To what extent does digital distribution affect the marketing and consumption of media products in the media area you have studied?
Digital distribution has changed how institutions and audiences have distributed and exchanged music by combining the two processes together to benefit the music industry. For example, websites like Youtube and Soundcloud allow music to be distributed on a global scale, whilst services like Spotify and iTunes allow music to be consumed by a wider and more diverse audience.
For big institutions like Sony, digital distribution is key in the marketing of artists and albums. This is because artists on 'the big three' of Sony, Universal and Warner Music do not market the sound of their artists. They instead market and create a visual image through advertising, music videos and posters which is more important than the quality of the music. Youtube allows this visual style and image to be shown, with more attention shown onto the aesthetics of the music video. An example of a group like this is One Direction, who have multiple music videos and even a feature film released, with lots of money spent on tickets for world tours. However their music is criticized for it's lack of originality and quality. They do not just market the style through music videos, they also market it through using apps, games and social media. This marketing affects the consumption because it is suited for a mainstream audience which is what the big institutions are aiming for therefore it sells lots and benefits them. Digital distribution for big institutions have blurred exchange of music with the distribution because it encourages people to buy into not only the music but also into the marketing which is the product.
For independent or 'Indie' institutions like Domino and XL records, digital distribution affects the consumption of their music. Indie institutions handle their own distribution channel without any interference so they don't have the financial ability to widely distribute physical copies of their music unlike the big institutions so they can use digital distribution with services like Spotify and iTunes allowing them to have a global audience and to make money off people buying and supporting their music online. Indie institutions also tend to have newer artists and which produce quality music, given the creative control that indie institutions allow compared to the big institutions. Selling their music online along with the marketing indie institutions can sometimes do, for example, low budget music videos helps raise the popularity of the artist. Therefore digital distribution allows indie institutions to keep their own distribution channel without having to purchase more channels and allows them to keep creative control. This is a beneficial solution for these institutions.
For prosumers like Madeon, who make music in their bedroom by getting other songs, remixing them, mashing them up to produce original content, digital distribution is a crucial and beneficial part of how they get their music recognised. Prosumers are unsigned, so they have to produce all the music and upload it onto Youtube or Soundcloud, and get recognised that way. Depending on the quality of their production and their popularity, a prosumer might get signed to an indie label. Therefore the process of unsigned artists getting signed by institutions is made easier by the introduction of digital distribution. The consumption of prosumers music is also beneficial for big institutions because mashing up and remixing of song is advertising their songs for a niche audience. Prosumers blur production with exchange by using existing songs and mashing them up to create something different.
Finally, the singer Beck completely changed the normal 'production, distribution, exchange' formula of the music industry by releasing his sheet music book Songbook. Beck utilized digital distribution in a new way by encouraging his niche audience to play the music and upload it to Youtube and Soundcloud. This completely changed how the consumption of his music by releasing this book. He only got money from this book by concerts. He chose what songs to play live due to the feedback from peoples interpretations. Beck's revolutionary idea is a benefit to the music industry because it provides an alternative way of producing, distributing and exchanging music.
Monday, 5 May 2014
Thursday, 1 May 2014
Music terminology definitions
Production- production of the music, artists creating music organically or synthetically, using instruments or computers.
Case studies- Madeon produces his music by mashing up existing songs and mixing them together to make remixes or new songs (Prosumer). Beck created music with sheet music and releasing it to his audience.
Distributing and Marketing- How the music records are sold to people, and how institutions (record labels) advertise this music to the audience.
Case Studies- SYCO- Subsidiary of sony records designed to create new artists. Tv shows like X-factor market this artists because X factor is owned by sony. Madeon distributed his music from youtube and the internet. Beck's distributed his songbook album by using his audience playing his songs on youtube and allowing people to enjoy the music from their.
Exchange- Selling your music and how you get money back from your releases
Case Studies- Sony globally distribute their music to a worldwide audience using TV, Internet and radio. They get money back from profit. Beck gets the money back from his songbook release by live concerts.
Convergence- The process of multiple technologies being formed together to create a new product. For example, music videos, or iPod apps to promote album releases.
