Music Marketing - Gen-Y Rock Stars

New Roads

With musicians in every direction you look, music marketing in 2010 has become a very high-traffic environment for musicians to discover new and dry ground to get them out of the muck. Shinobi Ninja have found dry ground and joined the touch-screen community as a means of marketing with their new iPhone Application feature. Check out this interview for more details behind their enthusiasm for their new product as it is answered in a very Jay and Silent Bob manner!

Shinobi Ninja Interview

Zach: A very post-modern means of creativity is by a person or a group of people bouncing hypothetical ideas off of each other and thinking about what-if-this or what-if-that. How would you describe Shinobi Ninja’s creative process behind your new iPhone Application?

Shinobi Ninja (SN): WELL IT WENT DOWN LIKE THIS. TERMINATOR DAVE AND OUR MANAGER STEVE WERE IN SXSW AND CAME UP WITH AN IDEA FOR A IPHONE VIDEO GAME APP. OUR BAND IS NAMED AFTER AN OLD SCHOOL VIDEO GAME SO THE VISION WAS SOMEWHAT SET BEFORE THEM.

Zach: Does anyone in the group wish that a band they liked had an iPhone App? Do you think they would buy and use it? Could this may have been one of the forms of inspiration?

SN: IF PEARL JAM HAD AN APP BACK IN THE DAZE THERES NO DOUBT WE WOULD HAVE USED IT. ACTUALLY REMEMBER AEROSMITH HAD THAT VIDEO GAME WHICH WAS PRETTY DECENT. DECENT ENOUGH TO GET MY GRANDFATHER TO BUY IT FOR ME…. OHHHH PLEASE PRETTY PLEASE!!!

Zach: As I’m sure most of us don’t know how a band would go about making an iPhone App for themselves, could you elaborate a bit on what goes on behind-the-scenes for such an idea to make it to the big (touch) screen?

SN: ALOT OF HARD WORK. ALOT OF TIMING AND SCHEDULING AND PEOPLE SKILLS. BEING NICE TO EVERYONE HELPS NOT ONLY YOURSELF….. BUT EVERYONE.

Zach: Today, a lot of the screen-touching generation and music culture is looking for the upper hand on how they can get more music and entertainment based on how convenient it is for them. What could be said about your new iPhone feature that would persuade iPhone junkies to spend a pretty penny on your Application?

SN: IT PUTS THE MUSIC…. THE MEMBERS OR CHARACTERS OF THE BAND…. MUSIC VIDEOS…. MP3S….. PICTURES… U NAME IT…. ALL IN THE PALM OF THE PERSONS HAND. AND FOR FREE….. IF THEY COME TO A SHOW…. THE GAME UNLOCKS ITSELF AND ALL ITS CONTENT…. OR THEY CAN DROP THE 2.99 AND GET IT OFF THE BAT… LIKE AN ALBUM…. ONLY CHEAPER

Zach: Has Shinobi Ninja used resourceful marketing techniques such as the iPhone App for any other kinds of promotion? And does this open up any idea for future marketing?

SN: THE GAME USES THE GPS FUNCTION TO SEE WHERE THE PERSON IS… IF THIS PERSON IS AT OUR SHOW… BAM…. IT UNLOCKS… THATS PRETTY COOL. THE FUTURE IS BOUNDLESS AND ENDLESS AND WE ARE LEARNING TO CONTROL THE 4TH DIMENSION…. POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS.

Zach: Tell us about what we can expect from you guys coming up? New music , releases, tours, etc and where people can go to check you out…

SN: WE ABOUT TO DROP OUR DEBUT ALBUM. A REAL CLASSIC ALBUM. 2 YEARS IN THE MAKING. WEVE PLAYED PROLLY AROUND 100 SHOWS AND WILL BE GOING TO SXSW FOR OUR FIRST BIG TOUR IN MARCH. 2010 IS OUR YEAR. THE YEAR OF THE NINJA!

For more on the Shinobi Ninja iPhone application, check out our post from last week.

-Zach Frimmel (follow on Twitter)

photo by Antonis SHEN

I was watching the Grammy’s last week and really got to thinking about the next generation of music fans. Kids from ages 10 on up to say 24-25 (depending on what survey and stats you want to tackle), with an influential social circle and still using MTV to shift their idea of the real world. This demographic still has a stronghold on a high disposable income and music ranks right on top with social purchases.

I got a hold of some awesome data from MTV Sticky, a Viacom company that looks into youth trends, on teens and music. The stats and info were not too surprising, but give an insight into where your music marketing dollars should be targeted.

