Setting

Below are the places we plan to film the music video and pictures:

Living Room- We thought this was a good location because we could use it for the line 'flipping through the channels on my TV', and also seems to fit the genre and story well. We will have to make sure there is plenty of natural light whilst filming the opening, and more artificial lighting when the artist is alone to represent his feelings of being incomplete without his girlfriend. Problems we may have in this setting include timing so that the natural light doesn't go before we need it to.

Bedroom- The bedroom is a typical setting for R'n'B videos, so we chose this to ensure we fit the genre well. It also is a good place to show the contrast between when the artist and his girlfriend were together and when they split up, also fitting to the lyric; 'without you here beside my side'. We must make sure the lighting is dim and romantic; for example using candlelight when the couple are together, but still ensure viewers are still able to see the artists face. When the artist is lying on the bed alone the lighting should be more dull to represent how bland his life has become. Problems in the bedroom may be ensuring the artists face will be able to be seen in candlelight; as this is a new artist his face needs to be visible in most shots, whereas more established artists don't need to do this.

Restaurant- We chose this as a setting for one of his memories because it is a typical setting for couples and we thought it would be a good location for a happy memory and link to the lyrics 'go back to the date'. Problems might be getting good lighting or owners of the restaurant not allowing us to film there.

Cinema- This is a good place for the artist to be shown in contrast to other happy couples whilst linking to the lyrics 'late night movie showing'. The artist visiting places couples usually go alone implies he still loves and misses his girlfriend. Problems may involve the owners of the cinema not allowing us to film there, and getting lighting in the right places.

Lamppost- Another setting we chose was to have the artist underneath a lamppost, which ensures good lighting at night, whilst rain implies his sadness. Problems may involve it not raining when we come to film that scene.

Initial storyboard

Lyrics annotated

Music Video

The following posts will be all about my music video.

7. Narrative/ Audience/ Genre theory

1. Queen- We Will Rock You- Performance based.

• They fulfill Goodwins first rule by demonstrating their genre chracteristics; they are a metal band using stage performance in their video.


• Their lyrics are illustrative, fulfilling the second principle.


• They amplify the music of drums by visually clapping their hands, fulfilling the 3rd principle.


• There are lots of close ups of the main singer which follows the fourth principle.


• There is no particular notion of looking; no voyeuristic treatment of females and the singers don't look into the camera for particularly long or try to make eye contact.


• There are no intertextual references as Queen performed this song first.

2. Lily Allen- LDN- Narrative based.

• Completes first principle as she demonstrates her song by acting it out.


• Fulfills the second principle because her visuals illustrate her lyrics; 'having lunch in the park' , films people having lunch in the park etc.


• Each time she skips, there is a beat of the drums, so her music and visuals fulfill the 3rd principle.


• There are a few close ups, but more filming her lyrics so to speak, and there are no star image motifs so i'm unsure if the 4th principle is correct for this video.


• She occasionally makes eye contact with the camera, but isn't revealing her body so i wouldn't say her body has been used in a voyeuristic way.


• I don't think there are any intertextual references

3. Gorillaz- Feel Good Inc- Concept based

• Although they are portrayed as gorrillas, they are still performing on stage as an alternative rock band, so i'd say they fulfilled the first principle.


• The lyrics are illustrative; 'windmill windmill' and a windmill is filmed; fulfills the second principle.


• The visuals illustrate the music, for example, when a drum is heard, a gorilla is seen hitting a drum; third principle correct.


• They constantly promote their band 'Gorillaz' as they use cartoons of gorillas, so this fulfills the 4th principle.


• The cartoons avoid looking into the camera, and there doesn't seem to be any notion of looking except perhaps gazing somewhere offscreen.


• There appears to be an intertextual reference near the end of the video of another artist featuring in the song.

6. Websites

I have visited 3 different websites from bands of different genres and annotated them, commenting on their success on promoting.

1. Katy Perry, pop artist

2. Alicia Keys, R'n'B artist

3. Dizzee Rascal, rap artist

The main conventions of promotional websites are:

1. Easy navigation

2. Complimentry colours

3. Eye catching promotions

4. Search engine

5. Clear pricing/ special offers etc

6. Summary of products

7. Branding

8. Banner to introduce the site.

5. CD cover design

1. Roll Deep.

The variety of colours enforces the idea that their identity is that of a band, with contrasting colours representing their differing opinions and possible conflicts. The red and black colours next to each other imply danger, although this is the background which may suggest the band feel it is their surroundings that are dangerous, not them. The image is extremely eye catching, and makes the audience want to look at everything on the cover. The 'monsters' could signify how the artists feel they are portrayed by society, whilst their urban clothing represents their style. The typography stands out as it is white, and is made to look graffiti style to enforce the urban theme and the city surrounding.

