– Music Discovery
– Music Experience
– Direct-to-Fan Engagement
– Merch & Sales Conversion
Originally posted to Linkedin
Most artist’s social platforms are more vanity than vehicle. According to a recent poll in Ad Age, 56% of Gen Z and Millennials are discovering new music on Socials. More than word-of-mouth, more than radio, what even is MTV? If you’re curious, according to the same poll, 38% of these younger listeners discover music on DSPs. Even older listeners discover music on Socials. Today, upwards of 40% of older listeners discover new music on Socials with 51% of them discovering new music on DSPs. What? No Sam Goody?
All this is to say… Music Discovery is huge on Socials, yet most emerging artists lead their socials with Direct-to-Fan Engagement tactics which doesn’t include their own music for new fan discovery. Existing fans may be happy to see their favorite artists decorating their trees… but just sometimes, can THEIR music perhaps be playing in the background instead of that mildly clever retro track?
And if 38% of younger listeners are discovering music across DSPs… which is not only a solid music-discovery tool, but also a natural bridge to Music Experience… why aren’t their Socials and DSPs working together with coordinated efforts… from Artwork, to Playlisting, to Artist Picks?
Maybe it’s because the Artist often leads a good amount of their own socials… but their label or management looks after Spotify for Artists (or the sort). And they don’t coordinate their Social strategies and Tactics. In fact… they probably don’t even speak about strategies and tactics. Inner monologue: a content calendar is not a strategy.
All that is to say, Socials are great platforms for artists. But if they’re not strategically planned and managed to deliver across all four artist-connection categories… and not linked to the artist’s complimentary tools (from DSPs to Merch Store-fronts) than they are inevitably MORE VANITY THAN VEHICLE.