Music Industry

Who are the big three record labels?
Warner, Universal and Sony.

Why do audiences access music videos?
Audiences access music videos because they entertain, inform, encourage social interactions and the audience is able to identify themselves through the video. The audience can 'escape' reality, and they are able to enjoy the video. Also, some videos are used to inform the audience; this could be through the use of events, or things which are occurring in the world. Music videos also encourage social interaction, as the audiences will talk about what they've seen, which could be particularly interesting, with family and friends. Additionally, audiences are able to relate to the characters in a music video, as they can compare the behaviours and their traits with the characters within the video.

How has the music industry changed in the past 10-15 years?
The music industry has changed, as now everything is digital. Audiences use streaming sites, such as Spotify, rather than buying a physical copy of the album. There are now sites like YouTube and Vevo which allow the audience to look at the videos which go with the songs.

How do audiences access music?
Stereotypically, younger audiences access music through sites such as YouTube, Vevo and streaming sites such as Spotify. Websites like YouTube enable the audience to look at the video which go with the music. Some audiences, however, still access music through the use of CD's, vinyl etc.

How do artists and companies generate income?
Artists and companies make money through tours; this is an effective way to make money, as then fans will also buy the merchandise which will be sold at the concerts. Generally, a ticket to see an artist cost anywhere from £20 to £100, and this allows both companies and the artist themselves to generate more money. If a concert ticket cost £50, this would mean that an artist would have to sell 5 of their albums to receive the same money, therefore, concert tickets are an easy way to make money.

How does Spotify work?
Spotify works by allowing the audience to stream songs. There are options within Spotify which the audience can choose from: free version, premium version and a family package. An artist gets $0.006 per stream; although this doesn't seem like a lot, this adds up, as many people listen to the song more than once. 

Why were videos produced?
Videos were produced to entertain the audience, but to also help the artist to gain recognition. They also enable the viewer to understand the lyrics better.

Why are music videos still produced?
Music videos are still produced as they still help the artist gain a bigger audience. They are used to entertain an audience and helps them to get their music across.

How do artists promote music?
Artists promote music through the use of tours, websites and other ways. For example, Lady Gaga promoted her new album by being at the Superbowl in America. This helped her to sell more copies of her songs on iTunes and stream more songs on Spotify. 

What is synergy?
Synergy is the use of combining several companies together. For example, in Lady Gaga's 'Telephone' video, there are brands such as Chanel, Wonderbread and Virgin mobile which are featured. This helps to promote the brands but also enables Gaga to earn more money, as the brands have paid to be featured in the video. Having both the artist and the brands help them to promote each other. Whereas, in Adele's 'Hello' video, no synergy is used, as she doesn't think that this is a good thing to do.


What is the 360 degree deal?
The 360 degree deal is when an artist is on a contract that the company controls. The companies provides support for the artist with things such as marketing, tours, merchandise etc. The record labels get a percentage revenue of the amount that the artist makes.