Anyone that knows me, knows very well that I am a media whore. I take as much in as I can and often times, I really do drink the Kool Aid. I do my best to keep my ear to the ground and my finger on the pulse of media – particularly in the indie, DIY music industry. And to give you full disclosure, it’s because I’m a part of it – for good or for bad. I help artists get exposure, connect with their friends and fans, create compelling content, and put together strategies that help lead them toward some kind of tangible success.
As such, I’ve written a little synopsis of the state of traditional media, as it pertains to the music business. And I’ll go ahead and apologize to my some of friends and colleagues who work and make a living in traditional media, and I know many of them may disagree with my take on things and might even feel as though I’m firing one across their bow. Honestly, I mean no harm with what I’m about to write… My only objective is an attempt to vaguely describe the lay of the land for my fellow independent and DIY artists, whom I hope will find some value in this. So there your have it. Take it as you will.
Do you remember when MTV actually played music videos?
In the not-so-distant past, consumers discovered new music primarily in traditional media outlets. They would watch music videos on MTV and might come across a cool new video from a new, up-coming-band. Do you remember the first time you saw Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana? Or maybe you too almost peed your pants laughing the first time you say Praise You by Fatboy Slim?
Believe it or not, there actually used to be a day when MTV played music videos…and sometimes, bands would break out to national and world-wide success as a result of their exposure on MTV. And this wasn’t all that long ago either. In fact, some would even argue that by simply playing songs on some of their MTV shows, that bands got incredible exposure that couldn’t be attained anywhere else. In fact, you might remember, only a few years ago, The OC introduced a scrappy indie band from Seattle to a national audience – catapulting Death Cab for Cutie into the mainstream and to a level of success and fame that few others reach.
But what happened? Where did the music videos go? Who’s the last band to break out to national or world-wide demand, based on their exposure on MTV? When was the last time you discovered a new artists or band when you were watching MTV? What gives?
Do you remember when the cover of Rolling Stone was what it was all about?
Print media is experiencing a similar fate these days… Consumers used to subscribe to a long list of stand-by music magazines to keep tabs on what the hottest new acts are that most of your friends haven’t yet heard of. Growing up, I remember having subscriptions to Rolling Stone, Spin, Magnet, and a few others that I considered to be almost holy. In fact, truth be told, I still subscribe to a couple print music mags, including my personal fave, Under the Radar. But if you believe the statistics, few music enthusiasts still lean on the likes of Rolling Stone and Spin to learn about the best up-and-coming acts. In fact, some might even say that the only thing big music magazines are good for anymore is giving more attention to the already larger than life national acts, which many of us have already stopped caring about. Honestly, do you really want to read another article about Bono meeting the Pope? Do you really want to read about how The Killers upcoming tour has been postponed or about Bruce Springsteen reinventing himself for the fifteenth time?
Is there some value in traditional print media? Sure there is… I already told you that I still have a few subscriptions…and there are some articles and stories that I enjoy and appreciate reading. Honestly, I keep them in the magazine rack in my bathroom at home, so I have something to read while I’m in there. It’s really handy! But if asked to predict the future of the print music magazine, I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you that the industry mirrors that of print periodicals across the globe. They are shrinking, and little by little, most consumers are going to go online for their content and music news. The smart publishers are getting ahead of the curve and are rolling out innovative online strategies as I type this. The slow adopters to online publishing will soon be looking for new careers.
Newsflash: The iPod killed the radio star – not the video.
One could almost argue that radio actually built rock and roll as we know it today. This would be to say that without radio, we may not have ever heard of The Beatles or Elvis or, God help us, Britney Spears. In fact, practically the entire present day music industry has it’s roots firmly planted in radio. Radio, in very literal terms, transmitted music out to the masses, exposing consumers to a wide range of sounds, artists, and genres that may not have ever seen the inside of a record store, had fans not gone crazy when they first heard it coming across the air waves. From a certain perspective, anyone who has had success in the popular music industry owes a certain degree of appreciation to radio.
However, considering all of the good that radio brought to the music business, it most definitely had a Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde personality which contributed to it’s ultimate demise. The industry had it’s dark side and was built on an economy where the rich got richer and more artists than not, were kept on the outside looking in. In similar numbers to that of a high school football player eventually going on to play in the NFL, the odds of making the big leagues of the music biz and actually getting into a game are nearly impossible for many artists.
Consumers used to discover new artists on the radio. In fact, some still do. Seattle’s KEXP is a fine example of one radio station that was ahead of the curve and may be most famous for being the most widely streamed internet radio station in the world. However, as consumer listening options continue to grow and include the likes of iPods, iPhones, CDs, Satellite Radio, DVD players in cars, Pandora and other popular streaming web radio players, not to mention other new technologies that are on the horizon… consumers simply aren’t listening to terrestrial radio like they used to. Statistics confirm that radio listenership is on the decline in many major markets. In fact, the only time I listen to the radio myself is when I’m in my car, which I drive about once a week, and occasionally in the morning while I’m waking-up…and being the news and current events junkie that I am – public radio is most commonly on the dial. Now I know that by me saying all of this – it is bound to get me in trouble with friends and colleagues I have in the radio business. (I hope only minimal) And don’t get me wrong…I LIKE RADIO! Really, I do! However, as sad as it may be, one simply cannot deny the facts that are staring us in the face. In fact, I have two friends, each employed at the two leading popular music stations (KINK FM, KNRK FM) in Portland, Oregon, whom have both been laid-off in the past few months. …Another clear indication of the downward spiral of traditional radio. Personally, I wish someone with some killer new idea or technology could come to the rescue and save it…but I’m not holding my breath.
While some may want to blame this on the economy or a change in “radio station technology,” one would be remiss to not recognize that the traditional, terrestrial radio industry is in an all out free fall with little hope in sight. Please, don’t kill the messenger here. I’m simply stating what I believe to be true and have witnessed and experienced myself. For any doubters out there, I would ask you to make a list of new artists that your favorite radio station has turned you on to lately. And in many cases, I would wager a big plate of nachos that you can make a bigger list of artists you’ve been turned onto by word of mouth or maybe by a new music blog or website that you check out occasionally.
If you are an artist considering spending some resources on a radio campaign, I recommend being as strategic as possible about it. I would only target markets that you plan to travel to and perform in and I would first try to develop relationships at a small, targeted number of stations. The tangible and financial payoff for a big radio campaign simply isn’t what it used to be. I suggest executing more of a laser beam strategy, compared to a flood lamp. But this is true with most things in the indie music world…
A new hope: Digital Media
Fortunately, the state of traditional media in the music world is by no means an implication of a sinking demand for music, music media, stories, and articles on new music, videos, podcasts or other content mediums.
Welcome to the World Wide Web (Web 2.0 specifically) and the iPhone generation. I’ll write about online media and how DIY, independent artists can leverage new technologies and the web in my next entry. Many of you can probably write it yourselves…
I want to find good pop music. Help me please.
I want to find good German music. Help me please.