Music Industry

Music industry Segmentaion When attempting to segment a particular consumer base or population by personality or motivation, one must consider what personality traits the consumers posses. Of course there are serveral ways to group together personalities ex (fashionable, innovative, extroverted, etc). I have chosen to use Karen Horney’s theory of three personality groups for segmentation of the music consumer market. Karen Horney states that people can be grouped into three personalities; compliance, aggression and withdrawl.

Since music consumers can be an almost entire population, it would be a good idea to segment this population into three broad groups. The first personality group, compliance, is can be defined as people who move toward others. This group has a need for affection and approval and a need to be liked by others. The complaint personality consumer would tend to veer toward popular current music or popular music within a certain genre. This is the consumer who would be listening to Justin Timberlake and Lady GaGa when they are at their peak.

They would be drawn toward the “summer hits”, toward the songs that are played at clubs and they dance to with their friends. In terms of music consumers, they might be seen as between the ages of 10-40, and this is a very big market withing the music consumer industry. The second personality group, aggression, are considered those who go ahaist toher. This group has a need for power and for control over others. They have the need to be heard by others and fear of seeming stupid. This personality group would be the ones who view themselves as against the popular music, against very popular groups and singers.

Maybe they would chose music with a bit more of an edge, harder rock, rap and hip hop music. Finally, the third personality group is knows as detached, and they move away from others. Consumers in this group have a need for self-sufficiency and independence and do not need to rely on anyone. These are the consumers of many independent bands and singers, who see themselves as going against the grain and against society. Once the consumer base has been segmented into personality groups, it is easier to target each of these groups. Many artists and bands can be advertised in such a way that they can appeal to each of these groups.

On the retail level, where consumers are in direct contact with the music industry, there are so many opportunities for consumption, ranging from digital/physical music and concert tickets to festival passes, ringtones, merchandise, clothing lines, band donations and nonprofit initiatives. For instance, when targeting the compliant personality consumer, would be easier to advertise towards since they are very conscious and respondent to others tastes. So, when promoting a new album of Adele toward this group, we would be very insistent with her new songs in all settings.

Her songs would be played on all major radio stations, promoted in clubs and bars, and also promoted within social networking which has now become an extrememly important word-of-mouth marketing technique. Now, while reaching out to the detached personality consumer, we would use a different marketing approach. Since these consumers are the ones who are geared more toward indepndent music and anything that is specifically not main stream, there needs to be a careful marketing approach done so that they are unaware they are being advertised too. One idea could be promoting smaller, more intimate shows at local record stores.

Also, encouraging these fans to support their local record stores instead of retail chains like Wal-Mart and Best Buy. Since music sales have shifted toward digital downloading mediums, they could reach this consuemer base throught there as well. Another possible tactic could be to create album covers that visual appeal to this consumer base, maybe a loan aritist or a band in darker shades or seperated from society somehow, to appeal directiy to this personality base. Finally, the third peronality consumer group is that of aggression. A more tactful approach must be taken when advertising to this market segment.

The Ever-Changing (I think it’s hyphenated)Music Industry

The 1980s began with the death of two musical icons: John Lennon and Bob Marley. This set the scene for a momentous decade. A lot of artists in the ’80s were inspired politically and that shined through their songs. For example, “19” by Paul Hardcastle and “99 Luftballoons” by Nena.

The ’80s was also the introduction to the CD and revolutionizing the way consumers listen to music, making it more portable. Now MTV has launched the first music video, “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles. With visual to accompany artists songs, they have another avenue to captivate consumers with. This led to extravagant production classics like “Thriller”.

A revolution was happening and technological advances have only just begun to shape the way consumers listen to and share music.With revolutionary music comes controversy, and with music artists now having another media to articulate their message, Madonna releases “Like a Virgin” in 1984. This sent a wave through the decade and the boundaries of what was socially acceptable were pushed to the limits. Some songs were even “banned” for sexual content despite their immense popularity.

The ’80s was also a break through in Hip-Hop with groups like Beastie Boys and Sugarhill Gang. This wider representation and growth in diversity in the commercial aspect of music also led to growth in consumers.The birth of Hip-Hop in the ’80s became a staple of music in the ’90s. Hip-Hop stepped away from the soul and funk themes from the ’80s to be dominated by the East Coast-West Coast Gangster Rap feud.

