A $64,000 Question Still Needs an Answer

Earlier today, a few staff members at AMP (including myself) had the distinct pleasure of meeting Darryl Knight, a true pioneer in both the mobile media and social media industries. For a little more than the past decade, Mr. Knight has been involved with a multitude of early-stage companies with impressive success stories. Indeed, he truly was "Mr. Social-Mobile" before the the terms Mobile Media and Social Media were even coined.

In 2001, Mr. Knight founded Arizan Corporation which was a well-known early entrant into the Mobile Internet. The company developed a content platform  for email attachments which was subsequently acquired by RIM 18 months later to the satisfaction of all parties involved.


His success with Arizan led to a number of similar success stories with mobile and social media innovators over the last ten years.  These days, Mr. Knight is the consummate "serial entrepreneur," holding different leadership positions at a number of companies including Wapple.net, MobileNext Group and Hope Now Ministries USA.


As soon as the meeting started, it was easy to understand the formula for his repeated success.  He is incredibly insightful, polite and charismatic, an expert in all facets of both industries and, most of all, down to earth.  He insisted we cut the formalities and call him Darryl.


Throughout the meeting, Darryl was very inquisitive about AMP and what our experts see for the future of the music industry.  He fired question after question at us in a truly engaging conversation.


As the meeting came to an end, Darryl asked a question which completely silenced us at first. "If the Association of Music Professionals were were a person rather than a trade enterprise, how would you describe them and what qualities would they possess?"


After a brief minute, I finally spoke up and broke the silence for our team, "AMP is a membership association representing a very diverse and rapidly evolving industry.  And, our members come first.  We really would have to ask our members who best represents them and their own personal qualities before we can best answer your question."


With that our meeting concluded.  However, I promised to get back with Darryl with an answer to his provocative question.


So what do you, our members and followers, think?  Given the present level of uncertainty in the music industry, what one person (real or fictional) could best lead us out of the darkness and in to the light?  Better still, what are YOUR best personal qualities and what's driving YOUR career in the music industry?  Movers and shakers are curious to know!

6 Reasons Mobile Media Matters When Marketing Your Music

Most music artists of our generation recognize the importance of the Internet in propelling their careers. Websites and social media tools like Twitter and Facebook enable artists to easily connect with fans, industry talent executives and the media like never before. Chances are you’re already using these tools to market yourself.


That said, the days of needing a big, clunky PC to surf the web are far behind us. Internet access has expanded dramatically, with Wireless technologies making the Internet accessible from almost anywhere in the world.

This means that more and more people are using mobile devices to stay connected while on the move. Although laptop computers have contributed to the portability of the net, nothing has made more of a contribution than that of the smart phone. The smart phone (e.g. iPhone, Android and Blackberry) has literally revolutionized mobile Internet access for billions of users.

And, while the growth of the mobile web has been exponential, we’re still just at the beginning of this cycle. A recent study by the investment bank Morgan Stanley suggests that, based on the current rate of change and adoption, the mobile web will be bigger than desktop Internet use by 2015.

What does this mean to you? It means that if you still plan to have a career in the music industry in 2015 and beyond, you absolutely need to have a sound mobile marketing strategy.


Mobile Website or Mobile App: what's the difference?

Mobile websites and apps can look very similar at first-glance. Both apps and mobile websites are accessed on handheld devices such as smartphones. and tablets. Nevertheless, they serve entirely different purposes.

A mobile website is similar to any other website in that it consists of browser-based HTML pages that are linked together and accessed over the Internet. The obvious characteristic that distinguishes a mobile website from a standard website is the fact that it is designed for the smaller handheld display and touch-screen interface.

Like any website, mobile websites can display text content, data, images and video. They can also access mobile-specific features such as click-to-call (to dial a phone number) or location-based mapping.

On the other hand, apps are actual computer applications that are downloaded and installed on your mobile device, rather than being rendered within a browser. Users visit device-specific portals such as Apple’s App Store, Android Market, or Blackberry App World in order to find and download apps for a given operating system.

The app may pull content and data from the Internet, in similar fashion to a website, or it may download the content so that it can be accessed without an Internet connection.

