Re-work the music industry

[john]

Hi

If you could re-make the music industry, how would you mould it? What shape would it take?

Cheers

John

[FinnArild]

If you could re-make the music industry, how would you mould it? What shape would it take?

Doughnut ...

... no seriously: the music industry isn't a thing you mold. It's a more organic thing of growth. Now it's very much like the artist is the seed, record companies the gardener, music the earth and money the result.

Wouldn't it be nice if the record companies could be the seed, artist the gardener, money the earth and music the result?

[Nightwolf]

Well Said Finn

[hariossa]

Wouldn't it be nice if the record companies could be the seed, artist the gardener, money the earth and music the result?

nice

[john]

Hi

Interesting analogy. Following that stream of thought:

At the moment I'd say that the artist is the seed, the record company is the gardener, money is the fruit and flowers, and music is the leaves. The artist gets by on the shit given it by the record company, and the fans must there for be flies and insects.

Unfortunately indie artists are regarded as weeds.

Cheers

John

[john]

Just to alter your theory:

The record companies could be a type of fertilizer, the artist the seed which grows into a beautiful plant, the manager and agent are the gardener, music the fruit, and money is what you get when you take your fruit to market. Flies are pluggers, and fans buy the fruit in the shop.

The fans then get to decide what fruit they like, and they, not the media, decide on just how tasty it is.

The shop keepers of course get to not place orders with suppliers who supply bruised fruit.

Cheers

John

[hariossa]

The fans then get to decide what fruit they like, and they, not the media, decide on just how tasty it is.

so, you still have faith in humanity...

[Steve]

I wonder what would happen if we cut out the big record companies? It would be interesting to see how artists would fare if they had to rely on their talent alone to make it! Maybe allow them to sell their own records through their own record company.

[FinnArild]

I wonder what would happen if we cut out the big record companies? It would be interesting to see how artists would fare if they had to rely on their talent alone to make it! Maybe allow them to sell their own records through their own record company.

One thing I've learned by "doing it on my own" is that when you're starting out, you can get well along without anything very special musically - but you're without hope if you haven't got a clue about PR and Marketing.

That's the bitter truth - you can't break a market without a solid sum of money going to PR and Marketing - however excellent your product is.

Speaking of which - my excellent (in my own eyes) product "Serendipity" is now soon going to the printers ...

[john]

Finn

What percentage of your overall budget have you assigned to promotion?

Cheers

John

[FinnArild]

What percentage of your overall budget have you assigned to promotion?

Roughly 30%

[john]

What was the balance between online and real world? If you don't mind me asking...

[FinnArild]

What was the balance between online and real world? If you don't mind me asking...

Well - online I use mainly things like google ads - not so much at this stage - besides, that's not PR but marketing (which has been alotted around 20-25% of my budget). The big cost on the PR side is for the company handling media (radio, newspapers and television) for me in Norway.

On the launch in Norway (I'm launching on the net first) It'll be that plus radio spots (Marketing) which comes down as the major costs.

It's important to understand the difference between marketing and PR - basically, marketing is when you buy appearances in media (advertising, internet site, ...) - PR is "free" appearances (interviews, tv shows, gigs, shop-signing a.s.o.).

I'm guessing the split between online and other marketing will be around 25/75 but that number may change.