The extreme success of N.W.A. followed by releases from Dr. Dre and Tupac established the dominance power and influence of West Coast rap. East Coast Hip-Hop was led by De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest but was incompetent in their attempt to could never quite match the commercial success of the West Coast. That is until the release of albums from Nas, B.I.G., and Wu-Tang Clan.

This feud had everyone loyal listeners buying albums to hear the next low-blow and cultivated an intensely loyal consumer following. Sadly, speculation and business led to the death of Tupac and Biggie and with their death the end of a golden era in Hip-Hop. Again, music was changing and no one could predict the drastic change that was digital. Now at the start of the ’00s, iTunes is born and now anyone with a smart device or computer for pennies per song, instead of buying the whole album.

It is now evident that songwriters and artists have to focus wholeheartedly on making each and every song as great as the single. CDs were intensely profitable for artists and (especially) record labels, until the Internet, MP3s, piracy, Napster, iTunes, YouTube and Spotify kicked in over the past 10 years. Over the past couple of recent years, YouTube has grown into a lucrative machine for record labels.

Popular videos with millions of hits can be adorned with ads, and YouTube shares that revenue with the copyright holders. Some artists like OK Go have even decided to split from their label and end up making more money from YouTube than they do iTunes. We saw the industry adapt to the digital age of music. Spotify is not just streaming anymore, it is now an authoritative discovery platform, a network of popular radio stations, and also the primary way people are listening to music.

With the multitude of ways that people can listen to music for free today, now artists are concerning themselves with how to get on every platform and how many streams they can get. You can even put your song on a Snapchat filter now! (New paragraph) As a consumer, it’s great to be able to discover new artists and groups that I would have never found through CDs or word of mouth. However, as an artist I can understand the frustration in a market that is changing so fast and so quickly.

Conflicting stories flood the Internet regarding music sales. For every source or stock table showing declining music sales, there is another source showing a graph of increased music sales. CD music sales may be declining, but music revenue is increasing, bringing in bigger numbers going into record company’s banking accounts. No one is going to purchase the same thing they can get for free off the Internet. The Internet changed the music industry’s marketing strategies and plans for continued sales by expanding to a more sophisticated way of producing and selling music.

The record companies and record stores must change the format of selling and promoting music. “Getting radio airplay or selling CD’s in shops is no longer the only way for a recording artists to reach their fan base” (Taylor, 2007). Technology made music mobile, more accessible, cheaper and faster to music listening audiences. Who’s is going carry around a CD’s player with a case of CD’s when they can carry a miniature MP’3 player capable of holding the capacity of five CD’s? Internet, just like the radio, only plays a selected or released number of songs from each album.

Playing selected music videos or songs will encourage music fans to purchase the entire package. What is happening is to get the full video or CD with all songs is actually more expensive. Ipods run at least $300. 00 and up, Iphones nearly 1,000. 00 compared to 80. 00-100. 00 for high quality CD players ten years ago. Many of these items require a service agreement for downloads. The service agreements are usually a two year contract, with a $100. 00 rebate to purchase a brand new $1,000. 00 product in the next two years. The Internet has increased the employment and financial security of the music company’s CEO’s.

Record companies have to promote sales by making more tours if they are to stay in business. Madonna switched from Warner Brothers, to Live Nation, a company promotes and tours much more often. This did hurt Warner Music’s stocks. “Warner Music Group Stock, for example, is trading around $9. 00 down from about 25. 00 just six months ago” ( Sloan, 2007). Tours no doubt make much more money than CD sales, especially in bulk rates. Internet drastically changed recording company’s strategies and plans promotions for promoting music. If they want to keep acceptable profit margins, they must continuously keep up with changing times.

Free downloads through file sharing, opens chances for consumers to get ripped off. File sharing opens opportunities for armatures experimenting with their home recording studio to pass off music as though it is from a professional studio. It also allows impersonations of the recording artists. Many people complain about reality talent shows. “Music charts have lost credibility and reflect marketing power behind over hyped artists rather than the nation’s musical tastes” (Yahoo Music News). Consumers interested in music collections have to purchase new technology and service contracts.

