With a busy fall tour and release season ahead, it’s time to ensure you’re not falling into bad behaviors that could spoil your marketing efforts.
Fall is the best time to be a part of the music community. It’s the busiest time of year but also the best. Between the avalanche of releases and the constant touring, there is always something to do and a hundred more tasks waiting for you tomorrow.
Every year, we encounter musicians and teams who are so excited by the season that they let simple mistakes slip by amid the rush to get everything done. These accidents may seem easy to overlook as isolated incidents, but combined, they can create slow-rising chaos that spoils any promotional efforts your team has planned.
Mistakes happen. Nobody that successfully does anything with their life reaches their goals without a few setbacks. But there are several common mistakes that industry experts and working professionals alike have been shouting about for four decades that still get made every day. Something as simple as knowing who you’re talking to and what it is they do seems never to cross the mind of certain artists. That oversight ultimately results in the artist not receiving the exposure or opportunities they seek.
In this Music Biz update, host James Shotwell explores half a dozen common mistakes artists make when marketing their music. These are some of the worst and most abhorrent mistakes, all of which are covered again and again by industry experts of all sizes. Suppose artists can slow down and review their efforts before reaching out to professionals and fans alike. In that case, Shotwell explains, they will likely discover easy fixes that will lead to a bigger, more meaningful impact with their outreach.
Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.
From the world’s first canceled AI musician to iHeartMedia’s Fortnite debut, we’ve gathered the biggest music news stories of the week.
If you’re reading this—congratulations! You’ve survived another month in 2022 and made it through the summer. Everywhere you look, kids are returning to school, temperatures are beginning to fall, and the sun is staying in bed a bit later each morning. The leaves will soon change, but first, we must survive the early fall album release bumrush that occurs every September and October. That’s right! The busiest time of year is here, and we’ll support you every step of the way.
We’re working hard on exciting new developments for Haulix that will be revealed in the coming weeks. These changes completely rethink our business and how we can help the music community connect. You probably have a lot of questions, but that’s all we can say for now.
We cannot ease your workload or give you more hours in the day, but we can help you stay informed. Below you’ll find the biggest stories of the week, all covered by the best outlets in tech and entertainment. Click around, learn what’s happening, and use the weekend to prepare for the end of the month.
But let’s be honest. There is no way we can hope to cover everything that happens. If you see a headline we missed that people need to know, please do not hesitate to send james@haulix.com an email. We’ll include your links in the next update.
Presented in its worst possible light, the FN Meka controversy — in which Capitol signed, and then quickly dropped, a virtual rapper that used the N-word in its songs and was depicted in racially stereotypical scenarios in videos — seems like an inconceivable blunder. But a closer look at the details, along with conversations with sources close to the situation, suggests that, while inexcusable and loaded with oversights, Capitol’s role in the FN Meka fiasco may not have been as insensitive as it might seem.
However, above all, it is yet another glaring result of the lack of diversity throughout the music industry — not just at Capitol, not just at major companies, but everywhere.
After it was spotted in testing by several users, TikTok has confirmed that it’s currently experimenting with a new ‘Nearby’ content feed, in addition to the current ‘For You’ and ‘Following’ tabs.
As it sounds, TikTok’s Nearby feed displays content posted by users in your current location.
That could enable TikTok to showcase locally relevant updates which relate to your interests.
“For example, if your For You page often displays restaurant recommendations or must-see hiking spots, the Nearby feed should show you videos of restaurants and hiking trails that are near you.”
Streaming service Deezer has published its latest financial results, revealing that its revenues grew by 12.1% year-on-year in the first six months of 2022.
That meant revenues of €219.4m ($219.6m) split between Deezer’s consumer business (up 12.2% to €155m) and its B2B revenues (up 7.9% to €57.6m). Its home country France accounted for €132.4m of Deezer’s revenues in the first half of this year though: 60.3% of the total, only slightly less than the 60.9% for the same period last year.
