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iWorld - How Musicians Can Use
the iPod Phenomena
by John Krane -
reprinted from Music News Nashville
Whether you're on a college campus, stuck on a transatlantic flight, or
watching TV, you've seen them. And whether you're Paris Hilton or someone
much less wealthy (aren't we all), you've probably had one. Together with
the iTunes music store, the iPod has revolutionized the way we listen to
music, and breathed new life into the once-flailing Apple Computers. It's
also changing the way people listen to music. Pop bands of yesteryear can no
long get away with having only one or two good songs per CD; if an entire
disc is going to sell, the whole disc album must be good. iTunes allows for
a 30 second sample of each song; bad material just doesn't sell. For music
fans, this is fantastic.
Now, the question is, how can musicians take advantage of the new
technology? Like Apple, we've got to think differently - and not be afraid
to embrace a change in the musical marketplace.
The other day, I went to a local show in St. Louis. Average band, average
music - but there was a horde of people around their merchandise booth. I
walked over to see what the fuss was about, and, lo and behold, they'd set
up and iPod docking station using their singer's laptop. People would step
up and plug in their iPods and they'd download about 3 or 4 of the band's
best songs free of charge - the band put their picture in the mp3's tag, and
for the album info they put their website and a description of their sound.
They weren't memorable, yet I have their songs on my iPod, and I remember
their name.
Just by attaching themselves to a successful product that's associated with
hipness and music, they made an impression. Music's changing yet again, and
by recognizing that the iPod is here to stay, any band can easily expand its
audience and its buzz.
The iTunes music store is a great tool all musicians should take advantage
of. There are several sites out there that can get your music on the store
for a small fee - not to plug anyone specific, but my band uses CDBaby.com -
and instantly your songs are available to anyone with an internet
connection. Well, not instantly; it takes a few months for iTunes to list
you, and you've got to pay some requisite bar code fees, etc. Consider what
you're getting, though, easy, cheap exposure on one of the biggest Internet
phenomena this side of eBay. Sites like CDBaby also put your CD on dozens of
other service like Napster, RealRhapsody, and Yahoo! Music.
To get people to look at your iTunes site, you may want to put up a cover
song or two. It can be a pain to have to pay royalties to song publishers
every month, but if you pick the right song, you basically piggyback off
someone else's success, and you can sell a lot of digital units and get
people interested in your music that would otherwise never know about it.
Pick a song that would appeal to your fan base, not an ironic cover. (If
you're a death metal band, the type of person searching iTunes for Kelly
Clarkson's "Since You've Been Gone" probably wouldn't buy your rendition).
Get your fans to review your album with some kind words; tell them to be
specific and describe your music using colorful terms. Have them paste your
iTunes URL onto their websites and MySpace accounts; email it around. Make
sure that if people want your music, it's easy for them to find it.
You can also use your band's iTunes page to your advantage when talking to
venues. The technology is new enough that it sounds impressive to say you're
on the site and that they can check you out there - lots of smaller venues
won't know you only had to pay about $35 in processing in order to be there.
Just saying "iTunes" on stage can get people's attention, and let them know
how to get your music easily if they'd rather spend their money on a few
more screwdrivers than a CD. Besides, a CD's a physical product that can be
a pain to carry around in a bar. Handing out a card with instructions on how
to get the album later can move a lot more units.
Ultimately, there's absolutely no reason for a band to ignore the commercial
and marketing viability of the iTunes music store. Like any other tool, it
should be used, and by thinking creatively, you can reach a whole new
audience that's rapidly expanding every day.
© Copyright 2005 Music News
Nashville. All Rights Reserved |
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