Hey there! Happy Friday! Let's get right into it!

In this week’s edition:

• Bytedance's new Instagram rival takes off.

• Spotify's new Active Audience measure.

• When to post on social media in 2023.

The Decline of Music Premieres: How We Got Here and What are the Alternatives?

In the music industry, new music premieres on blogs and online media outlets were once a significant event. They generated buzz and provided new artists with a means of reaching a wider audience through editorial placement. However, this is no longer the case, and there are a few reasons for it.

How did we get here?

One factor is that neither party - artists nor media outlets - were receiving the expected benefits from these premieres. Artist stream counts were often lower than expected, and pageviews for media outlets weren't impressive. As a result, these premieres weren't working out for anyone.

Another factor was Spotify's stance on exclusive releases. The company stated behind the scenes that music should not be offered to any party exclusively in advance. This saw major radio stations such as Triple J completely overhaul their approach to radio premieres which the station now call “First Plays”.

Major labels have also implemented policies regarding the exclusive premiere of new music, limiting the amount of unreleased music that can be played in advance (usually up to 30 seconds). As a result, these policies have further impacted the effectiveness of online premieres for signed artists.

As a result of these factors, artist teams are now generating traffic directly to their own profiles instead of relying on media outlets for editorial placement.

Lets look at some of the ways to do this.

Leveraging Artist Platforms

With the decline of online music premieres, artists now have the opportunity to take control and independently debut their new music on their own platforms. Social media and content sharing platforms such as YouTube provide creators with features like Premieres to launch new content.

TikTok can be particularly effective for sharing pre-release tracks. Artists can choose to release snippets of their songs or even the full track to generate excitement and keep their fans engaged. This approach has been successfully implemented by a range of artists, from established superstars like Drake with his track 'Toosie Slide' to emerging artists like PinkPantheress and ThxSoMch, who have used long teaser campaigns to promote their music and maintain focus on their own channels. Unlike other platforms, it is common on TikTok to be teasing a song for many weeks, with daily posts.

Live Performance Videos

Debuts don't have to be limited to studio recordings. Many musicians perform their unreleased tracks live before their official release. By teasing an upcoming release with a live performance, artists can create interest and demand among their fans. To make a live debut even more impactful, artists can record their performance and share it on social media to tease the official release. This can be a great way to engage with fans and build excitement around new music.

Think Outside Of The Box

Innovative and unconventional marketing strategies can generate buzz and excitement for upcoming music releases. Some musicians have taken an out-of-the-box approach to premiering their music, like LCD Soundsystem’s ice cream truck debut at Lollapalooza in 2017, where they gave away free ice cream and premiered unreleased tracks from their ‘American Dream’ album. Another example is Bon Iver's pre-release listening party on a boombox in a Melbourne laneway.

There are countless examples like these type of events. They create unique experiences that leave a lasting impression on attendees. By thinking creatively and coming up with interesting ways to premiere new music, artists can set themselves apart from the competition and create a memorable experience for their audience.

In Other Marketing News

Bytedance's Zesty Backup Plan: Move over Instagram, there's a new kid in town! Lemon8, the video-sharing app owned by TikTok's parent company Bytedance, is taking the United States by storm. The app has skyrocketed to the top 10 list of free apps on the U.S. App Store.

Lemon8 appears to be catering to users' interest in food, beauty, wellness, and travel, but one could easily assume music will surely play a big part in all of this! Will Bytedance promote Lemon8 as the next big thing, or keep it separate from TikTok? Only time will tell.

Spotify User Profile Makeover: Spotify is testing new card-style user profiles that focus on music discovery. The profiles display a user's top artists, songs, and playlists in a more visual format, making it easier for other users to discover new music. The profiles also include a bio section where users can add a description of themselves, as well as a section for users to showcase their "top songs" of the year.

The new profile format is being tested with a small group of users in select markets, and it is unclear when or if it will roll out more widely. The move is seen as part of Spotify's ongoing efforts to enhance its social features and create a more interactive community around music.

NFTs Score Pre-Sale Tickets: Avenged Sevenfold, the popular metal band, is offering exclusive pre-sale tickets to fans who own their NFTs. The band recently released a series of NFTs that include exclusive music and artwork via their fan club, the Death Bats Club.

Now, Ticketmaster is partnering with the band to offer pre-sales to fans who own these tokens. This move allows the band to promote their music and offer exclusive perks to their most dedicated fans, while fans who own the NFTs get access to pre-sales and a better chance of getting tickets to the bands shows before they sell out. Ticketmaster worked with the band and their Web3 team Bitflips to develop the feature. So, if you're a fan of Avenged Sevenfold and an NFT owner, keep an eye out for those pre-sale codes!

Does TikTok Create One-Hit Wonders: Billboard just dropped a new report looking at the surge of one-hit wonders in music, specifically those who shot to fame on TikTok. The report highlights how many artists find it tough to replicate their viral success with subsequent releases. Although this isn't a new trend, TikTok has made it worse by providing a platform for tracks to go viral overnight. While some one-hit wonders have managed to transition into sustainable careers, TikTok success doesn't always translate to long-term success.

Active Listening: Spotify has added a new data metric called "Active Audience" that shows the number of people who've streamed an artist's music in the last 28 days. This feature is aimed at helping artists better understand their audience and how their music is performing on the platform. What's active streaming? It's when listeners intentionally stream an artist's music, not just from Spotify-made playlists. This means that artists can track and grow their active streams over time.

What Time Should I Post That?: It's no surprise that figuring out the best time to post on social media can be a confusing and overwhelming task. With so much content being shared online, it can be difficult to know when your audience is most active and engaged.

Luckily the good people at Hootsuite have our backs with this new report titled the “Best Time to Post on Social Media in 2023”

Here’s a quick preview:

• Facebook - 10am

• Instagram - 9am

• Twitter - 9am

• Linkedin - 1pm

• TikTok - 1pm

Fast Facts

Impress your boss at the next barefoot bowls event with this quick stat:

👉 Nearly half of all the music that is available today was released during or after the pandemic 🤯. This is due to the increasing amount of independent music being released which is causing a lot of concerns for the major labels.

Statistically Speaking

Thanks to Luminate, the below graph shows just how many new songs are being released year on year.

ICYMI

Catch up on our recent stories:

• Introducing Medallion - A New Web3 Platform for Artists

• Australian Band Delivers a World-First Campaign

• New on Spotify: Short Form Video and Countdown Pages for Artists

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Lead Writer - Olivia Gliku.
Promoed is created and published by Habit Music Pty Ltd.

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