Evolution of the Artist Manager in the Digital Age: Social Media - Part 3 of 3

Another form of technology that is important to further explore is social media and how artist managers are using it to their advantage. The internet and social media in particular have completely altered approaches familiar to traditional managers, drastically changing the functions of how artist managers develop new artists, as well as keep veteran musicians relevant. According to Jeremy Rwakaara in an article discussing the role of the artist manager in this “DYI” age, “With fewer artists interested in record deals today, a managers’ role has evolved away from choosing which labels/publishers/attorneys to work with, towards finding ways to best help artists increase their fan base and generate more income”. The creation of social network sites such as Facebook and Twitter blended with a healthy mix of fan relationship management resources, like ReverbNation and FanBridge, allow managers to exploit their artists through connecting with fans firsthand rather than through a major label. In an article discussing breaking an artist, Chris Munro states, “A decade ago, any artist trying to make a name for himself would be doing so with the intention of getting signed to a major label…The typical model went like this: Record a three song demo…Mail it out to whomever you’re trying to solicit…Perform and play as many live gigs as possible to generate a fan base”. Technological advances have transformed the traditional model, which could have taken years to build a proper buzz, into a system that can produce massive results over night and in a much grander scale.

            Technology has shifted the dominance in the music industry towards the creators, as artists and managers alike began to realize the mass effects the internet has in assisting artists in reaching an infinite amount of potential fans. This is largely in part because sites such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube act as an outlet for artists to display their music and videos for the world to see. Almost every major recording artist, as well as up and coming artists has their own personal website, which in its own holds much power. Many official sites include options for fans to buy merchandise, physical CDS, digital music, and even concert tickets. These sites also serve as a directory for fans to keep updated with upcoming performances, new music, new videos, and any relevant news related to the artist. Passman states, “In this multimedia world, record companies are interested in much more than how you sound…a major internet buzz can definitely attract record company interest”. Knowing who your fans are and being able to contact them directly seems to be the future of music marketing. These sites along with other music related ones such as Reverbnation and FanBridge “are marketed to artists as tools that enable them to engage with fans in a more direct and meaningful way”. These websites offer tremendous data such as  “Which of the artist’ products sell the most…Which campaigns are the most effective…Who the artists super fans are and how to leverage that relation to generate more sales” and much more. The job of the artist manager has morphed into that of an analyzer whose purpose is to evaluate these resources and data, constructing strategic recommendations based upon the information gathered.

            Although the rise of the internet has given artists greater firsthand access to fans than ever before, duties of the artist manager in fact have increased. This is because there are simply many more responsibilities a manager must partake in order to break a new artist. The traditional model came down to throwing together an EP or a single and hoping to get signed to a major label. In an article by David Mitchell titled, “Expanding the Role of Artist Management”, Mitchell mentions how the role of artist management has recently expanded.  Attorney Glenn Litwak states “Today’s manager has to know about a lot more than just music. They have to know about social networking, online music subscription services…things that didn’t exist years ago”. David Mitchell refers to the artist management role as “Project Managers” since managers are now forced to oversee all different aspects of an artist’s career. Artist managers are responsible for building the artist brand before a label will even be the slightest bit interested because of the “DYI “age we now live in. 

            Legacy artists have vaulted into the “DYI” train and in some cases are continuing to enhance their fan base and make more money than when they began. In an article by Blake Hannon titled, “The Sound of Change”, Hannon states that many legacy artists such as Radiohead and Madonna “Have left their labels high and dry…It appears that the artists are wising up and trying to claim what is theirs…What artists now are looking for is ownership”. Hannon goes on to say that, “These high-profile departures are just one more trouble for the struggling music industry, with sales steeply declining in recent years due to illegal downloads and the new digital age of music”. Due to these negative effects, artists and managers alike have adapted to the rough times and have created other alternatives to generate income. In the article, “Fan Base: Music Today Is Just the Ticket for Artists Marketing and Merchandising Needs”, Ray Waddell discusses some new models that companies such as Music Today deliver. Music Today includes but is not limited to, “Merchandising, ticketing, and Web-Based fan-club services from 500 clients, including bands at all career stages”. Music Today is the key for artists marketing and merchandising needs; a model that many in the business now believe to be a strong way to make a profit. Music Today is built off a grateful philosophy that believes the artist’s most vital asset is connecting with fans, and proper web usage can greatly expedite the process. 

            Technology has altered so much in the business of music in such a short amount of time that many traditional managers of established artists find themselves in need of constant re-education in order to keep up. According to Eric Galen, in an article discussing what makes a good artist manager he says, “Artists will continue to be disappointed by their traditional managers until they grasp the consequences of this necessary evolution in artist management”. The most successful managers in today’s business have a deep understanding of how these changes have effected how things work, along with access to strong resources. Managers have to be able to take advantage of social networking sites, as well as sites, such as YouTube and Soundcloud, that give admittance to anyone with internet access the chance to hear your artist’s’ song. According to a poll on a TuneCore Blog, when participants were asked what they feel is the main job of an artist manager, 54% said business development for the artist, while only 12% said getting the artist a record deal. It is clear to see that as technology has lowered the barriers of entry into the music industry for developing artists, the internet and all the services it has to offer, have completely evolved the strategies behind successful artist management.