Guerilla Marketing sweeps the Music Industry

Soon there will be no giant music conglomerate to tell us what to listen to.

A new wave of marketing strategy is swallowing the music industry whole and consumers are about to experience a musical revolution. Guerilla marketing, advertisement by the masses, is the future of the music industry and its onset is happily skipping into the present.

In the past, large music corporations, through their glutinous amounts of money, played a large role in what musical consumers were allowed to access. Through promotion and marketing these large corporations exposed new artists to the general masses and helped them rise to the top. Billboard hits, sold-out, cross-country tours, and platinum CD’s were easily facilitated to these large corporations such as Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Virgin Records, and Clear-Channel Communications; they had it down to a science.

Music executives reigned influence over the music-buying customers by means of “taste-makers,” who more or less decide or set the standards for what is popular and stylish. These “taste-makers” through money and connection promoted artists and even influenced the music executives, which resulted in carbon-copied, generic and fabricated artistry being plastered and plugged into every media outlet possible. Flyers, radio plugs, and television commercials bombarded consumers with CD and concert announcements, and loud, “in your face” ads demanding that you immediately head down to your local record store to pick up so and so’s new album that dropped yesterday. It became a vicious cycle of promotion. The consumers were used to utilizing these outlets for musical information, and these same marketers promoted the same carbon-copied artists time and time again.

Luckily this began to fade when the use of the Internet for music came into full swing. Even though Napster broke about ever piracy law possible, when it first made it’s debut, it also set a foundation for the revolution that is hitting its peak now. The record executives never expected this and they were not prepared. Anti-piracy laws began to fall into place, limiting the gathering of music by means of the Internet as much as they could.

Now with the development of iTunes, where you can purchase albums for lower prices digitally, music stores are slowly becoming obsolete. Musicians themselves are becoming aware of the shift in marketing strategy and are utilizing it to their benefit. For example, Radiohead, a popular alternative rock band, released a digital album in December 2007, “In Rainbows.” It was available via Radiohead’s website and the cost was left up to the consumer; one could pay whatever they saw fit. This tactic was the tipping point of a new trend. Other bands such as The Charlatans and Nine Inch Nails have followed suit, and even popular indie-rag, Paste Magazine, let subscribers choose their own price. This approach has benefited them all because the new wave of marketing is morphing into a peer-to-peer, word of mouth type strategy.

Between file sharing via mp3 files, USB drives and those oh so handy CDR’s, sharing music between friends has practically become a daily routine. Many argue that this is what is destroying the music industry, but it is merely changing it. Artists are making much less money off of CD sales than they did in the past, and soon will not be making any money off of CDs. However, due to this shift in marketing strategy, artists will no longer have to make vast amounts of money to get themselves promoted. The consumers are doing it for them.

Specialized marketing is closing the gap between artists and their fans, because it is eliminating the big, bad middleman: the record executives and the “taste-maker.” A recent example of this is the breakdown and selling of Clear Channel Communications. The $19.5 billion sale to two private-equity firms, approved on Feb. 13, 2008. Clear Channel owns over 1,200 radio stations and hosts thousands of live shows across the United States. It is by far one of the largest music conglomerates in existence and its breakdown and selling is a monumental step for the music industry.

The music industry is well on its way to making a complete shift into the consumer’s hands. It is particularly exiting to the musicians who normally fly under the radar. Despite the fact that the indie movement has made great strides in the past few years, especially with the expansion of Sub Pop Records, underground artists are now going to be able to emerge from the backdrop with the help of their fans. With popular social networking websites such as Facebook and MySpace in place, it is much easier for artists to get themselves out there. For example the indie-folk rock group Fleet Foxes created a MySpace page for themselves and soon they were headlining the Bumbershoot music festival in Seattle, Wash., in 2007. It was after they played Bumbershoot they received a record deal from Sub Pop Records.

They have now released an EP “Sun Giant,” and their full, self-titled LP is expected to drop on June 3, 2008. The Fleet Foxes are well aware of the switch to guerilla marketing as it shows in one of their MySpace blogs where it states: “I'm sorry there's been some mention of us in the press and stuff lately. That stuff is really annoying I know and we're kinda bummed on that stuff. We don't really want to be one of those bands.”

Buffalo's Soundlab Floored by Sunset Rubdown

Sunset Rubdown’s intense energy engulfed the room as soon as Camilla Wynn Ingr quaintly stepped on stage in the dank basement of downtown Buffalo’s Soundlab, carrying her synthesizer.

The band, from Montreal, consists of Spencer Krug on vocals, keys and guitar; Ingr on synthesizer, various percussion and vocals; Michael Doerksen on drums and Jordan Robson-Cramer on drums and guitar.
As band began to set up their equipment, sans roadies, Ingr quickly ran off stage, only to return with a handful of beers to distribute to the band. During her course of tuning up and tinkering around, and hitting an unpleasant chord, she exclaimed “Oh! I’m not drunk enough to do this yet!” And proceeded to chug a beer as the crowd egged her on.
Krug then stepped up to the mic and shyly shouted, “Hey, in the back, can you turn the stage lights down please? Thank you so much.”

The crowd’s spirit hung on the communal sense of anxiety, excitingly waiting for the show to begin. Some people enthusiastically shared stories of past Sunset concerts, while others just made small talk over a few beers.

