Friday, October 10, 2008
The Gatekeepers/Media Panel
Notes from Big Sound 08 Music conference...will be posting a new session every few days..
The Gatekeepers/Media Panel: Big Sound 08
• Older traditional media is becoming increasingly irrelevant
• Music Filters = new gatekeepers; eg. Bloggers
• Last FM – increasingly important to have a presence on this
• Move in the US is away from commercial radio, with public radio becoming increasingly influential, with the flow on then to mainstream
• Music blogs including mp3s are becoming new means of music distribution – there is a declining emphasis on the writing but an increasing emphasis on sharing the tunes
• New methods of spreading the word are very popular overseas – such as including CDs for distribution in newspapers and magazines; which spawns the ‘giving music away for free’ debate. In the US, a little known band did a massive CD giveaway, which cost them a fortune – but gave a 20% sales spike in tickets for shows. Whether they covered their costs is another question though. (WHICH is why BANDTAG is a MUCH SMARTER OPTION!!) UK’s biggest commercial station Xfm gave away a free download only track, which also worked to give exposure to the band involved.
• Audience asked whether these media gatekeepers on the panel assessed on the basis of ‘the song’ or ‘the album’? Responses were varied. For Xfm – has to be the single because they’re a commercial radio station; For Everett True – it was based on the individual songs as he says “Musicians only have one good idea. Then they repeat it.”. For Richard Kingsmill of Triple J, it was a ‘band’ based decision and that his team don’t always agree with what the band or the label are pushing as the JJJ single – he self selects what track from the album he thinks will work for the JJJ market. For Paul Brown, a US radio plugger, it was also based on the ‘band’ - he looks for longevity and an act he can commit to.
• The panelists were asked for their hot tips for artists to watch – Vampire Weekend, Hold Steady, Gaslight Anthem, The Gin Club, MGMT, Wind & Brackets, John Steel Singers, Violent Soho.
Written by - Bandtag National Marketing Manager - Katherine Beard
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