As the music industry continues to debate the many pros and cons of the “age of streaming” (while enjoying the unprecedented industry growth it has brought), the spotlight can sometimes get ugly. away from artists and songwriters who make a living from music but aren’t the big stars or household names we know and read about in the news.
At the same time, the “creator economy” continues to thrive, which MIDiA has been tracking, researching and supporting for the past few years. As part of our work with music creators, we’ve spent the past 12 months talking to artists, songwriters, producers and their managers about their priorities, concerns, challenges and hopes for the future as make music, release it, and maybe establish a career doing it.
We learned a lot from these conversations. The in-depth interviews with artists and songwriters offer interesting insights, many of which will (and should) capture the attention of everyone in the industry today, from streaming services to labels and labels. creative tool companies.
For example, we learned that the most proactive and ambitious artists see themselves as small businesses/startups, with a key goal of “jump-starting” their own careers, thereby creating a self-sustaining business with existing resources, rather than borrowing money or rushing headlong into a “record deal”. In the age of streaming, for many up-and-coming artists, success is more about making a lasting living from music than fame and riches.
Another big idea we discovered is that artists are focused on loyal, loyal fans rather than large audiences it can come and go. While most artists would love to “have a hit record,” even more enjoy not needing or counting on this rare occurrence. Artists are focused on building 100-1000 core fans rather than marketing to the masses, so they are looking for tools that will help them reach fans directly, as well as help them collect all actionable data on their fans, which will ultimately guide them. to create relevant and engaging content for them.
As for monetization, many artists are of course concerned that streaming doesn’t pay the bills. Many artists we’ve spoken with feel like streaming is passive listening, and while it’s great for profile and promotion, it’s the other revenue streams they need to focus on (eg. live tours, live stream sessions, merch, syncing, and even teaching and session work for other artists). Many have launched Patreon pages or are looking to market their own fan channels, and when it comes to new technologies, NFTs are causing both excitement and apprehension.
As part of MIDiA’s mission to understand and support artists, and to work towards a more sustainable future for creators, we have launched the first installment of our 2022 Artist Survey, focusing, at this stage , on North America and Canada. We want to hear from emerging artists who are beginning their musical journey, direct artists who are using creative tools and distribution services in particular, but also established artists who are a few albums away from their career.
If you are an artist, songwriter, producer or manager, please help us by complete the short 10 minute survey here, and note that we are looking for around 200 views and have five giveaways from this sample to provide $1000 in vouchers
Beyond our role of analysis, reporting, forecasting and consulting in the music and media field, MIDiA is a team of people – many of whom are also creators – who are committed to creating an industry fairer, more sustainable and creator-friendly music. This survey is your chance to contribute, so help us out!
