Welcome to the digital revolution. Is the CD dead? Is Vinyl really making a comeback? Let’s be realistic, the lion’s share of consumption of music in 2021 is from smartphones. App-based music service has taken over how music is consumed and shared. Because of this shift in market share, more and more streaming services are popping up by the day. Of course, many artists and managers know of the big services, and these will be the focus of this article. However, know that after reading this you can apply much of these resources across every platform.
For this discussion, we should break this down into two camps, the consumer and the investor. This is what separates this article from the millions of other blogs over the internet.
We are all fans of music, this is why we are here in the first place. So as a consumer we would use the streaming service to consume music that best works for our available platform. As an iPhone user, chances are high Apple Music is your go-to service, however, Spotify is most popular among Android users. Consumers are still dropping millions of dollars in music across platforms so artists want to be sure to get their share, however, as an up-and-coming are you in a position to get a piece of this pie?
Artists would be foolish to not be available to fans across the main services; Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, etc. However, these services are not the only ones available to you to break into the mainstream market. Fans of artists will go out of their way to follow their favorite acts on other platforms, and true audiophiles have other preferred services, which brings us to the meat of this article.
Artists are putting their music out there for promotion, notoriety, exposure, and investment. Investors, (record labels, A&R, managers, publishers, publicists, booking agents, etc.) are always looking for the next act to help them succeed. Although Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube offer good metrics, (like, views, listens subscribers, etc.) these metrics can be skewed and perhaps are not looked at as seriously as you may believe.
Ease of use streaming sites are critical for investors. Following a link and having the music play immediately is worth more to an investor than how many listens they received. A&R listens to thousands of new tracks every week, spending time listening to (and skipping) and slows the process, losing interest almost immediately. This is where the wonders of Bandcamp, SoundCloud, and other sites like this really shine.
Although these streaming services do not get the listens Spotify, Apple, and YouTube they do provide very realistic perks. Ease of use is the most beneficial, however, linking bios, press kits, merchandise, and touring info is simple and direct in investor’s views at all times. The intangible benefits of putting the right information in the right hands can pay larger dividends than views, likes, or subscribers.
As a manager or, self-managed artist we have to set realistic goals and expectations. Although, we can monetize views, likes, and subscribers easier through the big services (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube), and feel a sense of accomplishment with these metrics, are we actually pushing our careers in the right direction?
Having your music available across every (or plenty) of services is imperative to reach investors at the best time. Although this may require some initial investment from artists and managers the pay-off is too large to ignore.
So what do we do with all these options available to us? We all have different marketing plans and every plan has merit, however, we should be weighing the pros and cons of each service and how can we capitalize on each.
For social media campaigns, we should keep these two camps fresh in our minds. As a fan, we want playlists, lots of content, and other artists like the ones I’m following. As an investor, however, we have to keep in mind; ease of use. How quickly can I get my music, (and only my music) in the hands of investors? When targeting your social media posts, ask who am I trying to reach with this post?
If you are looking for gigs, radio play, collaboration, management, publicity, etc.? Perhaps the SoundCloud, Bandcamp, and other smaller stream sites are the best to use in your marketing campaign. Do you want your music in your fan’s latest playlists, then share those Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube links.
Having all the resources available and knowing how to effectively utilize them can be the difference in quick gains vs. the long-term investment.
Do you have thoughts about this post? Please contact me and let’s keep this discussion going.
Evolution Music Press 