Music has been around for as long as man has been around. Every genre has had its "golden years". Whether it is classical, blues, rock n roll, punk rock, hip hop, or even pop, every single one of these genres has had its golden years. meaning that they were large in popularity and sales. Some will argue that music isn't the same way that it used to be, but usually, that's just the people who have canes and can’t move on with the times. That’s just a joke…sort of. Music Marketing however hasn't always been as positive as it is today or accessible. “Back in the day”, people would depend on record companies and managers to get their name out there to a wider audience. They didn’t have the streaming platforms as they do now, so a lot of up-and-coming artists back then were mainly underground. If you were on the radio back then you must've really been someone, had a connection with a radio station or you were just plain ole lucky. Think about it for a second, all of these artists today who post on social media promoting an upcoming album or upcoming show, have it easy. Before people would have to include lots of radio stations in their routes while they were on tour to promote and get it out to an audience. Now, with the help of social media and smartphones, present-day artists can buy ads to promote albums, shows, tours, etc.
Another monster that has changed the recording industry has been streaming platforms. When streaming platforms were announced, record labels, managers, and even artists were shaking in their boots. At first, artists weren't getting paid from streaming services so think of it like bootlegging from the artist, label, and manager. Bootlegging is the illegal manufacture, distribution, or sale of goods, usually associated with alcohol or recordings. This is what caused a lot of artists to make deals in their contracts WITH streaming platforms. This ensured that the artist would get a good percentage from the streaming service for every stream that the artist receives. Now take this with a grain of salt because if you aren't a rising artist or one of the biggest then you will probably be making close to nothing starting out. The most you'd make would be from your gigs (Most of the time, you don’t even get paid and YOU are the one who usually pays to play) if you’re lucky enough to have a generous venue manager. This causes a lot of starting artists
who don't know any better- to sign bad deals with record labels. “A fair record deal is — maybe, just maybe — possible” [Rolling stone. Dec 23. 2020] Record labels know this and so they take advantage. You’re probably wondering how I know this much, well, I’m an artist and the most I make is usually from radio play or gigs at venues. I’m only lucky enough to be paid from streaming when I release albums or appear on radio talk shows. Since I'm in the new age of technology, I stay independent because of the platforms available to release independently. Back before the 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, etc. there wasn't a platform where you could do this without signing to a label. If you were independent, you'd have to have savvy thinking, a solid team around you, and a decent fanbase to get anywhere. Now, new artists such as myself have the advantages of Tiktok, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and even Facebook to market ourselves and even bring a different energy to Marketing for artists. Look out, folks! T The Phenomenal is about to hit his mark!
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