Welcome to the blog of Dr. Lisa Burns' Media Studies senior capstone class (Section A) at Quinnipiac University. If you're looking for the latest on media industry trends and insightful media analysis, you've come to the right place.
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Music Blog 6, Question 3 (March 28th)
What are some of the changes that
artists have prompted in the music industry in recent years? How have they taken more control over
their careers? And do they still need the backing of a major record label in
order to succeed? Limit: 8 responses
The music industry is an industry full of creative ideas, changes, and advancements. There have many changes over the past few years in the way that music has produced and distributed. However, up till last year the music industry as a whole and record labels have been lagging behind the major artist, giving artist such as, Frank Ocean and Chance The Rapper the opportunity to take their music and creative vision into their own hands. In 2016 many music artist decided to create music that was for the fans and not for the money they would receive from album sales. Artist decided to forgo the original hardcopy release of their albums and chose to release their albums on streaming only services, “It’s not about the music being free. It’s about how it is displayed and made accessible and about artistic power,” (Austen 2016). This new structure of releasing albums on streaming only services allow artist to step out on their own more without the controlling hands of a record label. Ultimately, Leaving the artist to be more creative and more control of their product and image. Furthermore, This change in the way that artist are releasing their music is allowing the music to be more accessible to fans because they are able to access any part of the album for free. As well, having albums on streaming only services creates a, “…artist-to-fan relationship,” (Austen 2016). This is because when an album is released on a streaming service it feels as though that album is meant for that specific fan only and than allows them to personalize that album through the creation of playlist. The notion of music playlist are becoming a very beneficial and important part in the way that artist connect with fans and share their music. Drake is an artist who has recently used playlists to his advantage for his new “album” More Life. Drake released this project within the past week and it had 22 new songs for fans to listen too, “by choosing to call this project a playlist, he’s fully acknowledging the importance of curated lists of songs to the industry right now,” (Tanzer 2017).
By doing this Drake is another artist who is changing the industry by pushing the artist to fan relationship by letting fans not only have new music, but to feel and know that this music was hand picked by Drake himself and not funneled and chosen by the record label. As well, the playlist album that he created allowed him to acknowledging the idea that Spotify encourages, that music fans like to have a wide variety of music to listen, thus leading them to create playlist. This tactic implicated by Drake gives him more control over his music and creative process, but also allows him to put some of the control into fans hands. By artist taking playlist into the distribution process they are a creating, “a new template for this maturing era of digital distribution; an artist-driven format for churning out the level content that being a relevant artist in the streaming era demands,” (Tanzer 2017). This means that by artist changing and turning this new form of distribution they don’t have to relay as heavily on record labels to help them distribute their work because they can ultimately do it themselves. With artist now releasing albums and music on streaming only services their change has now implemented changed in the way that the Recording Academy now qualifies for nominations. In 2016, Chance The Rapper released his third album The Coloring Book as streaming only album. It was the first streaming only album to be on the top 200 billboard charts. This album other artist albums released in this format is something that the Academy couldn’t overlook; “the Recording Academy announced that streaming-only releases will now be eligible for consideration for Grammy nominations” (Rys 2016). This means that artist like Chance The Rapper, who went along with the change in how fans were getting and listening to music and thought less about the money was able to change the way that the industry viewed music that wasn’t released or created in the original typical form. Music is a creative form that is always changing and somewhat likely for the industry the artist are changing, creating, and adapting along with the new ways to share their music with their fans on their own terms.
Works Cited
Austen, Ben. "The New Pioneers: Chance the Rapper Is One of the Hottest Acts in Music, Has a Top 10 Album and His Own Festival -- All Without a Label or Physical Release." Billboard. Billboard Magazine, 11 Aug. 2016. Web. 25 Mar. 2017. Ihaza, Jeff. "The playlist is the new album." The Outline. The Outline, 13 Mar. 2017. Web. 25 Mar. 2017. Rys, Dan. "Recording Academy Embraces Streaming with Changes to Grammy Rules." Billboard. Billboard Magazine, 16 June 2016. Web. 25 Mar. 2017. Tanzer, Myles. "Drake's More Life Might Be The Key To The Music Industry's Future." The FADER. The FADER, 22 Mar. 2017. Web. 25 Mar. 2017.
One of the biggest changes that artists have prompted in the music industry in recent years is joining the streaming world. Personally, I still use iTunes to listen to my music. The only streaming I use sometimes is the free version of Pandora. I do not pay to listen to streaming services such as Spotify. But with this said, many people do pay for these services. I think this was a smart change artists have made, because when fans listen to music on YouTube, it is free. If they pay for Spotify or Pandora, both the steaming companies and the artists make a profit from this. According to Fast Company, streaming is only going to increase in the coming years. “Streaming music is also breaking free from the confines of our smartphones and laptops. Thanks to the rise of smart speakers like Amazon Echo, Sonos, and Google Home, more listening is happening at home, making the prospect of treating music like a monthly utility an even more sensible one” (Titlow). This is giving people an even better reason to pay for streaming services, as well as artists making their music available through these services.
I think artists have taken more control over their careers by deciding where they want their music to be (such as YouTube, Spotify etc.), and which record label they want to be signed under (if any at all). This brings me to the artist Chance the Rapper. Chancelor Bennett, also known as Chance the Rapper, “has become an iconoclast in his own right. He emerged as 2016’s most highly praised rapper, an heir to Kanye West (his mentor) and Kendrick Lamar (who in a recent issue of this magazine named Chance as a favorite MC), all without signing a record deal or even charging money for a single song” (The New Pioneers). This is something that does not happen often, if at all, yet he has been extremely successful. He is exceptionally talented and clearly deserves the fame he is receiving. Singer Jeremih recently discussed Chance the Rapper with Billboard. He said, “There’s not a record he can’t hop on, a genre of music he can’t relate to. I don’t know too many people who could go on Jimmy Fallon one night and go to a peace rally the next day” (The New Pioneers). Because of the talent he has, it is evident that a record label was and is not necessary for this individual. With this said, I don’t think this type of thing happens to everyone. It is certainly more difficult to “make it” without a record label, and most would agree it is still necessary to be a part of one. I think some artists prefer not to be under a record label because they are then under contract and not able to do exactly what he or she wants. “The most important thing is that the artist and the label maintain the freedom and flexibility to determine how they want the music presented to the public” (It Was the Year of the Album Exclusive). This type of thing prevents issues for the artist as well as the record label, if decided to join one.
