The music industry has changed in many ways since the internet has become a main tool for new artists to release their music onto the internet and gain large fan bases. Without the internet then there would be a lot less artists coming into the music industry.
For example Ed Sheeran used the internet to create a fan base that would then be able to support him into the music industry and selling albums.
Ed sheeran- "I also gained an army of fans through social networking sites, where I have now accumulated 36,000 followers on Twitter and has celebrity devotees including Arsenal and Russia footballer Andrei Arshavin"
Arctic Monkeys
The Arctic Monkey's are a good example of the effects the internet can have on a band and launch them clearly in the music industry. The group has built a hugely devoted fan base by using the internet to reach young fans.
when the band were just becoming known they played to 2,000 fans at sold-out London Astoria.
"The speed with which they have developed a large and committed fanbase is being put down to the viral marketing effect of the internet, with fans swapping tracks with one another with the blessing of the group.
According to one estimate there are already 142 different versions of various Arctic Monkeys songs floating around on the internet, some recorded by fans at concerts. The band has only officially released one very limited edition single called Fake Tales of San Francisco."
Research is key to finding the target audience that will be best for your product. There are many factor that help you find a target audience, the ways of finding out these is by looking at your product in detail and evaluating every aspect of it and then compiling this into questionnaires and interviews to narrow down the direction that your product is going in. If you aim at the wrong target audience it can have a catastrophic effect on the product as it wont gain the popularity it needs to become successful.
Research on 3 bands and their target audiences
Florence and the machine
This is a band who began their music career on you tube and by doing small gigs to get themselves know. Florence and the machines genre of music began as very individual and original, as the band become more and more famous and well known they became signed and the style of music began to change to adapt to a mainstream target audience. The target audience for this band has changed with the progression of their success. florence and the machine still remain as a individual band and the style of Florences voice has not changed . The change in music lost Florence and the machine fans but they have now become very popular but with this it is easy to see the change in lyrics and a softer tone has become favored.
florence and the machine before she was signed
Florence and the machine after she was signed
From these two videos you can see the difference of her style and how she adjusted her music and lyrics slightly to adjust to her new target audience.
Lady Gaga
lady gaga is an artist who has shocked the music industry with the music and style of her performances, lady gaga is known as one of the strangest artists with an extraordinary voice. "I didn't want to start singing while they were talking, so I got undressed. There I was sitting at the piano in my underwear. So they shut up. That's when I made a real decision about the kind of pop artist that I wanted to be. Because it was a performance art moment there and then." lady gaga is known for the strange things she says and no one knows what her next move will be. Lady gaga promotes her albums and performances as a work of art, she doesnt just stand and sing she dances sings and acts just to an unforgettable performance.
"I haven’t been bothered by Lady Gaga’s outlandish outfits in the past, but I gasped when I saw her posed on the September cover of Vogue Hommes Japan, doning pieces of raw meat strung together. She holds one slab up to her face. The title of the article beckons: “The Naked Truth.”
What is the truth, Lady Gaga?"
In this video of Lady Gaga you can see that she puts a lot of effort into how she looks and trying to make herself stand out from other artists that opt for a more glamorous look. Its this that makes her an original artist and is why she is known globally for her voice and personality.
Ed Sheeran
In the past year Ed Sheeran has launched himself into the music industry, before he was signed Ed Sheeran had a large fan bass by promoting his music at gigs and also by using viral marketing and web 2:0. Sites such a Facebook and YouTube were important for him to become known.
The genre of music that Ed Sheeran produces is acoustic/indie this has gained him a young audience as his music is based on things that teenagers can reflect on. For example his song 'The A Team' is about drug use and that bad effects of it.
"The blend of acoustic music, folk and hip hop beats? Maybe the age? I've got ginger hair which may set me apart - I don't know!"
Ed Sheeran
But regardless of knowing what sets him apart, Ed is already impressing the right people. In April 2008 he was asked to play a gig with Nizopli, who shot to fame in 2005 with their number one hit The JCB Song.
