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In the not-too-distant past, to call oneself a star was to have recordings spinning on every radio dial and to have glossy vinyls lining store shelves. Yet, those glory days are just that — historical footnotes in our rapidly changing music industry landscape. Gone are the times when a record label’s deep pockets and a studio wizard’s knack were your tickets to stardom. In those days, talent was essential, as was a good song. If the tape rolled, you’d better be ready to deliver a one-take wonder.
Jump forward a few decades and the world witnessed music turning the cultural tide with multi-track recording technology and MTV pumping out pop icons faster than you could say “Video Killed the Radio Star.” And then came the nineties, but let’s face it, that was just the eighties replayed in slow motion — same dance, different disco.
Then came the internet, tearing down the velvet ropes of exclusivity. Suddenly, everyone had backstage passes. Your musical heroes? Just regular folks with Instagram accounts and probably less formally trained than your average bear. High ticket prices demanded that concerts morph into spectacles, where the spectacle often drowned out the tunes and the performer as the star.
Today, musicians and labels alike are grappling with a reset game where it’s more about churning out content than heartfelt hymns. The notion that being signed is a fast track to fame is as outdated as floppy disks. Streaming platforms and social media have leveled the playing field. Everyone can broadcast their beats from their bedrooms. But with everyone shouting into the void, how do you capture an ear, let alone a heart?
Well, newsflash: while major labels continue to play it safe, stacking their decks with tried and true formulas, the digital domain has democratized the music industry. The real movers and shakers? They’re not the ones clinging to dreams of chart-topping hits; they’re the TikTok troubadours and YouTube yodelers, spinning fresh beats and snaring followers with sheer creativity and relentless hustle.
The Rolling Stone Culture Council is an invitation-only community for Influencers, Innovators and Creatives. Do I qualify?
Songwriters and performers are now “content creators” who often have no interest in record deals, as they put out material that consistently gets a lot of views. There are thousands and thousands of them that are making money directly from platforms like YouTube and TikTok, as they control their own careers without having to take out bad loans (that they like to call “advances”) from record labels.
But let’s not kid ourselves, not everyone’s cut out for this new world order. If you think strumming a guitar on a talent show will catapult you to stardom, you might as well be playing in your garage. Today, uniqueness trumps all. It’s not enough to just perform; you must innovate, captivate and resonate. This brings us squarely to the realm of marketing — a critical arena often overlooked by purists. I always remember the words of a friend of mine who managed a nightclub in Las Vegas: “We could have Madonna performing here, but if we don’t tell people about it, we would still be empty!” Without effective marketing, even the brightest stars can fade into the background, unseen and unheard.
Here’s the kicker: music is more of an amenity in our lives, rather than a fundamental necessity. It needs to hustle for our attention. The digital era, with platforms like TikTok, has transformed how artists connect with their audiences, making it clear that talent is only part of the equation. The other, equally important part is ensuring your voice resonates amidst a cacophony of others. Marketing is about crafting stories that resonate, building communities around your art and utilizing every tool at your disposal — from trending hashtags to grassroots campaigns. It’s a creative endeavor as profound and impactful as the art itself.
Artists, are you still with me here? Think of your marketing on digital platforms the same way that you would think about marketing your live shows: if you want to be seen, you need to invite your audience. As your digital presence expands, you can scale up to larger platforms — like moving from smaller clubs to larger theaters — to maximize your reach and revenue. Collaborating with other artists online, much like sharing a stage at a live show, can be a strategic move to broaden your fan base and tap into new networks. Each step is about strategically increasing visibility and enhancing engagement to ensure your digital marketing efforts resonate as powerfully as your live performances. Except in this model, instead of getting discovered because you have earned this following, you could choose to continue growing your empire on your own. And you never had to staple any fliers to any telephone poles!
In the influencer age, authenticity and originality are the currency. These savvy creators know that to make an impact, they must constantly evolve and engage their audience with fresh content. Meanwhile, traditional musicians lament old revenue streams drying up as if entitlement to a bygone era’s perks came with their guitar picks. The truth? The music industry is no charity. It’s a battleground of innovation and adaptability. If you’re not bringing something new to the table, you’re background noise at best. So, as we navigate this brave new world of bytes and beats, let’s drop the nostalgia and face the music — literally. It’s not about reaching everyone; it’s about touching someone. Enough to keep the lights on, your soul fed, and your creativity flowing. That’s the game now. Play it well, avoid fading into obscurity, and become your own music mogul.
