The global music industry receives a bulk of its money from streaming services. At the same time, artists everywhere continue to complain about the little to no payments they receive from streaming platforms. This is not surprising though. On YouTube, musicians do face competition from the new wave of content creators like vloggers and podcasters. There’s a growing sentiment that technology has devalued music to the point where a song on YouTube is treated as mere ‘content’.
This is also true with audio platforms. For instance, Spotify’s decision to double down on podcasts means that artists now have to compete with podcasters for audience attention and, of course, a share of the streaming cake.
And the competition doesn’t stop there. In some cases, the demand for DJs dwarfs that of artists. At a time when touring, festivals and local gigs form the bulk of artists’ income, this causes a revenue crisis for musicians.
Ideally, or at least traditionally, artists are supposed to earn money from selling their music. In Kenya, the sale of physical and digital copies of music is almost non-existent, especially for pop/urban artists — top vernacular and gospel musicians are still able to make some money from music sales though.
Safaricom’s ring back service Skiza has provided some relief in this regard but still, that only benefits top-tier artists. These “bigger” acts also earn considerably from product endorsements and corporate partnerships. For the average musician, it is one challenge after another.
Is today’s African Musician able to Sustain a Career?
And, by ‘sustain’, I am excluding the handouts, “support” or favours that sometimes come with fame. That is, I’m treating an artist’s career as a business, where earnings and expenses must be keenly tracked and optimized, and where, instead of “funding”, there is “investment”.
While the cost of creating and marketing music has drastically reduced, thanks to technology, substantial investment is still needed, from songwriting, recording and mixing/mastering to music videos and publicity. Except in cases where there is some sort of arrangement between the artist and the producer (or label), the artist usually has to fund the entire process of making music.
Having mentioned the industry’s inherent problems, I must also admit that I have seen several cases of success. So, in my opinion, a sustainable career is within an artist’s reach, provided they understand the constantly changing music industry landscape. For example, and as I’ve already mentioned, musicians now have to compete with other content creators for fans’ attention. Yet, it is rather easier to create a vlog, podcast episode, or cat video, than it is to make a good song.
Some Proven Strategies that can Help an Artist Thrive
Virality is one thing that many artists hope for because of the big mass of listeners it brings. Still, virality can never be guaranteed. And even if one manages to gets a viral hit, this newfound fame could fade away within a short period of time. Therefore, it is imperative that an artist works on building that core fanbase that will ride with them “till the wheels fall off”.
A solid fanbase means a thriving artist, and to build and benefit from one, some strategies should be followed.
1. Crafting Interesting Artist brand and Personality as a means to Capture Listeners Attention
Thanks to social media, our attention span is very limited these days. However, there are two things that can ensure interest in an artist: brand and personality. A brand is what makes an artist distinguishable from another, and could include one’s distinct logo, consistent colours, or dressing style. Personality is much more subtle though, entailing things like what one values and how they respond (emotionally or physically) to things. Good branding renders one more recognizable, and an ‘infectious personality’ ensures the audience remains captivated, even if they don’t relate to the lyrics.
2. Engaging Fans by using Practical Tools
Once fans are acquired, they will need to be kept engaged. How can this be done? Well, there are a number of tools an artist can use. One way of maintaining an engaged fanbase is ensuring that their social media questions, concerns or compliments are responded to promptly and properly. It’s all about creating a bond with the fans who ultimately become part of the artist’s community (and defence, if need be).
Email Lists are another important tool. Unlike social media platforms which can be impacted by algorithm changes, account suspension or a social network completely going under (like the case with Google+), an email list is fully owned by the musician. With one, artists are able to send weekly emails to those who subscribe via official websites or social media pages, offering them free giveaways, early access to new music, exclusive meet-and-greets, or even exclusive behind-the-scenes clips.
Thirdly, one has to understand the basics of publicity. A press kit is a great place to start. Essentially, it is a package of files including professional photos, a press release for the current single/album being promoted, details of past press coverage, and a professionally written bio. While good music and branding endears the artist to their fans, a properly maintained kit invites support from blogs and media outlets.
3. Maximising Income by Organising Live Shows and Embracing Direct Fan Support
Over the years, I have seen “smaller” artists organize successful shows which fans pay to attend (and possibly buy available merchandise). This is not always true with mainstream artists, some of who prefer those lucrative corporate gigs or festivals.
Also, in the current creative economy, direct support from fans has been made simple by services like M-Pesa and Patreon. Money received from fans, however small, are very significant. For context, let’s say one fan directly sends an artist 1 dollar (about Ksh 130). To earn a similar amount on YouTube, the artist would have needed up to a thousands of views.
4. Making Strategic Partnerships
Even if the artist has succeeded in getting their listeners to actively participate in their careers by buying music and tickets or sending direct support, this may not be enough for a lifetime of financial needs and obligations. Therefore, one’s brand becomes a goldmine. Besides attracting endorsement deals, a good artist brand can be leveraged for business partnerships. The music industry is replete with cases where an artist becomes wealthy thanks to their part-ownership in a successful business venture.
You will notice that I haven’t talked about quality of music because it goes without saying. I mean, if you don’t make good music, it won’t matter how much you try to engage your listeners. They will soon find another artist worthier of their support.
As expected, the music industry will continue to change, and some of these solutions may not be relevant in a few years. As 2024 comes to a close, what’s key is that musicians take note of the solutions suggested in this article while also embracing new ideas. This way, they will stay RELEVANT and PAID.
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