"It Was the Year of the Album Exclusive... and the Year They Faded Away." Billboard. N.p., 22 Dec. 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
"The New Pioneers: Chance the Rapper Is One of the Hottest Acts in Music, Has a Top 10 Album and His Own Festival -- All Without a Label or Physical Release." Billboard. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
Titlow, John Paul. "7 Ways Streaming Music Will Change in 2017, After Another Crazy Year." Fast Company. Fast Company, 22 Feb. 2017. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
The music industry, like all other forms of entertainment, has endured rapid changes and adaptations over the past few years. The industry has seen these changes coming for much longer than a few years however. Ever since the widespread popularity of the iPod and MP3 files, the music business has had to battle piracy and declining record sales among other issues. Record labels, who were long known to have clashed with their own artists about royalties and contracts, have scrambled in the recent past to maintain profitability. Artists themselves have been taking matters in their own hands, by embracing the streaming trend and abandoning major record labels entirely. In the old days of the music business, an artist definitely needed the label to distribute the music in record shops, promote their records, and organize live performances. With the advent of the internet and social media, artists are able to interact with fans and distribute their music on their own. They are even bypassing labels, and working directly with the streaming services themselves, like Spotify or Apple Music, to get their material out exclusively. Chance the Rapper is probably the best example of an artist going rogue in 2016. Dan Rys of Billboard noted his remarkable achievements of last year, “Chance the Rapper's new release, Coloring Book, debuted May 13 as a streaming-only exclusive on Apple Music without a retail or download option. That rollout strategy set the young Chicago MC on the way to chart history: with its No. 8 debut on the Billboard 200 this week, Coloring Book holds the title as the first ever release to appear on the Billboard 200 chart with 100 percent of its equivalent album units coming from streaming, as its 57.3 million streams account for 38,000 equivalent album units (Rys).” While download and album revenues have shrunk and declined overall in the last decade, and down more than 22% in 2016 alone according to Billboard (Levine), artists have found another way to remain financially successful. Touring has now been the primary way artists remain financially viable, with streaming services acting as more or less a promotional tool. The biggest blockbuster act last year was Bruce Springsteen. “The E Street Band navigated “The River” 35th anniversary tour all the way to the bank in 2016, pulling in $268.3 million globally to score the top-grossing concert trek of the year worldwide, according to Pollstar, the concert industry-tracking publication (Lewis).” Bruce may be a rare talent and an exception, but this model now rings true throughout the music industry. The record companies, I would imagine, are likely having an identity crisis as their services become less relevant with the development of “all-you-can-eat” streaming services and ease of access. If new artists like Chance the Rapper can promote and produce themselves, then partner with Live Nation to logistically promote and run the tour, there doesn't seem to be much need for a record label. Taylor Swift, also known for her blockbuster touring, was not entirely pleased with the arrangement of streaming for artists. She, along with many other musicians, pulled her catalog from streaming services in 2014. She’s a great example of a powerful artist using her leverage to, at the end of the day, make more money. So much money in fact, Taylor has cozied up with Apple now, releasing promotional ads for the company and allowing them to stream exclusive concert footage from her 1989 tour. Streaming wasn't the first, and won’t be the last innovation to plague the music industry. Artists will have to find ways to maintain profitability, and I hope they do—consumers are hungry for new entertainment, and any sensible person knows it can’t all be free. The record labels however might go the way of vinyl, thanks to the internet and social media.
Streaming music sites like Spotify and Apple Music has become the new middleman between music lovers and artists. In this popular streaming environment, it seems like the power and influence of being signed to a traditional record label has lessened. Up-and-coming singers and musicians are able to effectively share and promote their music on these streaming sites, like SoundCloud and Spotify. In fact, building your musical career on Spotify and other streaming sites is completely feasible these days. Spotify, the world’s largest music subscription service, reached 50 million paid subscribers, making them the most subscribed streaming service. (Gensler) This gives unsigned, independent artists access to a large, diverse audience. Spotify even offers artists ‘Fan Insights,’ which provide artists valuable data like audience demographics and listening habits. Moreover, both Spotify and Apple Music offer public playlists that put a spotlight on new artists – Spotify has ‘Fresh Finds’ and ‘Discover Weekly’ while Apple Music has ‘The Apple Music List’ and “Best of the Week.’ From Justin Bieber to Chance the Rapper, many artists have found a beginning on streaming sites and a few have chosen to continue as an independent, unsigned artist. It is no surprise that record labels tend to draw artist contracts that are weighed in favor of the record company. Ed O’Brien from Radiohead was signed with Parlophone Records for years but recently re-signed to the Beggers Group. The switch in labels was a decision fueled by frustration and anger, with O’Brien saying, “Major labels thought they were more important than the artists, and they never were. Now, as the artists leave, they’re clearly seeing that in the world of music, nothing is bigger than the music itself.” (Ingham)
Chance the Rapper is a great example of an artist who rose to popularity on streaming sites without the support of a major label. He released two mixtapes as free downloads and then partnered with Apple Music to release his third album, Coloring Book, as an exclusive two-week stream. Coloring Book became the first streaming-only album to chart on the Billboard 200 and started a victorious crusade for the Grammys to make free, streaming music eligible for the awards. (The New Pioneers) Chance the Rapper took home the awards for Best Rap Performance, Best New Artist Award, and Best Rap Album. Chance has notably accomplished all of this without a label supporting him, only relying on word-of-mouth and his SoundCloud account for distribution. The popularity of streaming services continue to grow and the music industry has been left to figure out how best to embrace this new form of music distribution and consumption.
