Sandbox MUSIC MARKETING FOR THE DIGITAL ERA Issue 101 | 29th January 2014 Breaking good: the tricks to new artist success INSIDE… Campaigns Breaking an act used to PAGES 5 & 6: involve luck, gut instinct and The Official UK Top 40 Singles Chart The latest projects from the throwing money at every digital marketing arena >> Exciting New Act That Has Only Been Around Six Months channel. We now live in an 1 Tools A&R age shaped by real time 2 Old Act That Has Been Around Years PAGE 7: data, but that comes with new Selling your merchandise on challenges – namely knowing 3 Act That, After Years Of Chipping Away, Finally Has A Hit Spotify >> what data to trust and how Behind the Campaign to respond to it. We speak to 4 Act Suffering From Diminishing Returns PAGES 8 - 10: those charged with breaking Act That Will Probably Be Dropped As This Chart Placing Is Disappointing Cliff Richard >> acts to ask what works best, 5 Charts why artists have to do much of 6 Solo Artist Who Is Still Riding On Support For Their Previous Band the early groundwork, why ‘old PAGE 11: media’ needs to be convinced 7 Act That Has One Hit And Seems Unlikely To Repeat It Digital charts >> with ‘new media’ numbers and, with budget cuts, how 8 Act That Got A Good Sync On A Department Store Ad the biggest opportunities can Only Here Because Of A Social Media Campaign be created with the lowest 9 possible spend. 10 A Hit Tied To A Tenuous Anniversary Issue 101 | 29th January 2014 | Page 2 continued… “Breaking an act” is a term as widely used While this marketing mix can provide it still requires a high-quality product and a flow of new material that people can connect as it is vague. There are no strict criteria as opportunities, it can also be rather confusing. solid on- and offline marking plan,” explains to the artist, for example busking videos with to what “breaking” a new act may mean – a So how exactly do you break an act in 2014? Cooking Vinyl head of digital marketing Passenger,” he says. top 10 album? Radio 1 support? – and the And what areas should you focus your Sammy Andrews. But, Meikle adds, all this material is worthless definition of success varies from band to efforts on? “The major difference now, in comparison to if fans don’t know it is there. “They key thing band and label to label. 10 years ago, are the tools used to achieve is for the artist to be talking via social media, Nevertheless, most music industry Laying the digital foundations this,” he says. “It’s vital for any new act in to tell people where they can access their executives will know in their heart of hearts “Breaking acts is what a label is best judged 2014 that they have their digital foundation music and see their videos then they go up,” whether or not a band has achieved that on,” explains Virgin Records senior digital blocks in place. I’m consistently surprised to he says. “The artist needs to work hard to elusive breakthrough, essentially reaching a marketing manager Luke Ferrar, who worked see acts, labels and managers of all statures communicate with a potential fanbase and level of sales and fame that corresponds to, on the campaign for Bastille. “It’s possibly missing the simplest of opportunities in the make the most of the opportunities that are or even exceeds, their expectations. becoming easier to find acts to break thanks digital world.” open to them.” to our beloved internet, but signing deals is In 2014 there are more ways than These foundation blocks are fairly obvious: Jack Melhuish, director of marketing at as competitive as ever. Digital plays a crucial ever of assessing whether a band has the big social networks for keeping in touch Atlantic UK, says that YouTube – alongside part in the whole process.” broken through, from YouTube views to with fans; YouTube and SoundCloud so SoundCloud and Spotify – played a crucial role merchandise sales. At the same time, there In many ways the process of breaking an act people can listen to your music; and a band in the rise of dance act Rudimental, whose is an ever-expanding number of tools that in 2014 is the same as it always has been: hit website to bring it all together. album, Home, debuted at number 1 in the UK labels and managers can use to help break a music, it is supposed, will generally rise to the last year. But he cautions that it is important to These might seem evident – boring, even new act. top and there is only so much you can do to present this online material in the right way. – but you ignore them at your peril. “Social work a dud. media is important in showing who the act is “We grouped all their [Rudimental’s] remixes The essential working with or hanging out with,” explains in one playlist, rather than it being very bitty,” difference in 2014 Ferrar. “Boast, name-drop and tag your way he explains. “Grouped playlists can attract a lies in the new digital to the top shamelessly, but support your lot of attention on Spotify and YouTube.” tools available, which efforts with exceedingly good content along Ben Cook, MD of Asylum Records UK, says enable labels and the way.” that the video for ‘Feel The Love’ was “pivotal” bands to go straight The far-reaching impact of video for Rudimental. “It sent a message that this to consumers. “The wasn’t a one off, but something richer and process of breaking Stuart Meikle, senior product manager with a specific point of view,” he explains. “The a band in 2014 is at Essential Music & Marketing, says that sense of empowerment that the videos have fundamentally no YouTube played an important part in the rise given and their emotive quality really has different from how of Passenger, who had a worldwide hit with marked them out.” it has ever been as ‘Let Her Go’ in 2012. “You need a constant Issue 101 | 29th January 2014 | Page 3 continued… Mailing lists are another useful way of and build data – free downloads and like they have some traction. And this, naturally, a massive YouTube number, being able to keeping your new fans informed. “We gates still work, crazily,” he explains. has impacted on the whole process of break that down and show a very healthy pay particular attention to the artist’s breaking an act, with many bands effectively UK connection and being able to benchmark So far, so standard: digital tools can be used mailing database, whatever stage of their breaking themselves – to a certain level and that against other tracks that have been to keep fans abreast of what an artist is up career they’re at,” says Adam Cardew, often with the help of management – before uploaded.” to, much as letters and fan clubs did 50 years digital manager for Absolute Marketing & a label comes on board. ago. But the seismic shift in breaking a band Record companies and artists can also Distribution. “This might involve getting in 2014 lies in the data generated by these “In many ways the artists are the marketers benefit from this data, using geographic their first 500 fans onto the list or updating new tools and what labels and artists can do of themselves the same way ‘we’ as people statistics to plot tours, or demographic data or refreshing a list of fans that haven’t been with them. put a version of ourselves online,” says to plan media campaigns. contacted in a while. When it comes to Nikke Osterback, founder of Saari Ltd, an getting fans to pay for your music or support Acts have to start the ball rolling “Data is king,” says Cooking Vinyl’s Andrews. independent digital strategy company you monetarily, the mailing list is key.” themselves “I think it’s fair to say that most people can which works with artists including The Boxer post a social network update these days but Old faithful tactics such as offering free For a start, with A&R budgets under pressure, Rebellion, Frightened Rabbit, Fink and Nick not everyone understands how to analyse downloads in exchange for email addresses labels are understandably wary of taking a Cave. the data that comes from those interactions.” and Facebook Likes are also still effective, punt on a band that is totally unproven. This “Often artists develop their online presence according to Ferrar. “Get the music out there means unsigned acts need statistics to prove He continues, “From there we can plan, using personally, then the manager has come on proven insights and analytics, the best ways board and steered that development,” he forward for campaigns and bespoke digital adds. “Afterwards a label might sign an act initiatives to appeal to both existing and with an extended team of online specialists future fans. In years gone by there was much to help. An artist doesn’t need a fanbase to be more of a ‘throw things at the wall to see signed, but having a fanbase can show that what sticks’ approach but now we’re able to one already has an audience. This can also make informed decisions which not only save help from a business point of view.” time but also save money, ensuring budgets ‘New media’ data steers ‘old media’ are being used to the greatest effect.” behaviour And fans don’t just passively make up When the artist does sign, the label can the numbers.