For the purpose of establishing your career, a mobile website is almost always going to make sense as a practical first step in your mobile outreach strategy. This is because a mobile website has a number of inherent advantages over apps:

• Immediacy – Mobile Websites Are Instantly Available

A mobile website is instantly accessible to users via a browser across a range of devices (iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, etc). Apps on the other hand require the user to first download and install the app from an app marketplace before the content or application can be viewed - a significant barrier between initial engagement and action/conversion.

• Compatibility – Mobile Websites are Compatible Across Devices

A single mobile website can reach users across many different types of mobile devices, whereas native apps require a separate version to be developed for each type of device.

•  Upgradability – Mobile Websites Can Be Updated Instantly

A mobile website is much more dynamic than an app in terms of pure flexibility to update content. If you want to change the design or content of a mobile website you simply publish the edit once and the changes are immediately visible; updating. On the other hand, an App requires the updates to be pushed to users, which then must be downloaded in order to update the app on each type of device.

• Findability – Mobile Websites Can be Found Easily

Mobile websites are much easier for users to find because their pages can be displayed in search results and listed in search engines and industry directories. Most importantly, visitors to your regular website can be automatically sent to your mobile site when they are on a handheld device.

• Shareability – Mobile Websites Can be Shared Easily by Publishers, and Between Users

 Mobile website URLs are easily shared between users via a simple link (e.g. within an email or text message, Facebook or Twitter post). Publishers can easily direct users to a mobile website from a blog or website, or even in print. An app simply cannot be shared in this fashion.

I already have a website so no worries, right?

Wrong.  Unfortunately, your regular website is not going to cut it. There is a fundamental design difference between a regular website and a mobile website.

On a mobile phone, there is a very limited amount of screen space. If you have ever had to side scroll to view something on a website, you realize how much of an inconvenience it is. This is magnified on a mobile device. Even with the ability to turn the device lengthwise, the resolution is still extremely small.

There are numerous mobile phone emulators that can show you what your website will look like on a mobile device, and I can guarantee it is probably a terrible experience for a mobile device user.   Also, here are a few other facts to consider:

1) 1/5 of Americans access the mobile web each day

This percentage is increasing every year. If you’re not representing yourself on the mobile web, your competition surely will take up the opportunity.

2) Mobile web will overtake the desktop within 5 years

Not only will the mobile web inevitably overtake the desktop, but also usage and adoption is growing at a much faster rate than the desktop did. In the very near future, the vast majority of visitors to your website will be on a mobile device.

3) 93% of U.S. adults own a cell phone

Not all cell phones have Internet access capabilities, but that is currently the trend. Smart phones are not the only ones with access to the web. Standard phones are coming out with Qwerty keywords and website browsers seemingly every single month.

 4) Very few artists currently have mobile friendly websites 

Which means that if you’re reading this, chances are fairly high that you are already a step ahead of other artists competing for the hearts, minds and wallets of fans and industry executives alike.

5) Mobile advertising spending will surpass $6.5 billion in 2012

Ad spend is a great indicator for the current status of an industry. If someone is willing to spend their hard earned money putting their products in front of users on the mobile web, you can assume there is a pretty good reason for it. Furthermore, if they continue to spend more year after year, that indicates that the previous years investment paid off. And that is exactly how mobile advertising is trending across the board.

6) People average 13 hours online per week, up from 7 in 2002

As online usage increases regardless of the device used, accessibility is going to be the next lever to increase online usage.

As you can see, the mobile web is clearly trending up and has a lot of room to grow. If you're thinking about the future of your music career, a mobile website is the closest thing to a sure bet as you can get.


Isn't creating your own mobile website expensive?

Your cost depends on you. Specifically, your personal tastes, preferences, design requirements and your personal comfort level with Internet technology. Premium mobile design tools can set you back $300-500. That said, it doesn't need to. Services like VistaPrint and Wix actually allow you to create and maintain a mobile website for as low as $10.00 per month. Of course, you will have to learn how to use the tools which isn't as difficult as it sounds, even for beginners.

The value of having a mobile website will definitely be worth the cost and effort. You will have a site that fans, industry executives and the media can access, share and enjoy 24x hours a day, 7 days a week from virtually anywhere in the world!

