BROUGHT TO YOU COURTESY OF 06–07 Tools Best of Midemlab 08–09 Campaigns Bon Iver, The National, Kanye West, Big Narstie 10–14 Behind The Campaign- Kate Ellis IN ASSOCIATION WITH sandbox JUNE 13 2018 MUSIC MARKETING FOR THE DIGITAL ERA ISSUE 206 APPETITE FOR CONSUMPTION the drain and strain of making unique content for everyone COVERFEATURE ike a precocious Oliver in a fancifully designed workhouse, the music Lindustry has never been shy of demanding more of its artists: labels want more attention; media want more access; retailers want more content; and live audiences just plain want more. The difference in 2018 is that these demands never stop. Three decades ago, there was a limit to how many in-store appearances Tower Records could fit into its shops, while radio and TV stations were APPETITE FOR limited by strict time slots. But in the digital age, where spatial limits are a thing of the past, there’s little stopping DSPs like CONSUMPTION Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon from packing their platforms with exclusive extra content as they tussle over subscriber numbers. But artists, managers and labels alike are feeling the strain. They spoke to us about the tough realities of this – but only on the condition of anonymity. “This is one of the most important issues in the business right now and one of the biggest conversations we are having in our company around any release,” one international marketer tells music:)ally. “Everyone wants something that is exclusive to them.” For overworked labels and managers, weighing up the constant demands from the drain and strain of making digital platforms for exclusive content is an extra headache to be negotiated. unique content for everyone “The exclusivity demands around all this Hardly anyone today will give an album exclusive to a DSP – but in its place has come a growing demand that every music service gets something unique from acts as they line up their marketing. Covering sessions, secret gigs, interviews, playlists, podcasts and more, this is a significant drain on time and resources for acts – and what has become a content arms race risks turning into a race to the bottom. We spoke to marketers about how they shoulder these demands and navigate the politics, but also query if these exclusives have anything approaching the impact everyone hopes for or presumes. Is there a risk of them actually damaging campaigns and annoying fans? Or is this just part and parcel of what marketing is in 2018 if you want a DSP to throw its weight (and playlists) behind your acts? 1 | sandbox | ISSUE 206 | 13.06.2018 COVERFEATURE stuff needs discussion as it can harm The question campaigns if it comes at the wrong of the exclusive time, especially around album releases,” content that digital one music:)ally source explained at the platforms demand tail end of 2017. “It feels like we’re – and for these now at a stage where getting the mix purposes we are right for all the DSPs is more important primarily talking than focusing on getting the most out of about Spotify, one provider.” Apple Music, One indie marketer compares the Amazon, situation to “a constant dance”. YouTube, Deezer “For a number of our biggest records and Tidal – is this year, we are – on some level – looking clearly a thorny to take between a moderate and an one. These are, extreme amount of money off of Apple, without doubt, both for content and for marketing,” they important say. “And in exchange for this there’s a distribution heavy demand that they be the retailer of channels for music, record, especially on social media. That is which pay large really where the rubber hits the road for amounts of money all of these folks. Each of these back to the music companies wants to dominate industry. And there artist and label socials around is a clear payoff for release. Or in Spotify’s case they labels and artists in would say they must have parity.” providing this extra music:)ally head of training and content, notably in A content arms race? development Wesley T. A’Harrah says terms of exposure Or a race to the bottom? that the problem for artists may lie and marketing. That is why marketers comparison to getting on the bad side of in the platforms’ strict guidelines for pitch so intently for promotional your top two sources of streaming income Musicians, too, feel the strain of these exclusive content. “You don’t make extra opportunities like Spotify Sessions. (Spotify and Apple Music), your number constant demands. “Artists certainly content in your own artist’s way; you do But that does not mean that it is one CD vendor (Amazon) or the world’s feel – and often ask – ‘Why are we it according to the brand guidelines of hypocritical for labels to chafe against biggest platform for music consumption creating off-the-cuff, unconsidered new those companies,” he argues. “And so it is their demands. Unbidden, several record (YouTube). content in service of something we have not like you are making something that is company employees have raised the Adding to this stress is the incredibly spent several years creating as a perfect really going to stand out for my artist. You problem of exclusive content with music:) fast turnover at DSPs, which leads to representation of our ideas and art?’” says are making something that follows the ally over the last few months and, given constant (seemingly insatiable) demands one senior marketer. “It is a fair question. design template they have.” the increasing amount of stress that for fresh material. “Quite honestly, the I say, ‘This is how we continue to engage He adds, “Plus Selena Gomez has music industry employees are under, this dialogues with DSPs about the promotion our partners.’ What we hear from partners 138m Instagram followers. Apple Music is an issue that needs addressing. And of our records is a short dialogue,” says and what have seen is that the clear plus Spotify have 5m combined. What on yes, demands on artists and labels come one US marketer. “It is new-release- introduction of fresh content continues earth benefit are you ever going to get by from all sides. But the worry of annoying focused and it is frontline-focused – so the conversation around a release.” making them content?” one radio station in Chicago pales in it is hard to go back and talk to Spotify 2 | sandbox | ISSUE 206 | 13.06.2018 COVERFEATURE about editorial opportunities for songs moving into the video premiere territory that have been out for three months. So and is scaling back its original content what we end up doing is we put out a new long-form offerings like On The product– sometimes produced with them, Record . Amazon has various sometimes produced independently, programmes like First & Last as well which, again, in an ideal world is speaking as bespoke content for Amazon Echo. I to this halo effect – and the conversation expect to see more of these types of asks is never supposed to end. That is the from both Amazon and Google.” message that we get.” Apple will often help to fund the creation of promotional content in exchange for The politics of the exclusivity, famously bankrolling the GIF- DSP pecking order friendly video for Drake’s ‘Hotline Bling’, and the company also has a “Merlin fund” Most marketers agree that Apple Music or that it uses to pay for marketing and Spotify – who did not wish to comment on content creation for indie labels who are this piece – usually end up with the best part of Merlin. In return, they want to be of the exclusive content: the former for its seen – according to one marketer – as “the reach and deep pockets; the latter for the DSP of record for a given campaign”. sheer size of its subscriber base and the Spotify does not hand over money for power of its playlists. labels and artists to create content. But Amazon and YouTube are next in line, it will swallow the costs for live Spotify followed by Tidal (another company that Sessions and its Spotify Singles series, is, according to marketers, prepared to and will also give artists promotional write cheques) and Deezer, although this support. “Spotify will purchase a billboard depends on the genre of music you make that they will own for the year and if we and the nature of the partnership. “If you do an above-the-line campaign with them, are a big rapper it makes sense for you to our artist will be positioned there for a do an exclusive thing on Spotify because who are going to have the top songs on more on bespoke video content than given time,” one US source says. “But it is that is where Genius lives,” says music:) one of their flagship playlists. That’s six Spotify,” one source says. “Spotify has never a dollar conversation with Spotify, ally digital marketing executive Chiara artists. And they are all going to be the spent a lot more on exclusive audio whereas it can be with both Apple and Michieletto. Facebook occupies a slightly six biggest artists that week regardless. creation, via Sessions, Spotify Singles, YouTube.” different sphere from the DSPs, but its By doing that they ensure that they also things like that – at least recently. On Is this exchange worth it, then? Many push into native and live video means it get all the social media coverage for those Spotify’s new video platform, they want marketers think so in terms of exposure.