How about subscriber numbers? They actually fell from 9.7 million at the end of June 2021 to 9.4 million a year later. Deezer lost 200,000 net direct (consumer) subscribers over that time, and 100,000 B2B subscribers. The company says that’s because it implemented “a significant reduction of unprofitable spend in non-core long tail markets”, while exiting Russia earlier this year lost it 104,000 subscribers alone.
Deezer is predicting €455m of revenue for the calendar year 2022, up 14% year-on-year. As a reminder of the competition it faces, Spotify posted €2.86bn of revenues for Q2 2022 alone. Newly a public company, Deezer’s market cap is €486.5m at the time of writing.
iHeartMedia has launched its first virtual world on Fortnite, called iHeartLand, as the company extends its marketing investments into the metaverse and toward younger audiences.
iHeart, which brought in $954 million in revenue during the second quarter, first announced plans in January to launch its own branded virtual world on platforms like Roblox as part of the radio giant’s larger Web3 strategy. Wednesday’s launch of iHeartLand in Fortnite marks the first unveiling of iHeartMedia’s virtual world and will serve as the testing ground for future iterations of iHeartLand on other world-building games, executives told The Hollywood Reporter.
iHeartLand was created by the game developer Atlas Creative using Fortnite’s creative mode and includes a main stage, multiple mini-games and an iHeart “headquarters,” which features a recording studio and a replica of the tunnel entrance to iHeart’s headquarters in New York City.
Players will get to explore the virtual island, play the games, take selfies on the red carpet and view performances on the main stage, called State Farm Park, which is expected to host 20 events in the next year with musicians and popular iHeart podcasters. At launch, the mini games will include a car racing game on an iHeart-shaped racetrack, an obstacle course set in the clouds, a building game and a musical chairs–esque game that requires players to jump from various colored tiles and avoid landing on certain colors. Playing these games will give users the chance to earn “gold,” which is a currency specific to iHeartLand on Fortnite and can be spent on items like fireworks and Boogie Bombs, a grenade-like object that forces players’ avatars to dance.
A new report from Luminate proves what analysts have been suspecting for some time: that popular music is no longer popular.
A midyear report by US market monitor Luminate—the same company behind the Billboard charts—has revealed the alarming fact that “new”/”current” music is becoming less popular in the country, and this statement can be backed up by facts and statistics, as first reported by Music Business Worldwide.
In the first half of 2022, Total Album Consumption (all streams and downloads, as well as physical album sales) of “Current” music (which means released in the 18 months before being streamed or purchased) dropped by 1.4% when compared to 2021.
With 131.3 million album sale-equivalent units reported for this year, “Current” music dropped almost 2 million units from the first half of 2021, which means that new music is not only selling less but is also being less popular in terms of streaming platforms. There was a drop of 3.7 between 2020 and 2021, which officially makes this a downward trend.
This tendency is opposed to the Total Album Consumption for “All” music in the US, which grew by 9.3% in comparison with 2021, standing at 475.4 million units sold.
Even more surprising is the news that “Catalog” music, which includes any release older than 18 months, grew by 14% in the year’s first half.
The report also found that “Current” music’s on-demand audio streams dropped by 2.6% this year, with an even more drastic decrease of 10.4% in video streaming platforms versus a 19% increase by “Catalog” music.
In his latest update, Music Biz host James Shotwell examines the possible contributing factors to our declining interest in current music. As he touches on the inherent lucrative nature of legacy acts, he also ponders who—if anyone—will become the next generation of “timeless” musicians.
A lack of blockbuster releases is potentially contributing to the decline in current music consumption. Over twenty fewer albums from the first half of 2022 debuted on the Billboard 200 chart compared to the same period in 2021.
The pandemic is another potential explanation. As the industry shut down, listeners turned to the artists and albums that brought them a sense of peace. So-called “comfort listening” became common while many big artists delayed their records until their teams could implement a more traditional promotional cycle.
