The modern music industry is an unprecedented phenomenon that influences the way we feel, the things we buy and ultimately aids in shaping modern culture and society. What makes the modern music industry so unique to the music distributed throughout history, is the way we as an audience receive our music, it could further be argued that music has transformed from an outlet of entertainment to a product of advertisement. The industry itself is worth approximately $42 billion, taking just $15 billion in the US alone. The three main recording companies in the industry are Sony, Warner Bros and Universal. Some aspects of the industry, however, can be controversial, and with no real experience in dealing with this second digital revolution, exploitation can be common and costly to artists.
Three specific artists which belong to the aforementioned, or branches of the aforementioned, record labels include Adele, who in 2016 signed a £90 million contract with Sony, Amy Winehouse who was signed with Island records, a branch of Universal records, and Jessie J who is also signed with Island records. These British artists are a useful reference point when exploring the music industry, as they all have unique experiences and consequences from entering and thriving in music.
As previously noted, the music industry is undergoing what is being referred to as a second ‘Digital revolution’ whereby the way in which consumers listen and buy music has progressed into unchartered means. The growth of music streaming companies such as Spotify, Amazon Prime Music, Apple Music, mean that record companies have unlocked a reliable stream of revenue from customers through the use of monthly or annual subscription. As the apps or services often offer a free trial or alternative, companies can also maximise profits through advertising. Not only does it provide broader access for more listeners, but it allows consumers the capability to explore new or alternative artists to those in the mainstream media or always played on the radio. This service is beneficial to artists such as Adele who are already globally renowned, as it makes the distribution of her records far easier. Amy Winehouse however did not have this advantage during her recording career and therefore the sale of her physical albums was crucial whilst also being unreliable, meaning her career could not be so certain.
Certain labels tend to affiliate themselves with a particular genre of artist, to optimise the selling of that particular artist and also offers more chance of collaborations between artists, which means more control and revenue for the company. Record labels look for a particular style of artist of what they think will sell, or alternatively/ more commonly, labels find talented hopefuls and mould them into what they can make the most profit out of. A perfect example for this would Amy Winehouse, whose label, Island Records, is a Jamaican-American label who signs more alternative, edgy acts such as Annie Lennox, Dizzie Rascal and DNCE. Amy was pushed by her managerial team and exploited for talent, despite being very vulnerable with a drug addiction. Amy’s blue eyed soul style of music made her a refreshing and new artist at the time, providing lots of outlets for promotion such as chat shows like The Graham Norton Show, or The Tonight Show in America with Jay Leno and a complete reinvention of image. Ultimately the neglect and exploitation of the singer songwriter led to her demise and death in July 2011, demonstrating the very extremes of the power and control a record label has over their artists in their pursuit for success.
A parallel to Amy would be Adele, who shares a similar genre of music, but who was initially signed by XL records, recording label of Radiohead, The White Stripes and M.I.A. Adele has remained grounded and successful throughout her career, and has changed minimally in appearance, persona and music style throughout her 11-year career. Adele is also a clear example of how marketing has become so affluent with the music industry, with the increase in streaming music online, to stay relevant an artist has to remain in the public eye, often meaning being present on social media such as Twitter and Instagram or appearing on chat shows such as The Late Late Show with James Corden or the Jonathan Ross Show. The has enabled the maintenance of record sales for artists such as Adele, as consumers are constantly being refreshed about their upcoming projects or tours, which leads to the further listening to their music. Adele is a positive success story of the music industry, by taking significant breaks from recording after each album, she has demonstrated how to maintain a successful career, whilst also juggling a normal home life with her fiancé and son.
Each recording artist has undertaken a unique journey into the music industry, as the platform is so diverse and ever-changing, no two stories can be the same. Jessie J after not finding a contract initially, was actually a songwriter with Sony records writing for popular American artists such as Chris Brown and Miley Cyrus. This is also evidence of staging of the music industry, as these popular artists are represented as merely puppets for profit by the record companies, by given songs to sing by paid professionals. Jessie J was discovered after he wrote ‘Do it like a Dude’ for Rhianna, after sending it to Island Records and Rhianna’s management, the company insisted that it become her debut single and was subsequently released in 2010. This is evidence of record companies spotting profitable talent, and as Jessie was a new artist she would not have been expensive to promote as she had not established a fandom yet. The cross record label aspect of Jessie J is notable as it highlights that despite rivalries and the willingness for one’s own company to succeed, a label will not discriminate against artists if there is profit to be made, i.e. hiring Jessie as a songwriter, to harness her talent whilst promoting other artists.
To conclude, the Modern music industry is very complex, and grows more unchartered every day. With the coming of the second digital revolution, artists now have access to multitude of different audiences in a swift and non-labour enduring manner. There is evidence of both the positive and negative sides to the control, and freedom offered by record labels and streaming companies, and both need to be taking into account when reviewing the success of the industry. Despite predictions being made about the future of the distribution of music, as demonstrated countless times before, the industry is fluid and also mutating into something unprecedented and exciting.
