Month: March 2019 Page 1 of 2

How Is The Music Industry Using STDM ADaM Data?

On March 20, 2019

In data collection, marketing, music industry, record label

You might be thinking…..

Mind.Is.Blown.

What on earth is STDM ADaM?! Well Lets first break it down before we get into telling you why major record companies are finding these datasets extremely valuable. STDM stands for Study Data Tabulation Model. This system creates and maps data which has been collected from raw sources. ADaM on the other hand stands for Analysis Data Model which helps generate figures, listings and tables from data. This ensures that data is readily available to be analysed by whoever needs it. The main benefit of this system is its levels of traceability and therefore truthfulness. The two models go hand in hand together nicely as a way to store and understand collected data. Here is how big record companies in the music industry are using it to improve and grow their business.

Importance Of Market Research

Market research is the key to understanding what your target consumer wants to purchase and what they will want to consume in the future. By carrying out market research you can gather data that will be invaluable to your company for a very long time. For example you can do some field research on a newly released album to find out what consumers liked and didn’t like about the sound. You can ask consumers various questions from fashion & styling, to relevancy of the sound and lyrics and even how likeable the musician is. Record companies will go at lengths to ensure they make a profit, and a large one at that, on an album so it has been known that a musician will receive coaching on their ‘likeability’.

Collecting market research and storing it for future reference is a great way to forecast what consumers will be listening to in the future. Take Grime music as an example – industry giants were able to forecast the popularity and growth of this genre by signing new names and using marketing to promote them. Grime emerged from London in the early 2000s drawing influence from hip hop, rap and dance. Artists from this genre of music faced a lot of discrimination in many venues across the UK as unfortunately this genre was linked with violence and crime. Since then MPs have worked hard to abolish this discriminations and thankfully with the rise of artists such as Skepta and Stormzy discrimination has lowered and record sales have risen dramatically.

Future Marketing Strategies

Market research is all about collecting relevant data and STDM ADaM is about translating that data so it can be easily analysed. Now producers, marketers, record company executives and even the musicians themselves can come up with a marketing strategy which will increase the popularity and awareness of the artist which will then lead to better sales of the record and a potential future opportunities for the musician.

How Marketing Has Evolved Within The Music Industry

By greatwhiterocks

On March 20, 2019

In Uncategorized

It is no secret to us all that music is constantly evolving – Madonna for example. In the 1980s we saw Madonna Like A Prayer Era glorified in pearls and fishnets. Then we move onto the year 2001 where we saw Madonna singing ‘hey Mr DJ put a record on’ in cowboy hat and boots, then 2006 comes and disco dancing leotard flourishing Madonna took the stage. This is why we are constantly interested in what she is doing, because she is always evolving.
Being able to grow and change is the not so secret, secret within the music industry. If you think about it we went from listening to records on vinyl to cassette tapes to CD Roms and now back to vinyl – although Spotify is the most popular way to listen to music today.

What Is Music Marketing?

Traditional marketing is about increasing the visibility and awareness of a brand. This doesn’t change for artists or musicians. Record companies want to promote new and existing artists and increase their popularity and get them known (or more commonly referred to as – get them famous). They do this by getting their music played on radio, organise performances on TV and place them on press conferences to increase their ‘brand’ awareness.

Social Media Marketing

Social media has become a marketing phenomenon since around 2010. It is a online platform with a worldwide reach that allows people to connect with others from all over the globe. In terms of the music industry, it allows fans to engage with their favourite musician and vice versa – musicians can communicate with their fans. They can post promotional content for free which is a great cost effective marketing tool that has the potential to reach millions. You can also target a specific audience that you haven’t been able to engage with before through the use of social media influencers who can promote your music via their channel.

Mobile Marketing

Lets face it, everyone has a smartphone and more to the point, people are always on it. Between connecting with friends and family and scrolling through social media. Marketers understand that they can reach billions of potential listeners via mobile. From sponsored posts on Instagram and Facebook to pop up adverts on YouTube. Before we lived in this digitally connected world the only way we could listen to new music or discover new artists was through radio and TV – now we have social media and Spotify which has allowed musicians endless opportunities to engage with new audiences from all over the world.

Video Marketing

Academic and market research has proven that consumers find video content much more engaging than written content or even imagery. Consumers respond well to video, sometimes sharing it with friends, family and their online community. YouTube has been a great platform to promote video and visual content for artists and aspiring artists trying to get noticed.

Why UK Music Festivals Are Bringing In Damp Experts

By greatwhiterocks

On March 19, 2019

In Event Labour Hire, event organisers, music festivals

British weather is unpredictable as we know. One minute you’ll get lovely bright sunshine and the next the rain pours down along with a lovely coastal wind. Almost all of us have been to a music festival when it has been an absolute wash out. T in the Park 2012 was one big mud slide and Glastonbury..well pretty much every year it rains. Obviously we cannot control the weather but what festival organisers are doing to be better prepared this year is hiring damp experts. Here’s what to expect this year at your favourite festivals

Rain-safe Staging

Previous artists have been unable to perform or more embarrassingly been called off stage halfway through their performance due to such heavy rainfall. Damp experts along with engineers and stage and sound engineers have been working together to create rain proof and fire proof stages that will allow artists to perform on stage no matter what the weather is. Although being protected from rainfall may make them look and sound better – it was more a safety projects. There is so many electrics and wires on the stage coming from guitars, microphones, amplifiers, screens, lighting…that if flooded with water can cause electrical shocks and even fires. This is simply done by the way the roof has been angled – genius!