2. The Saturdays.

Colour has been used in a way which draws your eye immeadiatly to the band, by using a dark background, and bright colours for the artists. Each artist has been given their individual colour, which suggests that will be their signature colour for each song. Each colour could reveal something about their individual identity and style; red being passionate, yellow being cheerful, blue being laid back, pink being feminine, and green being peaceful. The only other images are the spotlights which I feel signifies the band is under the spotlight and are happy with it; their confident looks into the camera show this.

3. Lady Gaga.

The colours on this album cover give us an insight into the artists identity and style. Feautures such as the dark background and the sunglasses imply the artist is trying to hide her identity, which contrasts with the attention grabbing diamonds and platinum blonde hair. This could suggest that the artist might sing about confusion, or two sides of something, such as fame, as her title implies.

4. Eminem.

The colours on Eminem's album signify his identity, as they are very subdued and slightly dreary, which could represent his emotions of feeling depressed and 'recovering' and that maybe he hasn't fully recovered yet which is perhaps why the colours are subdued and not as bold as his usual covers. The image further represents this as he is walking away from the camera and towards a patch of sky which looks slightly brighter, which could be representing the artist is trying to walk away from his old identity and trying to do something better. The typography is bold and white, which stands out, particularly due to the 'o'. Although the artists name isn't displayed on the album, the 'e' in 'Recovery' is backwards, which is Eminem's star image motif. Perhaps he feels he is established enough not to display his name; this also gives the idea he doesn't really care, which as i've mentioned, is also represented by him walking away from the camera.

5. Taio Cruz.

Initially, black and white appear to make the artists style seem bland/ boring, but it works in his favour as most artists have colourful album covers, so this might turn out to be more eye catching. Black and white are two strong, contrasting colours, which could represent how the artist feels conflicted between two things; for example leaving or not, as the title may suggest. The image is a large close up which shows he is confident with himself, although his broken eye contact sends a mixed message which may intrigue people as to what his songs are about; he may upon up through his lyrics. The typography, like most albums, is simple and stands out well against the background, with a star image motif that the artist always uses in his name.

The main conventions of CD cover design are:

1. A simplistic colour scheme

2. A simplistic design.

3. Few or no characters.

4. The band name in a different colour to the background.

5. Hidden meanings.

6. A title that suggests what the album will be about.

7. Bold, simple fonts for the band name.

8. Similar or entirely different font for the album title.

4. Branding

Find pictures of band branding through stickers, badges, posters, lighters, flyers.

N-Dubz.

N-Dubz sell a variety of items with their band brand feautured, sold exclusively on their website, including:

A variety of male and female t-shirts and hoodies emblazoned with their popular catchphrases, such as 'NaNaNiii', 'Are you suuuuuuuick' and 'Duku yourself', and titles of albums such as 'Against all odds'. The clothing items are sold for the purpose so that fans can wear clothes similar to those that N-Dubz wear, and show fans support of the band. I think the clothing is mainly casual/ leisure wear as they are quite relaxed and look like they are made from a comfortable cotton mix.

I think selling branded items exclusively on an artists website is a clever idea as fans will easily be able to access it whilst also discovering recent news about the band. This is something we might consider for our artist, as our target audience is relatively young and will be able to navigate around the internet. I think T-shirts are always a good thing to brand as everyone wears and will see them; we could use catchphrases such as 'I ain't a Doll', 'This ain't a Dollhouse' and 'Like some kinda Barbie'.

Hats similar to the ones Dappy wears; a baseball cap and a bobble hat. The baseball cap fits the purpose to protect your head from the sun, but it is also a fashion statement for many young people and the words 'N-Dubz' on the hat shows their support and musical taste. Similarly, the bobble hat is to keep your head warm, but many fans wear these as Dappy, a member of N-Dubz, can often be found wearing one.

I don't think we would make hats for our artists' branding as she doesn't wear hats, whereas this is Dappys star image motif. We could sell hair accessories though, as our artist always wears them and this is her star image motif.

Badges with similar catchphrases as to those on the t-shirts. The badges are to pin places such as schoolbags, or other environments where people might not be able to express themselves with clothing. They are less expensive than most other items on the website, so are also perhaps for fans who want some memorabilia but can't afford the higher priced items.

I think badges are a good idea due to this, however I think our target audience is slightly older and the type of music is different; I don't think we would produce badges for these reasons.