There’s also a mathematical explanation. There is far more catalog music and much more written, created, shared, posted, and said about those artists and their material than anything released in the last 18 months. Even Harry Styles can’t outpace Paul McCartney when it comes to press.
But the problem we obsess over is two-fold.
The first is a lack of clear pathways to long-term industry success in the modern era. How does a new musician starting today become the next Aerosmith or Madonna? Will we ever see another world-changing talent like Elvis? Will they emerge from a platform like TikTok? Can streaming services create ecosystems that support sustaining one’s career and nurturing it into a long-term (decade-plus) run of success?
Until we can succinctly explain how anyone goes from unknown to arena headlining in 2022 (or 2023, etc), we as an industry have work to accomplish, which leads us to the second point:
Very few artists are afforded the support system or time needed to flourish nationally or internationally. The margins in music have become so slim that the slightest deviation from an upward trajectory can send any musician’s career into turmoil. Fans want more content than ever at a rate the traditional industry workflows were not designed to meet. When artists come alone and deliver on consumers’ expectations, they only have a short distance to grow before aging industry architecture prevents them from meaningful growth (in other words, festival appearances, world tours, radio promotion, physical distribution). A select few have found workarounds, but they are always exceptions to the rule, not the norm.
If we want people to care about new music more, we must do more to support it.
Go to your local Target tonight after work. When you get to the clothing section, scan the t-shirts to see which musicians are promoted on the shelves. Carrying rock band merchandise is still relatively new for the company, but it’s lucrative. Target stores nationwide often have a half dozen rock shirt designs for all ages and genders, if not more. But you’re unlikely to find anything resembling a current artist: no Post Malone shirts or Justin Bieber sweatpants. You won’t find anything related to Kendrick Lamar or Drake, but there will probably be at least one Wu-Tang Clan design.
The music section in Target or any other box store is equally bleak.
In everyday life, most people encountering music branding do so through legacy acts. Most kids of rock fans know “Welcome To The Jungle” and “Enter Sandman” before anything from the catalog of Shinedown or Three Days Grace (the two bands tied for the most #1 singles in modern rock radio history).
Music must celebrate its current successes with the same effort it does in its cornerstone acts. When that happens, maybe—and that is a big maybe—everyday people will also start to care about the new stuff.
Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got and more, but the men of RXPTRS make it looks easy. Today, they tell us the secrets to their success.
Take a moment and try to remember life in 2018. It was only four years ago, but it feels like several decades have passed since any of us lived such simple lives. There was no COVID, no average gas price over $5, and endless opportunities for young talent to make themselves known—both online and in person.
Life back then may seem easy in hindsight, but that’s not the world RXPTRS frontman Simon Roach remembers. That wasn’t long after he was nearly decapitated in an incident that caused him to rethink his approach to life. He coined the phrase Living Without Death’s Permission not long after, which has since become a mantra for the band.
“We never approach anything with a genre or an audience in mind, it has to be what we’re feeling in that moment. If it comes out punk, sick, if it sounds metal, awesome, if it doesn’t sound like anything else, even better. Nothing’s off the table,” explains Roach. “We all come from different backgrounds and have all been inspired by so many different genres, we wanted to hear a sound that mixed all those influences, so we thought, ‘let’s be that band.’ I totally get that genres help steer people, but we don’t want that stability. I feel like nothing great can come from a comfort zone.”
RXPTRS debut album is filled to the brim with seamless combinations of varying corners of rock. There are elements of rock, punk, metal, and hardcore present—often in a single song—yet it never feels overstuffed or forced. Instead, RXPTRS lead listeners on a sonic journey through tough times in search of the strength needed to persevere when all hope seems lost.
In this Music Biz update, host James Shotwell chats with Simon Roach about the origins of his band and the birth of their debut album. They also discuss how RXPTRS built a name for themselves while the world was in lockdown and how algorithmic playlists may have changed their lives virtually overnight. Check it out:
Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.
TikTok has revolutionized the way artists promote themselves and engage with fans, but not every change has made marketing easier.