But the very instant Krug’s fingers touched the keyboard, playing the first chord to “Winged/Wicked Things” off of their album Random Spirit Lover, released in October 2007, the crowd became still and silent, with all eyes permanently fixed on the stage.
What was truly impressive about Sunset’s performance, aside from the fact that their energy and passion completely swallowed each individual, was that their sound sounded so pure, so true. Most bands sound different live than in the studio, but Sunset manages to keep their originality and timbre intact, mainly because they are genuine when they record. Particularly Krug. The incredibly distinct timbre of Krug’s voice was preserved in the live show, because he embraces the unique abrasiveness of his voice and does not digitally alter it in the recording studio.

The band made it clear that they wanted the audience to focus completely on the music. Krug requested that the stage lights be turned off, leaving the stage illuminated solely by the small blue-light lamps permanently fixed on Krug’s keyboard and Ingr’s synthesizer. This effect, or lack there of, created an aura of passion and energy where you could literally feel the music.
“Wicked/Winged Things” was the perfect opening song; it begins delicately with a harmonic string chorus, produced by Krug’s keyboard, and pretty lyrics. Then about 40 sec. in, an electrifying rush of passion pierces your soul. The entire band joins in, with a complex, yet coordinating soundscape. The synthesizer plays a counter melody, the drums a commanding rhythm and the guitar a series of licks that tickles your mind. They begin to rock so vigorously that the stage resembles an earthquake, and the lamps on the keyboards swayed with fury.

The band proceeded to play an hour and forty-five minute long set, consisting of songs from both Random Spirit Lover, and, Shut Up I Am Dreaming, released in May, 2006, as well as a few unrecorded songs. All of which had equal, or perhaps more, passion and energy as the opening song. Krug’s once crisp grey button-up shirt quickly became dark slate with sweat.
The band upheld this energy throughout the entire show, even though as Ingr announced earlier on in the show, that the majority of the band was sick. The band was physically exhausted after their final song “The Mending of the Gown,” a Sunset classic, and after a sincere thank you, they left the stage. The audience screamed, whistled and hooted with the ultimate praise, begging for more. After a solid two minutes of cheering, Sunset resumed their places on stage and marched through their fatigue for a two-song encore.

Krug finally closed the show with a heart-felt message to the audience, “You guys deserved this encore, and I am sincerely flattered,” he said. “Thank you for your undying support, you guys are awesome."

I was absolutely floored by Sunset's performance. I have been to quite a few shows in my day, and this was by far the best. A+'s all around.

Top 5 albums of 2007

Coming in a number five...
Boxer by The National.

This album debuted May 22nd, with much anticipation. Critics deemed The National, the modern age Interpol. However, I find that The National has a much more intricately layered sound. Personally I hear a bit of Nick Cave, a la The Boatman's Call, influence. Favorites off of this album include "Start a War," "Racing Like a Pro," and "Ada."

Coming in at number four...
Sound of Silver by LCD Soundsystem.

Released March 20th, LCD Soundsystem revolutionized Electronic music. This album brought more smooth, sophisticated beats to the scene, unlike previous hits like "Daft Punk is Playing at My House," off of their self-titled album in 2005. Unfortunately Sound of Silver lost to The Chemical Brothers' We Are the Night, for best Electronic/Dance album in the 2008 grammy Awards. In my opinion, We Are the Night only won because of name recognition of The Chemical Brothers, because Sound of Silver is much more interestingly crafted and fresh.

Coming in at number three...
In Rainbows by Radiohead

In Rainbows was released as a digital album via the Internet on October 10th, and the actual album was later released January 1st 2008. The online digital version was available on Radiohead's website, where the consumer was allowed to choose how much she wanted to pay, if anything. This concept shook the music industry, and I praise Radiohead for doing it. Listening wise, Radiohead never disappoints and most certainly did not on this album. In Rainbows found a pleasant balance between tantalizing techno beats and soft and beautiful melodies and lyrics. I'm a complete sucker for any kind of string orchestration used in alternative music, so I am not at all surprised to say that "Faust Arp" is one of my favorites off of the album, along with "Videotape," with it's sorrowful piano pounding.

Coming in at number two...
Mirrored by Battles

Released on May 14th, Battles' first full length album pushed the boundaries of experimental rock. Most of their tracks consist of bass drum, dueling guitars and a kickass synth, to produce a very rock-heavy sound. But what makes them unique is their ability to make a catchy song with completely jibberish lyrics. There have been many attempts to decode what their songs are saying, because it's pretty clear that they are using actual words, it's just that they vocals have been altered with to make this very strange sound, and also make the lyrics completely incomprehensible. But there are many theories to each song.

And coming in as my absolute favorite album of 2007...
Random Spirit Lover by Sunset Rubdown.

I don't even know where to start with this album, it's that good. Spencer Krug is a genius and you should seriously consider listening to it. Sunset Rubdown has a sound of its own, with synthesizers, keyboards, glockenspiels, and some other instruments that I am pretty sure don't even have names, they convey a magical sound. Spencer Krug plays the keyboard like no one else I have ever heard and his lyrics are soulful, and poetic, but not in a traditional sense. He uses lots of ancient mythology mixed with complex metaphors. It is nearly impossible to pick favorite tracks off of this album because I love them all in so many different ways, but I guess they would be "Trumpet, Trumpet, Toot, Toot" and "The Mending of the Gown." Now both of these tracks are brilliant, but not necessarily the best ones on the album. Songs like "Magic vs Midas" and "Winged Wicked Things" are much more intricately crafted, but do not highlight Krug's unique voice, which is one of my favorite parts of this band, as nicely as the others do. Either way, listen to it!