However, music is much more convenient and portable and heard much more than it was 25 years ago. Internet allowed basic music to be heard or accessible. However, getting full length music albums of the artists has become more expensive. The future of music industry will more likely than not be touring and promoting more and more concerts. Cheaper methods of generating music revenue has became complimentary. Technology sales, service contracts and concerts are on the uprise.

Sloan, P. , Fortune Senior Writer, Why Record Labels Matter More than Ever; CNNMoney.com November 2, 2007 retrieved November 5, 2007 http://money. cnn. com/2007/11/02/magazines/fortune/matchbox. fortune/index. htm? section=money_latest Taylor, G. , Record Industry’s Survival in the Digital Age; Telegraph. co. uk October 23, 2007 retrieved November 5, 2007 http://www. telegraph. co. uk/money/main. jhtml? xml=/money/2007/10/22/bcnbpi122. xml Editorial, Pop charts ‘have lost credibility Yahoo Music News; Published; November 4, 2007 Retrieved November 5, 2007

Nirvana is seen as one of the most influential bands since the Beatles, and Kurt Cobain as one of the greatest songwriters of all time. Kurt Donald Cobain was born on the 20th February 1967. As a child he was hyperactive so he was prescribed drugs to help him concentrate but these drugs kept him awake until four am, so he was given sedatives to help him sleep. At the age of seven his parents divorced, this left Kurt shy and ‘difficult’ to control. For this much of his young life he lived with various family members, once he even lived with his school headmaster for a few months. He was also homeless for some time. During this time he lived beneath a bridge. This period of his life is reflected in the song ‘Sliver’ “Mom and dad went to the show, they dropped me at Grandpa Joe’s, I kicked and screamed, said please and please, oh Grandma take me home”.

In 1979 when Kurt’s dad joined a record club, this exposed Kurt to legendary rock/metal bands such as Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Kiss. He also took an interest in British punk, especially Sex Pistols and The Clash.

On Kurt’s fourteenth birthday he bought his first guitar and spent a lot of time trying to develop his own unique musical style. He also spent much of his time going to concerts in Seattle and he was a roadie for a band called ‘Melvins’. Around this time Kurt went over to his friend Robert Novoselic’s house where he met Robert’s brother Krist, the future bass guitar player for Nirvana.

Krist Anthony Novoselic was born on May sixteenth 1965 in Compton California. His parents were Croatian immigrants (Novoselic means ‘new settler’ in Croation). When Krist was younger he and his younger brother Robert enjoyed vandalism, slashing tyres and throwing rocks at cars and houses.

When he was fourteen his parents sent him to Croatia because they were worried about his depression, Krist enjoyed living in Croatia because there he started hearing different bands like Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, The Sex Pistols and The Ramones. Eventually he was called home where he began to drink and smoke pot heavily.

It is not definitely known when Kurt and Kris began making music, but they recorded the ‘Faecal Matter Demo” in 1982 at Kurt’s aunt Mari’s house. Kurt and Kris experimented with many different drummers during this time they settled on Chad Channing, he was their drummer on their first album ‘Bleach’ and on their first single ‘Love Buzz’ (which was originally released by 1960’s Dutch group ‘Shocking Blue’). He left the band soon after their first European tour.

Then the lead singer of ‘Melvins’ introduced Kurt and Kris (by now calling themselves ‘Nirvana’) to a drummer called David Grohl. Kurt and Kris were astounded at how good he was and immediately asked him to join them. He agreed. With Dave now behind the drums the true sound of Nirvana was released. They managed to combine loud distorted guitar riffs with smooth melodies while still producing a sound that, while totally original, was also a pleasure to listen to.

The band moved their contract to Geffen Records and near the end of 1991 released their album ‘Nevermind’. It went to one hundred and forty-four on the album chart, but after an appearance on the MTV show ‘Headbanger’s Ball’ (MTV was the only music channel that had alternative music, and this show in particular was one of the most popular MTV programs ever) and a live performance on ‘Saturday Night Live’, the album went straight to number one despite competition from Michael Jackson.