Bags are also sold on the website, including drawstring bags and backpacks. The drawstring bag is described as a gym bag, which suggests the band are aware that their target audience are interested in sports and that a small drawstring bag might be useful, whereas the backpack is more practical as it is larger and can carry more items, which i imagine is designed mainly for the purpose of a school bag, as their main niche is secondary school people.

I think branded bags are a good idea to sell, although we wouldn't sell drawstring bags or backpacks as our target audience are more likely to have handbags. Handbags may become too expensive to produce and sell however, so purses may be another idea.

A 'behind the scenes' DVD is also available on the website, which provides backstage access to all areas of N-Dubz and their lives. The purpose of this is to entertain, whilst revealing a small amount about who they are as people, not just a band, which most fans would appreciate.

I think most fans would like this from their favourite artist, but I don't think this should be sold before her second album to make sure there is a big enough target audience to buy it and to keep some air of mystery.

The band also have a tell-all book, in which they reveal things about themselves; providing fans with an understanding of why they are so grateful for their life now and how they turned their life around. This gives fans hope that they might be able to achieve their dreams, and shows critics how hard their life has been so they shouldn't be judged on appearances.

Similar to the DVD, I think this should only be sold until there is a definite demand for it.

Items such as the 'phone skins' proves that N-Dubz are well aware that their fanbase are the generation of technology and will most likely all own a phone, which is also why they have included 3 different types of phone skins, and also 2 types of iPod skins, as they know their fansbase enjoys listening to music as they produce the music themselves. This fits the purpose to protect your phone/iPod, but also to show support of the band.

This is a good idea which I think our artist could sell on her website for the same reasons as N Dubz do.

Some sunglasses are available to buy via the website, and like the clothing, bear a resemblence to sunglasses Dappy and Fazer often wear. As with all the products, they also advertise the band, on the edge of them. They are similar to the hats, in that they provide a purpose, protecting your eyes, but are also worn as a fashion statement.

We could do this, but selling the pink and red love heart sunglasses our artist is often seen to be wearing; this could become her star image motif.

3 Mugs are availble to buy from the bands website, and all have popular catchphrases/ names of songs written on them. This shows the band are aware that most of their fans are under 18, so have provided them with a cup that isn't designed for alcoholic drinks; for example some heavy metal bands with older audiences have their own branded shot glasses, but rightfully, N-Dubz chose to sell mugs. I believe this is also the reason why they chose not to sell lighters, as it would promote smoking to their younger and more vunerable fans, and would send out the wrong message of the band.

I think we could sell this for our artist except using tea-cups instead of mugs- similar to the ones we plan to use in the music video 'Dollhouse' for the tea party scene.

A keyring is sold with the safety feature of a torch, which fits the purpose of being able to find your keys/the lock, and as with the badges, is a cheaper item which less fortunate fans will be able to afford.

I think this is something we could sell

Finally, N-Dubz sell a poster of themselves with their band name at the top. They are wearing clothes similar to the ones which they wear in their videos, so fans will recognise them. It is designed to be displayed somewhere, such as a fans bedroom wall.

• How do they work as to establish a brand identity of the artist/ band?

By using the same font type which looks similar to that of graffiti writing, and the linking colour of black as the main background, which is also seen on their website. Additional linking colours include blue, yellow and red. They ensure that people know it is their merchandise by displaying either the name of their band, a song/album or a popular catchphrase. This will promote the band to whoever sees their products.

• Are they successful as merchandise?

Even though their website shop is a recent thing, i think the merchandise is selling extremely well. I can tell this because items such as the sunglasses are available for pre-order with an announcement of when they will be available for dispatch, suggesting they are expecting a lot of orders. Also, the backpack on the bands website is already out of stock, which implies sales were higher than their expectations and the bag was so popular there aren't any left.

3. Having a 'niche'?

• Conduct a case study on a band/ artist with a clear and distinct 'niche' or something that set them apart from other bands.
When N-Dubz began, they were unique in the fact that they consisted of 2 males and a female, combining rap, hip hop, r 'n' b and catchy pop hooks. Some say they are like a cheaper british version of the Black Eyed Peas, but any comparison implied big things were soon to follow. If The Black Eyed Peas had a large fanbase, it was expected N-Dubz would be able to, and they already had thousands of fans from the underground scene, broke world records with their youtube hits, and pirate radio stations. The thing that was different about N-Dubz was that they understood their 'niche' as it was mainly people like them, with similar backgrounds and beginnings. This meant it was easy for fans to connect with the band as they understood them. Their main niche is mainly teens; the band were only in their teens when they began recording, so their music reflects thoughts and feelings that can easily be understood by youths. Many of their songs also are about coming from an underpriviliged background, which at the time, there weren't many artists which had such a large, distinct niche in the UK, and i think N-Dubz successfully found this gap in the market.

