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An interesting new study (“Music & Millennials” Report from Music Biz & LOOP) was recently released regarding how people listen to, and discover, music online. 56 of people ages 15-19 years old discover new music via YouTube. Our client, Pentatonix, can certainly speak to that since they initially developed their now enormous following by posting videos on YouTube. It worked – they now have close to 11 million subscribers!! (https://www.youtube.com/user/PTXofficial)
STREAMING VERSUS BUYING – WHAT AGES?
Reading the result of this study further showed that 51 of people aged 15-19 also use all of the streaming outlets available to them to find new music, shunning ‘traditional’ radio. However, older listeners still tune in to terrestrial and satellite radio, and discover new music that way. No big surprise, right? Here’s the interesting part – younger people ARE paying for music. The analysts of another study (https://s101.ws/3z2k) found that 46 of US respondents ages 18-24 paid for music in the past month, which was higher than respondents ages 45-54 (26) and 65+ (12). The data showed that as people get older, they are less likely to pay for music, which contradicts the accepted thinking that the younger generation just stream.
WHAT CAN INDEPENDENT ARTISTS DO TO GET NOTICED?
All this information makes you think about how artists breaking into music can make money as their careers develop. Certainly touring, but also investigating corporate partnerships for exposure.
Another Section 101 client, Jamie Kent, was just featured in The Tennessean with regard to his success in this area (https://s101.ws/3z2j) and how much of a difference it has made to his career. As an independent artist, he is part of a trend we are seeing wherein corporations want to reach a younger and sought-after audience, so they partner with up-and-coming artists instead of ones that are signed to a major label. Major label acts are great, but likely have less availability to really chart their own course with these companies. This type of exposure is invaluable for someone like Kent; the added exposure he has received from Bose speakers and Durango Boots – two of his marketing partners – has been very fruitful. Says Kent, “As an independent artist, I think that brand partnerships are one of the most important ways to get the word out about your music. If you don’t have a label, they have resources for some distribution and marketing. It’s symbiotic relationship where we promote each other.”
TO RECAP
The takeaway is to make sure you’re not only aware of the audience you want to reach with your music, but to also investigate all the best ways TO reach them. You may be surprised how many opportunities there are to ‘scratch someone’s back.” The more knowledgeable you are, the more control you will have over your career.
