Mock

I agree to a great extent that digital media affects the music industry significantly. Services such as social networks, youtube and MP3 downloads have changed the music industry positively and negatively at the same time. 

Indie companies are now more rife as promotion, production and exchange now cost a lot less. This is due to some digital services with many users are free to use by anyone for no cost at all. Examples are youtube, twitter and myspace. Indie labels such as XL have used twitter (a social network) to promote one of the vampire weekend gigs on a free youtube livestream to their niche fanbase. The livestream got thousands of views in total by people all over the world, giving not only the band promotion but the livestream service and the indie label (XL Records).This is a form of synergy as the bands music got promoted on another form of media, youtube. In comparison to another gig performance by the X factor former winners their gig was not live streamed for free at all. This can also show that the indie labels are more focused on gaining a more personal, intimate relationship with their niche audience rather than the money. Another indie label WARP used two digital medias to promote a new album, one of the songs featured on the album was used in the introduction of a new film, the whole album was also uploaded onto youtube for anyone around the world to listen to. On the subject of global availability domino records has a radio station that also allows anyone in the world to listen to which can lead to worldwide exposure for bands and artists. Most independent labels also offer their fans to buy vinyls instead of MP3, which can turn them from fans into prosumers if they choose to use the vinyl to remix the song. 

Xfactor sells their contestants live performances on iTunes for people to buy, this is an easy way to gain money from their mainstream audience. Xfactor use social networks, which are world wide and extremely popular, to allow their fans to vote for contestants to stay in the competition. The X factor competition also allows their fans to give them feedback on certain contestants on these social network sites, Facebook has a like button which X factor uses to gauge an artist/band popularity. X factor will put a picture of a contestant up with the description "like if you thought JLS's performance was good this week", this shows how certain institutions use social media to see what is popular at the moment. This process is also similar to what the indie labels do to see wether an artist it popular.

Sony also sells all their music on iTunes which allows fans to listen to their favourite artist on iPhones and mp3 players on the go, digital technology has allowed people to listen to music whenever they want. But the internet has opened the doors for people to pirate music of major conglomerates like Sony. Digital technology has also sapped money from the music industry through pirating, this has lead to companies like Sony to loose money, therefor now money can be put into finding new talent. This has lead to an argument as to wether music nowadays is more bland and stale due to the constant recycling of artists. Conglomerates can no longer fund money for new less mainstream artists as they might not make money, they cannot take the risk as money is being taken away through the use of digital pirating.It is now up to the indie labels to produce less mainstream artists.This is a negative example of how digital technology has affected the music industry. 

 

Response

I agree with this statement alot as social networking dramatically increases sales, artists rely on networking as much as production. Without production there is no music, without social networking there is no sales. 

Beck Vs Xfactor

Becks audience is niche as he released sheet music. This means that there is no actual audio just lyrics and notes for the audience. This means that his fans needs to actually create their own interpretation in order to listen. The only type of fans that could do this are dedicated musicians, this is a niche audience. This is a great way for Beck to make his fans feel more involved in his music. Whereas in Xfactor they let the audience vote for the contestants that they want to stay in the competition. X factor also feeds the audience a story of each contestant in an attempt to create a relationship between the artist and fans. Both Beck and X factors tactics create prosumers in the process.

Becks music does not devalue music as it makes the fans create their own interpretation, every interpretation is different thus creating NEW music. In comparison to Xfactor all artists cover music owned by sony, this is an attempt to make more money for Syco (Simon Cowell's label) and sony. Covers are nothing new to the industry they are the same song just with a different singer, same beat, hook and image etc. Covers do create nostalgia which may be why X factor is so popular. There is no new music on Xfactor. This devalues music.

Beck lets the fans present their videos in their own way as its the prosumers interpretation of his sheet music, this means many different images may be associated with one song, punk, rock, pop for example. X factor dresses the contestants in extravagant costumes in order to take the audiences attention from the actual music, instead the fans will focus on the image and vote on the image instead of the quality of the singing/performance. This may be evidence for the argument that x factor is a form of thermometer to gauge what the public's favorite style is week by week. Doing this x factor can craft/mold the perfect image for an artist and make loads of money. This also de values music as the quality of the artist may be bad but they have an image that entices the audience to buy drivel. Becks sheet music creates thousands of different songs in the process, which can freshen up the industry with new sounds and images.

