https://www.wsj.com/business/media/live-nation-justice-department-antitrust-lawsuit-ab98c268
Music Industry
- Thread starter jmspald
- Start date
https://www.musicbusinessworldwide....rated-51-of-2023-recorded-music-annual-report
Quite an interesting read overall, but this in particular
really bewildered me. I'm not a fan of K-pop and am aware of how little I know about the entire eco-system, but I have at least *heard* of some of the bigger names like BTS or Blackpink. But if two essentially niche acts with little name recognition (because *I* am clearly ignorant, but I bet that if you stopped random people in the street anywhere in the Americas or Europe, they wouldn't be able to tell you who they are either) can be the 2nd and 3rd biggest revenue-generators in the industry, above Drake (❗️) and the Weeknd, surely that's indicative of a massive shift in how stardom works and is monetised?
Two things I'd love to hear people's thoughts about:
- Have streaming services and Spotify in particular finally found a way to monetise consumption by regions traditionally resistant to paying for their music, thereby integrating them into the worldwide metrics framework, and helping artists with limited big-tent appeal (in the West or otherwise) but a fervent regional or subcultural fanbase, come to the fore? All of a sudden your favourite's #1 in Bahrain doesn't seem so bad if that's the case.
- Again, that could just be the circles that *I* move in, but I don't think (m)any *songs* by these clearly massively popular K-pop acts have entered the broader cultural vernacular in any meaningful way. Here in the UK at least I don't hear them on the radio, they're not played at any 'mainstream pop' parties I go to, the media/podcasts I follow don't talk about the music (though plenty of discussion of their cultural significance). Am I missing something, or is the actual music somewhat auxiliary to their fame at this level*?
Sorry of all of those are question that have been discussed to death elsewhere, I'm late to the party as per usual.
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* Absolutely no comment about the quality of said music. It's not for me, but many things aren't that are still very, very good, and that's ok. I'm talking about cultural relevance more than anything.
Quite an interesting read overall, but this in particular
really bewildered me. I'm not a fan of K-pop and am aware of how little I know about the entire eco-system, but I have at least *heard* of some of the bigger names like BTS or Blackpink. But if two essentially niche acts with little name recognition (because *I* am clearly ignorant, but I bet that if you stopped random people in the street anywhere in the Americas or Europe, they wouldn't be able to tell you who they are either) can be the 2nd and 3rd biggest revenue-generators in the industry, above Drake (❗️) and the Weeknd, surely that's indicative of a massive shift in how stardom works and is monetised?
Two things I'd love to hear people's thoughts about:
- Have streaming services and Spotify in particular finally found a way to monetise consumption by regions traditionally resistant to paying for their music, thereby integrating them into the worldwide metrics framework, and helping artists with limited big-tent appeal (in the West or otherwise) but a fervent regional or subcultural fanbase, come to the fore? All of a sudden your favourite's #1 in Bahrain doesn't seem so bad if that's the case.
- Again, that could just be the circles that *I* move in, but I don't think (m)any *songs* by these clearly massively popular K-pop acts have entered the broader cultural vernacular in any meaningful way. Here in the UK at least I don't hear them on the radio, they're not played at any 'mainstream pop' parties I go to, the media/podcasts I follow don't talk about the music (though plenty of discussion of their cultural significance). Am I missing something, or is the actual music somewhat auxiliary to their fame at this level*?
Sorry of all of those are question that have been discussed to death elsewhere, I'm late to the party as per usual.
____________________________
* Absolutely no comment about the quality of said music. It's not for me, but many things aren't that are still very, very good, and that's ok. I'm talking about cultural relevance more than anything.
What I do know about the K-Pop groups mentioned in that exerp and also this is a pretty common thing for Kpop groups to do is release multiple versions where fans will buy in bulk to get into things like fan signings. Hence the really inflated numbers. I know those two groups are pretty notorious for it. Fans will a lot of money sometimes even hundreds.
Another reason is those groups have 9+ members and they have individual versions which also inflates sales a bit.
he/him
I was going to say, it's pretty much what @superloves said. I'd also add that the two groups there have huge fanbases too that are really into collecting. There's a whole thing with K-Pop and photocards (each album can include anywhere from just one to say nine), but fans collect these and do the math of how many albums they have to buy in order to get every photocard available. For example, say Stray Kids have an album with forty photocards total but each album only comes with one, fans will buy forty albums to then trade or sell their duplicate photocards to have a complete collection.
