Social Media’s Critical Role in the Music Industry5 min read

With fast-growing technology and the internet revolutionizing our world today, social media has been playing a significant role in just about anything and everything. The music industry is one of the areas that are greatly influenced by social media.

Social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Tok-tok and so on are a completely different and fun way for various artists and musicians to interact and connect with their fans from miles away. Social media has notably helped artists to use its platforms to take their music careers to new heights like never before. Today, there are ample opportunities available for musicians and artists around the globe – opportunities that would have been very rare in the past.

A change in the music industry

There is no doubt about the fact that the music industry has vastly changed from what it was a few years ago. Musicians would have to record demos and then hand them out to their fans. Studio time was super precious so musicians would also have to bargain for time in the studio. You would have to grab at every opportunity you got to play at local venues. There was much more hard work that had to be put in to simply perform and hopefully get noticed by enough fans or a representative from a good label. With social media and the internet coming in, establishing yourself has seriously changed. While several tactics still remain pretty much the same even today, social media has now stepped in to not only help artists but also empower them. Social media helps to even the playing field of the music industry.

Social media usage

With social media, artists and musicians can reach a much wider audience than ever before. Irrespective of whether you are a solo artist, part of a band, a musician or just someone who likes to sing and play an instrument for fun, you now have the power of social media to your advantage. You can reach fans, potential fans, sponsors, collaborations, and even future partners through the various social media platforms that are freely available today.

There are a number of ways that social media plays a critical role in the music industry.

Content Creation

Whether it was the 80s or the 20th century, content is still arguably the single most important factor in the music industry. Artists and musicians can not only distribute their songs, videos and content through multiple social media platforms, they can now even make and edit their content on these platforms! Content like music videos, pictures, lyric videos and so on can be made to show each artist’s personal style, genre and personality. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Tok-tok, and YouTube are mediums that present new content to viewers and listeners as well as attract new fans.

If you’re looking to get involved in the music industry, or if you’re already an artist or musician looking to broaden your horizons then social media is the place to be! Every platform caters to different forms of content. For instance, YouTube has video content with a duration that could range anywhere between a few seconds and hours. On the other hand, platforms like Instagram and Tok-tok specialize in much shorter and concise videos. Creating content on social media is like a journey; sometimes you feel lost, there are highs and extremely low lows, but at the end of the day it can be both fun and effective for your music career.

Connecting with Fans

Social media plays another special role of connecting the audience to the artist and vice versa. Earlier, you could only have limited interaction with your favorite artist through live performances, concerts, meet-and-greets etc. However, now you have a chance to connect with your favorites on a regular and more intimate level. Social media doesn’t just show you the artist as a distant entity. In fact, it brings the artist to the audience. So many musicians are now choosing to show bits of their personal lives on social media, and fans simply enjoy this content because it makes the artist so much more human and relatable to their fans and those who love them. Fans can follow, like, comment and even speak to their beloved artists through these social media platforms. Artists also have a more connected platform where they can really show and tell their fans how much they love and appreciate them.

Building an Audience

Establishing yourself in the music industry calls for being able to build an audience to view and listen to your talent and content. A community of fans that are committed greatly helps to build the artist in the music industry. This audience shows a constant demand for more content – be it new songs, albums, concerts, or merchandise. As a musician or artist posts their content on social media, they can gauge their audience as well as what they like based on who their content attracts and what kind of content is preferred. The social media equivalent for an artist’s community would include their Instagram followers or YouTube subscribers. The love, appreciation, encouragement and attention that an artist or musician receives from these dedicated fans help them to create more content that will not only sustain them but also take them forward in the long run. No matter how big or small an artist’s fanbase may be, as long as it is dedicated, loyal and consistent and will continue to enjoy their music, follow and support them throughout different social media platforms and maybe buy their merchandise, they can play a huge role in the artist’s music career.

Conclusion

Social media can be scary sometimes; you never know how the audience out there will receive what you have to offer. Maybe you’ve gotten a few hate comments and had bad experiences in the past, but if you change your perspective, social media is actually a great tool to help you through your music career. Artists and musicians should look at it as something that empowers them and be ready to take on whatever challenges come their way. Your music may not be for everyone, and that is totally okay. Remember to put out content that is genuine and true to who you are and with time, the rest will fall into place.