Blog 2 History of Music Distribution

Development in Music distribution

Precursors to sheet music

From wikipedia

Musical notation was developed before parchment or paper were used for writing. The earliest form of musical notation can be found in a cuneiform tablet that was created at Nippur, in Sumer (today's Iraq), in about 2000 BC. The tablet represents fragmentary instructions for performing music, that the music was composed in harmonies of thirds, and that it was written using a diatonic scale. 

1877-Phonograph

The phonograph, invented by Thomas Edison in 1877, was the first machine that could record and play back sound. This invention paved the way for the music industry, allowing music to be recorded and distributed on a larger scale.

1906-Music on radio

Radio allowed music to be broadcasted to a wider audience, making it more accessible. This led to the emergence of popular music genres, such as jazz, blues, and rock and roll.

On 24 December 1906, the first radio broadcast for entertainment and music was transmitted from Brant Rock, Massachusetts to the general public. This pioneering broadcast was achieved after years of development work by Reginald Aubrey Fessenden (1866-1932) who built a complete system of wireless transmission and reception using amplitude modulation (AM) of continuous electromagnetic waves.

1948-Vinyl record

In 1948, backed by Columbia Records, the first vinyl record was introduced at the soon-to-be standardized 33 1/3 rpm speed. It used microgroove plastic to extend a 12-inch record's playtime to 21 minutes on each side.

Vinyl records were introduced in the 1940s and quickly became the primary medium for distributing music. They were durable, affordable, and provided high-quality sound. Vinyl records also allowed artists to showcase their creativity through album art, which became an integral part of the music industry. The 1960s saw the rise of music festivals, such as Woodstock and Monterey Pop, which attracted large crowds and showcased new and emerging artists.

1963-Tape

The Compact Cassette, also commonly called a cassette tape, audio cassette, or simply tape or cassette, is an analogmagnetic tape recording format for audio recording and playback. Invented by Lou Ottens and his team at the Dutch company Philips and released in August 1963.

Sony's Walkman cassette players were very popular during the 1980s, which led to "walkman" becoming an unofficial term for personal stereos of any producer or brand.[6] 220 million cassette-type Walkman were sold by the end of production in 2010.

1982-The CDs

The first album to be released on CD was Billy Joel's 52nd Street, that reached the market alongside Sony's CD player CDP-101 on October 1, 1982 in Japan. Early the following year on March 2, 1983 CD players and discs (16 titles from CBS Records) were released in the United States and other markets. This event is often seen as the "Big Bang" of the digital audio revolution. The new audio disc was enthusiastically received, especially in the early-adopting classical music and audiophile communities and its handling quality received particular praise.

1999-Napster

Shawn Fanning's creation, Napster, started the free online MP3 file-sharing craze. Consumers of music had an instant and free access to the MP3 song catalog. Although illegal, Napster had great success. The MP3 catalog contained millions of songs. Because of its illegality, Napster would eventually be forced to remunerate the recording industry by the development and implementation of a pay structure.

2006-Spotify

Spotify offers digital copyright restricted recorded audio content, including more than 100 million songs and five million podcasts, from record labels and media companies. As a freemium service, basic features are free with advertisements and limited control, while additional features, such as offline listening and commercial-free listening, are offered via paid subscriptions.

What purpose do record labels serve?

The label invests money into an artist, their recordings, style, video content, tour promotion and management, etc. and expect a return on those investment in the form of major profits from touring, merch, streaming, and sponsorship deals.

The main role of a record label in the music industry is to handle the distribution and promotion of their signed artists’ music. The label makes money by taking a portion (usually half) of the ownership of the artist’s music. A record label will use its platform to generate sales and streams of its music

Defining the brand story

A brand story is a consistent narrative about what the artist is all about. This story includes facts, feelings, and history. It’s all about inspiring an emotional reaction and making the person who’s reading the bio understand what the artist is all about.

Previous metrics

Major label marketing executives tend to use previous metrics as a way to inform future campaigns and predict outcomes. By re-targeting the core audience, and using the core audience’s characteristics to expand targeting, marketers, together with the artist and their team, can refine campaigns and reach people that would actually be interested in the artist and their music.

TikTok

A recent study by TikTok reported that 75% of TikTok users discover new artists and music through the platform. 63% said that they use the app as a music discovery tool, as they discover artists that they’ve never heard of before. 67% said they are more likely to look for tracks on streaming platforms after discovering them on TikTok. [Source: Musically]

Jason Derulo – the “king” of TikTok – was one of the first artists to connect the musician and content creator worlds. Other artists have followed suit. Forward-facing artists are remixing and sampling TikTok tracks to create their own viral tracks and expand their reach.

