I read this and thought no freaking way! What artist can afford not to be on a social network? DUMMY!
“Emerging Artists Too Self-Important for Social Media?”
The music industry has felt threatened for a while now — it’s easier than ever to get a hold of music legally, and illegally.
New acts signing to major, as well as indie labels, gladly tell execs there that they’ll make music, but refuse to get into social networking — mainly Facebook and Twitter. Many acts will quickly sign up for a MySpace profile, as the platform is targeted at them — with extended profile customization and the ability to add tracks — and many stop there.
But let’s get real here, MySpace isn’t exactly ideal for networking. At least, not by itself. If you’re an act refusing to participate in social networking — think again — keeping fans at arm’s length is no longer an option.
Sure, some musicians want to work on their music exclusively, but social networking doesn’t have to take up their time, there just seems to be this bad stereotype to it. Artists have a responsibility to engage with their audience, and touring is not the only way to accomplish that.
Cameo Carlson, executive vice president at Universal Motown Republic Group, was “shocked to find out how many twentysomethings aren’t interested in social networking,” and she’s spot on.
Only 9% of users across social networking sites are aged 18 to 24. The age group with the highest usage? The 35 to 44 age group, with 25%. The 17 and under age group seems to do much better, at 15%, but unless your act is part of the age group and/or the music appeals to the age group, it’s pointless. Read more on THENEXTWEB.COM
