AS90599+Music+Industry

Demonstrate understanding of a media industry.

Assessment Resources
toc Outline of the course. The 2009 exam paper - questions. Two excellence level answers, on industries. Two merit level answers, one on the music industry. Two achieved level answers. The marking schedule for the exam, and short exemplars.

Course Resources
PPTs from class. Facts and figures in the industry 2010. Key terms and definitions. Dates in the industry, from 1800's to present day. [|Mr Hanson's bubbl.us industry map] Roles and relationships in the industry.

Industry Links
[|Groove Guide] [|BPI - The British Recorded Music Industry Rep Group] [|American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers]

Chart Links
[|NZ Mainstream Charts - RIANZ] [|NZ Independent Charts - IMNZ]

Readings
Notes from Matt Scobie's visit, discussing their deal with Flying Nun, and MP3 downl F[|acebook's digital music partnership sparks industry optimism]

The future of Groove Guide?

[|National's Jonathan Young speaks on the C(IFS) bill] Copyright legislation in NZ enters a new phase.

Radiohead released their In Rainbows as a 'pay what you want' download.

[|The Dotted Line: What do record labels do now?] Arcade Fire and unconventional promotion.

A snapshot of the music industry in 2010.

[|Video killed the radio star] on Youtube. The rise of MTV on the discussion page.

[|Music Industry Infographic (thanks Ryan!)]

[|In Bed With Anika Moa]

How and Why Major Labels and Independent Labels Work Together.

Task Six: The Future of the Music Industry
Although the industry has weathered changes (technology, audiences and economics) in the past, the current situation facing the music industry seems to be serious. What is the industry to do, when the commodity (music) they have controlled for the past century has suddenly become freely available to all? To summarise:

- Major labels are being forced to re-think their approach to music - scale down, add premium content, or diversify. - Independent labels are finding success with small-scale operations and slim profit margins. - Artists are cutting out the 'industry' altogether: DIY recording, and distribution for free online. - The industry is about so much more than music - videos, live music, social media and music communities.

Your task here is to put on the hat of a label owner/executive - and think your way through this situation. You have responsibility for every step in the chain from artist to music audience - what approach do you take?


 * Write a business plan for your label** describing how you will market the artist whom you have researched in your **Artist Profile.** You need to think about the audience for this artist, and what approaches will work. For example, I would not choose Facebook to promote Neil Diamond - wrong age group!

In your plan you must **explain your reasoning** on each feature, **using examples from our investigation** so far to support your choice. Consider each feature of organisation/ control within the industry, and describe your strategy for each. I have given a focusing question to help, although I expect more explanation than a straightforward answer to only this question.


 * Key roles and personnel in the industry** eg. Does your label employ a range of people, and what are their roles in relation to this artist?
 * Record label finances** eg. Do you invest significantly in each artist, aiming for high return, or do you go with a slim business model?
 * Ownership** eg. Major or Indie? Do you cooperate?
 * Marketing and promotion** eg. How do you take advantage of the many channels of promotion?
 * Technology** eg. How do you use technology to advance the career of your artist?


 * The production process** eg. Do you release on the internet? iTunes? Contract a manufacturer and distributor?
 * Commercial considerations** eg. How do you manage other streams of revenue (concerts, merchandise, advertising and royalties)? Is your artist a commercial succcess? Do they even want to be? Do you have the strategy to get them there?
 * Audience demands** eg. What does your audience want, in terms of access to music, connection to the artist, promotion and other media. What will work?

Example: Mr Hanson's plan to manage Seasick Steve

 * Record label finances:** Steve is a niche artist, and I don't believe destined for mutli-million selling albums. I have chosen to invest minimally in Steve for several reasons:
 * As a solo artist, production and recording costs are minimal.
 * A low-budget approach is consistent with Steve's raw blues aesthetic, and would gain his approval.
 * Some investment will have to be made in producing physical product (possibly vinyl) as Steve's audience are predominantly 'collectors'. I can't rely on iTunes to meet all audience demands.
 * As a niche artist with a core fan base, word of mouth and low-cost social media are the most appropriate forms of publicity. Advertising on radio, TV, or paying a publicist would not necessarily generate any more sales or audience.

Overall, a minimum investment will create the best return for my label (and for Steve, of course).

Task Five: Social Media and the Music Industry
[|Twitter power: how social networking is revolutionising the music business (2011)] Read the article above and summarise the relationship between social media and the music industry. Use the following questions to guide you:

- How are audiences using social media? Give examples. - How are record labels using social media? Give examples. - What opportunities for the industry could be created by social media? Explain in your own words.

Record your answers on refill, or as a word document. You can store this on the discussion page to access later. Supporting resources: [|Podcast on the Arcade Fire and their latest album release.] [|New Yorker article on the same.]

