Technology has changed the way that we live. As a musician, you must learn to adapt to the changes of the industry or risk certain failures. Long gone are the days where music was being consumed through cassette tapes and compact discs, now it’s through various media outlets and music streaming platforms. At the A3C Festival & Conference, the objective is to give artists the tools, knowledge and resources needed to succeed in the music industry. The Digital Divide: How Tech Is Changing The Music Industry, gave many musicians the chance to hear from insiders about the ways technology has disrupted the music industry and what musicians can do to take advantage of that shift.
The Digital Divide’s panelists included: Philip Stein, Steven Skunberg, Kayla Parchia, Hurricane Dave and Amber Grimes. Each panelist provided insight on streaming, digital marketing, the importance of radio and more. Philip Stein, the President of StreamCut Media, explained how artists, producers and labels can get paid for their music. The difficulty with this is that many artists aren’t knowledgeable about the music business outside of the recording process. Although radio is not as important as it once was when it comes to breaking a record/artist, Hurricane Dave of Radio One, explained why it would not be wise to neglect radio altogether. There is segment of people that still consume music through radio; due to the popularity of digital radio and podcasts.
Music streaming is perhaps the most popular form of music consumption in the modern era. Amber Grimes, Spotify’s Senior Manager, elaborated on how you can capitalize off music streaming sites. Getting your music on a streaming platform is one thing, but monetizing your records and albums is another. Apple Music, Spotify, and Tidal are just some of the sites that you can submit your music to, but there are a plethora of others. The key as a musician is to get your music on as many streaming sites and media platforms as possible, not just for the money, but for the exposure. The more positive exposure you receive, it increases your future opportunities for further financial gain.
Though many musicians and artists would do it for free, they should all be able to capitalize off their endeavors. The Digital Divide and it’s panelists provided the knowledge to help them do so. Make sure to follow all of the moves that Amber, Kayla, Steven, Philip, Hurricane Dave and their companies are making, because they can all serve as a blueprint to a successful music career.