The niche for our artist is not so distinct as N Dubz', but it is a large one, with the British and other media claiming that 2009 was the beginning of a new era of the female electropop star. A poll of 130 music experts conducted for the BBC, stated that ten of the top fifteen artists named were of the electropop genre. So although our artist won't stand out as N Dubz did, they still have a clear target audience, and a large one.




• How did they use this to promote their music and get noticed by record companies?

It was hard for the band to get noticed by record companies as their potential fanbase wasn't recognised due to the fact their tracks were mainly available through illegal download only. They topped the english pirate radio stations, and their large fanbase enabled them to become noticed by the mainstream, with the help of their self release 'I Swear'. However, it wasn't until 2007's 'Feva Las Vegas', which was also self released, till they appeared on the official UK charts, peaking at no. 57, but with the right promotion it could have reached much higher; however, people didn't know enough about them. This and their individual appearances on Channel 4's second series of 'Dubplate Drama' made them be more recognised as a group. After winning a MOBO for Best Newcomer, the band were subsequently signed to Polydor Records and re-released their single 'Better Not Waste My Time' which hit no. 26.

I think the main point here is that a large fanbase needs to be established to prove to record companies that our artist is worth signing, and if the songs are good enough and promoted well enough, this should be no problem.

• How could you use this to promote your own album?

Using this information when promoting my own album, i will need to remember that it is vital to have a niche, as the fans are what make the artist. Once i have decided upon my niche, it should be easy to create a small fanbase which can grow via filesharing and radio air time. If the songs on my album are good enough and i have managed to accumulate enough fans, hopefully i will make it onto the charts, or start to be recognised by radio dj's that play my songs so that a record company will hear me and want to have me. In the meantime, i will have to use all means of promotion possible via the internet, also taking the methods of bands such as Nizlopi and the Arctic Monkeys into account when trying to promote myself. If i'm good enough, i will be found by someone.

2. The online revolution

• How has the new revolution of music downloads affected how bands/ artists promote their material?

The new revolution of music downloads has affected how bands/ artists promote their material because now more people buy their music online, so they need to make sure they promote the fact that their music is also available to buy online, so as to make as much money as possible. This can be a good thing for unsigned bands as it is much easier for them to promote now via the internet on social networking sites such as Myspace. However, other artists are losing money due to the increase of illegal downloading, so they must be sure to promote their music in a way that encourages people to buy it from legal downloading sites; advertising on iTunes for example.

• Document 2 bands/ artists, one who used the internet to promote their music and one who relied on traditional forms of promotion.

1. Arctic Monkeys.


The Arctic Monkeys used the internet to reach fans without the help of record companies. They uploaded their songs to social networking sites such as Myspace; a place for unsigned bands to promote their music. They are heralded as one of the first acts to come to public attention via the internet; they represented the possibility of a change in which new bands marketed and promoted. After a few performances in 2003, the band recorded a few of their songs and gave away free copies of CDs in their gigs which were then file-shared amongst fans. The band claim they didn't mind this, commenting that they were giving their songs away for free anyway and that it was an easy way for more people to hear their music, admitting they didn't know how to upload their music to the internet anyway! This perhaps explains why the band were initially oblivious to the fact that fans had created a Myspace page for them to download their songs from, which helped them get to number one in England. They then admitted they 'actually had no idea' what Myspace was. So although the internet was used to promote the band, it was the fans, not the artists, that promoted them.


2.


I found it hard to find anyone who doesn't use the internet to promote themselves; from the obscure to mainstream, alive to dead, every artist seems to be online. So i decided to think of artists who rely mainly on other forms of promotion other than the internet, even if they are on the internet also, and thought of The X Factor artists. It is such a big show now, they rely mainly on just promoting themselves through the show as there are so many viewers. The show is such a part of our culture now that the contestants are promoted in celebrity magasines, and some successful contestants, such as Alexandra Burke, manage to promote themselves through the promotion of other products; the 'Sure' deoderant advert features her and her song of the moment which promotes both products.

• How has the internet changed the promotion of music?

The internet has changed the promotion of music because its easier for anyone to promote themselves via filesharing and social networking sites. The phrase 'money changes everything' has become no longer relevant to the promotion of music via the interent, meaning mainstream artists have had to step up their game and ensure people are still buying their music. It has meant less money is put into promotion through traditional methods such as posters and flyers; money being put more into flashy visuals to entice the audience.