If you can afford it, another option is to have someone else build and maintain your mobile website.  Reputable website designers will charge at a minimum a few hundred dollars for their services. Again, the costs it depends on your specific needs, situation and budget.

Whether you build your mobile site yourself or pay someone to do it, having a mobile website ensures that your market is larger and that you do not lose those valuable mobile visitors.

One last tip: be sure to promote your site to audience members at your gigs. A lot of people will instantly access your site and they may even pass it along to their friends while you're still on stage. Every little bit of marketing you can do goes a long way when you're just starting to make a name for yourself!

If you're reading this from your own personal mobile device, be sure to check out AMP's mobile site. And, if you already have a mobile website, please weigh in on the subject and tell us about your experiences!

A Quick Quiz to Test Your Knowledge of Today's Music Industry

When I was first starting out as a young professional in Nashville, my mentor told me that there are three kinds of people in the music business:

1. People who make things happen: AKA movers and shakers
2. People who watch things happen: AKA watchers
3. People who wonder what happened after it happened:  AKA most people

My mentor was a mover and shaker in the music industry. He opened doors and made things happen.  I was very wet behind the ears when I was first starting my career, but I aspired to one day be like my mentor.  As a result, I listened to every word he said and studied his actions closely.  At the time, I was content to be a watcher.
 
When I started to practice what I was learning, my career took off full throttle.  I received promotions, I began to meet other movers and shakers, and Industry recruiters were constantly calling me with new job offers.  I was starting to make things happen!  I was on my way to becoming a mover and shaker.

Perhaps the biggest lesson I learned from my first mentor was to stay current.  That meant keeping up with music trends, monitoring the music industry charts, seeking out networking opportunities, and reading industry periodicals.  I also learned that it was important to keep up with what was happening in other industries and the world in general.

If you dream of a professional career in the music industry or you want to advance your existing career, you need to keep current and be aware of what’s happening day to day both inside and outside the industry.  Here’s a 5 question pop quiz to determine what type of person you are presently:

Q1)  Is the music industry growing or shrinking?

A1)  If you’re like most people, you probably think that the music industry is currently growing and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.  Unfortunately, this answer is simply way off the mark.

A2)  Watchers take a look at industry revenues year over year and believe that the industry is in rapid decline.  That about sums up the perspective of industry analysts and most record label executives today.  However, it’s only partially true.

A3)  Movers and shakers would answer both.  Both in the U.S. and worldwide, revenues of the major record labels have declined dramatically over the past decade.  In fact, 10 years ago the average person spent almost 3 times as much on recorded music products as they do today.  At the same time however,  music is available to the consumer like never before as more and more people turn to digital distribution to discover and purchase new music.

 Movers and shakers realize that the industry has now come full circle from the 50’s and 60’s.  The era of the single is back and the movers and shakers are preparing to play a whole new ballgame.

Q2)  What’s the biggest opportunity for songwriters, artists and musicians today?

A1)  Most people would answer reality television.  Shows like American Idol and The Voice are surfacing more and more vocal talent, giving more people a chance to make the big time and become pop singing sensations. These are the same people who lined up around the corner waiting to buy Paris Hilton’s debut CD.

A2)  Watchers know that Digital Distribution is where it’s at right now.  Artists who are adept at managing their own marketing are finding out that they can make a very lucrative living through digital downloading and live performances.  And, it’s only getting bigger.  Nevertheless, watchers only focus on the current trend and are not necessarily aware of what’s beyond the horizon.

A3)   Movers and shakers are already aware of what the next groundbreaking trend will be.  That trend is mobile media.  They’re starting to view the market much like their predecessors did back in the 50’s and 60's:  That was a time when the car radio was the only mobile device, radio airplay exposed fans to new music and compelled them to go out and purchase 45's of hit songs.

Today's movers are shakers and studying the mobile communications industry in order to develop distribution methods that will rectify the industry’s present declining revenue situation.

Q3)  Do you know the latest “shake” in the mobile media industry?

A1)  Most People have no clue when you ask them.  In fact, they’d probably answer it's the invention of the ringtone.

