Good or Bad? Social Media's Influence On The Music Industry

Social media has completely changed the way people interact with each other. It has changed the way we communicate not only on a personal level but also in business and different markets. Specifically focusing on the music industry, social media has allowed the way artists market themselves and interact with fans to be completely revolutionized over the years. These changes have also brought a massive change in the way music is sold through the integration of mobile technology and apps. The music industry used to have a relatively uncomplicated business model. The band or artist records song, record label sells song, artist and record label make money. Now in an era of file sharing sites, streaming apps / websites, and non-traditional routes to market, the music industry has also faced many challenges.

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Possibly the biggest shift in music that has come through social media has been through an increased interaction between musicians and their fans. Putting the power back in the hands of the musicians and their fans is a massive shift within the music industry. Before artists began embracing social media, music labels carried a majority of the power when it came to what music made it into the hands of consumers. Now, any artist has the ability to present their music to a wide range of fans through Twitter, Facebook, and other social platforms. Americans spend more than an hour on social media daily, and 83% of social media users worldwide have a Facebook account. Social media puts musicians in power when it comes to promoting their live shows, album releases, or merchandise for sale.

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A perfect example of an artist who has utilized social media to maximize interacting with fans and releasing new content is Beyoncé. Beyoncé has broken the mold of traditional album releases. She took to her Instagram account to tease about her mysterious new project, called "Lemonade". She added the caption "#Lemonade 4.23 9PM ET / 6PM PT / HBO". Beyoncé debuted material from her anticipated sixth album via an hour-long concept musical film that was exclusively on HBO. Before the special ended, she released the album, also titled "Lemonade," directly to music streaming service Tidal. This is a great example of how strategically social media can be used to the advantage of the artist while keeping the consumer engaged.

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With all the benefits that come with social media there are some negative aspects that are associated with social / digital media and the music industry. Gone are the days when artists and bands conquered the world with millions upon millions of album sales. Gone are the days when major record labels constantly pumped out platinum records like an assembly line. The rise of digital music, the impact of social media on the music and record industry may prove to be the final nail in the coffin for many record companies if some of them fail to adapt and incorporate the uses of social media into their business operations. Social media has made music more available to the general public, it also makes tracking and following your favorite artists much easier as well. Social media and digital music have also played a major role in decreasing album sales.  It has made the idea of buying records an idea of the past, but despite this the benefits that social media offers can be used to the record companies advantage to increase the size of their revenue. By the strategic use of social media record companies can spread the word of their featured artists and get people talking about them. It can also be an amazing way for the companies to create a community around their brand and artists. Instead of looking at social media in a negative light, record labels should focus on embracing it and adapting to the changing environment of the music business because social media is not a phase, it’s a major shift in the way we communicate.