As Beck's fans create the music they can sell the music on services like Amazon for example, this spins the music industry on its head as the artist is not earning money, the fans are. X factor sells the covers on iTunes, the contestant gets none of the money while the record labels do. The record label (Sony, Syco) tells the contestant what to sing from the back catalog in order to generate money from old songs which do not sell anymore due to their age and lack of exposure.

How digital media helps and hinders the music industry

Media companies are using more free to use services like Youtube and Twitter it is easier to create a connection with the fans and create prosumers. This can also create communities such a prosumer community that creates advertisement for bands and artists for free. Media companies can use these advertisements to cut production costs and spread their money out more efficiently.

When companies use services like youtube and twitter it allows the fans to give instant feedback on how to improve, what they liked and what they didn't like. The companies can also message back users to create a unique relationship. Another example of a digital mediums that are used by music companies  are song hosts where users pay for songs or albums digitally, this market is growing massively every year. This allows the companies to cut production costs in other way by not having to create as many physical copies of the songs, although most song hosts do ask for a certain percentage of each song. Music companies influence on the internet makes it easier for fans to find new media for each band or artist, such as blogs, livestreams or images. This can only help create a better relationship with company and fans.

While there is some positives the rapidly growing digital market also has its negatives, pirating of songs is rife and costs the music industry billions a year. Music companies are earning less and less which makes it harder for them to invest into new talent. This causes companies to invest into what sells best and not take risks on artists or bands that break the mainstream pop mold. This creates the argument as to wether music is more bland and stale. 

Question 6 and 7

Syco is a global media production company which is owned by Simon Cowell and Sony Music Entertainment. It produces music, televison, film and digital content. Due to Syco having many branches to what it can produce it can easily create synergy between their products. For example if Syco was to produce a teen flick film they could use One Direction’s songs as they signed to Syco, because of One Directions presence in the film it can help boost the films sales and ratings while marketing One Directions songs. This is synergy.

Some of the more notable Syco productions are, The X Factor, Britain's got talent and The X factor USA. The X factor aires in 30 different countries while the got talent tv show aires in over 40. This gives Syco an immediate global market. The contestants could be made to be allowed to sing only syco produced songs, this would market the songs and boost sales. This is also Synergy.

As said before Syco can produce nearly all types of media. Simon Cowell has been quoted saying that there could be a film about one direction. Due to Syco already having the equipment needed to create a film production costs would be dramatically small compared to other films. This means the budget can be allocated to other areas of the film such as location and promotion.

Syco produced a special episode of Piers Morgan’s Life Stories, which featured Cheryl Cole who was a judge of X Factor at the time, this boosted X Factor ratings as people found out what Cheryl Cole’s life was so interest grew in her. This is another form of synergy.




Xfactor Scandals

Xfactor first brought out a trailer on the 30th of July 2012 to promote the new series, the trailer only featured former contestants that are Syco singed. Syco done this as an easy way to promote the acts and show for low cost as syco produces the show. This is also synergy.

There was also claims that auditionees were given 5 songs to sing, this 5 songs were under Sony’s conglomerate control. Sony owns Syco who produces X Factor. This is an attempt to create synergy. If an audition was amazing the song that was sung would have a small boost to its popularity, which leads to an increase in sales. This means more money for Sony and its subsidiaries such Syco.

Xfactor placed adverts on ITV channels, as ITV hosts the X factor show. It also placed adverts on youtube videos, as youtube is used by a younger audience Xfactor is trying to cater for every age group. It also has Facebook and Twitter accounts to promote audition locations, behind the scenes footage and competitions. While it may not be Xfactor, Britain's got talent are offering anyone who finds the eventual winner they will be rewarding them 10,000 pounds. This is trying to create a prosumer as the audience is now doing the judges job. Leaving the judges to use their fame to promote the show. This creates a prosumer who does most of the work for free. Ie Music videos or Edited photos.

Xfactor is one of the most viewed shows in the UK, any scandal or incident will be heavily focused on in newspapers and magazines. Any publicity is good publicity.

Consumption habbits in the music industry

Working Class and Upper Class