Making noise about Social Media and Music

Since I started blogging in a personal capacity, I have written "abusive" takes on things that annoy me, or about aspects of social media that I have found interesting.  However, the following is a fairly interesting – if I do say so myself – look at what social media is doing to, and for, the music industry.  This is my least opinionative post yet (sort of) and I have thoroughly enjoyed the research I have put into it.  Hopefully, you will find it at least a little bit interesting.

The beauty of this article, if I can call it beautiful, is that all my research and interviews were done through the medium of social media and was therefore put together much faster than could otherwise have been possible.  The overall focus of this piece of work is drawing on a quote from Lily Allen of all people, who claimed that social media and file sharing is “cutting out vital funds for new artists before their careers have even properly begun”.  This got me thinking.  About Lily Allen ;).  But then I thought about what she had actually said and decided I didn’t know whether I agreed or not.  So, I got to work.  I started by posting Allen’s quote as a question to a friend of mine (who will remain anonymous) working for a major record label.  The reply I got was as follows;

“I would say that social media and file sharing have both positive and negative effects on the careers of new artists and the key to success is finding the right balance.  Social media allows artists to connect spontaneously, quickly and emotionally with their audience and helps build a stronger relationship with potential consumers.  Giving away music can be a beneficial tool in turning these potential consumers into actual ones but the problem arises when music fans start to get the impression that music is or should be free.  File sharing is no longer deemed to be immoral when in fact it is exactly that”.

As a starting point for me this interview served to enhance my desires to look at this topic in more detail.  I would certainly agree that people are mistaken with the idea that music should be free.  I think if you can, you should pay for it.  By rewarding your favourite artists, the likelihood is that they will make more music – which is ultimately what we want.  As a recent, although avid Twitterer, I began to assess my own uses of social media with regards to music and who I follow.  I then realized that this ranged from mega famous artists like 50 Cent, to known - and excellent I might add - bands such as Kid British (@kidbritishmusic) and finally to relatively unknown artists such as Kate McGill (@katem3).  I have absolutely no idea how I found the latter, but I did, and then I followed the links to her Youtube account where she releases her music.  She is, in short, a fantastic talent and has a very small following.  However I realized that other than through social media, how else would I have been aware of her content?

I began therefore to form the argument of art versus business.  Music in an art form without question, and yet it seems more and more to be about business.  Unfortunately for many talented musicians such as Kate McGill it may be the case that the people in power, i.e. record labels are looking for artists that are more like puppets than performers.  In the words of Joe Budden;

“Got bigger issues, if you went to Def Jam would you notice, if they were out for my best interest, or do they just see a dollar in Joseph?”

So the assessment continues.  Does social media indeed cut these valuable funds, or does it allow them to generate a fan base they can then use in their arsenal at a later date?  To continue my investigation – and it bloody well is an investigation – I decided to attempt to contact an artist in the industry.  The person I got hold of, and am delighted to say so, is UK Rapper, Akira The Don.

According to BBC Wales, Akira The Don is “a politically-literate, mischievous blogger and rapper from North Wales, once signed to Interscope Records.”

What a beautifully brief introduction.  By the way, in case you didn’t know, Interscope records is a label famous for two of the biggest “recruits” in the music industry, 50 Cent and Eminem.  Yet here I am, an unknown ‘bloggernalist’ with a passion for music, talking to someone who has quite literally sat at the top and scrapped at the bottom of the music industry food chain.

I asked, in A-Level like English, “What are your views on the argument that social media and file sharing is cutting out vital funds for new artists before their careers have even begun?”

The response I received was;

“Well, in short, I think that is complete bollox!”

A fairly conclusive and certainly brief statement and perhaps the shortest interview ever was on the cards.  However, I couldn’t have been more wrong.  Akira then went on to say;

“I am the proof” and that he was “happy to elaborate if necessary.”

I was happy to prompt him to tell me more, and upon telling him that the question was lifted from a quote from Lily Allen as well as asking him “whether he thought social media can or has helped you personally as an artist?”  The reply was more than I could have bargained for, and the man who doesn’t know me from Adam – or Alphabet for that matter – said this;

“Well, for a start I'd say it's the internet that's helped me, rather than just social media - its been having my OWN website all these years that's been the most important thing.  Social media has helped make people aware of the stuff I've been doing on that website, since 2004, and continues to help keep people aware of its progress and development. Having my own website helped to get me an audience from the very start, which meant that when I signed to a major label, I already had an audience, who knew what I was about, so there was no chance of the company being able to change me at all, or dictate the direction of my music, or anything else I was doing.

And then, when the record company said they wouldn't release my album as it was, I didn't have to change it, and I wasn't ruined - I already had my audience, and I had my recording equipment, and I had my website.  I could carry on working, and building, regardless.  I could sell CDs, and T-Shirts, and shoes, and high quality MP3 bundles (like this one! http://bit.ly/7cyZwn!  Cop now and get an exclusive song!) to make money to support myself.  I could make my own cartoons and videos, albums, EPs and mixtapes, and I could release them and market them all myself, via the internets, and with the help of social media.

Without the internet, and without social media, I would have been at the mercy of the record companies.  Which means my first album would NEVER HAVE COME OUT.  I would most likely be a jobbing cartoonist now, or a music journalist still (although, saying that, it was online that gave me my first break writing, after I set up an online fanzine back in '97...) As it is, THANKS TO the internet, and social media, my friends, my peoples, and my refusal to quit, I have a full time career as a musician.  I make less money than a road-sweeper, or a librarian, or a supply teacher, but I am doing what I love every day, I'm getting better, and I'm building...  and one of these days, one of these songs is going to make me a ton of cash, and I am going to build a beautiful city in the sky and you can all come and live in it.

Now, did I mention that T-Shirt and MP3 bundle?! http://bit.ly/7cyZwn !”

And there you have it, an in depth opinion from someone who knows what they’re talking about.  This extrovert, media-savvy and hugely entertaining musician who is actually living the very situation that Allen said social media would kill.  Upon assessing both thought provoking interviews I have shown, I began to form my own opinion.  It comes down to what the reasons for making music may be, and also what kind of artist you are.  There is no denying that the charts are usually dominated by performing artists who other than occasionally having good singing voices, have absolutely no sense of artistry.  These people, owned by the glorified salesmen such as Simon Cowell are running the music industry.  From the utterly laughable canvases that are JLS, to the abundance of Indie Cindy bands that use generic chords and try and hide behind their overly straightened haircuts, one thing is obvious; their content is record label produced.  Their music is created to make sales not make art.  Essentially my point is that if you are in the music industry to make money then perhaps social media is not the ideal path to take.  However, if you’re in the industry to create music that not only entertains, but provokes thought and breaks down barriers like artists such as Akira The Don and Scroobius Pip amongst others, then social media may be the greatest tool for music lovers to find you, and in the end, follow you.

As I said at the beginning of the article, all my interviews were obtained and carried out through the medium of social media and that in itself is proof to me that it can, and indeed has, helped me alone in many ways.

For more information and entertainment from any of the artists mentioned, please follow the following;

@akirathedon,  @katem3,  @scroobiuspipyo. @kidbritishmusic

Please do not follow JLS or anything of that ilk.