Case Studies- SYCO- they use the x factor to promote and see which singers are popular are not under the disguise of a reality TV show. They are also a subsidiary of Sony which have their own TV channels and film company.
Visualisation- When the image of the band is arguably more important than the sound, example one direction produce formulaic generic music but have lots of fans because they are a boy band. They show this through distributing with music videos, posters, films (one direction movie), tv shows (x-factor)
Case Studies- Sony (One Direction) Independent record labels don't often do this because they do not have the platform available to do it in multimedia.
Participatory Culture- Participatory culture is a social behavior where people who listen to music online feel they are entitled to free music and that they are inclined to download pirated and illegal music. The reasoning behind is that if everyone else does it why can't I?
Case studies- Beck used this social behavior to create his songbook album, people took his sheet music and created their own music, which Beck used to play at concerts. He let everyone participate in his album. Madeon arguably takes part in this social behaviour to produce his music, taking other peoples songs and
Creating a relationship with the audience- This links directly to the case study of Beck's case study. He created a relationship with his audience by releasing his sheet music to his audience and they then performed his music. It shows how he is building his releases around his niche audience. The same applies for indie labels who also appeal to a niche audience who specifically listen to their record.
Synergy- Synergy is using more than one media outlet to advertise your media product. For example, a animated cartoon film would release toys, a video game etc to promote it.
Case studies- SYCO released one direction merchandise and films to advertise them to the global audience. Indie labels can do this to, with fabric records and ministry of sound opening nightclubs that play their music
Devaluing Music- Devaluing music is the argument that people are not producing original music or making it lose its integrity. The argument for this is MADEON who remixes and mashes up other peoples music to create his own sound. Therefore it is questionable whether or not that he owns that music and that he created it.
Vertical integration- The parent company owns different parts of multiple companies across the music industry.
Case studies- The smaller indie labels are vertically integrated because it is less expensive to outsource artists to production and distribution. If they do it all themselves, they are guaranteed creative control and more efficiency.
Horizontal integration- The parent company owns multiple companies across the same stage of the music industry. A smaller company owned by the parent company is a subsidiary.
Case studies- SYCO is a subsidary of Sony records. Sony handles the distribution and the selling of the music whilst SYCO produces the music and finds the artists. This is because Sony works on a global scale where they can afford to spend money on newer artists.
Global vs Niche audience- A global audience vs a niche audience means that a global audience would be Sony and Indie Labels, who can advertise their music by selling it online and using the internet whilst a niche audience with someone like Madeon or Beck appeals to a small audience who would know about his music by following him. A global audience makes more money than a niche audience.
Blurring of PDE (Production, distribution, exchange)-
Production
Production of music is different. Artists like Madeon and Beck produce their music uniquely, with Beck making sheet music and Madeon mashing up music. This is different to how Sony produce their music with their artists needing a good image as well as a good sound so they can make money off music videos and visualization. Madeons production is blurring production with exchange, since he buys music and makes new music with it. Beck is blurring production with distribution because he is relying on other people to play his music.
Distribution
Since the emergence of the internet and internet piracy, people can now download music for free off the internet. Beck has utilized this for his own gain by releasing Songbook, a book of sheet music and has encouraged people to play his music and advertise it online. This blurs with production. Indie record labels rely heavily on youtube and the internet to make their audience global. Prosumers like Madeon use youtube to get famous and play their music because they are unsigned.
Exchange
The exchange of music also blurs with production aforementioned in how Madeon produces his music. Companies like SONY use youtube videos and iTunes to sell their product as a major part of advertising which links heavily with distribution and blurs the lines between distribution and exchange, They need the advertising to sell their product. Beck makes money off songbook by also blurring exchange with distribution, because he gets money from Songbook by concerts playing the songs which are most liked by his niche audience on youtube.
Case studies- Madeon produces his music by mashing up existing songs and mixing them together to make remixes or new songs (Prosumer). Beck created music with sheet music and releasing it to his audience.
Distributing and Marketing- How the music records are sold to people, and how institutions (record labels) advertise this music to the audience.
Case Studies- SYCO- Subsidiary of sony records designed to create new artists. Tv shows like X-factor market this artists because X factor is owned by sony. Madeon distributed his music from youtube and the internet. Beck's distributed his songbook album by using his audience playing his songs on youtube and allowing people to enjoy the music from their.