With over one billion downloads worldwide and an average monthly use time of well over an hour, TikTok is a remarkable global cultural force. Every day, millions of people upload countless videos covering all areas of creativity imaginable, and hundreds of millions more log on to see what has been made. It’s the greatest marketplace for ideas since Twitter, and anyone discussing music marketing in 2022 has not gone a day without thinking about TikTok for longer than they can remember.
Over the last several weeks a number of high-profile artists have begun publicly complaining about demands from their labels to create TikTok content. The controversy reached a boiling point when Halsey shared a clip of an as-of-yet untitled new track with a message alleging her label was essentially holding her music hostage until she could create a viral moment on the platform. The pop musician then doubled down on her allegations by sharing a second video where a man can be heard explaining that the best way to begin teasing the single would be to share it on TikTok. Both clips remain online as of this posting.
TikTok’s influence on music is undeniable. Since Lil Nas X and “Old Town Road” took off in the early months of the app’s stateside debut virtually every label on the planet has held meetings on help embracing the video-sharing platform may help their roster. In 2021, more than 75 musicians who charted on Billboard for the first time got their start by being discovered on TikTok, and many more artists credit the platform for helping them achieve their first song with over one-million streams.
But there is a dark side to TikTok and its influence on the industry. Namely, the platform has made it easier than ever to play with objective reality. Viewers no longer know whether the artist complaining about their label is doing so organically or because someone in a marketing department thinks people love artists that hate their labels. Is the girl you see performing a demo in her bedroom actually an unknown talent, or is she already signed to a manager and publisher? Does authenticity even matter, and if so, how do you convey it?
These are just a few questions marketers and artists alike are now asking themselves. In the latest Music Biz update, host James Shotwell examines how we reached this point and what actions artists should take in response. Through numerous examples, James explains how misdirection and deception have fueled an age of discovery where every success story has another, often far less surprising, truth behind it.
Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.
Following a successful panel at Music Biz 2022, we’re bringing a new version of our discussion on the shifting landscape of music promotion to you for free.
Earlier this week, Haulix Director of Customer Engagement James Shotwell took the stage in Nashville to present a panel at Music Biz 2022. The gathering of global industry talent happens once a year in Music City, with only a handful of daily presentations. We take great pride in having the opportunity to share our knowledge with peers.
But here’s the thing: We also pride ourselves on helping anyone who wants to succeed in music get ahead. We didn’t want this presentation to be a one-time event, particularly when many supporters who make these opportunities possible couldn’t attend Music Biz themselves.
We cannot recreate the panel that happened in Nashville, but we can offer you a shortened version of the event tailor-made for our Music Biz viewers. Check it out:
Here’s the pitch:
Remember the day Facebook and Instagram went offline? For several hours, two of the biggest platforms for promotion and information disbursement were nowhere to be found, leaving social media managers, artists, and labels everywhere scrambling. These “borrowed lands” that we’ve come to depend on for engagement were suddenly gone, and nobody knew when—or if—they would return.
Building On Borrowed Lands examines the ongoing debate over where artists and their teams focus their community-building efforts. A panel of experts in marketing and publicity will discuss the ever-evolving challenge of reaching people in the digital space, including the best places for engagement, the value of owning your content, and the timeless tips for success that still work today.
Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.
From the loss of Trevor Strnad to the arrest of Young Thug, we’ve gathered the latest need-to-know music news in one place.
Happy Friday, the thirteenth! We know this day is often associated with bad luck and things that go bump in the night, but this month, it’s also the date of an incredible New Music Friday. We’ve got new releases from Kendrick Lamar, The Black Keys, State Champs, Morgue Supplier, and Cage Fight, just to name a few. There’s also a slew of wonderful singles and a decent chance the weather won’t be terrible all weekend. We don’t see any reason to complain.
We cannot ease your workload or give you more hours in the day, but we can help you stay informed. Below you’ll find the biggest stories of the week, all covered by the best outlets in tech and entertainment. Click around, learn what’s happening, and use the weekend to prepare for the end of the month.
