Hello
New & Older Viewers,
What’s
new in entertainment you think people who read this blog (or I) should know
about? What are topic suggestions, debate references, your opinion, etc.? I
caught wind that I am a pretty windy writer, but if I am, I prefer to talk
about things that interest my readers. This blog is really for you to converse
and exchange information, so be active by adding your input!
This
week, I have decided to go with some basics – what to do when you decide to
start in music and other forms of entertainment. We are really covering things
on what I think should be on a need-to-know basis. If you have any other topics
you feel should be covered in this post, please jump right in by including them
in a comment. I’ll edit the original post up to Friday, October 26, 2012.
When
an Artist or Band usually decides to piece together and begin their career,
it's common that it’s through the eyes of someone from the outside of the
industry looking in. They see fame. They see stardom. They see expense. Very
rarely are Artists bred from their prospective households of what the industry
is “really” like. Whether they are in Music, Film, Theater, Sports, Arts or
Modeling, people just generally don’t know, in lack of better words, what they
are getting themselves into.
For
this post, I’m going to focus on Music.
According
to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (http://bls.gov), in America alone there
were 176,200 people identified as a
Musician or Singer in 2010. Break that down. That means that there were
approximately 483 people identifying as a musician per day, 20 per hour and
about 4 people a second somewhere in the United States of America saying that the
music they made mattered.
By
2020, BLS expected that number to increase by 194, 100, at a 10% increase. They
are predicting that nearly 17,900 people will identify as someone who works in
music 8 years from now.
In
that same year, “work” for a musicians was generally described as rehearsal and
recording sessions and live performances. $22.39 was the median hourly wage for performers then.
If
you’re “good”, you may be able to get
Music Investor. In the United States, Music Sponsorship spending has become
more and more abundant. The market for Music Sponsorship, provided by
GrabStats.com, states that from 2003 to 2006 the market increased from $575
million to $867 million, and in 2007, the Music Sponsorship market finally
reached its $1 billion mark. It continues to rise.
This
blog focuses on the U.S. and Europe, however the proportion of US consumer’s
disposable income spent on digital music vs. Europe has been reported to be
5X’s higher.
Success
in the Music Industry for an Artist can be measured indefinitely by consumer
sales, ratings and influence (a category which is not taken seriously by every
company or label.) Consumer Sales and revenue are a major category in Artist
Success. The tours, live gigs and merchandise have been proven sources of
sustainable income for many upcoming and established musicians like Raka Dun of
Los Rakas (Sydell, 2012.) Sales, of course, are a success factor in any
business. Ratings in music are just as important as ratings in motion pictures.
It reflects development on not only the Artist(s), but the marketing aspect of
the business as well. Influence can be another large successful factor if a
company’s promotion knows how to develop profit from an idea of a message,
image or song a band or Artist wants to promote. For example Lady Gaga costumes
are a large consumer attraction during the Halloween season, and LMFAO’s Party
Rock theme is large during Homecoming/Spring Break seasons for a college
student demographics.
The
“Checklist” of a successful Artist or Band used to be Major Label signing, Hit
Record, and Star expenses (Sydell, 2012). Now, that list is few and far
between. With independent labels on a rise to popularity and recognition by
fans and competing businesses alike – who can owe their credit to dedication,
motivation and consistency – there aren’t any general rules to follow. They
have become more so built on protecting the rights of the music and
musician(s).
You
don’t necessarily need to be with a Major Recording Label or even buy extravagantly
to be a successful Artist or Band. I have a basic plan that I use with one of
many businesses for any person who thinks they want to seriously get involved
with a music industry. It’s a process I came up with, being involved in the
music industry at a young age.
(1) Ask questions. Why be involved in music? Why now?
(2) Find
yourself. What kind of music/message are you looking to put out? What image do
you want to be associated with it? Do they compliment each other? Are you
looking to follow a trend or start one?
(3) Produce
quality material. Write. Write. Write. If you started as a poet, write. If you
are already recording and producing material, write. Even if you freestyle, go
back, listen and write. Quality over quantity cannot reign more true in this
industry.
(4) Social
Media Marketing. Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, Bandcamp, Reverbnation, Youtube,
LinkedIn, Google Plus and many other social media sites have changed the game
for music and entertainment. You don’t have to build a formal web page from he
ground up as an Artist. As long as you have quality content, you have fans.
Social networking has proven to be one of the most important “real” success
tools in the music industry today (Patterson, 2010.) To get heard, noticed and
even booked for gigs, it’s important that you exercise social media –
professionally. Have separate accounts for your band and personal information,
and use them accordingly. The major label A&R representative doesn’t care
what you had for lunch, and the venue who you are trying to book may not book
you if rant about a misunderstanding at another venue.
(5) Seek
Management. Although, a lot of bands are following in the trends of managing
themselves, or recording for themselves. However, if you start off on the
business aspect, how can you expect to develop your sound and craft as an
Artist or Band? Can you really handle the pressure of promotion, imagery,
development, management and representation all while trying to make music? Be
picking in your choosing.
(6) Accept
constructive criticism. Artists are most sensitive about the music or image
they produce. If you sought management, representation or a label, take meeting
notes, listen and follow instruction. They can’t make money if you don’t, so
take heed to what’s being said – with your own feedback of course.
(7) Make a plan. Short term and long term goals are most important at this stage. What do you want to accomplish with your band in the next month, 3 months, or 1 year? Include your finances, sales, and profits all planning. Crunch the numbers and see what needs to be purchased and done to get to where you want to go.
(8) Funding.
Money, the root of all evil and friction that may arise between yourself, your
band and/or your manager. Yes, it is important, but is it the most important
factor? You need funding for equipment, your look, production, engineering,
travel expenses, etc. and you can’t make money without money, but what are you
willing to sacrifice for it? Can you write investment proposals? Can you handle paying for the venue or would you
rather have your management front you the money and pay 25%+ of all grossed
revenue?
Surely it is not everything (can’t reveal all my secrets), but
it is an idea of how to proceed if music and the business of the industry are
for you.
As
an Artist, or Band, you may wonder which markets are out there for you to
appeal and expand to.
Types
of Available Music Markets Artists can get into:
-
Digital Age (Singles [single tracks], Online
Downloads)
-
Live Music (Concerts, Open Mics)
-
Music Retail
(Physical Album Sales, Merchandise, Donations)
-
Radio (Mainstream, Satellite)
-
Promotional Outlets (DJ’s for Nightclub play,
Major and Exclusive Parties)
-
Entertainment Outlets (Soundtracks and Scores
for TV/Film)
This
is some general information I think should every upcoming artist should know.
More can be explained through comments, email or social media!
Read.
Converse. Enjoy.
Cherry
McDonald, H. Music Business Investors. (2012).
About.com. Retrieved from: http://musicians.about.com/od/musicindustrybasics/p/musicinvestors.htm.
Music
Industry Statistics Industry Figures, and Information. (2012).
SiteRapture, Inc. Retrieved from: http://www.grabstats.com/statcategorymain.aspx?StatCatID=9.
Musicians
and Singers: Occupational Outlook Handbook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
(2012, March 29).
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved from:
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/entertainment-and-sports/musicians-and-singers.htm.