A2)  Watchers are amazed by the advancement of mobile devices and realize that the mobile media industry is still in its infancy.  Technology continues to outpace music distribution and record labels don’t know what to do about it. The record labels are just catching up with the iPod through iTunes. However, the latest smartphone products are continuing to revolutionize the market. The iPhone is the most recognizable smartphone product available to consumers. However, the industry recently experienced dramatic entrances into the market from lesser known companies like Nokia and BlackBerry.  

A3) Movers and Shakers know that the winners in this highly competitive industry will be the companies which most effectively mesh new mobile devices with social media and entertainment delivery.  They’re aware that Internet companies like Google and Facebook are entering the marketplace with mobile devices of their own. Bill Gates and Microsoft have also done the very same thing with the Windows phone. 

 The questions that music industry movers and shakers are now asking themselves are:

1. What mobile products will be the next big thing?
2. How will social media shape user experience with these products?
3. How will they package and sell these new bundled products to consumers?

Q4)  Who cleaned up at this year’s GRAMMYs?

A1)  Most People would say Adele.  She won a total of 6 awards and captured the hearts of the viewing audience with her live performance.

A2)  Watchers took note of the show’s television ratings and answer the show itself.  With 39 million U.S. viewers, this year’s show was the second most watched in history.  And, except for Nicki Minaj’s nauseating and entirely inappropriate act to close the show, the audience as a whole witnessed several very entertaining performances.

A3)  Movers and shakers can’t deny that Adele was the star of the 2012 GRAMMYs.  However, most savvy industry insiders are likely to answer that the show’s sponsors and advertisers were the biggest winners. Brands continue to rely on music and celebrities to both underscore the thematic connections they want to create with consumers and, in a targeted way, to appeal directly to the right customer for their product. Chipotle, Bing and Chevy's ad for the Cruze were among the winners that used celebrities and music to connect with viewers this year.

 Movers and shakers know that big ratings equate to higher sales for advertisers.  This in turn means a financial windfall for the music industry in the months to come as more and more brands turn to recognized artists and popular songs to promote their products.  

Q5)  What is the biggest threat facing the music industry today?

A1)  Most people believe that new talent is lacking in the music industry given what the mainstream media distributes to consumers through traditional channels (CD’s, radio, big venue concerts, etc.).  

A2)  Watchers refute claims that talent is the problem, pointing to the dramatic rise of independent artists who profitably manage their own distribution over the Internet as proof.  Watchers know that digital distribution is reshaping the landscape and threatens the industry’s traditional business model.  That said, they don’t know how to return the industry to profitability. 

A3)   Movers and shakers are beginning to cope with digital distribution as the new industry norm and recognize that many talented artists are now independently marketing their music. Apple’s iTunes, and dozens of other reputable companies are piling into mobile music looking to capitalize on the opportunity.  However, they’re all scrambling to stop the industry’s biggest financial threat: Music Piracy.

 Pirates have decimated the industry. Juniper analyst Daniel Ashdown recently told mocoNews that iTunes currently accounts for nearly 60 percent of mobile music market revenues. Meanwhile, in digital music overall, iTunes accounts for just 66.2 percent of all downloaded music according to December 2011 figures from NPD Group.  P2P file sharing is getting more prevalent on mobile devices, as are apps that encourage this. For example, a BitTorrent client—creatively named “BitTorrent Client/aBTC” provides consumers with no-cost music downloads. 

The companies behind these app makes money when the customer purchases the app.  However, artists, song writers and the record labels that have long employed them don’t see a dime of this money.  Movers and shakers are taking drastic steps to halt the illegal download of music in order to salvage revenues.

After answering these five questions, what did you learn about yourself?


If you’re like most people entering the music industry you had better latch on to a strong mentor and begin to develop a game plan for your career!  Becoming a professional member of AMP is a good starting point.  AMP members benefit from professional networking events where you’ll meet a number of music industry movers and shakers and have the opportunity to ask questions about navigating your career in the music industry.


If you’re a watcher, it may be time for you to get in the game yourself.  Again AMP membership is a natural starting point.  AMP provides direct access to unparalleled training materials, the latest industry news, and career management resources all for the cost of your low annual dues.


And, If you’re already a mover and shaker, you’re probably a current AMP professional member.  If not, you should really consider taking advantage of our limited-time free trial membership offer which affords you all the benefits of our paid membership.