But let’s be honest. There is no way we can hope to cover everything that happens. If you see a headline we missed that people need to know, please do not hesitate to send james@haulix.com an email. We’ll include your links in the next update.
Strnad’s bandmates confirmed his death Wednesday on social media. No cause of death was provided, but the surviving members shared the contact information for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Trevor Scott Strnad,” the Black Dahlia Murder said in a statement. “Beloved son, brother, and Shepard of good times, he was loved by all that met him. A walking encyclopedia of all things music. He was a hugger, a writer, and truly one of the world’s greatest entertainers. His lyrics provided the world with stories and spells and horror and whimsy. It was his life to be your show.”
Musicians have long been able to share new and upcoming music with Spotify’s editorial team for playlist consideration. However, podcasters have mostly been left behind. Unless tied to a major production company, most podcasts are left to fight with other shows for whatever attention they can pull. Until this week, when Spotify gave indie shows a shot at real growth.
To help better find, review, and amplify the latest, greatest, and most diverse indie podcasts, the Podcast Editorial team recently opened up an editorial submission form for the U.S. podcasting community. Each applicant will be considered for their editorial features, with the aim of highlighting a wide range of formats (including video podcasts), backgrounds, and experience levels. And if you do get an editorial feature, you’ll have earned a coveted spot as one of Spotify’s featured podcasts across one of our community destinations or in our New Releases section. Read more about how to get your podcast featured on Spotify.
Apple Inc (AAPL.O) is discontinuing the iPod more than 20 years after the device became the face of portable music and kickstarted its meteoric evolution into the world’s biggest company.
The iPod Touch, the only version of the portable music player still being sold, will be available till supplies last, Apple said in a blog post on Tuesday.
Since its launch in 2001, the iPod took on a storm of competing music players before being eclipsed by smartphones, online music streaming and within the Apple pantheon, by the rise of the iPhone.
The iPod has undergone several iterations since its inception featuring a scroll wheel, the capacity to store a 1,000 songs and a 10-hour battery-life. The version that has been carried till date – the iPod Touch – was launched in 2007, the same year as the iPhone.
The popular rapper Young Thug was arrested in Atlanta on Monday, and faces a slew of accusations from Fulton County’s district attorney, including that he was allegedly a founder and active leader of the violent Young Slime Life street gang.
The 80-plus page indictment charges both Young Thug and another rapper, Gunna, with gang-related crimes, and includes more than 25 others who have allegedly participated in YSL gang activity.
The New York Times reported that the lawyer for Young Thug, whose legal name is Jeffery Williams, said that YSL was not a street gang and claimed that the indictment was “baseless to include him.”
“Mr. Williams came from an incredible horrible upbringing, and he has conducted himself throughout his life in a way that is just to marvel at,” Attorney Brian Steel said.
Award-winning hit songwriter Ashley Gorley has signed a global agreement with Sony Music Publishing, in partnership with Domain Capital Group. The deal encompasses Gorley’s complete catalog of songs, as well as future compositions.
Gorley is one of the most in-demand songwriters in modern music, with a record-setting 59 No. 1 songs and over 400 songs released by artists such as Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Thomas Rhett, Blake Shelton, Dan + Shay, Kelsea Ballerini, Cole Swindell, Bon Jovi, Weezer, and more. He has been named ASCAP Songwriter of The Year an unprecedented eight times, and is a five-time Billboard Top Country Songwriter and five-time NSAI Songwriter of The Year.
Of the deal, Sony Music Publishing Nashville CEO, Rusty Gaston, says, “I’ve been a fan of Ashley Gorley’s songwriting since the late ’90s when we both attended Belmont University together. He’s a true music connoisseur in every sense of the word. His diverse influences combined with his genuine heart have led his songs to define the soundtrack of country music. Sony Music Publishing is so proud to partner with Ashley and our friends at Domain Capital to champion this new leg of his historic songwriting journey.”