• 76% would rather live without sex than without music for a week
• 2/3 would choose music as their one luxury, over a phone or a TV if stranded on a dessert island
• 1/2 of those surveyed said that they watch music videos on TV every day or most days (rising to 2/3 among 16-24s). Watching music videos on the computer is also increasingly important, with half of 16-24 year-olds watching music videos online everyday or most days, and a further third doing so approximately once a week.
• almost half agree that people should have to pay for the music they want to listen to.
• 43% of teens are listening to music on their phones everyday/most days compared to 20% of those aged over 20. The computer remains the most popular device for consuming music, with 85% of those surveyed listening to music on their computer in the last week, rising to 94% of teens.

What This Means To You

I don’t think these stats should be news to many in the digital music world. I think there are some things that stick out on the action plan for musicians if they want to reach this target demographic.

You need to use video. It’s not as hard or expensive as you may think. For $150 you can get an HD quality camera with a mic input and perform quick edits to get the video on YouTube immediately. Some reasons beyond the obvious are points that were further examined in these findings. YouTube is preloaded on the homescreen of the iPhone. The Google phones are big on YouTube (since the former owns the latter). Add that to the last stat where 43% of teens listen to music on their phone.

You need to find creative ways to add value to your music. If this demo is willing to pay for music, you need to give them options to do so. This includes physical stuff like CD’s, DVD’s and merch to digital stuff like memberships, downloads, ringtones, images, art and more. Teens like to express themselves out and in the open, thus why Hot Topic still rocks for their fasion. If you can give them the products they want and desire, you are giving them the opportunity to wear your brand on their sleeve literally.

The hybrid of music is here to stay. The millennial generation, along with the younger teens and tweens are living in a society that is multicultural in nature, not knowing a country divided by race for most of the rural and even urban cities. Millennials were instrumental in helping the online and mobile efforts of electing the last president, further etching that the message is more important than the race or ethnicity of a person. This directly correlates into music as well.

• At the Grammy’s you had Lil Wayne on stage with Eminem, Drake and Travis Barker.
• Jamie Foxx with T-Pain and Slash.
• You have acts like “Crunk-Core’s” 3Oh!3 topping the charts.
• You have Taylor Swift redefining a generation and doing so by crossing over from country to pop to country all the way to a smash collab with pop-punk outfit Boys Like Girls.

In your music, your fan base is no longer determind by the demographics you think. Look into your own iPod and see the diversity. Look for crossover potential and look into the mind of a prospective “next generation” fan. Does your punk band have roots that may be within 2 degrees of separation from Taylor Swift?

This may not be far from the truth

Your Punk Band -> Paramore -> Taylor Swift’s pop stuff

I wrote a few weeks back about Snoop on Martha Stewart and being featured in a day time soap. Older music fans are seeing the collage of music and are becoming more open to the sharing of fans.

Music is important to the youth.

It’s up to you to give it to them and shape the culture of these new music fans. 76% would give up sex for a week to keep listening to music! If you can’t tap into that stat, then man, we have some work to do!

What do you think of this new group of music fans? How is reaching Gen-Y, teens and tweens different than reaching the group in their late 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and up? What about their spending habits do you like/dislike?

Let’s talk in the comments below!

-Greg Rollett

This is a follow up video on outsourcing in the music business as an indie (or even major label) artist. After we shot the video, we received a ton of comments, ideas, concerns and a little resistance from the outsourcing subject (Bruce from Hypebot also posted the video and there were some good comments there as well).

In this video we take a look at:

• What can you outsource other than web work, design, etc?
• What about the economy and sending money overseas when we need to keep jobs in America?
• When is the right time to outsource your music marketing or other activities?
• What services I personally use
• And then I ask for your help. More about that after the jump!

Outsourcing Your Music Business Tasks

Here were the two resources that I use

• oDesk - virtual assistants, marketing, SEO, traffic building, inventory, accounting, etc
• Scriptlance - web development and design
• For more resources check out the previous post on outsourcing

Get Your Music Industry Outsourcing Questions Answered!

As I mentioned in the video, I am going to start compiling a new free musician resource on outsourcing in the music business. I want you to be a part of it! In the comments below, ask a question that you want answered and I will include it in the guide.

We will be reaching out to VA firms, outsourcing pro’s and lifestyle designers with your questions and others to come up with a nice 101-style guide for outsourcing. I am pretty excited for this, as I have been big on the concept for about a year now and am really getting great response for not only my company, but for the musicians and brands that we are working with. It really frees up time for big picture stuff.

So, let us know what you want to know. You will be credited in the resource with a link to your site and also a rock star answer!

-Greg

These guys are fresh. Maybe it’s because I still draw on my days in a hip-hop-rock band and still love the genre (Gym Class Heroes, Atmosphere rocking with a live band, etc). Today I got wind that Shinobi Ninja, a hip-hop hybrid from Brooklyn New York has released an iPhone app / game that takes fans right into the action of the group.