Gensler, Andy. "Spotify Officially Hits 50 Million Paid Subscribers." Billboard. N.p., 02 Mar. 2017. Web. 27 Mar. 2017. Ingham, Tim. "So... Do New Artists Really Need to Sign to a Record Label?" Music Business Worldwide. N.p., 19 July 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2017. "The New Pioneers: Chance the Rapper Is One of the Hottest Acts in Music, Has a Top 10 Album and His Own Festival -- All Without a Label or Physical Release." Billboard. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
Streaming services have completely changed the way people consume music. These services like Apple music, Pandora, Spotify and Amazon music have allowed users to get most of the songs they want by only paying a monthly subscription fee. Because of these online services, artists can put their music out on platforms and it can go viral without even needing a record label. This provides the artist with more power and control over their songs!
Frank Ocean is an example of an artist leaving their label in order to have more power over his music. The record label tried working with Frank but ended up only getting a visual album because it met his contract obligations (Halperin, 1). Frank Ocean figured out a way to take charge and demand the revenue he deserved from his music by utilizing the services around him.
Frank Ocean is one of many artists that have utilized streaming services to have more authority in decision-making and revenue. Chance the Rapper is an artist who recently made history because he is not affiliated with any record label yet he made it to the Billboard Top 200. Chance made it to the top 200 solely though streaming which was converted to album units (Rys, 1).
(Chasse Continued) Artists like Chance the Rapper have been able to change the music industry partially because of the consumer. People buy streaming services with the idea that it is “exclusive” and only certain artists release to specific services like Tidal. Although these reasons are valid and people like the idea that they have the power to listen to something that not everyone can. But another large part is people buy into streaming services because they want everything, whenever, wherever, and with no interruptions (Rys, 2). Ultimately artists are taking advantage of these services because the consumer allows it and it is how people want to hear their music now.
Chance the Rapper proves that an artist does not need a label in order to become successful because streaming is the way people consume. Also, with the Record Industry of America announcing in 2016 that streaming contributes to gold and platinum albums, it reiterates that most artist do not need a label in order to gain recognition for their success (Billboard Staff, 1).
Do artists need labels anymore to succeed? If they do now, it appears they will not need them for much longer. The only people that are still purchasing albums are older demographics so it is only really those artists that appeal to that demographic that might still need a label. Otherwise, artists can gain the same recognition without and with the success of streaming, I believe everyone will be moving in that direction towards where the industry is going.
Works Cited Halperin, Shirley. "From Beyonce to Frank Ocean, Breaking Down the Mechanics, and Politics, Behind Streaming Exclusives." Billboard. Web. 27 Mar. 2017. Ingham, Tim. "So... Do New Artists Really Need to Sign to a Record Label?" Music Business Worldwide. N.p., 19 July 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
"It Was the Year of the Album Exclusive... and the Year They Faded Away." Billboard. N.p., 22 Dec. 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2017. Rys, Dan. "Chance the Rapper's Chart Debut Is the Latest Streaming Milestone in a Year Full of Them." Billboard. 23 May 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
"RIAA Accepts Streams for Gold and Platinum Certifications." Billboard. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
"The New Pioneers: Chance the Rapper Is One of the Hottest Acts in Music, Has a Top 10 Album and His Own Festival -- All Without a Label or Physical Release." Billboard. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
Lewis, Randy. "Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé Post Top-grossing Tours of 2016." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
The change in technology has altered every industry along with it, and the music industry was no exception. It’s because of this that many musicians have had to adapt to the new ways we consume music. People no longer wait in line at FYE for their favorite artist’s cds, everything has gone digital. Streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify have changed the way we listen to our favorite tunes. As a result, many artists like Beyonce and Drake have embraced these changes and have released their albums/playlists on streaming sites, Tidal and Spotify respectively. Although some artists have accommodated to the changes others have been more hesitant. Record labels and managers have expressed genuine concerns regarding sales and exposure. “...As a manager, I would want my artist's’ music to be everywhere. When you carve it out to one service, you miss out on fans,” (Halperin, 1). I do see a point in their argument, however, big artists like Drake and Frank Ocean don’t have to worry about exposure because they have diehard fans. Lesser known artists have a reason to be concerned, but long established musicians can rely solely on exclusives and streaming sites and still have a successful result. I have to be honest that I only subscribed to Tidal to watch Beyonce’s visual album, Lemonade. And although I un-subscribed after watching it for the hundredth time, I still took the initiative to subscribe and watch. They draw fans in with exclusives and extras like videos or a whole visual album like Beyonce. The concerns of exposure for musicians can be mended using what some streaming sites are offering, playlists created by the artist themselves which offers an intimate look into what their favorite musician likes (Ihaza, 1).
One of the other big changes in the music industry are that artists no longer need to depend on a major record deal to become successful. The best example that comes to mind, who went against the traditional route, is Chance the Rapper. He has yet to sign to a record label and yet his achievements seem to be unbroken with his album, Coloring Book. “[it] became the first streaming-only album to chart on the Billboard 200, it opened in the top 10…(Austen, 1).” Chance even won a grammy, something many didn’t expect from an artist who has no record label backing him up and from a streaming-only album. But in fact many artists, especially rappers, have found success in remaining independent. Brooklyn native Young M.A. found a lot of fame from her single, OOOUUU, all without being signed and minimum social media presence. Although she’s been in talks with signing, she felt it was important to stay true to her art and be well informed of the possible implications brought on with being signed (Mojica, 1). Seeing the newfound success that unsigned artists have will peak the interests and give hope to up and comers to continue working because it will only be a matter of time until their song becomes a hit. Then they too will be examples of just how the music industry is changing and continues to transform everyday.
References Austen, Ben. "The New Pioneers: Chance The Rapper Is One Of The Hottest Acts In Music, Has A Top 10 Album And His Own Festival -- All Without A Label Or Physical Release". Billboard. N.p., 2016. Web. 28 Mar. 2017.
Halperin, Shirley. "From Beyonce To Frank Ocean, Breaking Down The Mechanics, And Politics, Behind Streaming Exclusives". Billboard. N.p., 2016. Web. 28 Mar. 2017.
