Glee Effect

Three artists who are affected by Glee:

Beyonce - Single Ladies where Kurt danced to it on the football field whilst scoring try

Rhiana - Take a Bow

Lady Gaga - Glee club had to dress up in Gaga-inspired clothes and sing one of her songs

This caused the artist to have their song's popularity raised but the con of this secondary licensing is that the artist itself may not be as well known. Also viewers may start to prefer the glee version of the song than the original hence purchasing that version so the artist do not get any money.

Synergy: The Glee Effect

1. Find out why the programme has had an effect on the music charts in the US and UK.

Glee is a musical/TV show that has highly appealed to viewers. Being a musical, the publishers have decided to extend their revenue stream by recording the music sang in the programme and placing it on the charts. Because of the show’s mass popularity, their soundtracks have also become very popular.

2. Find out who makes the programme and some of the record labels and artists whose songs are used. Why do you think labels are keen for their songs to be covered?

Glee is made by Ian Brennan, Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk. They used songs by Rhianna and Lady Gaga who are both signed to Universal Music Group. Beatles songs were also used and are signed to EMI.

3. Who do you think is the target audience for this series? How can you tell from the way the series is promoted and the focus on new technology?

The series’s target audience is the younger generation (approx 13-25). We can do by this because of the way it is promoted. Glee is often seen in magazines and as advertisements on television channels that are aimed at the younger audience such as E4 (where it is shown). It is also frequently seen in advertisements on music magazine websites and sites relating to the youth. Also, the story plot itself is based on highschool students which relates back to the viewer quite often. The advertisements for Glee is very often bright and vivid suggesting excitement and fun.

4. Why do you think it is important for record labels to focus attention on this particular audience at the moment?

The target audience at the moment is most likely to download music out of all other age groups. Since the show is already targeted at them, it is very important to keep them interested so they may download more so labels can make more money.

5. Using the show’s websites (you may find US as well as a UK website) list the ways in which the programme makers make it easy for audiences to:

a)      feel involved with the series and its music

b)      buy the music

a)      List of ways Glee makers make the audience feel involved with the series and its music:

• By having sections of information about the programme such as a synopsis, character information, cast information, music information, pictures section, video section and episode information.
• There is a section on the website listed as “Quizzes” which tests the knowledge of the fans of Glee.
• There is a section on the site where it links you to other Glee networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Youtube.
• They have also done competition to win Glee goodies.

b)      List of ways Glee makers make the audience want to buy the music:

• They cleverily suggest links to other Glee networks such as iTunes, merchandise at play.com, amazon and HMV.
• They also advertise clearly to users to buy the Glee DVD.

6. Find your way to the HMV ‘Glee zone’ – how is the store using the series to promote a range of products?
7. How does the programme benefit some artists and disadvantage others?

Glee can promote some songs to the point that audiences are often reminded by the song which gives them almost free promoting. However, artists maybe disadvantaged that the viewers may prefer the Glee version of the song than their original song itself.

8. Some industry insiders have said that programmes like Glee represent “the way forward for music promotion.” Why do you think this is? What implications does it have for the way in which record labels promote their artists?

9. Weigh up the pros and cons of this type of synergistic practice for the music industry and try to come to a conclusion about the ways in which it could move the industry forward or have a negative effect on artists and labels.

Media Convergence

Certainly media convergence has been for the better. Afterall, the media world is constantly on the movie, changing every single day, it is no surprise that hardwares like smartphones and the amazon kindles have been released.

Smartphones are just another piece of hardware that has been invented to suit to the consumers of today’s market’s tastes and conviniency. iPhones are just an iPod touch with the convinient telephone feature added on. In addition, the iPhone has the camera function which allows users to take photos and videos, with Apple throwing in the extra photo editing and video editing feature. The reason why the iPhone became so popular is because it is a platform of applications. And with that, there are billions of applications on the App Store allowing users to customise their phone layouts, play music, play games, help their organisation, share files and even read the newspaper on their phones! However, what really matters is the ability to share files using the likes of ‘Bump’ or ‘Bluetooth sharing’. Not only that, being able to play music via apps like Spotify, Shazam and LastFM strikes the question of ownership in music tracks. This strikes concern for labels since the likes of file sharing apps like ‘Bump’ is the second debut of Napster. However, Apple already saw through this and had made sure that when users are sharing music, the reciever are required to buy the music off the iTunes store.