“Ashley Gorley is undeniably one of the most talented, hard-working and acclaimed songwriters in the world,” adds Domain Capital Group’s Pete Chiappetta. “We are excited to see what he accomplishes next with Jon [Platt], Rusty, Cam [Caldwell] and the rest of the incredible team at Sony. To partner alongside such a passionate and well-respected group of professionals is an honor.”
Gorley’s recent hits include “You Should Probably Leave” by Chris Stapleton, “Sand In My Boots” by Morgan Wallen, and “What’s Your Country Song” by Thomas Rhett. In addition to being a hit writer, Gorley also acts as a publisher. His Tape Room Music has celebrated 35 No. 1 hits.
SONG OF THE WEEK: Misery Index – “Complete Control”
Gifts From The Holy Ghost is Dorothy’s biggest record yet, and today, she tells us the secrets to her rock and roll success.
Six years after bursting onto the international stage, Dorothy is reaching new heights with Gifts From The Holy Ghost, a game-changing rock record.
Ask people why they believe rock ‘n’ roll is dead, and you’re likely to get various responses. Some will tell you there are no new ideas, but others will blame the system and say legacy acts receive too much attention for up-and-comers to get ahead. Both responses are wrong. Rock is alive and well; you just have to know where to look, as anyone who has discovered Dorothy can attest.
Dorothy’s breakout release, ROCKISDEAD, arrived to critical acclaim in 2016. Bursting at the seams with memorable riffs and a vocal performance no one could deny, the record put Dorothy and her band on the fast track to genre success. It was the kind of album that signals the birth of a new presence, but it was an incomplete version of the artist Dorothy would become.
Fast-forward to 2020, and Dorothy is nearing the end of the promotional cycle for her second record, 28 Days In The Valley, when the world forever changed. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic forced musicians everywhere off the road and, in doing so, threw the recording and release schedules of all artists into an uncertain state. Dorothy had material ready to go and knew she had time on her hands. So, rather than rush the project, she took advantage of her time home and focused on creating her best work to date.
Gifts From The Holy Ghost is the most complete version of Dorothy’s artistic vision yet. Every element of the record has been methodically developed, from the art to the music itself. It all comes together to deliver a complete listening experience unlike anything else in rock music today.
Last week, Music Biz host James Shotwell hopped on a call with Dorothy to discuss the changes she made—and didn’t make—to ensure Gifts From The Holy Ghost became the record it did. Dorothy shares her past marketing experience, including the conflicting messages artists often receive and shares advice for those struggling to find their way. She even teases what the future holds for her and her band.
Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.
In our latest ‘Fast Five’ interview, alternative artist Ali Slater explains how her day job helped prepare her for music promotion.
Ali Slater did not plan on becoming a musician. When the coronavirus pandemic began, she hadn’t as much as started a demo. Two years and several vaccine shots later, however, Slater is riding high on a wave of positive press from the release of her first EP. She’s become one of the most sought-after new stars of alternative music, and she’s done so largely from the comfort of her home.
Sitting in the center of a Venn diagram consisting of rock, pop, and alternative music, Slater draws influence from every corner of pop culture. She would probably tell you her home lies in the hearts of anyone who dreams of Vans Warped Tour returning, but I’d argue she’s not that easy to classify. Slater may sell herself as alt, but she’s a storyteller above all else, and her knack for engaging songwriting is making her a household name.
But getting to this point was never easy. Many artists launched projects during the pandemic. Most of those efforts came and went without much fuss if they ever got released at all. Consumers were overwhelmed by the amount of content promoted to them, not to mention their worries over the global pandemic, and most couldn’t find the time or mental space to care about music discovery.
But Ali Slater made people care. By utilizing skills she gained through working in the beauty field, Slater could maneuver social media with ease, which was helpful during a time when everyone was stuck at home on their phones. The world is opening up now, and Slater is preparing to meet her fans face-to-face, many for the first time.
