Video may have killed the radio star but it also opened a new door for unknown artists. With television and now Internet, radio is not the most popular medium for music anymore. iPods, iPads, and mobile phones with personalized playlists eliminated the need for radio. In recent years, most music is purchased digitally and the sales of CDs and records are declining. The Internet has transformed the music industry and created a broad network in which bands and artists have a greater opportunity to thrive.
YouTube was the start for many current famous musicians such as Justin Bieber, Gotye, and Carly Rae Jepsen and the website has become an outlet for artists to post music videos in hopes of a viral hit. YouTube also acts as an effective portfolio for bands and musicians with live concerts and videos. Online presence is a top priority for all artists with YouTube now having more than half a billion users worldwide and racking up to almost one hundred billion views each month. It is used by 39 countries and broadcasted in over 54 different languages. This accounts for more than a trillion views a year. Never in music history have artists had such a powerful medium to launch careers.
Social media integrates YouTube and enables artists to promote without much cost. Facebook and Twitter incorporate YouTube links allowing users to comment and share. This combination of social media and online video elevates artist awareness through multiple channels at the same time.
Though the Internet has been a boon for artists and digital music sales, music videos still require basic principles. A homemade video with poor quality will not get hits and a creative, high definition video is required for an artist to be considered seriously. Opportunity may lie online but this also means there are millions of others with the same strategy. Marketing your video and band will require professional production and a strong fan base. Integrating a high quality music video across multiple social media networks is the standard promotional strategy even for well-known artists.
Some people still believe the famous lyrics “Video Killed the Radio Star,” however, radio did not give artists the same realm of possibilities that the combination of Internet and video provide. The land of musical opportunity exists on the success of online video, musical composition, and social media awareness.
2014 – 06 25