1. Target Audience

How 3 different bands/ artists have promoted their albums?


1. Eminem.

His seventh album, Recovery, was confirmed during a press release by Eminem's label on March 5th 2009. It was promoted via multiple interviews with Red Bull, and a commercial for the album premiered during Game 6 of the 2010 NBA finals. Additionally, on a 'Call Of Duty: Black Ops' advert, Eminem's song 'Won't Back Down' was released.


On June 15, Eminem appeared amongst other artists including Usher and Will.i.am for Activision's press conference during the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010 with Rihanna where the duo performed "Love the Way You Lie". In addition, Eminem performed "Lose Yourself", "Not Afraid", and premiered "Won't Back Down" for the first time. Eminem appeared on E! during their Daily 10 show in an interview. He also appeared in a skit on The Soup. Eminem also performed at the 2010 BET
Awards.
Not to forget, all the details of his promotions can be found on his twitter page.

2. Lady Gaga.


Her first album, 'The Fame' was released in August 2008 by Interscope records.
To promote the album, Gaga did several performances worldwide on various chat shows; her first televised appearance being on Logo's 'NewNowNext' Awards on June 7, 2008. She also performed on 'So You Think You Can Dance', 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!', and 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'. To further promote her album, Gaga performed in Vietnam for the 57th Miss Universe beauty pageant during the swimsuit competition. On January 31, 2009, she performed on television in Ireland on RTÉ One's show Tubridy Tonight. This worldwide promotion of her songs from the album on popular TV shows ensured her songs were heard and recognised everywhere. Three songs from 'The Fame' were used in the tv series Gossip Girl, including "Paparazzi", "Poker Face" and "Money Honey". Gaga also performed "Poker Face" on American Idol on April 1, 2009. Gaga was helped to promote the single "Beautiful, Dirty, Rich" from her album by 'ABC' to celebrate the launch of the show Dirty Sexy Money. A music video was created, directed by Melina Matsoukas. There were two videos released for the song – the first was composed of clips from Dirty Sexy Money, and the second was the actual music video. The song charted on the UK Singles Chart due to digital downloads and peaked at number eighty-three.
The album received further promotion from her first headlining concert tour The Fame Ball Tour, which started on March 12, 2009 in San Diego, California. It was Gaga's first concert tour with North American shows in March, followed by dates in Oceania and a solo trek through Europe. Dates in Asia soon followed, as well as two performances at England's V Festival and two shows in North America that had been postponed from April. The set list consisted of songs from The Fame only. Gaga appeared on the stage in new costumes including an innovative dress made entirely of bubbles and premiered an unreleased song called "Future Love" which created media attention helping her promotion also.

3. Coldplay.




Their 2nd album, "A Rush Of Blood To The Head" was released in August 2002. They were able to easily promote this by performing some of their new songs from the new album such as "Animals" and "In My Place" while the band were still touring with "Parachutes". This ensured their biggest fans would be able to hear the songs and be able to spread the word; making them feel priviliged they'd heard the songs first. Keeping close to their fans was important as promotion would be easier if people liked them, perhaps this is why ColdPlay revealed the name of their new album in a post on their official website.





A tour followed the release of the album from June 2002 to September 2003 which furthered their promotion. They managed to tour in 5 continents, which meant they were able to promote themselves and their music in all of these continents and therefore be more well known. They promoted themselves in several music festivals also so as to perform to people whom they might not usually in their tours, so as to attract a larger fanbase. Examples include when they co-headlined at Glastonbury, performed at the V Festival, and performed in a Belgium music festival called "Rock Werchter".
Coldplay were able to promote themselves through their concerts by making sure it was one to remember. They showcased elaborate lighting on grand scales, and during the extended tour, Coldplay recorded a live DVD and CD, Live 2003, at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion which was then used to promote their tour, also.
Coldplay's album was promoted probably best by making their songs really good, so that they were nominated, and won, many awards for it, raising their profile. For example, in December 2003, readers of Rolling Stone chose Coldplay as the best artist and the best band of the year.At that time their song "2000 Miles" was the top selling UK download that year. "A Rush of Blood to the Head" won the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album at the 2003 Grammy Awards, and at the 2004 Grammy Awards, Coldplay earned Record of the Year for "Clocks".


All of these artists/ bands have clearly different target audiences and genre of music/ style.

1. Eminem is a rap artist with a hip hop style.

2. Lady Gaga is a pop singer with a glam rock feel.

3. Coldplay are an English alternative rock band.

1. Eminem





On the right is a picture of Eminem performing at the Red Bull studios, promoting his new album Recovery. His live performances prove he is a committed artist and ensures people hear his new songs to encourage them to buy the album.