Task Four: Key Events in the Industry
- The invention of the phonograph. - Commercial music radio is born. - Changes in recording mediums: vinyl, cassette, CD, MP3. - The first record label. - Consuming music becomes portable (eg the Walkman) - Prince gives away copies of his latest album free with concert tickets. - The rise of MTV. - The major record labels coalesce into the 'Big Four'. - Napster. - iTunes. - Radiohead distribute //In Rainbows// online through the 'pay what you want' mechanism.

Choose one of the events above, and research the **background** and **significance** of the event. Your written summary should answer the questions below: 1. Briefly describe the event. When did it occur? 2. What led to the event occuring? Think about changes in technology, international trade, or audience demands. 3. Describe the significance of the event for music producers, and for consumers (audiences). What were/are the long-term consequences or changes?

You can use Wikipedia as a starting point, but your summary should include references from authoritative sources. Check the references section of any Wikipedia article to find a wider range of sources. Other resources are available at the top of this page under Course Resources.

Post as a new post in the discussion forum for this page.

Task Three: Artist Profile
How did your favourite artist find their place in the music industry? Research the following questions and post your profile below. Include a visual if possible. 1. What label is your artist signed to? How long have they been signed? Give a brief history. 2. How many albums have they released? Which are the major or defining ones? 3. Who are some key people to have worked with your artist? Focus on industry roles such as managers, labels, journalists and producers. 4. Where does your artist draw their revenue from? Royalties, films, record sales, tours, merchandise?

Posting artist profiles: click on edit in the top right corner of this page. Copy and paste your profile below. Use the same heading format (heading 3) to create a heading, as in the example. Include your name (as #1 Fan!) at the bottom of your profile?

Example Artist Profile: Seasick Steve[[image:med301hz/200px-SeasickSteve.jpg align="right"]]
Seasick Steve is a blues artist signed to Play it Again Sam, and Jack White's Third Man Records (in the US). He has released five albums, two of them with Warner Music Group. He made a late start as a recording artist, going from production and session musician roles in the 60's and 70's, through a period of busking in the 90's, and releasing a debut album as Seasick Steve and the Level Devils in 2006.

Seasick Steve has been championed as a creative and original artist by the UK press, collecting MOJO and Brit Awards. He has worked recently with other musical luminaries including Nick Cave, [|Jack White, John Paul Jones and Alison Mosshart.] Although he has made records, Steve is primarily a live artist - in July 2011, Seasick Steve played on stage with [|Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters & John Paul Jones]of Led Zeppelin at Milton Keynes National Bowl in front of a sold out audience of 65,000.

Steve had an unstable early life, leaving home at a young age and spending time on the road. In his words: "Hobos are people who move around looking for work, tramps are people who move around but don't look for work, and bums are people who don't move and don't work. I've been all three."Much of his musical material is drawn from these experiences. In summary, Steve has himself taken a range of roles in the music industry - his career as an artist has been aided by working with labels, producers, collaborators and journalists in positions of power within the industry. His time on WMG would have given him a solid grounding in the industry, although as a niche recording artist he is likely more "at home" on an indie label.


 * 1) 1 Fan: Mr Hanson

Task Two: Mapping Industry Relationships
Bubbl.us is an online mind-mapping tool. This is your blank canvas for mapping relationships within the music industry.

1. Click on this link to get you [|started.] 2. Use the mapping functions to create a mind-map of relationships we have learned so far. You should add examples, and describe the relationships between participants. 3. Create an account and save your completed mind-map.

Task One: Traditional and Emerging Industry Structures
Research Warner Music and answer the questions below: [|Warner on Wikipedia]

1. List the parts of the industry that Warner Music Group (WMG) and associated companies are involved in.

2. Describe the sale to Access Industries. What is a possible reason for this?

3. Briefly summarise the recent controversy between Youtube and WMG.

[|Warner Music Group] - read and summarise the page "recorded music-overview".

Access Transgressive Records to read about Liam Finn and other bands on the label. [|Liam Finn at Truck Festival 2011] [|Transgressive Records]

Research Sub Pop Recordings and answer the questions below on refill paper: [|Sub Pop Records] [|Sub Pop on Wikipedia]

1. When was Sub Pop founded?

2. Where is the label based?

3. List three famous artists who have music with Sub Pop.

4. List three significant events in the history of Sub Pop.

5. How does Sub Pop distribute/sell their music? (hint - take yourself to [|The Alternative Distribution Alliance] and find out)

6. Why would an independent label such as Sub Pop distribute in this way?

7. What other labels does Sub Pop have a relationship with, and why? Give at least three reasons.

8. Is Sub Pop an independent record label? Explain.