Music Industry

Music has various types of genres and styles which can be used by the artist to make a good set of sounds and audio. It is ascertained that music can be instrumental, vocal or both, but it will have a particular genre on the basis of which overall music is prepared by the artist. The styles that are determined under the aspects of music are pop, rock and electronic (dance music). It has been explained by Wikström (2013) that an artist needs to assess the best type of music genre to be used in order to create a good form of audio or a set of sounds. It is essential for DIY artists, who a rising composers of new kinds of music and create a wide range of music based on genres like pop, rock and electronic dance. He is likely to promote its music in its targeted market and wants to increase overall market value. In that respect, they need to assess the list of all the methods which are advantageous to the artist in attracting a high level of customers and followers towards its offered music.

According to Hracs (2012), it is assessed that every new element or any new creativity needs the help of promotion and its methods for attracting a large form of public attention in order to increase demand and supply. This is highly beneficial for attaining better sales and profitability for the individual or an organisation. Similarly this, DIY artist needs to address the most appropriate medium for promoting their music in the target market. For this, the artist needs to create a marketing team that is efficient in promoting its album and set of music among potential listeners. They are highly responsible for carrying out the best way of allocating their specific buyers who are capable enough and have a high level of interest in the type of music offered by the artist. The team needs to analyse the market condition and all the areas which are related to the music industry in order to determine the forces that are opposing and supporting the direction of promotion. Moreover, there are several ways that assist the flow of direction of promotional and marketing processes as well as methods.

It is evidenced by Rogers (2013), that promotional techniques include various types of activities that are extremely useful for the music industry and their artists in encouraging their songs and tracks in the targeted market. Similar to this, methods that are useful for DIY and their promotional team for supporting their issued music in the market are Spinnup, Bandcamp, Ditto Music, label services and CD Baby. All of them have a very effective set of promotional techniques which are generally used by the music industry to increase their market share and overall awareness worldwide. Further, it has been evaluated that the marketing team of DIY artists should adopt all the methods of promotion to mark a great level of presence. On the contrary Hull, Hutchison and Strasser (2011), depicted that viewers, users and listeners of videos and music files are generally attracted to the artists who are highly popular in the market. In that case, DIY needs to raise its popularity to achieve greater attention from all the music followers. YouTube is one of the most used social websites for uploading, streaming and viewing videos as well as music albums which gets high attention from the viewers when a number of views and trending percentage increase at a high rate.

In that context, Tschmuck (2012 stated that techniques like Ditto Music and CD Baby are termed online music stores which are working as distribution companies and are specialized in promoting the music of artists as well as musicians to potential customers by selling online CDs, offering music downloads and vinyl recording at various music stores like iTunes, Amazon, VEVO, Spotify, Google Play, Beatport and eMusic. In addition to this, methods like Spinnup and Bandcamp are determined as the best form of promotional activities that provide a big platform to all the new and existing artist for boosting the sales of their music. These provide a micro-site or a base where all the independent artists can upload and share their music with the other users. However, it is highly supportive for all the unsigned artists and new musicians who can easily distribute their tracks worldwide through online servers and retailers like Tidal, Rhapsody and many more.

On the other hand, the information provided by Percival (2011) has witnessed that thousands of artists are likely to attain a high number of public attention for which they need to develop a strong public relation by featuring all their composed music tracks on online servers and any other medium. In that respect, the marketing team of DIY artists needs to determine various ways to develop effective and healthy relations with the public. For this, the team has to build up a better image of the artist in the minds of audiences and followers. It is necessary to maintain a continuous relationship with the overall population at a worldwide level. Moreover, the team can use ways of linking their relation with all the potential buyers and listeners like organising events, live concerts, conferences, etc. There are the best set of tools that are effective in developing and maintaining public relations to a larger extent. It is mostly beneficial for introducing a new artist or launching a new music album.

According to Ellcessor (2012), it requires a higher level of investments whose impact can be reduced by placing nominal price tickets for the public and their respective. The team should also invite media, editors and news channels to gain a large number of public attention. For this, they can also adopt the method of EPK (Electronic Press Kit) which allows the press to know about the information which they are likely to promote in the market. Moreover, the artist can opt the method of uploading their information about the personal perspectives and music albums on online servers which are mostly cloud based or web developed platform. Similarly, DIY artists will also adopt the techniques of placing promotional information on these types of web servers like DropBox, Wix, ReverbNation, etc. These give an opportunity to all the new musicians and artists to manage their career goals and the direction of their success.