It becomes even more complicated when you include pre-order bonuses, fan calls, etc. With the latter, people who pre-order the album from a store get "randomly" selected to a virtual meet and greet. The more albums you buy, the more likely you're to get in. Sometimes people sell those albums to people abroad and have group buys or eBay shops where they sell the photocards from the albums and recoup some of the money.
As someone who is into K-Pop, if I buy an album, I tend to buy them used as I don't really collect photocards and it makes the albums significantly cheaper. I've seen albums in HMV sell for £34.99 but you can buy them used for more than half the price without the photocard(s).
So yes, effectively, their numbers are really inflated and don't quite match their impact outside of their own fandoms.
It becomes even more complicated when you include pre-order bonuses, fan calls, etc. With the latter, people who pre-order the album from a store get "randomly" selected to a virtual meet and greet. The more albums you buy, the more likely you're to get in. Sometimes people sell those albums to people abroad and have group buys or eBay shops where they sell the photocards from the albums and recoup some of the money.
As someone who is into K-Pop, if I buy an album, I tend to buy them used as I don't really collect photocards and it makes the albums significantly cheaper. I've seen albums in HMV sell for £34.99 but you can buy them used for more than half the price without the photocard(s).
So yes, effectively, their numbers are really inflated and don't quite match their impact outside of their own fandoms.
That's fascinating, thank you both!
Is it the first time in a while that the top female artists in music are in their 30s to 40s (Taylor, Beyoncé, SZA, Ariana)?
WSJ. Magazine
There Are Plenty of Power Publicists. But Only One Works for Taylor Swift.
From ‘1989’ through ‘The Tortured Poets Department,’ she has fiercely guarded Swift’s reputation: ‘The devil works hard, but Tree Paine works harder’
https://archive.is/U5f5y
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Interesting read. He's not that wrong. I fear that before going back to the 80s we'll see people cater even more to specific artists who will monopolize the industry. It's already happening with people like Adele, or more recently Taylor Swift and Beyoncé: people would rather save their money for their super expensive tour tickets and 6 different trackslists LPs than support other smaller artists.
Personally, I've changed the way I consume music post-covid. I used to collect CDs and LPs from big international artists, buying variants, deluxe editions etc on release day. Now, I mostly buy the music of smaller Italian artists, because - honestly - I love my big pop girls but I ain't funding their trips around the world and their LA mansions only for them to come here on tour every few years to collect money - and always in the same damn city (i.e. Milan).
People never bought albums to 'support' artists. Even gays who say 'I bought 3 cassettes to support Louise' are lying.
People aways bought albums to listen to that specific song they heard on the radio / at a party / on TV. Now they can listen to the song on Youtube or Spotify, they're good.
People aways bought albums to listen to that specific song they heard on the radio / at a party / on TV. Now they can listen to the song on Youtube or Spotify, they're good.
Explain how I now have over 10 Sugababes records, and 4 cassettes and still don’t own a record or cassette player.
Most of the time, yes. But it happens to buy CDs/LPs/merchandising from an artist, even if you don’t like anything specific, just to show support. It happens all the times with collectors, and now that music is mostly available for free, I think more and more people will decide to spend their money on someone not just to listen but just to show support.
The Music Industry’s Superfan Ambitions
Why is the industry so focused on monetizing artists' biggest fans?
https://jimmystone.substack.com/p/t...42&triggerShare=true&isFreemail=true&r=1etexbIt's happening. Hats off to the Swifties!
US to sue Ticketmaster owner Live Nation - https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cv22k054z5zo
https://3news.com/showbiz/music/burna-boy-cancels-netherlands-concert-promises-tickets-refund/
https://3voor12.vpro.nl/update~d4d7...n-maar-30-van-hun-arena-kaartje-vergoed~.html
Well… after a scheduled Burns Boy concert in the Netherlands and not showing up sometime ago - the promoter only announced it after the audience waited for 4 (!) hours and they knew he wasn’t coming… It happened again. Another cancelled stadium concert in NL and refunds only 30% of the cost to anyone having bought a ticket. Ridiculous!
Poor fans… I would have never done it after that pathetic cancellation last time.
https://3voor12.vpro.nl/update~d4d7...n-maar-30-van-hun-arena-kaartje-vergoed~.html
Well… after a scheduled Burns Boy concert in the Netherlands and not showing up sometime ago - the promoter only announced it after the audience waited for 4 (!) hours and they knew he wasn’t coming… It happened again. Another cancelled stadium concert in NL and refunds only 30% of the cost to anyone having bought a ticket. Ridiculous!
Poor fans… I would have never done it after that pathetic cancellation last time.
Curious case? We're in a recession, case closed.