Its old news that the music industry had been greatly affected by internet. Over the last few years we have seen the rise of numerous peer-to-peer file sharing networks such as Pirate Bay, and streaming services enter the market, leaving record labels scrambling to figure out how to still sell records.
But as record companies and musicians realize that this ongoing battle with the internet is not going to be over any time soon, they have started to shift their attention to increasing page views and embracing fans through social media. Refocusing their commercial strategy from record sales to gigs and merchandise sales.
When trying to engage with your target market, knowledge is key, and one of the most interesting solutions to meet this demand for information on fans online activity is the Next Big Sound.
Similar to what we do for brands in our blog buzz reporting, Next Big Sound allows users to see how fans interact with music online, virtually in real time. The site tracks plays, views, fans, comments, and other data for almost half a million artists across major online properties, including iTunes, Last.fm, MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter. It becomes a quick and easy way to identify trends and clearly demonstrates the impact of marketing campaigns on listenership.
Currently, the site is free, with no mention of premium options to be released, so even if you’re not in the music industry it is a really interesting tool to play around with.