Ihaza, Jeff. "The Playlist Is The New Album". The Outline. N.p., 2017. Web. 28 Mar. 2017.
Mojica, Nicholas. "Who Is Young M.A.? 6 Things You Didn’T Know About ‘OOOUUU’ Rapper". International Business Times. N.p., 2016. Web. 28 Mar. 2017.
(1/2) The music industry has been adapting nicely to the new way to get music which is, streaming. Artist and record labels have had to make changes on how they promoted and packaged their products. Some like Beyoncé and Chance The Rapper will only release their music on streaming services. Which gives them exclusivity but is this the right move for an artist? In a Billboard interview with John Legend, he said ‘“Most labels are getting around to understanding that exclusives aren’t great for the business. As a manager, I would want my artists’ music to be everywhere. When you carve it out to one service, you miss out on fans”’ (Halperin) In Chance The Rappers case it showed that he and other artists could just put their albums on one streaming service (in his case Apple Music) and still make record breaking sales. “That rollout strategy set the young Chicago MC on the way to chart history: with its No. 8 debut on the Billboard 200 this week, Coloring Book holds the title as the first ever release to appear on the Billboard 200 chart with 100 percent of its equivalent album units coming from streaming, as its 57.3 million streams account for 38,000 equivalent album units.” (Rys) Other artist has not been so fortune and broke exclusivity deals so like John Legend said could reach all of his faces. Kayne’s album Life of Pablo was supposed to be exclusive to Tidal, a music streaming service run by Jay-Z. Tidal’s whole business plan runs off of exclusivity. “Tidal would benefit both artists and listeners by making performers like his wife, Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Kanye West co-owners of the platform in exchange for Tidal having the exclusive rights to release their music and videos first on its platform.” (Kosoff) With Kayne breaking this deal with Tidal it did horribly for Tidal’s subscription base.
(2/2) Artists nowadays don’t need a backing of a major record label. Chance The Rapper has shown the industry yet again that he can do this all by himself. Record labels in a sense are just the people with the big bucks that give you loans to create music. But in the long hall, they get all the profits and the artist makes virtually nothing. So why go through all of that when you can be just as if not more successful doing it yourself. But then you have to think to yourself… how is an artist, without all of the finical support, making money? “Chance has earned money, not from 99-cent downloads but from tours, merchandise, meet-and-greets and his deals with Apple and other companies — like Bud Light and Citibank, sponsors of his upcoming Magnificent Coloring Day festival — eager to reach his many young, savvy fans.” (Austen)
Works Cited Austen, Ben. “The New Pioneers– Chance the Rapper Is One of the Hottest Acts in Music, Has a Top 10 Album and His Own Festival -- All Without a Label or Physical Release.” Billboard. 11 August 2016. Web Halperin, Shirley. “From Beyonce to Frank Ocean, Breaking Down the Mechanics, and Politics, Behind Streaming Exclusives.” Billboard. 25 August 2016. Web Kosoff, Maya. “Jay Z’s Music Streaming Start-Up is Losing Millions.” Vanity Fair. 14 September 2016. Web Rys. Dan. “Chance the Rapper's Chart Debut Is the Latest Streaming Milestone in a Year Full of Them.” Billboard. 23 May 2016. Web
The music industry is ever changing - from records, to tapes, to CDs, to downloads, and most recently streaming. Over the past few years, streaming services have changed the way people listen to music. “Today, digital downloads and streaming make up the majority of the music industry’s revenue, and many artists are full-service media properties…This shift feels less like a destination for the music industry writ large and more like a comfortable resting place,” (Ihaza). More and more people are taking the step to get the premium version of streaming services because it is proving to be more and more worth the monthly fee. I currently am a member of Spotify premium and before that I was a big listener of free Pandora. One of the things that originally caught my eye was the ability to download music to your phone as a premium member of Spotify. Current trends among artists are proving to me, more and more, that I made the right decision. In recent years, one of the biggest changes that artists have prompted in the music industry is the switch to the world of streaming.
Many artists decided to forgo the hard copy album release in 2016 and had their albums released on streaming only services. Artists went more in the direction of creating for fans rather than for money, which proved to be very helpful for artist like Chance the Rapper and Frank Ocean. “It’s not about the music being free. It’s about how it is displayed and made accessible and about artistic power,” (Austen). This new way of releasing music is benefitting artists and consumers. It gives artists more control because they are bypassing the record labels and by having more control artists are able to better cater to their fans.
Albums that are released to streaming services create a more intimate relationship between artists and their fans as well. Fans have the option to listen to the album as soon as they want once it is released. I know people who have locked themselves in rooms to listen to an album once its been released. Fans then have the option to specialize the artists’ music by adding it to playlists. Having albums released on a streaming-only service creates a stronger “…artist-to-fan relationship,” (Austen).
Artists like Chance and Frank Ocean have proved that not all artists need the support of a record label. If you are a new artists and looking to get your name out there, then you will probably need that support from a big label. However, for the already somewhat known artists, streaming services allow them to create on their own and build a more intimate relationship with fans. “The problem with the music industry is that it still hasn’t adapted to the internet era…but we need to acknowledge the fact that the business, as a whole, is failing musicians,” (McKinney). Successful artists have shown that streaming is the new way to go and labels are not too happy about that because they are not able to make as much money.
Austen, Ben. "The New Pioneers: Chance the Rapper Is One of the Hottest Acts in Music, Has a Top 10 Album and His Own Festival -- All Without a Label or Physical Release." Billboard. Billboard, 11 Aug. 2016. Web. 28 Mar. 2017.
Ihaza, Jeff. "The Playlist Is the New Album." The Outline. The Outline, 13 Mar. 2017. Web. 28 Mar. 2017.
McKinney, Kelsey. "Buying an Album Isn't the Best Way to Support a Recording Artist." Fusion. N.p., 18 Nov. 2015. Web. 28 Mar. 2017.