To the left there is a picture of Eminem's Twitter page. Not only does he post updates about songs, tours, gigs and albums, the background of his main page is linked to his new album; the red cross symbol is the 'o' in the name of the album, 'Recovery'.

2. Lady Gaga.

To the right is an image of Gaga's poster for her 'Fame Ball Tour'. The main picture is a clip of Gaga from one of her music videos, Poker Face, which further promotes her tour as this is one of the featured songs; it is also on her album 'The Fame', which is pictured in the bottom left hand corner of the poster. Gaga has therefore multi advertised by using one piece of promotion, a poster, and used it for multiple advertisements.














Here is Lady Gaga in one of her most infamous outfits; the raw meat suit she donned for a cover shoot of "Vogue Hommes Japan", which she then wore an adapted version to the 2010 VMA's. Although the outfit caused a lot of bad press from animal rights group PETA, it was still media attention that could be used to Gaga's advantage. She is famous for her contoversial outfits, but some feel this may have gone too far. At the end of the day, its all about her promoting her image and her strange outfits have been somewhat of a star image motif; she is always wearing one.



3. Coldplay






This is the album cover to Coldplay's second album, "A rush of blood to the head". As you can see, it is quite simple and plain, and the band haven't used themselves to promote the album, more using an image that will provoke curiosty. This is common within the genre of alternative rock, as they want to prove they are about the music not themselves/ making money, as they want to rebel against mainstream pop bands; although now they are considered more mainstream than alternative due to their worldwide popularity.


The following poster which Coldplay used for their most recent tour, "Viva La Vida" follows the same sort of idea in that the poster doesn't feature a picture of the actual band; rather a picture of what appears to be an old fashioned war scene with a few dead people at the bottom and a victourious general on top. This image links to the spanish meaning; 'Long Live Life', and also the alternative name of the tour, 'Death and all his friends'. This again is typical behaviour from an alternative rock band.

1. How have their approaches in promoting their music differed due to their target audiences?

Eminem does more live, smaller scale gigs on the side of his tours to promote his songs as his fanbase is generally more into the underground scene of clubs and partying, and will be more likely to want to listen to his songs before going to his tour. His many appearances in the Red Bull Studios suggests his target audience is mainly in their late/teens, and are energetic thrill seekers as Red Bull is a stimulant. His many updates on twitter further his connection to his target audience, as they are of the generation that are very much in touch with the internet and all things digital. The feature of his song on an advert for "Call of duty" perhaps suggests his fanbase are slightly violent and mainly boys. His interviews with E! are an indication again that his fanbase are relatively young and enjoy being entertained.
Lady Gaga's appearance on the Miss Universe Beauty Pagent shows her fans are more obssessed with their appearance, perhaps a bit vain and like fashion and beauty. It could also suggest her fanbase are mainly young females or homosexuals; this is also shown through her appearance on the NewNowNext awards, which are held by a gay and lesbian themed network Logo. Her songs being showcased on Gossip Girl further confirms views about her fanbase, as the show is mainly about fashion, wealth and beauty. However, there are also some sinister plotlines in Gossip Girl, suggesting Lady Gaga isn't your straightforward pop princess like stars such as Kylie Minogue; the japanese vogue cover confirms this belief, also proving her fans are interested in fashion. Her appearance on So You Think You Can Dance is an indication her target audience enjoy shows such as this; mainstream dance competition and reality shows. The singer incorparates a lot of dance in her songs, so this is a good place to promote herself as her fanbase must like watching her dance. Her promotion of performing at the V Festival proves that her fanbase are mainly young people who enjoy live, energetic performances.

Coldplay's promotion of songs from their next album in their present tours imply they are confident that they have a strong fanbase that may only need to hear the song once in a concert to buy the next album; this also suggests their target audience might be slightly wealthy to be able to spend money from only hearing a song once, and I imagine their concert tickets can't be cheap due to their visual effects such as strobe lights. Coldplay released the name of their next album on their website, which again shows that they believe their fanbase is loyal enough to regularly check their website.





1. What materials were used to promote their album?
All three artists have used the internet, live shows, and interviews to promote their albums. Other materials include promotional posters, features on TV shows, magasine advertisements, and performing songs from their new album in tours. Basic materials used to promote their albums though is just ensuring that all the songs are good enough to be successful with little promotion; Coldplay is a good example of this as they do little promotion compared to Lady Gaga yet are still very successful. However, Gaga shows that promotion can do the world of good as she has been nominated for 187 awards and won 87 of them, whereas Coldplay have been nominated for 122 awards and won 43 of them. Coldplay might argue its not about the awards, its about the music, but for an artist who has only come on the scene in recent years, this is a big acheivement for Gaga. Not to dismiss Eminem, who is also greatly successful having won 11 grammys. This goes to show that different types of promotion works for different types of artits, mainly depending on their fanbase and how they are most likely to access them.



