracing a business model that is ironically leading the recorded music industry back to what it began as, a singles-based music business. The site has put the power and diversity of music literally in the hands of anyone with an iPod, iPhone or other portable mp3 player or cell phone. Most people, both in and outside the industry, say they listen to more music now than ever due to the ease of use and portability of carrying their lifelong catalog wherever they go. These technologies have helped us infuse our daily lives with music actively, not just passively, and will ultimately prove beneficial to the music industry as a whole.
Work Ethic
While new business models continue to evolve and many uncertain years still lie ahead for the recorded music industry, what is going to separate the new artists that succeed from those who don’t? Well, for one, work ethic. Why does building a new business in every other industry BUT the music business subscribe to impossible work schedules and tight budgets yet the music business has “banked” on hope, overspending and unrealistic expectations? Quite simply, because it became too easy on all sides to record a few songs and have a “hit.” There was a moment in time when someone could record a demo in his basement that would lead to a record deal and, just maybe, a hit single that would lead to, quite possibly, a rags-to-riches story. Those days, if they ever truly existed, are over.
So without being able to rely on the major labels for development, how are young emerging artists going to succeed in their quest to build sustainable careers?
Here are some thoughts from some of the biggest and most respected names in the industry, all with different roles yet with striking similar viewpoints:
Uber-manager and NY-based Crush partner Jonathan Daniel (Fallout Boy, Butch Walker and Panic at the Disco) reflects on the massive success of breakout client Panic at the Disco: “What made Panic happen so fast is that they had their whole thing together BEFORE the label got involved. They had their name, the vests that they were wearing, the top hats and long song titles and the music — it all fit together, they did all that themselves.”
Concerning the role Atlantic Records played in the success of the band, Daniel says, “We sold two million records and we got the cover of Rolling Stone and we won Video of the Year. I don’t know if we could have gotten there without the label. It’d be insane for me to say they didn’t help but, the band’s career direction was developed without it. When the label came in, it just took things to the next level.”
Daniel’s advice for new artists trying to break through the competition?
“My advice to any bands, young/old/whatever, is to make sure your music is really good; make sure everything surrounding it is top notch. If you can’t sell your music to somebody, it’s going to be pretty hard for other people to. Your band has got to be more important to you than anyone else, ’cause it’s pretty much your life. Make the music great and have conviction.”
Entertainment attorney David Chidekel (Principal, Fish & Richardson P.C.) agrees, “The point is exposure; artists have to find a way to expose their music to as many people as possible, finding ways to virally get their content out there so they can get some traction in the marketplace.”
Chidekel elaborates, “Artists should be using internet tools of ‘free distribution’ to get their stuff out, using social networks and whatever other platforms they can find to get as many people as possible interacting with them and their music.”
In talking about how new artists should view the marketing of their music, Chidekel reiterates, “The artist is the brand. Back in the day, the hub in the wheel used to be the record label; everything else was a spoke. Now the hub of the wheel is the artist and the brand.”
Multiplatinum record producer and songwriter Brian Howes (Hinder, Daughtry, Chris Cornell, Rev Theory) believes strongly that the way for new artists to connect with their audience starts with intense focus on the songwriting itself.
“When I produce bands I want to make it so that EVERY song could be a single. If you make every one of your songs a single, it’s to your advantage. If there’s a deadline, put it off. The most important thing is the songs — make them special, make them accessible, make them great songs.”
As adamant as he is about the importance of great songs, Howes also believes that the artists themselves are their own biggest selling point. “The people have to fall in love with the band and not just that one song. Once they fall in love with the band and the band keeps putting out great records, the band’s going to grow, grow and grow. Then the labels are going to HAVE to get involved and then the business will be healthy again.”
When it comes to branding, Howes says “Remember when you knew everybody’s name in the band ’cause they were rock stars? That’s what we have to get back to. I don’t even know the singer’s name in half the bands out there right now. Make it so that everyone knows the player’s names, like Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee, everybody has to be a cartoon character, everybody has to be a rock star in the band.”
When asked about the lack of artist development at the major labels, Howes says, “It’s a shame because some bands that could have been great on album three are never gonna get a shot; they’re gonna get lost because they never got a chance to develop.”
To that point, he adds, “It also pushes everyone to step up to the plate and write some friggin’ smashes!”
No Shortcuts
So the consensus is that it is up to the ARTISTS to create their own brand and marketability. It is no longer an option to wait for someone or something else to do it for you. There are NO shortcuts and the clock is always ticking, so make sure you’re doing everything within your power to maximize your potential. It IS the Wild West out there and ANYTHING that helps bring attention to your band and your brand is the solution.
The “new” music business is an undefined, uncharted territory that will defy former expectations. Artists will need to learn to expect less and deliver more. The focus for those who seek all but the most fleeting moment of notoriety will need to push themselves in order to craft careers. This is not the end, just the end of an outdated and outmoded model. This period in history will be reflected on as a time of major change and revised expectations, but it will also most certainly be seen as the time when the growth of music consumption is unfettered by nearly any obstacles.
The coming years will no doubt bring more choices for the consumer than ever and, eventually, a more defined and reliable business model that will allow new artists to focus on what really matters most, the music.