This new album was revolution in music, and did what many other bands could not. The music on the album did not follow any traditional structures and was extremely distinctive from any other bands of the time. Typically the album had slow verses and faster choruses. This is true of such songs as ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ and ‘In Bloom’ which were both released as singles. ‘Smells like Teen Spirit’ reached the UK top ten (Nirvana did appear live on Top of The Pops once, but that particular performance was extremely distorted and did not sound much like ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’). This could be because Kurt did not like his new fame and wanted to rid himself of his new image as spokesman for a generation). At this time in his life Kurt began taking drugs more often, mostly heroine and morphine.

On the January twenty-fourth 1992 Kurt married Courtney Love in Waikiki, Hawaii. Six months later their daughter ‘Frances-Bean’ was born. At the time there was an article in the magazine ‘Vanity Fair’ saying that Courtney had used Heroin while pregnant. Social services got involved and the Cobains were not allowed to be alone with their daughter for the first month of her life.

Soon after, Nirvana began to record their album ‘In Utero’, the working title was ‘I Hate Myself and Want to Die’. The aim of this album was to lose all of the ‘false fans’ that liked Nirvana only because of the popularity of ‘Nevermind’, and all of the people who only liked ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’. This album was a return to the old days of ‘Bleach’ (in fact many of the songs were supposed to be on ‘Bleach’). The album was a success, in that it did what the band wanted, it did not sell as quickly as ‘Nevermind’ and many of their former followers stopped liking the band.

While on tour in Italy Kurt fell into a coma after a mixture of champagne and a prescripted medicine. This was later revealed as an attempted suicide. When he woke up he asked for a milkshake and went back home. Courtney threatened to divorce him if he did not sort out his drug problems so he went to a voluntary rehabilitation centre. A few days later he escaped (jumping over a wall) and went to his house (he said the centre was “A place for retards”). When Courtney found out he had left she did not know where he had gone. She cancelled his credit card and expected him to phone her when he ran out of money. She also hired private investigator Tom Grant to track Kurt down.

About a week later Kurt’s body was discovered in the greenhouse above the garage. After a police investigation they concluded that he had taken a triple overdose of heroin and then put the barrel of a shotgun in his mouth, before pulling the trigger. In the (addressed to his childhood imaginary friend Boddah) he spoke of how he did not really enjoy performing his music. He wanted to be exhilarated like Freddie Mercury had been before playing a concert, but he couldn’t do it. He also did not want his daughter to turn out how he did. In the end he says to remember “It’s better to burn out than to fade away” which is exactly what he did.

The rolling stones start in the year 1960, when two young guys began wrapping in the music world, these two young men were Mick Jagger and Keith Richard, the soul of Rolling Stones, the next year formed their own group called l’Little Boy Blue & Blue Boys in company of Jack Taylor. In 1962 came another member of the group named Brian Jones, at this time it was decided to rename the group as Rolling Stones, in the same year they released their first simple “Come on “, and the same year they began their first tour.

In 1964 The Rollings released their first album “The Rolling Stones”, this album was composed of a single song from the group and the rest were covers of songs known since they just spent to make versions of other artists, but the way they play the instruments and aggression they impose on the issues is what makes them unique. The experts devised a marketing strategy to publicize the group, wanted to make them look like the bad boys of pop / rock, something appealing to younger and if adapted as opposed to the Beatles, that could be considered the good guys.

In January 1965 released her second album, ‘Rolling Stones 2’, which took influences from black American music, primarily soul. In 1966 this group launches ‘Aftermath’, which were songs written by themselves, to give more creativity to your music and manage their own songs with his own style, this in order to stay in top of the music. This album was considered one of the best, because his creativity. In 1967 he released “Between The Buttoms’, the album was on detention issues, to address issues of drugs in several songs, created a scandal that Jagger and Richards as participants of the band were in detention for Reverse and drug consumption.

After the scandal of the previous album, The Rolling Stones decallendo followed, with the LP ‘Their Satanic Magesties Request’ took one of his greatest failures. Try to imitate the “Sgt Peppers’ by the Beatles, but his followers were accused of following the style of another British group and thus ending his own style which had long been accepted by the youth society. In 1968 there is a new Rolling Stones album, entitled ‘Beggars Banquet’, which witnessed a return to the essence of the Rolling.