In our latest ‘Fast Five’ interview, Music Biz host James Shotwell chats with Ali Slater about her quick rise through the alternative ranks. Slater explains her approach to marketing, how paid advertising helped her gain fans early on, and how she’s pivoting her promotional efforts as the world reopens. Check it out:
Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.
Music discovery is the buzziest buzzword in music today, and for a good reason. Everyone wants to get ahead, but few know the truth.
Every artist I meet dreams of being discovered. They imagine themselves receiving a phone call or a direct message from someone in a position of influence with money and power who offers them whatever they want to create their art. It’s the same fantasy held by every musician and creative since the dawn of time, and despite our best efforts to streamline the process, discovery remains a dream for many.
But what ismusic discovery? In the simplest terms, discovery refers to finding and/or hearing an artist for the first time. It refers to the moment an artist goes from being a complete unknown to someone the listener may later recognize. The moment of discovery is when connections are made, fandoms launch, and artists first begin to see the fruit of their label.
In 2022, there are more ways to discover music than ever. Listeners can utilize multiple streaming platforms, dive into artists’ playlists, enjoy algorithmic internet radio, find songs playing in public via Shazam, and—as always—exchange mixes with their closest friends. That doesn’t account for countless music blogs and publications, charts, and other social metrics one could use to learn who is hot in entertainment right now.
As the avenues for music discovery have increased and the barriers to accessing music decreased, the number of artists vying for your attention has reached an all-time high. That in itself isn’t bad. Everyone who desires to make and promote music should be able to do so easily. However, the impact of that demand for attention on consumers is something we still don’t fully understand.
Think about it for a second. As a consumer, you always want to find the next great thing. It’s instinctual. We cannot help being this way. It doesn’t matter if we’re discussing restaurants or bathroom cleaners; people want the best. The same is true in music. We love the artists we love and have preferences, but a part of us is always looking for the next song or album or person or group that can make us feel alive all over again.
So, consumers want the next thing great song or artist as fast as possible, and more artists than ever are promoting more songs than ever to meet that demand. What could go wrong?
In short, burnout. On both ends.
Artists are becoming so conditioned to the constant churn of the modern industry that they abandon material almost as soon as it is released. It’s as if the three-to-six-month promotional cycle that precedes an album’s release is the only push the songs will receive outside of the artist’s subsequent touring. When those shows end, they will release more music, and it too will be largely forgotten in a few months.
Meanwhile, listeners look to playlists such as Spotify’s New Music Friday and Discover Weekly as the go-to destinations for new music. If an artist doesn’t make it into one of the very limited spots on this list, they have to hope an influencer with a decent playlist following or a massive brand uses their song. Otherwise, it’s up to fate and luck and whatever good word-of-mouth that artist has been able to build.
But that is an incomplete picture of discovery.
Music discovery extends far beyond release week. The long tail of music promotion is never-ending, and the proof is everywhere. Catalog streams are on the rise, as are catalog sales. Industry professionals realize that all material has value in the digital age, and they are scrambling to find ways to promote the content they’d previously left to rust.
Before you fall victim to thinking your opportunity to be discovered has already come and gone, please remember these five cold hard truths about music discovery.
1. Discovery Takes Time.
How many tweets do you see on a given day? If not tweets, how about Instagram stories? You probably don’t know the answer, and neither do I, but we can estimate it’s a lot. We flip by dozens or even hundreds of updates every day from friends and strangers alike, but how many can you remember? I’m willing to bet the answer is not that many.
The digital age has programmed us to believe that momentary, flash in the pan success can be leveraged into a career. We think that all we need is one good tweet or post or song or TikTok to take before everything is gravy for the foreseeable future. While there may be some truth in certain rare cases, it is far from the norm.
Let’s pretend a new listener hears your song via their Discovery Weekly playlist, which is algorithmically generated by Spotify based on a user’s previous consumption. That first listen is of the utmost importance. It has to grab their attention and hold it long enough to make them look at who is behind it. That alone can plant the seed of fandom, but it may still be weeks or months, or even years from development.