The music industry is an industry full of creative ideas, changes, and advancements. There have many changes over the past few years in the way that music has produced and distributed. However, up till last year the music industry as a whole and record labels have been lagging behind the major artist, giving artist such as, Frank Ocean and Chance The Rapper the opportunity to take their music and creative vision into their own hands.
ReplyDeleteIn 2016 many music artist decided to create music that was for the fans and not for the money they would receive from album sales. Artist decided to forgo the original hardcopy release of their albums and chose to release their albums on streaming only services, “It’s not about the music being free. It’s about how it is displayed and made accessible and about artistic power,” (Austen 2016). This new structure of releasing albums on streaming only services allow artist to step out on their own more without the controlling hands of a record label. Ultimately, Leaving the artist to be more creative and more control of their product and image.
Furthermore, This change in the way that artist are releasing their music is allowing the music to be more accessible to fans because they are able to access any part of the album for free. As well, having albums on streaming only services creates a, “…artist-to-fan relationship,” (Austen 2016). This is because when an album is released on a streaming service it feels as though that album is meant for that specific fan only and than allows them to personalize that album through the creation of playlist.
The notion of music playlist are becoming a very beneficial and important part in the way that artist connect with fans and share their music. Drake is an artist who has recently used playlists to his advantage for his new “album” More Life. Drake released this project within the past week and it had 22 new songs for fans to listen too, “by choosing to call this project a playlist, he’s fully acknowledging the importance of curated lists of songs to the industry right now,” (Tanzer 2017).
By doing this Drake is another artist who is changing the industry by pushing the artist to fan relationship by letting fans not only have new music, but to feel and know that this music was hand picked by Drake himself and not funneled and chosen by the record label. As well, the playlist album that he created allowed him to acknowledging the idea that Spotify encourages, that music fans like to have a wide variety of music to listen, thus leading them to create playlist. This tactic implicated by Drake gives him more control over his music and creative process, but also allows him to put some of the control into fans hands.
DeleteBy artist taking playlist into the distribution process they are a creating, “a new template for this maturing era of digital distribution; an artist-driven format for churning out the level content that being a relevant artist in the streaming era demands,” (Tanzer 2017). This means that by artist changing and turning this new form of distribution they don’t have to relay as heavily on record labels to help them distribute their work because they can ultimately do it themselves.
With artist now releasing albums and music on streaming only services their change has now implemented changed in the way that the Recording Academy now qualifies for nominations. In 2016, Chance The Rapper released his third album The Coloring Book as streaming only album. It was the first streaming only album to be on the top 200 billboard charts. This album other artist albums released in this format is something that the Academy couldn’t overlook; “the Recording Academy announced that streaming-only releases will now be eligible for consideration for Grammy nominations” (Rys 2016). This means that artist like Chance The Rapper, who went along with the change in how fans were getting and listening to music and thought less about the money was able to change the way that the industry viewed music that wasn’t released or created in the original typical form.
Music is a creative form that is always changing and somewhat likely for the industry the artist are changing, creating, and adapting along with the new ways to share their music with their fans on their own terms.
Works Cited
Austen, Ben. "The New Pioneers: Chance the Rapper Is One of the Hottest Acts in Music, Has a Top 10 Album and His Own Festival -- All Without a Label or Physical Release." Billboard. Billboard Magazine, 11 Aug. 2016. Web. 25 Mar. 2017.
Ihaza, Jeff. "The playlist is the new album." The Outline. The Outline, 13 Mar. 2017. Web. 25 Mar. 2017.
Rys, Dan. "Recording Academy Embraces Streaming with Changes to Grammy Rules." Billboard. Billboard Magazine, 16 June 2016. Web. 25 Mar. 2017.
Tanzer, Myles. "Drake's More Life Might Be The Key To The Music Industry's Future." The FADER. The FADER, 22 Mar. 2017. Web. 25 Mar. 2017.
One of the biggest changes that artists have prompted in the music industry in recent years is joining the streaming world. Personally, I still use iTunes to listen to my music. The only streaming I use sometimes is the free version of Pandora. I do not pay to listen to streaming services such as Spotify. But with this said, many people do pay for these services. I think this was a smart change artists have made, because when fans listen to music on YouTube, it is free. If they pay for Spotify or Pandora, both the steaming companies and the artists make a profit from this. According to Fast Company, streaming is only going to increase in the coming years. “Streaming music is also breaking free from the confines of our smartphones and laptops. Thanks to the rise of smart speakers like Amazon Echo, Sonos, and Google Home, more listening is happening at home, making the prospect of treating music like a monthly utility an even more sensible one” (Titlow). This is giving people an even better reason to pay for streaming services, as well as artists making their music available through these services.
ReplyDeleteI think artists have taken more control over their careers by deciding where they want their music to be (such as YouTube, Spotify etc.), and which record label they want to be signed under (if any at all). This brings me to the artist Chance the Rapper. Chancelor Bennett, also known as Chance the Rapper, “has become an iconoclast in his own right. He emerged as 2016’s most highly praised rapper, an heir to Kanye West (his mentor) and Kendrick Lamar (who in a recent issue of this magazine named Chance as a favorite MC), all without signing a record deal or even charging money for a single song” (The New Pioneers). This is something that does not happen often, if at all, yet he has been extremely successful. He is exceptionally talented and clearly deserves the fame he is receiving. Singer Jeremih recently discussed Chance the Rapper with Billboard. He said, “There’s not a record he can’t hop on, a genre of music he can’t relate to. I don’t know too many people who could go on Jimmy Fallon one night and go to a peace rally the next day” (The New Pioneers). Because of the talent he has, it is evident that a record label was and is not necessary for this individual. With this said, I don’t think this type of thing happens to everyone. It is certainly more difficult to “make it” without a record label, and most would agree it is still necessary to be a part of one. I think some artists prefer not to be under a record label because they are then under contract and not able to do exactly what he or she wants. “The most important thing is that the artist and the label maintain the freedom and flexibility to determine how they want the music presented to the public” (It Was the Year of the Album Exclusive). This type of thing prevents issues for the artist as well as the record label, if decided to join one.