As for the industry’s pesky and persistent Pirates, what do you think needs to happen to protect the industry and prevent pervasive Piracy?  Leave us a comment and let us know your personal perspective on the problem!

MTV ARE THEY LISTENING ? ARTISTS TAKE HEED!

 CHANGE IS COMING 

  I'm excited! We've been talking about it, and now we are beginning to see it. This is only the beginning of the new and exciting things starting to show up in the music industry. The forecast is Sunny! 

   Staying apprised, and on top of "the new shake" is vitally important. Your career depends on it. So stay tuned, we want to help you with that.

Follow us so we can get the latest shake to you.

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NEW YORK (Reuters) - MTV on Thursday unveiled plans to launch a new website, Artists.MTV, to connect fans with their favorite performers on personalized pages that put the artists' brands, not MTV's, front and center.

Artists.MTV, which is expected to go live this summer, will allow stars and unknowns alike to take control of their page, promote themselves and generate income by selling products and services directly to fans.

Shannon Connolly, VP of Digital Music Strategy for MTV Music Group told Reuters the goal of Artists.MTV is to help artists "get heard, get promoted and get paid - most importantly."

The website, which was at the South by Southwest (SXSW) music, film and interactive conference inAustin, Texas, is being created with Topspin, a direct-to-fan software platform. It allows artists to sell music, t-shirts, or other merchandise on the site, as well as book a gig. Artist pages will feature virtual tip jars allowing fans to "tip" the performers.

"Creating ways for artists to afford to keep doing what they do is a huge challenge in the music business today," said Connolly. "Technology has really interrupted a lot of the traditional methods through which artists sold product and built their careers."

MTV also plans Full Frontal, a TV program highlighting selected artists across MTV's networks who are picked based on data from Artists.MTV and an industry panel including musicians and record executives.

"There's nothing more powerful than television," said Connolly. "Internet famous is not the same as television famous - still."

MTV and sister networks VH1 and CMT will each promote a different artist monthly. That artist will have videos played and could appear on the networks, as well as hear their music featured on TV shows like "Jersey Shore" and "Mob Wives."

Artists also will compete for other opportunities such as streaming a concert live on MTV.com or commissioning an original song for a TV commercial.

"It's a new door," said Connolly. "In the past, the way an artist worked with MTV was through record labels and managers - that was the one door. When we launch this, we're essentially creating a new door and any artist can come through this."

An accompanying app will include a feature called "My Artists," allowing fans to "follow" their favorites artists' pages and receive push notifications of any updates.

Van Toffler, president of Viacom's Music Group said, "There is infinite choice out there, but with this, we want to provide a meaningful road map for consumers to weed through the chaos and discover the musical gems that should break through."

Artists and fans can sign up at www.artists.mtv.com to receive updates and participate in a private beta launch beginning in May.

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Protect the music industry

Keep Georgia's Music Industry Strong and Growing! Tell your state legislators to amend HB 1027 to include music in the film and TV production tax credit This week, the Georgia General Assembly is considering HB 1027, a bill that would amend the state tax credit for film and television production in the State of Georgia. Clarifying language must be added to the bill to ensure that our Georgia music industry is included in the state tax credit. Under the 2008 Georgia Entertainment Industry Investment Act, certain costs associated with film and television productions qualify for a tax credit, providing a strong incentive for companies to bring new business to the state. A provision of the law needs to be amended to clarify that expenses for sound recordings and musical compositions are qualified expenses under the tax credit. Adding this language will not expand the tax credit, but only make clear a concept that is already in the law. Music is a part of every film and television show and should be treated like any other production expense, such as wardrobe, craft services or rental cars. Adding this clarification to the law will help Georgia better market music for film and television productions. It will make Georgia more competitive with other states. It will open the door for more music companies to open offices in Georgia to benefit from the tax credit. And it will help grow businesses, jobs and revenue in Georgia. Georgia's music industry already supports nearly 20,000 jobs and has a total impact on the state's economy of $3.8 billion. Contact your State Senator and Representative TODAY and ask them to support the Music Clarification Amendment to HB 1027 so that expenses for sound recordings and musical compositions are included in the Georgia film and television tax credit.