BridgetZ Calendar

Music Relies on the Social Web and Digital to “Tell ‘Em”

For those in the music business wanting to get a leg up in the new landscape, Billboard Digital Live (at the Consumer Electronics Show - CES) was a good place to be and, no doubt, Bridget Z was there.  Douglas Merrill, President of Global Digital Business, EMI, gave the sense that the marketing strategies they implement are now mostly experiments.  Scary for those indie artists sinking big bucks into their debut album/EP marketing efforts without more proven methods by the majors to model themselves after.

We also heard from Livia Tortella GM/Executive SVP, Marketing, Atlantic Records on a panel describing the tremors they experienced last year when their sales went 50% digital. She confirmed a fun fact that vinyl sales are up (love that).  This further shows the need for fans to have a music “experience.”

Akon provided insight with his story about his debut album and the decision to release it via a penitentiary tour.  A nod to the efforts of the late Johnny Cash??  Radio stations were shy to promote a former convict.  He opted for a social message about rising above which he delivered to locked-up audiences, further fueled by the social Web (myspace, etc),  The rest is history.

What really sticks with me is the case of Soulja Boy, a recording artist (now on Interscope) who, at the age of fifteen and with a dial-up connection launched a social Web campaign that quickly shot him into the major leagues.

For the last year, those watching the Billboard charts have noticed the name “Soulja Boy,” now aka “Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em” on the Billboard charts. His self-recorded single “Crank That” became a number-one hit in the US for seven (non-consecutive) weeks. He charmed the room with his description of the three-year journey; his past life at Burger King, growing stats like 35,000 downloads a day, finally getting high-speed internet and his first digital camera, 2, 3, 4 million hits on myspace.  He also flashed his Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em sneakers by Yum.

I'm a fan of Soulja boy's tenacity and innovation which have brought much success for the artist.

Two more things stand out as the “secret sauces” for an act to get to the higher cut.

1. Data (fan) aggregating is a must.  The data pulled from social Web networks (sites like Facebook, myspace, imeem, Twitter and Eventful) is now the best way to get a profile of the fan base and route shows and promos.

2. Acts must be mobile-optimized.  With fans more and more surfing the Web from their pockets or purses (and heavily buzzing about them at concerts to other fans), the artist must reside there as well. It can be major opportunity left on the table, otherwise. Say "helloo, custom iPhone app!"

Posted under Events, Music, Technology