DeleteWorks Cited
Delete"It Was the Year of the Album Exclusive... and the Year They Faded Away." Billboard. N.p., 22 Dec. 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
"The New Pioneers: Chance the Rapper Is One of the Hottest Acts in Music, Has a Top 10 Album and His Own Festival -- All Without a Label or Physical Release." Billboard. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
Titlow, John Paul. "7 Ways Streaming Music Will Change in 2017, After Another Crazy Year." Fast Company. Fast Company, 22 Feb. 2017. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
The music industry, like all other forms of entertainment, has endured rapid changes and adaptations over the past few years. The industry has seen these changes coming for much longer than a few years however. Ever since the widespread popularity of the iPod and MP3 files, the music business has had to battle piracy and declining record sales among other issues. Record labels, who were long known to have clashed with their own artists about royalties and contracts, have scrambled in the recent past to maintain profitability.
ReplyDeleteArtists themselves have been taking matters in their own hands, by embracing the streaming trend and abandoning major record labels entirely. In the old days of the music business, an artist definitely needed the label to distribute the music in record shops, promote their records, and organize live performances. With the advent of the internet and social media, artists are able to interact with fans and distribute their music on their own. They are even bypassing labels, and working directly with the streaming services themselves, like Spotify or Apple Music, to get their material out exclusively.
Chance the Rapper is probably the best example of an artist going rogue in 2016. Dan Rys of Billboard noted his remarkable achievements of last year, “Chance the Rapper's new release, Coloring Book, debuted May 13 as a streaming-only exclusive on Apple Music without a retail or download option. That rollout strategy set the young Chicago MC on the way to chart history: with its No. 8 debut on the Billboard 200 this week, Coloring Book holds the title as the first ever release to appear on the Billboard 200 chart with 100 percent of its equivalent album units coming from streaming, as its 57.3 million streams account for 38,000 equivalent album units (Rys).” While download and album revenues have shrunk and declined overall in the last decade, and down more than 22% in 2016 alone according to Billboard (Levine), artists have found another way to remain financially successful. Touring has now been the primary way artists remain financially viable, with streaming services acting as more or less a promotional tool.
The biggest blockbuster act last year was Bruce Springsteen. “The E Street Band navigated “The River” 35th anniversary tour all the way to the bank in 2016, pulling in $268.3 million globally to score the top-grossing concert trek of the year worldwide, according to Pollstar, the concert industry-tracking publication (Lewis).” Bruce may be a rare talent and an exception, but this model now rings true throughout the music industry.
The record companies, I would imagine, are likely having an identity crisis as their services become less relevant with the development of “all-you-can-eat” streaming services and ease of access. If new artists like Chance the Rapper can promote and produce themselves, then partner with Live Nation to logistically promote and run the tour, there doesn't seem to be much need for a record label.
Taylor Swift, also known for her blockbuster touring, was not entirely pleased with the arrangement of streaming for artists. She, along with many other musicians, pulled her catalog from streaming services in 2014. She’s a great example of a powerful artist using her leverage to, at the end of the day, make more money. So much money in fact, Taylor has cozied up with Apple now, releasing promotional ads for the company and allowing them to stream exclusive concert footage from her 1989 tour.
Streaming wasn't the first, and won’t be the last innovation to plague the music industry. Artists will have to find ways to maintain profitability, and I hope they do—consumers are hungry for new entertainment, and any sensible person knows it can’t all be free. The record labels however might go the way of vinyl, thanks to the internet and social media.
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DeleteWorks Cited
DeleteLevine, Robert. "Is the Record Business Really Back? How Streaming Is (And Isn't) Turning a Profit." Billboard. N.p., 3 Nov. 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
Lewis, Randy. "Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé Post Top-grossing Tours of 2016." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
Rys, Dan. "Chance the Rapper's Chart Debut Is the Latest Streaming Milestone in a Year Full of Them." Billboard. N.p., 23 May 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
Streaming music sites like Spotify and Apple Music has become the new middleman between music lovers and artists. In this popular streaming environment, it seems like the power and influence of being signed to a traditional record label has lessened. Up-and-coming singers and musicians are able to effectively share and promote their music on these streaming sites, like SoundCloud and Spotify. In fact, building your musical career on Spotify and other streaming sites is completely feasible these days.
ReplyDeleteSpotify, the world’s largest music subscription service, reached 50 million paid subscribers, making them the most subscribed streaming service. (Gensler) This gives unsigned, independent artists access to a large, diverse audience. Spotify even offers artists ‘Fan Insights,’ which provide artists valuable data like audience demographics and listening habits. Moreover, both Spotify and Apple Music offer public playlists that put a spotlight on new artists – Spotify has ‘Fresh Finds’ and ‘Discover Weekly’ while Apple Music has ‘The Apple Music List’ and “Best of the Week.’ From Justin Bieber to Chance the Rapper, many artists have found a beginning on streaming sites and a few have chosen to continue as an independent, unsigned artist.
It is no surprise that record labels tend to draw artist contracts that are weighed in favor of the record company. Ed O’Brien from Radiohead was signed with Parlophone Records for years but recently re-signed to the Beggers Group. The switch in labels was a decision fueled by frustration and anger, with O’Brien saying, “Major labels thought they were more important than the artists, and they never were. Now, as the artists leave, they’re clearly seeing that in the world of music, nothing is bigger than the music itself.” (Ingham)
Chance the Rapper is a great example of an artist who rose to popularity on streaming sites without the support of a major label. He released two mixtapes as free downloads and then partnered with Apple Music to release his third album, Coloring Book, as an exclusive two-week stream. Coloring Book became the first streaming-only album to chart on the Billboard 200 and started a victorious crusade for the Grammys to make free, streaming music eligible for the awards. (The New Pioneers) Chance the Rapper took home the awards for Best Rap Performance, Best New Artist Award, and Best Rap Album.
DeleteChance has notably accomplished all of this without a label supporting him, only relying on word-of-mouth and his SoundCloud account for distribution. The popularity of streaming services continue to grow and the music industry has been left to figure out how best to embrace this new form of music distribution and consumption.
