2022 marks the culmination of many changes in the music industry, paralleling the changing role of music in American culture.
Media and promotion
Music has always been tied to the history of media, changing as media technologies themselves change. In the 20th century, this has meant that music has changed as recording formats have changed. Today in the 21st century, this means that music changes as the internet changes.
The goal of music promotion is to find audiences who are receptive to a musician’s craft, sound, or persona. The way in which promoters do this is by using media channels (radio, TV, streaming, social media) to target particular audience demographics. People listen to music they believe they might enjoy. But they also form communities, who together listen to similar kinds of music.
Music is promoted in one of two ways: 1) by convincing an audience member to like a piece of music or 2) by making music available to a community who listens to a particular type of music.
Promotion as media changes
In the 20th century, music was promoted to be sold in brick-and-mortar stores. Music videos appeared on TV to promote the sale of an album to be bought in stores.
In the 21st century, music promotes the sale of live shows. Music is promoted to audiences using social media, but that music itself is used to promote the more profitable activities of gigging and touring.
The internet is both a blessing and a curse for musicians. It allows for them to reach audiences they would have otherwise been unable to reach. However, it also makes music an incredibly crowded place. Audiences are now surrounded by too much media, relying on algorithms and influencers to curate which media to consume.
Throughout the 2010s, musicians have relied on social media to promote their albums, aiming to use their music to become ‘mini-influencers’ to help sell future work. However, by the 2020s, this influencer model has now become highly saturated. Previous models of promotion are again becoming obsolete, as the unpaid labor of maintaining social media accounts becomes ever more demanding.
The 2020s
While the 2020s have seen search engine optimization (SEO) as a newer form of promotion, putting out content in response to real-time statistics of daily trends, promotion in music appears to be taking a different path. In response to the public’s increasing frustration with the algorithms of social media platforms, audiences appear to be looking for music from each other again.
Online underground music communities pervade the internet, with communities of people sorting and sifting through music to recommend to others. Offline, people are sorting through piles of vinyl records, recommending music to one another.
Even as music has become increasingly mediatized, becoming subject to the difficulties of legacy and digital media, people still wish to have social experiences with music.
Thus in 2022, it is important to offer a more organic form of connection with audiences. Share your music with them, but also share things you think your audience might enjoy in general. Aim to foster a community, and sometimes sneak your own music in there from time to time.
Even as newer media emerges or changes, affecting the way in which musicians engage with the public, older forms of media do not disappear.
For help with multi-media strategies for promotion, Starlight has a variety of services available for musicians at any stage in their career.