Influencer campaigns and paid media

In the current landscape, influencer campaigns and paid media are equally as important as each other.

Clever marketers are also making sure that artists become influencers/content creators themselves, as ultimately, they are the ones who can represent their own songs best.

Ashnikko is an excellent example of an artist and content creator. The artist’s cross-platform performance is phenomenal, and her brand story and identity have garnered her a tonne of long-term fans. Ultimately, she managed to leverage virality to create a sustainable career in music and content creation.

Opportunities in the live and gaming spheres

The fan engagement strategy can also be applied to live or live-streamed performances. Highly engaged fans are more likely to buy expensive bundles, while casual fans are happy with streaming songs and possibly attending the occasional gig. Therefore, they need to be targeted differently to ensure that the revenue stays strong and the artist and their team can sustain themselves.

The gaming sphere is providing tonnes of opportunities for artists who are interested in diversifying their income and fanbase. Virtual in-game performances are all the rage, and the metaverse-music link is set to strengthen over the next 5-10 years.

Recording

An independent record label should play a crucial role in an artist's recording processby providing support, resources, and guidance. The label can offer creative input, contribute to the production costs, and coordinate schedules.

The same can be said for mixing and mastering.

By involving themselves in these stages, the record label aims to deliver a polished and sonically impressive product that aligns with the artist's creative vision.

Manufacturing and Distribution

An indie record label plays a significant role in the manufacturing and distribution process of an artist's music. They are generally responsible for coordinating the production of physical copies of albums, such as CDs, vinyl records, or cassettes, including overseeing the design of album artwork and packaging.

The label may work with manufacturing plants or services to ensure the timely and high-quality production of these physical formats.

Distribution is also a common role record labels will take on, not just digital distribution, but also physical distribution to indie record stores, etc.

Marketing (PR, playlisting, social media).

A record label has a crucial role and various responsibilities in marketing an artist's music. They are responsible for developing and executing marketing strategies to increase awareness, generate buzz, and attract a larger audience.

This includes utilizing social media platforms effectively to engage with fans,promote the artist's music and upcoming releases, and build a strong online presence.

Additionally, the label plays a role in public relations (PR) by reaching out to press outlets, blogs, and music journalists to secure media coverage, interviews, and reviews. They may coordinate press releases, organize media appearances, and manage any publicity campaigns surrounding the artist's music.

Another important aspect of marketing is playlisting, especially in the streaming era.

Managing Finances

One of the important responsibilities of a record label is to manage the financial aspects surrounding an artist's release.

From the recording process to marketing and distribution, record labels allocate and oversee the funds necessary to bring an artist's music to the market. They handle budgeting, ensuring that the recording sessions, production costs, and promotional efforts stay within the agreed-upon financial parameters.

Additionally, record labels manage the accounting and financial aspects of the artist's project, including tracking sales, collecting and distributing royalties, and handling any licensing agreements.

Artist Development

As an indie record label, one of the key responsibilities is to advise and coach young artists, aiding in the development of their craft and their overall career.

Recognizing the potential and talent of emerging artists, indie labels provide invaluable guidance and mentorship throughout their journey.

A record label can assist in strategic career planning, providing advice on industry trends, networking opportunities, and navigating the music landscape.

Merch

In terms of selling the merchandise, the record label may handle various aspects, including setting up an online store on the artist's website or a dedicated merch platform, managing inventory and stock levels, fulfilling orders, and handling customer service inquiries related to merchandise purchases.

It's worth noting that the level of involvement of the record label in merchandising can vary. Some labels only get involved with merch when it’s bundled with a new album release! The specifics depend on the size, resources, and capabilities of the label and the specific agreements between the label and the artist.

Artist Management

While it is not a requirement, it is generally recommended for an artist to have their own manager separate from their record label. The roles of a record label and an artist manager are distinct and serve different functions.

A record label primarily focuses on the business aspects of an artist's career, such as recording, distribution, marketing, and promotion. They provide resources, support, and expertise in these areas. However, their primary goal is to maximize the commercial success of the artist's music and generate revenue for the label.

On the other hand, an artist manager's role is to represent and advocate for the artist's best interests across all aspects of their career. They provide guidance, strategic planning, and support in areas such as career development, branding, live performances, booking, and overall artist management. They work closely with the artist, often serving as a trusted advisor and liaison between the artist and various industry professionals.

Platforms

Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music, plus social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

▶️ Tidal is a subscription-based music, podcast, and video streaming service that features high-fidelity sound, hi-def video, curated playlists, and original content.

▶️ Deezer is a streaming platform with more than 56 million tracks, originating in France and now available in over 180 countries.

▶️ Pandora is a major music and podcast discovery platform, providing a highly-personalized listening experience to more than 70 million users.