Considering the current market scenario of the music industry, information about the promotional activities explained by Gourvish and Tennent (2010) has ascertained that the way of generating QR codes is also a helpful method for linking the music or sound track files of artists with different smartphone functions. It facilitates a user or listener to trigger a direct aim on downloading or listening to the music file composed by the artist. Along with this, the team of DIY artists needs to address effective ways of marketing the album or track files to the potential listener or follower. But, it is essential that the marketing team needs to focus their efforts of promotional tools on the overall population. In that respect, the marketing team should create a sample track of a music file or a teaser containing all the information about the music file and accordingly, promote that video or audio in wider aspects of the market. The team can upload the sample video on the social media websites like Facebook, Instagram, etc. In addition, the artist can use online servers of uploading and downloading the track file that are highly popular among music lovers and listeners like Soundcloud, iTunes, etc. It is specified that these mediums are extremely useful in diverting the attention of users towards newly established musicians and artists.

Moreau (2013) stated that promotional tools are efficient and profitable if they are used in an appropriate manner and specify a set of desired objectives. For this, the team needs to identify the best form of available methods for promoting and marketing the artist and its music in the target market. Furthermore, it has been addressed that marketing gets successive only if a high level of support and participation of media are available to the person or the organisation. Likewise, the team of DIY has to maintain their relationship with the media or press. It is considered that they provide the perfect platform for newly established artist and assist them in promoting their recently launched music. In that context, the team of DIY has to fascinate the media by developing and maintaining their engagement with them. Media provides ways of promoting the music and its composer to a large extent by encountering various audiences, listeners and followers. DIY can promote their music CDs, genres and sound files via the internet, radio, podcasts and blogs which are extremely useful in attracting all the users towards the music. On the contrary, the information stated by Bernstein, Sekine and Weissman (2013) concluded that it is one of the best mediums for achieving the courtesy of a large number of the public for the music offered to them. For instance, the marketing team of DIY has to make a sample file or a particular piece of music which is mostly liked by the listeners, and then upload it to the stated media sources. Along with this, an interview of independent and new artists also assists in marking a great level of presence in the targeted market.

Furthermore, promotional approaches like appointing the medium of creating a base or platform for newly entering artists, bands, DJs, labels and venues enable them to promote and market their CDs, music, T-shirts, accessories and many other products. McRobbie (2013) stated that all such techniques help all the emerging talent and artists to create a big group of fans which is quite a strategic and difficult task. The mediums available for DIY are Dixzzyjam and Big Cartel which are web-powered music search and merchandise stores. They act as an agent in connecting the artist with their fans, followers and music lovers. Both of the sources provide a strong platform which generally features band or artist merchandise without any in-house work by creating and completing trading requests. It will enable the team of DIY to appoint and design a new range of merchandising products like T-shirts, hoodies, covers, etc. which are produced and shipped by their websites i.e. Dizzyjam.

It has been ascertained by Negus (2013) that the ways of live streaming and online stage performance are also some of the best methods for all musicians and artists who are mostly new in the music industry and are likely to increase their fan following. In that case, they need to decide a particular place where they can host their function or event of live performance. It is termed as the medium of linking a direct relation with the audiences and creating a group of new followers. Contrary to this, Fiore (2010) explained that the team of DIY has to determine places which include a large number of music lovers and organise an event where artists can give a live performance. This provides him with an instrument to connect a link with the audience and develop a higher awareness of him in their mind. For instance, the team can organise a tour at an international level where the artist is going to perform live in a concert. The team needs to promote this tour in every aspect of social media and other profitable modes of marketing. Along with this, the marketing team can adopt a set of promotional techniques like trending videos on Youtube, motivating and attractive slogans, hash-tags on Twitter or Instagram, etc. All such tools and methods help the artist mark a worldwide presence and attract a large population.

According to Preston and Rogers (2011), promotional activities are highly effective if they are used appropriately as per the market conditions. In that case, promotional team is responsible for ascertaining proper information about the market position and music industry's conditions. Accordingly, they need to define a particular set of action plans which must have a large number of capabilities in executing the promotional tasks and operations. Along with this, the marketing team has to maintain a flow of all the promotional and marketing techniques which are used to increase the overall value of the artist or the band. Likewise, the group of DIY artists is extremely liable to evaluate the international market and situations of different aspects of the music industry. They need to develop a perfect strategy to determine the promotional plan by considering all the promotional and marketing tools as well as methods to effectively promote the artist's presence and increase its awareness among the public. A promotional plan includes all types of processes and methods which are generally used to boost the existence of the artist in the targeted market.

