Let’s pretend it's 1995 and you hear on the radio that your favorite artist is releasing a new album. You're so excited. Filled with anticipation you wonder what to expect on this new album. You wonder when the first single will be released. You wish you could have those questions answered in a flash, but instead you basically have to sit and wait until it hits the stores.
As an artist in 1995 you eagerly want to appeal to your fans. Of course you can have a concert, do a tour, have a release party, or even do radio/TV/magazine interviews and contests. But how long does that take? How complex of a job is it to set up a tour? How long will fans have to wait to see or read that interview? Wouldn't it be great to market to millions of fans in the shortest time?
Welcome to the future! It's 2011 and it seems everything is going digital. The internet, social network sites, YouTube, blog sites, and mobile media, are all ways artists and fans are closing the "reach gap." Artists have pages on the very same sites their fans use. Twitter allows you to actually become a welcomed stalker and "follow" celebrities. You have the opportunity to feel apart of that artist's world as you read their tweets of what their day entails. Artists can take pictures and post them to the site, and you the fan can view them as if you're there. You can even tweet a message to them, and they can even respond. YouTube has allowed us to become everyday stars and directors. Being able to upload your own videos and share them has jumpstarted the career of many artists. A link to a video can spread like wildfire and in no time. Some artists like Soulja Boy, and Rebecca Black have become sensations almost over a few days. The downfall I think YouTube has is that there really isn't a filter. That means that some artists who actually are lacking in ability may still become widely more popular than their counterparts, just because of a gimmick. However, if an unknown artist can rack up millions of viewers in a few days with limited ability and a gimmick, then there must be something there worth investing in. The marketing aspect works as well. If an artist is pushed and promoted the right way, success is more likely to happen. Blog sites allow the regular fan to become an author. They become the kind of author whose words can be viewed by anyone who can get online.
The most current trend is mobile media. Now people can access many of the sites they visit at their computer, from their phones. This not only makes word travel faster but also makes things more convenient as well.
Sources:
No comments:
Post a Comment