MUB Blog 5: Marketing and YouTube

Rusty Milner, previous guitarist of the Mashall Tucker Band, came to class on Friday.  The topic of discussion seemed to revolve around marketing and how much it’s changed since the 70s-80s. Internet access has caused the primary change in marketing. Rusty Milner encouraged the use of YouTube for marketing today. Anyone can do it. A “nobody” today has more of a chance of making it big today than a “nobody” in the 70s. This might actually pose a problem. Can quality artists be found when there is so many to choose from? ‘

Many people argue that the quality of music has gone down over the years. Is it possible that marketing strategy the reason for this? There have been a lot of musicians over the past few years who became “YouTube famous” before the made it big in music industry. Justin Biber, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Soulja Boy are a few musicians who started out as YouTubers and then some mysterious force found them. It makes you think—why them? If they were found among millions of videos, surely there are others who are just as good, if not better than these few. The thing about YouTube is that your views are dependent upon whether or not people find your video and find it interesting enough to share it. After a certain point of sharing, the rest is just an upward slope from there. If you get enough videos just as popular, you become “YouTube Famous.” These are the people that are sought after by producers. Of course, this opens up a window of opportunity for talent to emerge when it would otherwise be unknown.

Word Count: 277

Sources: http://monetizepros.com/blog/2014/25-celebrities-who-got-rich-famous-on-youtube/

MUB Blog 4: Downloading is so 2000's

Music streams are up and downloads are down. Why is that a surprise?

We talked a little bit about how watching programed television shows is “so 70’s” (to quote Dr. Berry). This article says, “Streaming music is cannibalising download sales.” Just a while ago we were discussing how CDs and whole collections of things could be downloaded. Downloaders can pick and choose one song from a CD for a lower cost rather than having to buy a bundle for more. Now I think the download has met its match--streaming. Streaming is great; you can listen to your favorite songs and discover more songs like your favorite songs. The problem with this, is that the artists are worried that royalties from streams won’t make up for falling sales in their CDs and downloads. Another issue is getting people to pay for streaming, rather than streaming for free. Many more people are streaming for free with advertisements than people who are paying without advertisements—about five times more people to be exact. The article points out “every new generation of music service steals from the last generation’s customers.” Last generation it was Apple taking Amazon’s customers. Now, it’s Spotify stealing Apple’s customers.  Researchers say the secret was that Spotify was able to find out how many of their customers are willing to pay and make them do it. More specifically, they convinced 25% of their customers to play $9.99 a month. This is a big deal in a world where free digital music is at every corner.

Word count: 241

Sources: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/aug/29/music-streams-downloads-mark-mulligan

MUB Blog 3: T.A.F.K.A.P.

The Artist, formerly known as Prince

Born as Prince Rogers Nelson, he later changed his name four times. In 1993, he changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol. 

He referred to himself as “The artist formerly known as Prince.” According to the witty article in Entertainment Weekly, he did not have his name changed legally (according to the government). Warner, whom Price accused of “stifling his creativity”, largely influenced the name change. There was a legal battle between Warner Bros. and Prince over the artistic and financial control of his musical output. He did not want to be known as a “slave” to Warner Bros, so he changed his name to a Love Symbol, which he said was symbolic of his identity and his music. His argument was that his mother gave him the name Prince, in which Warner Bros. trademarked.

According to copyright law, professional names of performers cannot be protected under copyright. They need to get a trademark for their stage name. Of course, I don’t think Prince needed to worry too much about another performer stealing his name (or lack there of). Ideally, copyright law says that when Prince “retired” and became a new performing group as T.A.F.K.A.P., he had to be extra careful to avoid duplication of another group’s name. Prince was very careful, indeed. To be extra sure that his name was unique, Prince might’ve checked with ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. If he was still feeling unsure, his attorney can fine him the names of firms that specialize in searches for this kind of trademark. Obviously, Prince was did his homework.

Sources:

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,273604,00.html

http://www.biography.com/people/prince-9447278#career-highlights

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_(musician)#Stage_names

Music Business Handbook and Career Guide, p. 111

Word Count: 259

Music Business Blog 2: Steve Jobs

I found it really interested that Steve Jobs, basically, revolutionized the music business through changing the way people bought their music. I looked up an article to read more about his influence on the music business and found this Rolling Stones one:

Steve Jobs' Music Vision

“’That’s a great big of software. It does everything I need. It organizes my music, works very efficiently, has an efficient mechanism around a credit card.’” I thought this bit was interesting because everything he mentions for this iTunes software to be good all had to do with it’s functioning. Sure, it can sell music, but the average person has got to be able to use it without trouble. The public has got to know how to navigate through it. Steve Jobs was able market this product and make it easily accessible and usable to his consumers. It didn’t just sell music; it became one’s one personal library of songs.  His work goes back to our class discussion about music jobs that are influenced by passion. “’Steve had a lifelong love affair with the Beatles’ music…He wanted to present them in as fine and as exquisite a way as possible.’” It was because Steve Jobs loved music that he started iTunes. I don’t think an ordinary businessman could pull off what Steve Jobs did. It might be safe to say that it was his passion for music and his understanding of what other music-lovers want, that made him a success.

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