Exchange- Selling your music and how you get money back from your releases
Case Studies- Sony globally distribute their music to a worldwide audience using TV, Internet and radio. They get money back from profit. Beck gets the money back from his songbook release by live concerts.
Convergence- The process of multiple technologies being formed together to create a new product. For example, music videos, or iPod apps to promote album releases.
Case Studies- SYCO- they use the x factor to promote and see which singers are popular are not under the disguise of a reality TV show. They are also a subsidiary of Sony which have their own TV channels and film company.
Visualisation- When the image of the band is arguably more important than the sound, example one direction produce formulaic generic music but have lots of fans because they are a boy band. They show this through distributing with music videos, posters, films (one direction movie), tv shows (x-factor)
Case Studies- Sony (One Direction) Independent record labels don't often do this because they do not have the platform available to do it in multimedia.
Participatory Culture- Participatory culture is a social behavior where people who listen to music online feel they are entitled to free music and that they are inclined to download pirated and illegal music. The reasoning behind is that if everyone else does it why can't I?
Case studies- Beck used this social behavior to create his songbook album, people took his sheet music and created their own music, which Beck used to play at concerts. He let everyone participate in his album. Madeon arguably takes part in this social behaviour to produce his music, taking other peoples songs and
Creating a relationship with the audience- This links directly to the case study of Beck's case study. He created a relationship with his audience by releasing his sheet music to his audience and they then performed his music. It shows how he is building his releases around his niche audience. The same applies for indie labels who also appeal to a niche audience who specifically listen to their record.
Synergy- Synergy is using more than one media outlet to advertise your media product. For example, a animated cartoon film would release toys, a video game etc to promote it.
Case studies- SYCO released one direction merchandise and films to advertise them to the global audience. Indie labels can do this to, with fabric records and ministry of sound opening nightclubs that play their music
Devaluing Music- Devaluing music is the argument that people are not producing original music or making it lose its integrity. The argument for this is MADEON who remixes and mashes up other peoples music to create his own sound. Therefore it is questionable whether or not that he owns that music and that he created it.
Vertical integration- The parent company owns different parts of multiple companies across the music industry.
Case studies- The smaller indie labels are vertically integrated because it is less expensive to outsource artists to production and distribution. If they do it all themselves, they are guaranteed creative control and more efficiency.
Horizontal integration- The parent company owns multiple companies across the same stage of the music industry. A smaller company owned by the parent company is a subsidiary.
Case studies- SYCO is a subsidary of Sony records. Sony handles the distribution and the selling of the music whilst SYCO produces the music and finds the artists. This is because Sony works on a global scale where they can afford to spend money on newer artists.
Global vs Niche audience- A global audience vs a niche audience means that a global audience would be Sony and Indie Labels, who can advertise their music by selling it online and using the internet whilst a niche audience with someone like Madeon or Beck appeals to a small audience who would know about his music by following him. A global audience makes more money than a niche audience.
Blurring of PDE (Production, distribution, exchange)-
Production
Production of music is different. Artists like Madeon and Beck produce their music uniquely, with Beck making sheet music and Madeon mashing up music. This is different to how Sony produce their music with their artists needing a good image as well as a good sound so they can make money off music videos and visualization. Madeons production is blurring production with exchange, since he buys music and makes new music with it. Beck is blurring production with distribution because he is relying on other people to play his music.
Distribution
Since the emergence of the internet and internet piracy, people can now download music for free off the internet. Beck has utilized this for his own gain by releasing Songbook, a book of sheet music and has encouraged people to play his music and advertise it online. This blurs with production. Indie record labels rely heavily on youtube and the internet to make their audience global. Prosumers like Madeon use youtube to get famous and play their music because they are unsigned.
Exchange
The exchange of music also blurs with production aforementioned in how Madeon produces his music. Companies like SONY use youtube videos and iTunes to sell their product as a major part of advertising which links heavily with distribution and blurs the lines between distribution and exchange, They need the advertising to sell their product. Beck makes money off songbook by also blurring exchange with distribution, because he gets money from Songbook by concerts playing the songs which are most liked by his niche audience on youtube.
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