Gensler, Andy. "Spotify Officially Hits 50 Million Paid Subscribers." Billboard. N.p., 02 Mar. 2017. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
Ingham, Tim. "So... Do New Artists Really Need to Sign to a Record Label?" Music Business Worldwide. N.p., 19 July 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
"The New Pioneers: Chance the Rapper Is One of the Hottest Acts in Music, Has a Top 10 Album and His Own Festival -- All Without a Label or Physical Release." Billboard. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
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DeleteStreaming services have completely changed the way people consume music. These services like Apple music, Pandora, Spotify and Amazon music have allowed users to get most of the songs they want by only paying a monthly subscription fee. Because of these online services, artists can put their music out on platforms and it can go viral without even needing a record label. This provides the artist with more power and control over their songs!
ReplyDeleteFrank Ocean is an example of an artist leaving their label in order to have more power over his music. The record label tried working with Frank but ended up only getting a visual album because it met his contract obligations (Halperin, 1). Frank Ocean figured out a way to take charge and demand the revenue he deserved from his music by utilizing the services around him.
Frank Ocean is one of many artists that have utilized streaming services to have more authority in decision-making and revenue. Chance the Rapper is an artist who recently made history because he is not affiliated with any record label yet he made it to the Billboard Top 200. Chance made it to the top 200 solely though streaming which was converted to album units (Rys, 1).
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DeleteArtists like Chance the Rapper have been able to change the music industry partially because of the consumer. People buy streaming services with the idea that it is “exclusive” and only certain artists release to specific services like Tidal. Although these reasons are valid and people like the idea that they have the power to listen to something that not everyone can. But another large part is people buy into streaming services because they want everything, whenever, wherever, and with no interruptions (Rys, 2). Ultimately artists are taking advantage of these services because the consumer allows it and it is how people want to hear their music now.
Chance the Rapper proves that an artist does not need a label in order to become successful because streaming is the way people consume. Also, with the Record Industry of America announcing in 2016 that streaming contributes to gold and platinum albums, it reiterates that most artist do not need a label in order to gain recognition for their success (Billboard Staff, 1).
Do artists need labels anymore to succeed? If they do now, it appears they will not need them for much longer. The only people that are still purchasing albums are older demographics so it is only really those artists that appeal to that demographic that might still need a label. Otherwise, artists can gain the same recognition without and with the success of streaming, I believe everyone will be moving in that direction towards where the industry is going.
Works Cited
Halperin, Shirley. "From Beyonce to Frank Ocean, Breaking Down the Mechanics, and Politics, Behind Streaming Exclusives." Billboard. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
Ingham, Tim. "So... Do New Artists Really Need to Sign to a Record Label?" Music Business Worldwide. N.p., 19 July 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
"It Was the Year of the Album Exclusive... and the Year They Faded Away." Billboard. N.p., 22 Dec. 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
Rys, Dan. "Chance the Rapper's Chart Debut Is the Latest Streaming Milestone in a Year Full of Them." Billboard. 23 May 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
"RIAA Accepts Streams for Gold and Platinum Certifications." Billboard. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
"The New Pioneers: Chance the Rapper Is One of the Hottest Acts in Music, Has a Top 10 Album and His Own Festival -- All Without a Label or Physical Release." Billboard. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
Lewis, Randy. "Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé Post Top-grossing Tours of 2016." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
The change in technology has altered every industry along with it, and the music industry was no exception. It’s because of this that many musicians have had to adapt to the new ways we consume music. People no longer wait in line at FYE for their favorite artist’s cds, everything has gone digital. Streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify have changed the way we listen to our favorite tunes. As a result, many artists like Beyonce and Drake have embraced these changes and have released their albums/playlists on streaming sites, Tidal and Spotify respectively. Although some artists have accommodated to the changes others have been more hesitant. Record labels and managers have expressed genuine concerns regarding sales and exposure. “...As a manager, I would want my artist's’ music to be everywhere. When you carve it out to one service, you miss out on fans,” (Halperin, 1). I do see a point in their argument, however, big artists like Drake and Frank Ocean don’t have to worry about exposure because they have diehard fans. Lesser known artists have a reason to be concerned, but long established musicians can rely solely on exclusives and streaming sites and still have a successful result. I have to be honest that I only subscribed to Tidal to watch Beyonce’s visual album, Lemonade. And although I un-subscribed after watching it for the hundredth time, I still took the initiative to subscribe and watch. They draw fans in with exclusives and extras like videos or a whole visual album like Beyonce. The concerns of exposure for musicians can be mended using what some streaming sites are offering, playlists created by the artist themselves which offers an intimate look into what their favorite musician likes (Ihaza, 1).
ReplyDeleteOne of the other big changes in the music industry are that artists no longer need to depend on a major record deal to become successful. The best example that comes to mind, who went against the traditional route, is Chance the Rapper. He has yet to sign to a record label and yet his achievements seem to be unbroken with his album, Coloring Book. “[it] became the first streaming-only album to chart on the Billboard 200, it opened in the top 10…(Austen, 1).” Chance even won a grammy, something many didn’t expect from an artist who has no record label backing him up and from a streaming-only album. But in fact many artists, especially rappers, have found success in remaining independent. Brooklyn native Young M.A. found a lot of fame from her single, OOOUUU, all without being signed and minimum social media presence. Although she’s been in talks with signing, she felt it was important to stay true to her art and be well informed of the possible implications brought on with being signed (Mojica, 1). Seeing the newfound success that unsigned artists have will peak the interests and give hope to up and comers to continue working because it will only be a matter of time until their song becomes a hit. Then they too will be examples of just how the music industry is changing and continues to transform everyday.
DeleteReferences
Austen, Ben. "The New Pioneers: Chance The Rapper Is One Of The Hottest Acts In Music, Has A Top 10 Album And His Own Festival -- All Without A Label Or Physical Release". Billboard. N.p., 2016. Web. 28 Mar. 2017.
Halperin, Shirley. "From Beyonce To Frank Ocean, Breaking Down The Mechanics, And Politics, Behind Streaming Exclusives". Billboard. N.p., 2016. Web. 28 Mar. 2017.