This album continued his aggressive issues that attract attention and released as the album cover a very sensual and struggles, but was not accepted by the company and for this reason it was censored. In 1969 Brian Jones was found dead in his home, victim of drugs. When Mick Taylor joined the group as a missing member. This was followed by the publication of a new album ‘Let It Bleed’, an ironic reply to ‘Let it Be’ by the Beatles so I just carried their rivalry among groups to draw more attention from fans.

This makes them hard to take the top of the rock world. In 1971 he edited ‘Brown Sugar’, the first with his own record label and ‘Sticky Fingers’, the first using a design by Andy Warhol of lips as a seal of the group. This latest album is considered one of the greats of the Rolling for quality instruments. By acquiring its own record label and be so successful, the Rolling Stones decided to purchase accounts in France, to avoid tax. In 1972 he published a double album ‘Exile On Main Street’, an album of great quality and very ambitious.

Claimed to be the gateway to a large U. S. tour and had to engage the audience. It was number one in England and USA. This growing group acquired more fame and more fans, they followed their creativity and made separate lists more albums, in 1973 published ‘Goats Head Soup’ and 1974 ‘It’s Only Rock’n Roll’, for whose promotion to the streets of London graffiti saying ‘It’s only rock and roll. It was the last album Mick Taylor in the band, which was replaced by Ron Wood. Also released a live album, ‘Love You Live.

The decade of the eighties, the Rolling Stones signed a contract with CBS. With that, the Stones would receive several million dollars for each album released. Result of the agreement were records like ‘Emotional Rescue’, then ‘Tattoo You’ in 1981, ‘Stiff Life’ in 1982, ‘Undercover’ in 1983 and ‘Dirty Work’ in 1986, the album that raised the average quality of the decade was ‘Steel Wheels’, 1989, based on which a new world tour and a new live album based on that tour, “Flashpoint.

In 1990 he toured Japan and Europe, which were followed for more than two million spectators and generating revenues of about two hundred million dollars. In the following years, more doctors are still running as: 1994 Voodoo Lounge ‘and a year’ Rock And Roll Circus, recorded in 1968 and had never been published, in 1995 edited ‘Stripped’ and 1997 ‘Bridges To Babylon’. Finally, in 2005, a new Rolling Stones album, entitled ‘A Bigger Bang. The title is inspired by the group’s popular fascination for the scientific theory about the origin of the universe.

For my research paper I will be writing about the band Earth, Wind & Fire. They were a band from 1969. The members of the band that I chose to write about are Maurice White, Verdine White, Larry Dunn, and Al McKay. Maurice was 74 when he was on Earth, WInd & Fire, and his parents were Verdine White Sr. and Edna Parker. Verdine White was 66 and his parents was also Verdine White Sr. Larry Dunn was 64 and Lawrence Dunn was his father. Al McKay was 70 when he was on Earth, Wind & Fire.

In Maurice’s early life he was a singer, songwriter, producer and drummer. He was born on December 19, 1941, in Memphis, Tennessee. After studying at Chicago Conservatory of Music, in 1963 he worked as a session drummer for Chess Records. Four years later, he began playing with the Ramsey Lewis Trio. After, that in 1969, he formed his own band in Chicago, which was called the “Salty Peppers”. Verdine was born on July 25, 1951, in Chicago, Illinois. He grew up listening to pop, jazz and classical music. Over the years he turned into a talented bass player.

Verdine was born in Lawrence Dunhill on June 19, 1953, in Denver, Colorado. He grew up loving music and began playing keyboards in a band when he was a teenager. After the group split up, his former bandmate, singer Philip Bailey, moved to Los Angeles and joined Earth, Wind ; Fire. Earth, Wind ; Fire then needed a keyboardist, Bailey recommended Dunn, who moved to Los Angeles and became a member in 1972. Al McKay was born on February 2, 1948, in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was a skilled guitar player and he landed a number of gigs in California including joining Charles Wright ; the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm. He was on a group known for the popular classic “Express Yourself” (1970)—before he became a member of Earth, Wind ; Fire in 1972.

Before Earth, Wind ; Fire Maurice White was studying at the Chicago Conservatory of Music. Later he found work in 1963 as a session drummer for Chess Records. Four years later, he began playing with the Ramsey Lewis Trio. In 1969, he formed his own band in Chicago, which was called the Salty Peppers. Verdine White grow up listening to pop, jazz and classical music. His father was a doctor but he didn’t want to go that route.