2. What do you think is the best way to promote an album and why?

I think the best way to promote an album is through a variety of ways so as to reach as many potential customers as possible. For example, the internet should be used as a major way of promoting as that is now where most people get their music from. Adverts could be placed on legal downloading sites such as iTunes to encourage customers to buy, or on social networking sites such as myspace. Another good way of promoting an album is via a television advertisement; this provides a visual and aural for the audience and they will be more likey to want to spend their money if they are given examples of songs on the album. Other examples include billboard, as hundreds of people will see it everyday, radio, as you could target specific stations and times to get your target audience, magazines, as you can choose certain magazines to reach your target audience. Different sucessful ways to promote an album would be to do interviews, appear on chat shows, and perform live gigs places. and newspaper, flyers, etc.

4.What doesn't work/ why?

I don't think advertisements in newspapers is a good form of promoting an album, because colour won't be able to be used, and the songs won't be able to be heard, so potential customers won't feel as urged to buy the album as they would have if they watched a tv ad for example. I don't think flyers work particularly well either as it makes the artist look cheap and unproffesional, compared to a glossy ad in a magazine. Another thing that definitly doesn't work during the promotion of an album is if the artist gets bad press; for example when it became news that Chris Brown had been abusing Rhianna, his album didn't do well; people need to like the artist to want to buy their music.

RESEARCH TASK: How are music albums promoted using the media?

• I will be researching how bands/ artists promote their music using the media in preparation for the making of my promotional material in september.
  
  Digital media
  
  Digital Media has made music more accessible than ever with software packages and online programmes to aid in creation, production and promotion.
  Technology is present in all industries in the commercial world, so its not suprising that digital media is having an influence on the music scene. Technology has increasingly become synonymous with music.
  
  Artists such as Daniel Bedingfield created his chart topping single 'Gotta Get Thru This' using just a computer and a microphone in the comfort of his bedroom, to Gnarls Barkley’s 'Crazy' which topped the UK Singles Chart purely from downloads; using technology to create and promote music is now a staple. Here are the two songs below:
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• Online Connectivity Makes Music More Accessible
  Online sites are also providing novel innovations for music lovers. Songkick is website where music fans can track their favourite bands and have greater access to tickets for upcoming gigs or festivals.
  
  http://www.songkick.com/
  
  Other examples include MixAlbum.com, a website that caught the attention of Dragons’ Den’s Deborah Meaden. The site offers fitness instructors an online application that allows you to choose your favourite dance tracks and at the click of a button, create a complete mix for your exercising needs.




• http://www.fitmixpro.com/main/fs/fmpsplash.html
  
  Music Making Use of Social Media
  When music met social media, accessing music via the online community brought sites such as YouTube and MySpace. It is now a must for bands and solo artists to promote through a profile on MySpace and most if not all music videos can be viewed at YouTube. Some artists even found the rise to fame via social media.
  Lily Allen, now famous British solo artist, started out posting her compilations on MySpace towards the end of 2005. With views into the tens of thousands, she signed to Regal Recordings in 2006. Her career has continued to increase including hosting her own TV show on BBC Three entitled Lily Allen and Friends.
  
  http://www.myspace.com/lilymusic
  
  Yet there is more available for musicians than just posting on YouTube of MySpace. Bands and solo artists are also creating new uses for social media in order to promote their wares.
  
  Pendulum’s new single Witchcraft found that Facebook could give the band a greater audience with its 500 million users. As such the Pendulum Witchcraft Facebook App was born, providing an opportunity for fans old and new to engage with the band. Garnering such a presence, the band’s innovative use of digital media saw the App scooping up a BT Digital Music Award for Best Music App.
  
  
• http://www.facebook.com/pendulum?v=wall
  
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  It comes as no surprise that through creative development, digital media has become an integral part of the music industry as a whole. The exciting is thing is what the next innovation is going to produce for us to enjoy.
  Can music albums be promoted any way other than the internet?
  
  For unsigned and up and coming artists, more often than not, no. The internet is free, quick, easy and has the largest potential fanbase than any other form of media. Larger, signed artists often promote via other media as well as through the internet, such as magasines, TV, Radio, Newspapers.
  