Campsite Reconstruction

The campsite is usually something organisers don’t invest in too much – after all by the end of the festival it is usually trashed by festival -goers. However there have been so many issues with flooding of campsites that has effected the safety and wellness of festival goers – something that organisers absolutely have to take responsibility for. Landscape contractors have been hired and have been working with damp experts to ensure the campsite gets rid of water as safe and effectively as possible if there is a risk of heavy rainfall. They have been working together to prevent landslides, mud slides, removing steep dangerous hills and implementing new and additional water pumps

Under-cover Social Spaces

Damp experts have advised more undercover social spaces such as a bar, food court, yoga room….whatever fits with your festival will help tackle dampness. Keeping people as dry as possible will help solve so many safety and wellness issues such as landslides, mud slides, hypothermia, broken or twisted ankles, falls, sickness…it will be worth it we promise!

The Story Behind Indie Music – The DIY Movement

By greatwhiterocks

On March 19, 2019

In Uncategorized

The Rise

In history, the music industry was run by big corporate record labels. If you weren’t signed to a record label then you may as well give up on the dream now.

The Story begins in 1976 when The Iconic Band – the Sex Pistols put on a gig in Manchester last minute that they completely put together on their own – without the help of their record company. In the crowd were the newly formed Buzzcocks. Although not signed to a record label this band would revolutionise the music industry. In 1977 They decided to take on the industry head on by producing their own record in an independent studio and making 1000 copies – selling them to local record stores in Manchester. Within a month all 1000 copies were sold. It was rock musics first ever independently funded record – that went onto sell 15,000 copies.

Manchester Roots

Along came Joy Division.

Large arenas were the only place to see your favourite bands however with the introduction of indie music, bands would book into smaller venues or pubs and play to crowds of 20-30 to get their music listened to. This is how Manchester band Joy Division became popular – admitting they were heavily influenced by Buzzcocks. Throughout the 80s, and especially in Manchester small independent record labels propped up with just one or two bands being signed.

Growth of Independence & Misfit Culture

The spirit of independence wasn’t just confined to Manchester, neighbouring Liverpool was the next city to follow suit. In Liverpool especially, The Beatles was always a band that musicians took inspiration from. However from the markets in Liverpool sprouted the new age Punk era in which indie music was threaded through – highly inspired by fashion and street style. Although The Cavern was a popular gig venue – the punks were welcomed to next door venue Erics.

The War In Britpop

When you think of britpop you think of Oasis and Blur – a rivalry between the North and South. I mean its obvious that Oasis won the war…

However there were some other iconic britpop bands who originated from indie record labels including The Verve and Supergrass who defined the 90s culture.

Indie Music Became A Genre

Then….10 years later..Arctic Monkeys came along. Turning indie music production into a real genre, using guitars, bass and drums to redefine and modernise classic rock. Indie is strong in british roots, and it has been difficult for them to break into other countries such as America. However isn’t this why we love indie music so much – keeping bands home grown, down to earth and playing to small crowds because they love listening to music not because they love celebrity.

How Event Labour Hire Can Make Or Break A Concert

By greatwhiterocks

On March 15, 2019

In Event Labour Hire

For any music festival or concert Event Labour Hire is a crucial factor which can have a big impact on the success of an event. In order for any music event to be successful the artists need the right staff behind them to ensure a efficient and enjoyable experience for all. In the music industry mistakes can and do happen. We believe these mistakes can be avoided and can provide some tips as to how to best conduct Event Labour Hire

Internal Factors

When considering Event Labour Hire it is important for the companies involved to consider what their budget is and how it can be assigned to the event overall. How high or low a budget is can affect the quality of staff you are hiring as well as the resources you can use on the ground. Generally for large music events like festivals companies tend to go slightly over budget to ensure they have adequate staffing coverage.

External Factors

There are a number of different factors that have an external impact on Event Labour Hire. One such factor may event location. If an Event is located in a more remote location it may be more difficult to source people to work at the event. Another external factor which should be considered by event organisers is fan expectations. Depending on how the concert is run different fans may have different expectations depending on what they have experienced at previous concerts. For example a sudden change in security policy may have an impact on the event.

Effects On The Event

When it comes to the event itself, Labour Hire can have a significant effect on how the event actually plays out. For example if a company employs the help of a local firm with a good reputation and rapport with concert goers in that area then the concert may be more of a success. This is because aside from the performance the overall experience of the event e.g queuing , ticket checks and security also all have an impact. More positive and friendly staff help contribute to a better and more positive atmosphere overall.

Another effect that labour hire could have on the event is failure. If an event goes wrong that it normally goes really wrong. There can be a number of attributing factors from an event going wrong but they normally originate or can be linked back to the organisers in the vast majority of situations. An example of this would be a mass brawl or serious incident at a venue. If anything like this is not contained and dealt with effectively then this could lead to serious repercussions for the event organisers and agencies working with them. This is why businesses really need to think carefully before they choose where to source their staff from.

Wider Benefits

Event labour hire can have a number of positive effects outside of the event itself

Event Labour Hire can help bring employment to a local area and boost the local economy by allowing local vendors to setup stalls shops in certain venues
Event Labour hires can help to boost a companies reputation and is mutually beneficial when an event is successful for both the Company hiring employees and the other supplying them