Winning fans in 2022 is an ongoing effort in engagement that spans virtually every aspect of your career. You might send a great tweet that leads to 100 new followers. Of those, maybe half will click a link to your next single. Perhaps one-third of those that click will listen to the full song and—if you’re lucky—check out other music. This process repeats with every tweet, post, and TikTok you share. It happens with every gig you play, song you release, and behind-the-scenes photograph that makes its way online. The process is never-ending, and you never know how far along someone is in their journey. All you can do is stay on the path.
2. Discovery is not linear.
The first time you hear a song is rarely the moment you become a fan of the artist behind it. Fandom is something deeper than general admiration, and again, it takes time to develop. I may like your song the first time I hear it, but it could take years for me to hear another track or see you live.
Many artists get frustrated with the way social media has busied their schedules. Rather than focusing on songwriting and performance, most artists now also need to consider marketing, branding, etc. What these artists don’t realize is that message they share and any piece of content they create is a reminder to everyone who ever heard their name in passing that they exist. Like Billboards, the stuff you put into the world does as much to introduce you to people as it reminds them you exist. Your next tweet might remind someone you have an album out. It sounds crazy, but it’s true!
3. Going viral isn’t enough.
I hear from musicians every week who dream of going viral. “If I can get that kind of attention,” they tell me, “I won’t let anyone down!”
Music discovery and going viral are not the same thing. Anyone can go viral. It may not seem that way right now, but it’s true. Platforms like TikTok recognize the value in catapulting random accounts into the spotlight, and they’re engineering their algorithms to look for opportunities to highlight otherwise unknown creators.
That said, going viral probably won’t change your life. You may get a boost in streams and general meetings with labels or management, but unless you’re prepared to respond to your viral moment most of the hype will come and go before you can blink. The boost in streams will be nice, no doubt, but it won’t last.
4. Consistency Matters
Getting people to notice you takes at least three things:
Quality content (photos, videos, tweets, etc.)
Catchy Songs
A consistent presence
Making quality content is as easy as logging online in today’s world. There are hundreds of sites that will tell you what to post, when to post, and they can even help you post it.
Catchy songs are slightly more difficult, but technology has advanced to such a point that recording your track can be done from virtually anywhere.
Consistency is a skill that only time can develop. Making one great piece of content is hard. Making one-hundred pieces of content is equally hard, but there are tricks you’ll learn to simplify the process.
For those getting started, don’t rush anything. Release one song at a time to maximize the value of that track. Create lyric videos, music videos, alternate music videos, behind-the-music vignettes, behind-the-scenes photos, lyric sheets, and anything else you can think of to make people look at your music.
Through it all, remain consistent. If you’re going to share photos, make sure they look good. Double-check that your videos are always exporting in 1080p or higher. Check your grammar. Etc. Etc. Etc.
5. Algorithms are your friend, not your foe.
In a world where artists fight to make people believe a song is worth more than $0.004 per stream, it’s easy to understand why many take issue with streaming services and the algorithmic recommendation engines behind them. However, I think that mindset blinds us to the unique opportunity of the modern age. Everything is everywhere, and almost everyone has access to it all the time. The distance between learning of an artist and consuming everything they’ve made is almost nonexistent.
Nobody has time to sort through everything, and most wouldn’t know how if they did. Algorithms help us cut through the noise to find music closely resembling what we already enjoy. Whether it’s recommending you to three or three thousand people doesn’t matter as much as the fact it’s recommending you at all. Streaming services could easily charge for that kind of exposure. Instead, they understand the value in discovery, even if they don’t care to admit it.
Try reframing your relationship with algorithms like this:
Every day, at all hours, there are computers worldwide working to match people with songs they might enjoy. Those machines promote you while you eat, sleep, shower, and go to the movies. They do not take holidays or weekends off, and they never have to leave early for a dentist appointment. Algorithms work for you even when you’re not working on music at all, and honestly, who or what else in your life can claim the same? Nothing!
Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.