  Below are a few advantages and disadvantages of advertising via these forms of media:
  
  
  
  Newspapers:
  
  Newspapers are one of the traditional mediums used by businesses, both big and small alike, to advertise their businesses; this is therefore not the traditional place for music albums to be promoted and would be unexpected by readers. However, it is not uncommon for newspapers to review music and artists, and especially on newspaper websites there is often a 'music' page.
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  http://www.metro.co.uk/music/
  Advantages



• Less competition; not many artists promote through Newspapers so your advert would stand out.



• Good for unsigned artists; allows the artist to reach a huge number of people in a given geographic area.



• There is flexibilty in deciding the ad size and placement within the newspaper



• The ad can be as large as necessary to communicate as much about an artist as they wish to tell.



• Exposure to your ad is not limited; readers can go back to your message again and again if so desired.



• Free help in creating and producing ad copy is usually available



• Quick turn-around helps your ad reflect the changing market conditions. The ad you decide to run today can be in your customers' hands in one to two days
  
  Disadvantages
  


• Ad space can be expensive



• Your ad has to compete against the clutter of other advertisers, including the giants ads run by supermarkets and department stores as well as the ads of your competitors



• Poor photo reproduction limits creativity


• Newspapers are a price-oriented medium; most ads are for sales



• The ad is expected to have a short shelf life, as newspapers are usually read once and then discarded.



• You may be paying to send your message to a lot of people who will probably never be in the market to buy from you.


• Newspapers are a highly visible medium, so your competitors can quickly react to your promotions.



• With the increasing popularity of the Internet, newspapers face declining readership and market penetration. A growing number of readers now skip the print version of the newspaper (and hence the print ads) and instead read the online version of the publication.
  
  
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• Magazines:
  Magazines are a more focused, albeit more expensive, alternative to newspaper advertising. This medium allows you to reach highly targeted audiences.
• Below, Lily Allen has promoted her music album by being on the front cover of a well known music magazine to reach her target audience.
  
  Advantages
  



• Allows for better targeting of audience, as you can choose magazine publications that cater to your specific audience or whose editorial content specializes in topics of interest to your audience.



• High reader involvement means that more attention will be paid to your advertisement



• Better quality paper permits better color reproduction and full-color ads



• The smaller page (generally 8 ½ by 11 inches) permits even small ads to stand out

Disadvantages

• Long lead times mean that you have to make plans weeks or months in advance



• The slower lead time heightens the risk of your ad getting overtaken by other artists



• There is limited flexibility in terms of ad placement and format.



• Space and ad layout costs are higher
  
  
  
  
  Radio:
  
  Offers a wide range of publicity possibilities. It is a mobile medium suited to a mobile people. It reaches the bedroom and breakfast table in the morning and rides to and from work in the car, lulls us to sleep at night and goes along to the beach, to the woods and on fishing trips, a flexibility no other medium can match.
  
  
  Advantages
  Radio is a universal medium enjoyed by people at one time or another during the day, at home, at work, and even in the car.



• The vast array of radio program formats offers to efficiently target your advertising dollars to narrowly defined segments of consumers most likely to respond to your offer.



• Gives your artist personality through the creation of campaigns using sounds and voices



• Free creative help is often available



• Rates can generally be negotiated



• During the past ten years, radio rates have seen less inflation than those for other media
  
  Disadvantages
  



• Because radio listeners are spread over many stations, you may have to advertise simultaneously on several stations to reach your target audience



• Listeners cannot go back to your ads to go over important points



• Ads are an interruption in the entertainment. Because of this, a radio ad may require multiple exposure to break through the listener's "tune-out" factor and ensure message retention



• Radio is a background medium. Most listeners are doing something else while listening, which means that your ad has to work hard to get their attention.
  
  
  
  Television:
  
  This uses visuals, pictures in motion, color, music, animation and sound effects that all blend into one message, possesses immeasurable potency.
  
  
  Advantages
  
  · Television permits you to reach large numbers of people on a national or regional level in a short period of time
  · Independent stations and cable offer new opportunities to pinpoint local audiences
  · Television being an image-building and visual medium, it offers the ability to convey your message with sight, sound and motion
  Disadvantages
  
  · Message is temporary, and may require multiple exposure for the ad to rise above the clutter
  · Ads on network affiliates are concentrated in local news broadcasts and station breaks
  · Preferred ad times are often sold out far in advance
  · Limited length of exposure, as most ads are only thirty seconds long or less, which limits the amount of information you can communicate.
  · Relatively expensive in terms of creative, production and airtime costs.
  
  

Below is a good example of a TV advert for a music album by Robbie Williams: