Teach An Old Dog New Tricks: Radio Single Marketing
4:29 PM
Secrets of the Music Industry
, Posted in
Arts
,
B Side
,
Extended play
,
Hip hop
,
ITunes
,
Music
,
Promotional recording
,
Sound Files
,
0 Comments
In a recent article by Jon Ostrow for Miccontrol.com, he describes an oversimplified marketing tool in music, the radio single. I am going to briefly describe each type of radio single. Afterwards, this post will go deeper into proper application to create a diversified revenue stream for an artist at any level of their career.
Image via Wikipedia1. Normal Radio Single – This is the typical single pushed by recording acts for radio play and fan support. Generally, it is kept around 3 minutes in length. In addition, it is most often the focus of artist press kits.
2. Street Single – In the days of vinyl, the street single was referred to as the B Side. This single was forwarded as a way to showcase musicianship, diversity to the band’s appeal, and a creative way to push songs the record label didn’t particularly like but the band members loved.
3. iTunes Bonus Single – Welcome to the digital age. A new sort of single is now being pushed to increase the new revenue stream of digital downloads. Do not be fooled. The iTunes Bonus single is a proven marketing tool that can help increase market saturation because this single should further increase band appeal through diversity. Unreleased tracks, LIVE tracks, or even remixed tracks reign supreme as great iTunes bonus singles.
4. Free Download Single – Sadly, music sales are much lower than decades past. Also, the music industry is flooded with new talent. The Free download single is a necessary evil and should be used creatively. Do not just offer it without a deeper driving force behind it. This clever tool can drive traffic to websites, blogs, forums, and more. Please be sure to incorporate its marketing power because it can become so popular that other opportunities spawn from its creation.
5. Leaked Single – A new rebuttal to the pirating war. This sort of single is used to create a “buzz”. It is accidentally released to subside fans desire to have something they are not supposed to have until the official release date. The key is to get the “leaked” track in the hands of influential people to help the track spread. One downside of the leaked single is the bad publicity that results if consumers find out that it was not actually “leaked”. Be careful.
6. Viral Video Single – The ploy is to choose a song either incredibly original or racy/edgy…either will do the trick. Although there are no guarantees anything will become “viral”, the benefits are exponential due to the ease of which videos can be shared. Once a video becomes viral, every blog, website and social media will not only carry it, but they will also feature its content.
7. Remix Single – The idea here is again to increase visibility in a diverse consumer market. For instance, if you have a Hip Hop radio single, then create a remix using an indie rock band. Or vice versa because the perfect remix marketing strategy will augment fan base amongst listeners untapped before. Moreover, there is the opportunity to collaborate and use the notoriety of one artist to increase the appeal of another.
Image by renaissancechambara via FlickrThese individual musical creations need to be understood as businesses in and of themselves. All copyrights, publishing assignments, and marketing stratagems should be created individually to hone in on how to best maximize their profitability. Do not take for granted each single will have the effect you intended without crafting where it will be marketed, why, and having a clear understanding of how the revenue stream works. In addition, profit goals put forth in each single’s marketing plan will be different due to a list of factors including market visibility, influence, and target market persona. Keep these things in mind and you can multiply revenue with just a few song selections without the need for long albums and increased production costs. Welcome to the age of radio singles and EP’s reborn.
0 Response to "Teach An Old Dog New Tricks: Radio Single Marketing"
Post a Comment