I just copped the app for $.99, a sale that is going on this week for the release. Once you download you can play as any of the ninjas, Maniac Mike, Baby Girl, Da, DJ Axis, Adriano Morez or Terminator Dave and battle through the crowd on your way to Club Babalyon in jam packed 8-bit action. Along the way players beat up evil hipsters, knock down douchebags from the Jersey Shore, and subdue angry subway riders, as they earn points and treasure (love that you can kick some Jersey Shore ass).

Some kickers - when you download the app you also get some 4 tracks and 2 videos from the group.

One of the features that can really be a big player is the GPS Navigation. According to the press release:

“Shinobi Ninja Attacks” also rewards fans for making the real world journey to a Shinobi Ninja show. The app uses smartphone GPS capability to locate concertgoers who have installed the app, so they can be further rewarded over-the-air (OTA) with more free music and other promotions.

This is a great way to add value to your music and create a new income stream. When looking at marketing your music, having an app like this connects with the fans on so many levels that goes beyond songs on a disc.  You really do create an emotional band with the fans and bring them into your world for a few minutes.

There is going to be a stripped down free version of the app and after this week, you will need to shell out $3.99 for the app. With developers taking a 70% cut of the sale, that works out better than an a full length album on a major label.

For those wondering, the app was developed by Shinobi Ninja Video Game, Llc., a partnership of Shinobi Ninja and Heard Games, “Shinobi Ninja Attacks” was designed and animated by Interabang Entertainment, with software programming by Cerulean Games.

For more on Shinobi Ninja

• Twitter
• YouTube
• Download the app
• Myspace

-Greg

Over the past 2 weeks we have been talking a lot about packaging and album design. Zach has written two pieces on the way his indie punk band has created a home-made limited edition feel to their latest release. (Part 1 and Part 2).

Today I wanted to showcase 2 hip-hop groups that are doing some really innovative ways of presenting their albums. First I wanted to discuss some reasons why this is a smart move in today’s music economy.

Music is losing its value to the group that has the largest amount of disposable income - the 12-24 market. This age group is more than just tech savvy, they are the group that is developing the technology to find music on demand and have the best way to share music with a group of peers - school!

The artists that are making money in this demogrpahic are the ones that can bring more value than these fans can find for free on the net. Even if this is not your target market, this makes sense. Everyone is moving online to find information and when you boil down to it, music is nothing more than information when it is online. You search for it, you find it and you use it (listen to it). In order to make a fan, or a prospective fan, take the next step is to offer more value than they can get in a Google, Grooveshark or iTunes search.

The Uzi USB

This one made headlines at the end of 2009 when the West Coast super group Get Busy Committee released their debut album, “Uzi Does It” on USB Thumb Drives in the shape of an uzi - yes that kind of uzi. They printed a 1st run of 1,200 and they were gone within the month. Here is a quick video that showcases the way they packaged their music:

The Get Busy Committee wasn’t even a group a few months ago and now are on the lips of many hip-hop blogs, record label lists and marketing sites as a group to recon with in 2010. Fans have taken to the USB stick by throwing up photos, sharing on Twitter and making super fans of this group.

Check out the GBC store for more ideas on both “for sale” and “free” items that will no doubt fuel the new music economy.

The Stimulus Package

Philly MC Freeway has teamed up with producer Jake One for a new Rhymesayers release dubbed, The Stimulus Package due on February 16th, 2010. Going right into theme, the design, created by Brent Rollins, showcases some much needed funds to pump into fans speakers, iPods and stereos.

According to the Rhymesayers blog the artwork:

includes four Freeway bills, four Jake One bills, with lyrics and liner notes on the back, a wallet to stuff them into, and a free download card to grab the instrumentals.

This is some really cool value for fans of the former Rocafella / State Property MC and veteran G-Unit producer. This goes way beyond your traditional CD packaging and is something to show off to your friends and keep in a nice safe place (so you don’t get jacked for your Freeway dollars).

To make this even more interesting and tied to the theme, on the direct to fan, in-house Rhymesayers store, 5th Element, all pre-orders are eligible for:

• Entry into a drawing for 1 of 5 $100 CASH prizes!
• A Fifth Element Stimulus Check signed by Freeway & Jake One, your check will be good for 15% off a future purchase online.
• Both The Beat Made Me Do It mixtape & Freelapse mixtape.
• Instant digital download of the leaked track You Know What I Mean 320 kbps. In the download you will get the explicit, edited and instrumental version of the song.

You get all that for only $12.99 CD and $14.99 for the LP.

I get really excited when artists, and even labels are able to go outside the norm and do something special for the fans. Fans make the music business go round.

Let’s keep this conversation on album design going. What do you think of these 2 releases? How can you take a concept and run outside the box with it and deliver more value than a Google search can for your band?

-Greg Rollett