Ihaza, Jeff. "The Playlist Is The New Album". The Outline. N.p., 2017. Web. 28 Mar. 2017.
Mojica, Nicholas. "Who Is Young M.A.? 6 Things You Didn’T Know About ‘OOOUUU’ Rapper". International Business Times. N.p., 2016. Web. 28 Mar. 2017.
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ReplyDeleteThe music industry has been adapting nicely to the new way to get music which is, streaming. Artist and record labels have had to make changes on how they promoted and packaged their products. Some like Beyoncé and Chance The Rapper will only release their music on streaming services. Which gives them exclusivity but is this the right move for an artist? In a Billboard interview with John Legend, he said ‘“Most labels are getting around to understanding that exclusives aren’t great for the business. As a manager, I would want my artists’ music to be everywhere. When you carve it out to one service, you miss out on fans”’ (Halperin) In Chance The Rappers case it showed that he and other artists could just put their albums on one streaming service (in his case Apple Music) and still make record breaking sales. “That rollout strategy set the young Chicago MC on the way to chart history: with its No. 8 debut on the Billboard 200 this week, Coloring Book holds the title as the first ever release to appear on the Billboard 200 chart with 100 percent of its equivalent album units coming from streaming, as its 57.3 million streams account for 38,000 equivalent album units.” (Rys)
Other artist has not been so fortune and broke exclusivity deals so like John Legend said could reach all of his faces. Kayne’s album Life of Pablo was supposed to be exclusive to Tidal, a music streaming service run by Jay-Z. Tidal’s whole business plan runs off of exclusivity. “Tidal would benefit both artists and listeners by making performers like his wife, Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Kanye West co-owners of the platform in exchange for Tidal having the exclusive rights to release their music and videos first on its platform.” (Kosoff) With Kayne breaking this deal with Tidal it did horribly for Tidal’s subscription base.
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DeleteArtists nowadays don’t need a backing of a major record label. Chance The Rapper has shown the industry yet again that he can do this all by himself. Record labels in a sense are just the people with the big bucks that give you loans to create music. But in the long hall, they get all the profits and the artist makes virtually nothing. So why go through all of that when you can be just as if not more successful doing it yourself. But then you have to think to yourself… how is an artist, without all of the finical support, making money? “Chance has earned money, not from 99-cent downloads but from tours, merchandise, meet-and-greets and his deals with Apple and other companies — like Bud Light and Citibank, sponsors of his upcoming Magnificent Coloring Day festival — eager to reach his many young, savvy fans.” (Austen)
Works Cited
Austen, Ben. “The New Pioneers– Chance the Rapper Is One of the Hottest Acts in Music, Has a Top 10 Album and His Own Festival -- All Without a Label or Physical Release.” Billboard. 11 August 2016. Web
Halperin, Shirley. “From Beyonce to Frank Ocean, Breaking Down the Mechanics, and Politics, Behind Streaming Exclusives.” Billboard. 25 August 2016. Web
Kosoff, Maya. “Jay Z’s Music Streaming Start-Up is Losing Millions.” Vanity Fair. 14 September 2016. Web
Rys. Dan. “Chance the Rapper's Chart Debut Is the Latest Streaming Milestone in a Year Full of Them.” Billboard. 23 May 2016. Web
The music industry is ever changing - from records, to tapes, to CDs, to downloads, and most recently streaming. Over the past few years, streaming services have changed the way people listen to music. “Today, digital downloads and streaming make up the majority of the music industry’s revenue, and many artists are full-service media properties…This shift feels less like a destination for the music industry writ large and more like a comfortable resting place,” (Ihaza). More and more people are taking the step to get the premium version of streaming services because it is proving to be more and more worth the monthly fee. I currently am a member of Spotify premium and before that I was a big listener of free Pandora. One of the things that originally caught my eye was the ability to download music to your phone as a premium member of Spotify. Current trends among artists are proving to me, more and more, that I made the right decision. In recent years, one of the biggest changes that artists have prompted in the music industry is the switch to the world of streaming.
ReplyDeleteMany artists decided to forgo the hard copy album release in 2016 and had their albums released on streaming only services. Artists went more in the direction of creating for fans rather than for money, which proved to be very helpful for artist like Chance the Rapper and Frank Ocean. “It’s not about the music being free. It’s about how it is displayed and made accessible and about artistic power,” (Austen). This new way of releasing music is benefitting artists and consumers. It gives artists more control because they are bypassing the record labels and by having more control artists are able to better cater to their fans.
Albums that are released to streaming services create a more intimate relationship between artists and their fans as well. Fans have the option to listen to the album as soon as they want once it is released. I know people who have locked themselves in rooms to listen to an album once its been released. Fans then have the option to specialize the artists’ music by adding it to playlists. Having albums released on a streaming-only service creates a stronger “…artist-to-fan relationship,” (Austen).
Artists like Chance and Frank Ocean have proved that not all artists need the support of a record label. If you are a new artists and looking to get your name out there, then you will probably need that support from a big label. However, for the already somewhat known artists, streaming services allow them to create on their own and build a more intimate relationship with fans. “The problem with the music industry is that it still hasn’t adapted to the internet era…but we need to acknowledge the fact that the business, as a whole, is failing musicians,” (McKinney). Successful artists have shown that streaming is the new way to go and labels are not too happy about that because they are not able to make as much money.
DeleteAusten, Ben. "The New Pioneers: Chance the Rapper Is One of the Hottest Acts in Music, Has a Top 10 Album and His Own Festival -- All Without a Label or Physical Release." Billboard. Billboard, 11 Aug. 2016. Web. 28 Mar. 2017.
DeleteIhaza, Jeff. "The Playlist Is the New Album." The Outline. The Outline, 13 Mar. 2017. Web. 28 Mar. 2017.
McKinney, Kelsey. "Buying an Album Isn't the Best Way to Support a Recording Artist." Fusion. N.p., 18 Nov. 2015. Web. 28 Mar. 2017.