Authenticity. We all want it from the musicians we love.

But there needs to be a limit so that the artist can concentrate on writing & composing. Yet, as more and more artist take the entrepreneurial route in building their fan base, social media becomes a necessity alongside the constant touring and writing.

So, perhaps the next step in this process will be social media band managers. These teenagers & 20-somethings will be able to work for many bands for relatively little money per band and coordinate all of their social media. What needs to come directly from the band (Twitter updates) can come from the band. What can be done by a social media band manager can be outsourced.

Tim Westergren, founder of Pandora, suggests that the new record label executive will fit more of this role – to take care of the non-creative items for a band. Perhaps the record labels could do this to resurrect their declining business model. But it will more likely come from tech-savvy music lovers who understand the power of social media and viral marketing.

Stay tuned,
Erik
erikrostad.com
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On SuperFan, fans set up pages for things that they like and then other people congregate around this band, movie, baseball team, store, etc. Surveys, photos, and information can be posted by users for their favorite things. The more items posted, the more you become a superfan.

As an artist, this is an amazing chance to see what your biggest fans have to say about your music. You also see what fans are creating on their own that you could possibly take on as a band yourself and monetize the opportunity. Although constructive criticism is also important for growth, it would be wise for bands to be watching what their biggest fans are saying about their music style, stage show, and new songs.

Stay tuned,
Erik
erikrostad.com
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Now, some of these numbers need to take into account that people using Twitter are more likely young and tech-savvy. But to be 77% more likely to purchase digital downloads is pretty substantial.

So, how can you as a band use Twitter? Start by signing up. Then, check out what other bands/artists are doing. Look at the Dave Matthews Band and John Mayer. See how you can connect with your fans and give them the inside scoop, without it being a blatant advertisement. And be real. Let your personality shine through. Tell about funny screw ups and be humble about great successes.

Stay tuned,
Erik
erikrostad.com
Follow me on Twitter

Now, it seems that labels are looking more for artists who are already matured with a fan base. The labels then come alongside the artist and offer to push them along. One big difference is money – labels don’t have much and therefore can’t bankroll albums and tours. And another difference is the digital media revolution that allows artists to accomplish tasks formerly reserved for the record labels (recording, gathering a fan base, etc.)

This is true of two rappers that have started to make it big through grassroots online networking and marketing. The first rapper, named Drake, currently has the #2 song on Mediabase’s Urban chart and the #3 hit on Hit-Rhythmic, all without the backing of a major label. The other rapper, Kid Cudi, has the #6 song on Hit-Rhythmic, “Day ‘N’ Nite” and is about to sign with Universal Motown. “Day ‘N’ Nite” has had over 44 million plays on MySpace. Once popular online, both rappers were fought over by the labels.

My further question to all of this is why these guys then decide to sign with the labels. They gathered a following online, which allowed them to begin touring and making guest appearances with big acts. What do the record labels come in with that attracts these guys? Obviously money, but what are they offering that these guys can’t do on their own? They certainly can’t promise loads of money from record sales. Perhaps they can offer help in touring and merchandise. But, then it seems that a Live Show production company like Live Nation would be better suited for this role.

Stay tuned,
Erik
erikrostad.com
Follow me on Twitter

Yet, for artists, MySpace is still the go-to site for music. A MySpace page is still a requirement and it seems to have a better platform for posting songs and band information.

Stay tuned,
Erik
erikrostad.com
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I think one clue into this is the low level of people who Twit after a month. A very small percentage of Twitter users continue sending Tweets for an extended period of time.

And now we are starting to see a few more voices of disapproval for the service. Kanye recently went off on Twitter saying “Everything that Twitter offers I need less of.”

And even more recently, Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails said he will be scaling back his Tweets. Reznor had been a heavy user of Twitter, but complained that the service did not allow him to navigate through the clutter. Each time he would send a Tweet, many users would Tweet back with negative comments. To reach the true fans and respond to their Tweets became too time consuming.

So now, Reznor is going to concentrate his Twitter efforts on just having it be a place for announcements. Just a one-way announcement device.

I still think that John Mayer is the model citizen when it comes to Twitter. He Tweets about hilarious things and will Retweet to fans all the time. I’m sure he doesn’t read every Tweet that comes back his way, but just the fact that he Retweets so often is quite extraordinary.

If Mayer spends 30 – 60 minutes a day on Twitter, I think that is one of the best and easiest ways he can stay connected to his fans. Other than touring of course.

Stay tuned,
Erik
erikrostad.com
Follow me on Twitter

What does this mean to musicians? One big insight here is that this shows us the way that teenagers are communicating. Phone calls and messages are decreasing. It takes too long. A text message is fast. You can sneak them in during class, in the bathroom, on the bus. So, what is the communication format that best matches a text message?

Twitter

Communicate in the way that your fan base is used to. Follow artists & bands that are already using Twitter to see how it can be used for your band. 2,272 text messages a month.

Stay tuned,
Erik
erikrostad.com
Follow me on Twitter

Nielsen just released some numbers for the top Social Networking sites. The results are pretty impressive and tell a lot about current trends:

• Facebook drew 250 million minutes on their site in April ’09 (up 699%).
• MySpace drew 83 million minutes on their site in April ’09 (down 31%).
• Twitter’s traffic is up 3,712% over last year (not including time spent on 3rd party twitter sites).
• Total time on social networking sites up 81% from last year.
• One area where MySpace has Facebook beat is in video streaming. They showed 3x’s as many videos as Facebook did in April.

The obvious implications here – make sure your band or that you as a solo artist are on the social networking sites that are growing rapidly. Think of how quickly things change. Friendster has come and gone. Twitter is relatively new. Keep up on where the traffic is for your broad appeal. But don’t forget the sites that meet the needs of your business niche.

Stay tuned,
Erik
erikrostad.com
Follow me on Twitter

The obvious implication is that Twitter is hot. If you are an artist and are not on Twitter, get on it now. And give people a reason to follow you. Offer exclusive news through Twitter. Or offer free tickets to the first 10 people that write you back.

Interact.

Keep it personable. Tell the mistakes you have made. Tell the successes. Tell your fears. And respond every now and then to people who return-twit to you.

Stay tuned,
Erik
erikrostad.com
Follow me on Twitter

The idea behind the site is that the individual user creates a storefront with particular songs that they like. They then recommend the songs, write reviews of the songs, and share with friends. For every sale, the user then obtains 10% of the price in reward points to be used to purchase new music.

This is also a tool for artists to set up their own page to sell and promote their music. Stores can also be connected with social networking sites for promotional purposes.

Stay tuned,
Erik
erikrostad.com