In the modern age of short-form social media, there is no better way of getting a point across than being seen often. Modern digital marketing agencies such as Your Culture and Chaotic Good do just this for clients and have worked with artists such as Zara Larsson, Alex Warren and Sombr. But how does digital music marketing really work?
The history of music marketing
Marketing music is nothing new. Brands have been creating songs for products, and products around songs, for over 100 years. During the late 1950s, several DJs at local radio stations around the U.S. received big fees from record companies in return for playing certain songs. It led to a major scandal known as the payola scandal, which exposed how record labels and promoters could influence what music reached the public.
The digital age of music marketing
In the digital age, music marketing has undergone several shifts. First, labels had a strong say in how artists were presented and marketed. As streaming and social media became more important, the direct relationship between artists and listeners grew stronger.
As a result, labels began looking for ways to diversify revenue beyond music. There seems to be a constant search for new brand deals, touring opportunities and merchandise. Major labels now have dedicated marketing divisions, including newer roles such as artist community managers.
How marketing companies hire creators to push content
The digital marketing agency YourCulture uses a campaign strategy that consists of hiring creators to post content around an artist or release, often within 24-48 hours. “By leveraging user-generated content, fan pages, and expert community management, we bring you closer to your audience than ever before”, the company states. It operates through a decentralized creator network that, according to its website, doesn’t consist of traditional influencers but instead relies on real fans. Its client base consists of Alex Warren, Olivia Dean, PinkPantheress and many more.
Another digital marketing agency, Chaotic Good, operates in a similar way. In an interview with Billboard, the founders describe how they build a network of TikTok pages (including fan pages, meme pages and more) that use the artist’s music in the background. One of the tactics the company uses is something called “trend simulation”. “A big part of what we are doing is posting enough volume across enough accounts with enough impressions to try to simulate the idea that the song is trending or moving.”, the company states. Chaotic Good’s clients include Sombr, Geese, Oklou and Justin Bieber.
The debate over authenticity
When the interview with Chaotic Good’s founders gained attention, many of the company’s clients received backlash for the use of coordinated marketing campaigns. One of the main targets was the New York-based indie band Geese along with frontman Cameron Winter. In an article published by John Semley for Wired, the Chaotic Good cofounder Adam Tarsia confirmed that the agency had “helped distribute clips of them performing and doing some interviews on TikTok”.
In turn, some have accused the band of being an industry plant, because of their rapid rise in popularity. Some argue that these tactics stand in direct conflict with values traditionally associated with indie music. Conventional promotion is nothing new, but using marketing strategies that appear organic but are thoroughly coordinated can feel deceptive to fans.
The new normal
This new type of user-generated content-marketing appears to be becoming the new normal. In an interview with The Guardian, a music manager said: “I forgot the general music consumer doesn’t realise there’s a million companies that do this, and that this is just a symptom of a larger marketing trend that’s been happening for a decade now”.
Many emerging artists now work with digital marketing agencies that leverage high-volume content and fan clips. Even artists whose growth may appear mostly organic, such as Jane Remover, Oklou and Mk.gee, have worked with digital marketing agencies on certain campaigns.
Conclusion
Music marketing has undergone a dramatic shift in recent years. To promote both established and emerging artists, labels now pay digital marketing companies to push large volumes of clips across social media. Whether this makes an artist’s success feel less genuine is up to the individual to decide. What comes next remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: music marketing will continue to change.