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February 07, 2007
MTV for the digital millennium
Twenty-five years ago, when a band couldn’t get airtime on Top 40 radio, it turned to MTV, at the time a “groundbreaking” concept giving bands the video spotlight. That was then, this is now.
With MTV’s continuing development as more of a “lifestyle” network than a music authority, a new trend is occurring: When a band can’t get airtime on MTV, they turn to social networking sites.
I asked Seth Hubbard of Polyvinyl Records about this trend. Polyvinyl, an independent record label, is a great example of a company recognizing where their potential audience is and sending the goods that way. Polyvinyl’s bands can now be found on a variety of social networking sites like YouTube and MySpace.
Alicia Dorset: How is Polyvinyl using sites like YouTube and MySpace to promote bands?
Seth Hubbard: We use YouTube and MySpace all the time. Each of our bands has their own MySpace page and the label has their own page, too. We put all of our music videos on YouTube, too. And there is a lot of fan-created live footage available on YouTube that really seems to help. Both of those web sites have translated into a lot of record sales.
AD: Where do you think consumers are looking for music or their favorite bands these days?
SH: I think most people look online for their new favorite bands. With sites like Pitchfork gaining so much popularity, along with digital download sites like iTunes and eMusic, it makes it so much easier to find out about new and upcoming artists.
AD: What kind of possibilities does the Internet give a label when promoting an artist?
SH: It gives labels infinite possibilities when it comes to promoting an artist. I am sure as time goes on it will continue to create new avenues to reach new possible fans.
AD: How important is "new media" to indie bands when trying to get their music out?
SH: It is a very important part of the whole process. Digital sales continue to increase across the board while physical sales continue to decline. As long as labels continue to be on top of new technologies, they will only benefit from them.
Polyvinyl artists on MySpace:
Posted by Alicia Dorset at February 7, 2007 01:30 PM
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Comments
Great Q&A! I would love to learn more about exactly how recommendations on music are passed along.
Posted by: Charlie Kondek at February 8, 2007 03:40 PM
I think that sometimes you can't help but stumble across these bands online, considering how aggressively they're marketed.
It's sometimes hard to distinguish an actual recommendation from something that the label has constructed for the purpose of getting their bands' names in the public eye.
Posted by: Owen at March 30, 2007 10:53 AM