So, Verdine followed in the footsteps of other family members, like his grandfather and his older brother, Maurice White, and pursued music. Over the years, he turned into a talented bass player. Larry Dunn grew up loving music and began playing keyboards in a band when he was a teenager. Al McKay was a skilled guitar player. After he kept practicing for a long time and he landed a number of gigs in California. Verdine White just practiced be a bass player for different bands.

After a move to Los Angeles, White renamed his band as Earth, Wind & Fire. He also invited his younger brother, Verdine White, to join the group, and that’s how it all began. When their first albums didn’t break out, White shuffled the band’s members.

Newcomers included singer Philip Bailey and keyboardist Larry Dunn, soon guitarist Al McKay became a bandmate as well. The band began mixing jazz, R;B, funk, soul and pop music to their songs. They also African sounds, such as White playing the kalimba. Later in 1973 a new style and a new record label, Earth, Wind ; Fire’s album “Head to the Sky” sold more than 500,000 copies. Group proceeded to put out a succession of gold and platinum albums throughout the 1970s and early ’80s.

Many of the band’s hit songs were ones that White helped compose, such as “Shining Star,” “September” and “Let’s Groove.”White won six Grammys with Earth, Wind ; Fire, and received an award of his own for arranging “Got To Get You Into My Life.” Musician and vocalist, White also participated in the group’s spectacular concerts, which featured exotic touches such as pyramids and disappearing acts.

He also spent time on outside projects, such as an album for Deniece Williams. But White remained with Earth, Wind & Fire until the band took a four-year break from 1983 to 1987. After reuniting, White toured with the group until 1995. Though after a while White stopped touring, he continued to work with Earth, Wind & Fire as a producer and songwriter. Also he was with the band for its 2000 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Earth, Wind & Fire re-formed in 1987, but Larry Dunn did not rejoin the band. He wanted to continued to write and produce his own music, mostly for Japanese television commercials and films. Later, in 1992, he put out his first solo album, “Lover’s Silhouette” it initially released in Japan, and it became available in the United States a few years later. Former Earth, Wind ; Fire bandmates Al McKay and Ralph Johnson were guest performers on his album.

It did take part in a 2011 concert that celebrated Earth, Wind ; Fire’s 40th anniversary. It also contributed to the group’s 2013 release, “Now, Then ; Forever”. As a member of Earth, Wind ; Fire, Dunn was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. In a few years he joined the Songwriters Hall of Fame, in 2010.In 2011, he released another solo album, “N2 the Journey”, on his Source Music Productions label. McKay did not rejoin those who started working together again in 1987.

But, in 1990, he put together his own group, the LA Allstars, which later became the Al McKay Allstars. McKay’s new band continues to perform around the world. An interview he gave in 2013 to Tahiti’s Radio 1, McKay said that his performances with the Allstars were opportunities to revisit the Earth, Wind ; Fire songs he liked best.

In the same interview, he also noted that being a part of the group and its creativity had been “a real joy,” and said he still considers his former bandmates as brothers. In 2000, Maurice White revealed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and explaining his decision to withdraw from performing.He has said that not going on tour gave him the benefit of having more time to work on other projects.Included building a recording studio and founding Kalimba Records, his own record label.Also collaborated on “Hot Feet”, a musical set to Earth, Wind ; Fire songs 2010, White was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Maurice White later passed away on February 3, 2016, in his sleep from Parkinson’s disease when he was 74 years old. He was survived by his wife, Marilyn White, sons Kahbran and Eden, daughter Hamia, and brothers Verdine and Fred. Everyone was so devastated and heartbroken.

In conclusion Earth, Wind ; Fire was a very successful band. They had great singers, band members, and many more amazing things. Maurice White was the founder and creator of Earth, Wind ; Fire. He was also one of the lead singers in the band. The band made so many accomplishments like the hall of fame in 2000, and for their amazing performance on February 8, 2004, Earth, Wind ; Fire performed in a tribute to funk at the 46th annual Grammy Awards held at the Staples Center, Los Angeles, California.