- 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: - 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
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.
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.
- 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.
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