As per Caddick (2010), the step of defining the plan focuses on the attention of team members by raising their overall marketing investments or funding level which is required in implementing the plan and specified set of promotional activities. For this, the team needs to assess the criteria of finance needed to execute the actions in a proper manner. All the marketing processes require a high level of investment which is to be addressed by the marketing team members. Moreover, the team can adopt the ways of raising the level of funds like selling the music album CDs, merchandising the range of products based on music themes, organising events and concerts of the artist, holding interviews, etc. All such methods are highly efficient in capital generation and increasing revenues for completing marketing activities.

In addition to the specified set of marketing mediums, Hutchison (2013) provided information for encouraging the financial level in which he explained that the marketing team can opt for the mediums of promotion such as Bandcamp, Spotify, Bitevibe, diggyjam, etc. They provide a base for the new artist to sell their videos, music albums, CDs and other products. It is advantageous in context of DIY also as it facilitates the team to generate a good source of income which is only possible when the team prefers an effective set of techniques. In that case, the team can implement the method of selling or merchandising the products based on DIY or its musical theme. It will assist the team in drawing the attention of a large number of the public towards the music composed by the artist. The option of promoting the sample music or a video trailer is also a beneficial technique of attracting a high form of attendants, fans and followers towards the artist's album.

Being an independent artist, DIY and its marketing team have to define a perfect and strategic marketing promotional technique which is highly profitable for them in accomplishing a better set of results. It has been evaluated by Sarah (2010) that the main aim of a music composer or musician is basically to have a large number of fans who have enough potential of participating in all his or her music concerts and events. Along with this, an artist needs to increase the revenue generation capabilities in order to raise its market value and positioning. Similar to this, DIY is also focused on creating a better form of followers who love listening to his music and purchase every music file, audio set or album from the market. However, the team has to also focus on raising funds for launching the music album and implementing the marketing activities. For this, they can prefer the option to raise funds online with the help of sponsors, music lovers, corporates, government and other prospects. The helpful mediums in executing the funding tasks are Kickstarter, GoFundMe, etc. which help in generating funds for independent artists, new musicians and bands.

Considering the stated information by Negus (2011) about the promotional techniques and methods, DIY and the marketing team can easily develop a perfect strategy to promote, encourage and boost the market level of the independent artist. The best method of increasing the worldwide position of artists is to enhance its market level and overall value. The team has many options for raising its overall business and market valuation at an international level. Thus, they are responsible for defining the set of promotional activities that are to be adopted by them. It is essential that the team should assess the possible outcomes and accordingly, define the strategic set of marketing and promotional activities. Along with this, Percival (2011) stated that the marketing team should consider each and every aspect for creating a perfect strategy to acquire a high level of profits and attract a large number of the public. Thus, the report has provided information about the significance of promotional and marketing activities in the context of promoting an independent artist in the music industry. It has been concluded about various promotional techniques, their structure and ways to implement them in the targeted market.

References

• Bernstein, A., Sekine, N. and Weissman, D., 2013. The global music industry: three perspectives. Routledge.
• Caddick, C., 2010. Review of NZ on Air's Domestic Music Promotion & Funding Schemes. NZ on Air.
• Sarah, N., 2010. Pop brands: Branding, popular music, and young people (Vol. 11). Peter Lang.
• Ellcessor, E., 2012. Tweeting@ feliciaday: online social media, convergence, and subcultural stardom. Cinema journal. 51(2). pp.46-66.
• Fiore, A. M., 2010. Understanding aesthetics for the merchandising and design professional. A&C Black.
• Gourvish, T. and Tennent, K., 2010. Peterson and Berger revisited: Changing market dominance in the British popular music industry, c. 1950-80. Business History. 52(2). pp.187-206.
• Hracs, B.J., 2012. A creative industry in transition: the rise of digitally driven independent music production. Growth and Change. 43(3). pp.442-461.
• Hull, G. P., Hutchison, T. W. and Strasser, R., 2011. The music business and recording industry: Delivering music in the 21st century. Taylor & Francis.
• Hutchison, T., 2013. Web marketing for the music business. Taylor & Francis.
• McRobbie, A., 2013. In the culture society: Art, fashion and popular music. Routledge.
• Moreau, F., 2013. The disruptive nature of digitization: The case of the recorded music industry. International Journal of Arts Management. 15(2). pp.18-31.
• Negus, K., 2011. Producing pop: Culture and conflict in the popular music industry.

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