• gary
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  • From: Palatine Illinois by Chicago
  • Registered: 2006-08-25
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Topic: social media and music promotion

I know Facebook and Twitter are important to todays musicians.Will it ever have the same influence to music sales as radio has had?I see being sent a lot of links to youtube vids of bands but will people stop and reall listen?Radio has always had the advantage of being played in the car as audio only.Your in the car anyway don't need to take the time out like you would to check out stuff on facebook or twitter.Just thinking how radio has really lost it,and social media lends itself to propoting new things better nowadays,

Your rock candy baby
Your hard sweet and sticky

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  • jim m
  • jim m
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  • From: Okie City, OK
  • Registered: 2006-04-24
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Re: social media and music promotion

In my opinion no. There is no more Ed Sullivan and actually Saturday Night Live can no longer break acts. Terrestrial radio can break certain acts still but they seem to be cookie cutter bands. They fit in a few formats. Country I feel is the most easy to break the traditional way. Hard Rock and Pop. On formats where the audience is totally into having labels filter the acts then there can be new acts broken.

The UK seems to have the ability to break acts the traditional way as well since there is the BBC which seems to limit your choices on what you can watch and hear. Even so there are so many other ways to discover music now or even look to for entertainment.

Social media is a tool to help spread word of mouth information about new acts but there is such a clutter of noise to sort through. Only a trusted source will garner a listen if recommended. People just spamming there friends with their own band won't do it. You have to have others that will spread it just to share it. That is how things go viral. Sure there are going to be those acts that gain traction via Youtube, Twitter, and Facebook unfortunately no longer Myspace but people have a short attention span. The act must be able to deliver quality music and tour and make these new fans not just causal but fevered.

Twitter and Facebook are really tools to keep connected with the fans you have made via touring and not really a way to break an act. Acts must be able to connect via live performances and then keep those fans engaged via social media since the new releases will not get airplay as they were traditionally given.

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  • gary
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  • From: Palatine Illinois by Chicago
  • Registered: 2006-08-25
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Re: social media and music promotion

jim m wrote:

In my opinion no. There is no more Ed Sullivan and actually Saturday Night Live can no longer break acts. Terrestrial radio can break certain acts still but they seem to be cookie cutter bands. They fit in a few formats. Country I feel is the most easy to break the traditional way. Hard Rock and Pop. On formats where the audience is totally into having labels filter the acts then there can be new acts broken.

The UK seems to have the ability to break acts the traditional way as well since there is the BBC which seems to limit your choices on what you can watch and hear. Even so there are so many other ways to discover music now or even look to for entertainment.

Social media is a tool to help spread word of mouth information about new acts but there is such a clutter of noise to sort through. Only a trusted source will garner a listen if recommended. People just spamming there friends with their own band won't do it. You have to have others that will spread it just to share it. That is how things go viral. Sure there are going to be those acts that gain traction via Youtube, Twitter, and Facebook unfortunately no longer Myspace but people have a short attention span. The act must be able to deliver quality music and tour and make these new fans not just causal but fevered.

Twitter and Facebook are really tools to keep connected with the fans you have made via touring and not really a way to break an act. Acts must be able to connect via live performances and then keep those fans engaged via social media since the new releases will not get airplay as they were traditionally given.

Thanks JimMWell thought out response.I have sent Joe links out to people,but wonder if they ever listen,since I rarely hear anything back.

Your rock candy baby
Your hard sweet and sticky

gary's Website

  • RickB
  • RickB
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  • From: San Diego
  • Registered: 2009-10-30
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Re: social media and music promotion

I think the social media avenue for breaking out has closed except for twitter maybe. FB now wants to charge for widespread coverage and is restricting "friending" to a limit of known acquaintances it seems. Bandsites now have to pay for coverage. The free ride is over now that they have to show a profit to shareholders.
Rick

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  • Brack
  • Brack
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  • Registered: 2009-02-24
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Re: social media and music promotion

I know here in the UK, TV & Radio audiences have been dwindling for many years, due in part to the explosion of choice of where to enjoy your entertainment of choice.
Remember, everything has a shelf life.

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  • From: Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England
  • Registered: 2011-08-12
  • Posts: 4,615

Re: social media and music promotion

Brack wrote:

I know here in the UK, TV & Radio audiences have been dwindling for many years, due in part to the explosion of choice of where to enjoy your entertainment of choice.
Remember, everything has a shelf life.

Thing to remember, all this choice in TV channels, but do they really provide a "proper" music showcase other than Jools Holland, karaoke reality shows don't count..? These days, if you're a satirical comedian who happens to be able to cook something more adventurous than an omelette, you've got it made.

I'm not a Facebooker, but until the restrictions Rick mentions came in, it was an excllent way to get word (on bands) round. I've found on here, any good recommendations picked-up and I'm straight on YouTube checking things out, and that's led to several good nights out.

When life gives you lemons; don't make lemonade.
Give back the lemons.  Why were the lemons free?  What's wrong with the lemons?
Do Not trust the lemons...