Blurb:

The chapter appraises the different methods of marketing employed in the digital space and seeks to critically contextualize the changes and methods in the inter-related stages of targeting, positioning, branding and campaigning including marketing plans and budgets and the coordination of live, digital, radio, TV, print and advertising activities. Mainstream, niche and DIY marketing trends are examined, illustrated by real life marketing campaigns drawn from major and indie labels plus successful DIY releases. Furthermore this chapter explores the changed face of music marketing – the shift to digital and social media from more traditional “push” marketing techniques. Today music marketing is a catch-all term, which in practice covers 3 distinct and overlapping stages in the process of developing recorded music to the point of commercial release;- namely identifying an intended target market for the release, positioning the artist and their music to appeal to these consumers and finally co-ordinating promotional and advertising activities in a “release campaign”.
This is the stage where creativity is tested for commerciality and subsequently marketing (and promotion) of music is characterised by uncertainty. Is the music “good enough”? Will it find favour with its intended target market?