Although p2p websites like Bittorent is not on the App Store, there is an application for it in the android shop which really questions the control and management of illegal online piracy. Even if the user does not download via their smartphone, they have their home destop computer. It is suggested a lot of households in the UK download illegally via their home internet. However this does not limit home computers. Media convergence has now allowed us to have media centres where our flat screen TVs can access the internet or where our game consoles can download directly onto the hardware with no hardships at all.

With all this new technology exposed to the general public, music audiences have become more active than passive. This includes using their smartphones to perhaps order gig tickets or buying music merchandise. The 21^st century media industry has changed the music audience’s view, it’s not just something to listen to but collecting and owning or attending their favourite artist’s concerts.

Media convergence has definitely affected record labels, both conglomerate and independent labels. With Domino Records embracing the web 2:0 feature, they’ve introduced new aspects on their website. Domino Mart, Domino Cast, Domino Player and Domino Cast easily gives Domino an extra revenue stream as the general music public gets used to the internet. On the other hand, conglomerates like Universal struggled to cope with the new online revolution and media convergence and only recently has grouped together with other conglomerates to create VEVO. This is a music video streaming website, allowing users to listen and watch the music video. The extra revenue stream comes from expensive advertisements from the likes of McDonalds. Using synergistic and cross promoting ideas Universal has widened another revenue stream as media convergence has enabled users to access adverts and other media products easily via their media conveged smartphones anywhere or media centres at home.

Three functions besides representing artists

Universal

Bravado

Bravado, the only global, 360° full service merchandise company, develops and markets high-quality licensed merchandise to a worldwide audience. The company works closely with new & established entertainment clients, creating innovative products carefully tailored to each artist or brand. Product is sold on live tours, via selected retail outlets and through web-based stores. Bravado also licenses rights to an extensive network of third party licensees around the world. The company maintains offices in London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Stockholm, and partners with companies in Germany, France, Japan, Australia and South America. Now under the Universal Music Group umbrella, Bravado is able to leverage a global sales and distribution network from the world's largest record company, as well as the group's significant marketing strength. Bravado artists include Kanye West, Gwen Stefani, Beyonce, Rolling Stones, Elton John, Guns 'N Roses, Metallica, Led Zeppelin, Tina Turner, Iron Maiden, Alicia Keys, New Kids on the Block, Nine Inch Nails, Dolly Parton and The Killers, among many others.

Music Publishing

With 51 offices in 43 territories, Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) is the industry's largest global music publishing operation. UMPG represents music in every genre from some of the world’s hottest songwriters and catalogs including Abba, Adele, Christina Aguilera, Lily Allen, Beach Boys, Beastie Boys, Bjork, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Ciara, The Clash, Coldplay, Elvis Costello, The Cure, Daughtry, Danny Elfman, Eminem, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Franz Ferdinand, Jimi Hendrix, Elton John/Bernie Taupin, Joy Division, Keane, R. Kelly, The Killers, Diana Krall, Avril Lavigne, Linkin Park, Henry Mancini, Maroon 5, Nelly, Prince, Otis Redding, Sex Pistols, Paul Simon, Britney Spears, 3 Doors Down, Justin Timberlake, T-Pain, and U2, among many others. UMPG is also a global leader in the areas of Production Music, Christian and Classical Music.

VEVO

VEVO is the leading innovative online premium music and entertainment service for consumers, advertisers and content owners that blends the very best in musical content with cutting-edge video technology and a thriving user community powered by YouTube. The content is made available on YouTube through a VEVO-branded channel, on VEVO.com, the service’s marquee destination site, and through a VEVO-branded embedded player. The service also serves as a syndication platform for additional internet destination sites, expanding the reach of the VEVO brand across the worldwide web. VEVO was created in partnership with Sony Music Entertainment (SME) and the Abu Dhabi Media Company. It features the most extensive catalog of premium music content found anywhere on the web.

Domino

Domino Publishing

Not only does Domino Records sign artists, they also licensing. In fact, Domino started out by publishing music than signing artists.

Digital Timeline

1991   Fraunhofer Institute invents MP3 file compression format

1997   MP3.com launches

1998   First handheld MP3 player arrives (developed by Diamond Multimedia)

            eMusic founded

1999   Napster launches

2000   KaZaA and Gnutella launch

2001   Napster shut down by 9^th US Circuit Court of Appeal


            First wave of legal subscription services (including Rhapsody, Pressplay
            and MusicNet)

            Mobile music recognition service Shazam launches

2002   Launch of iPod

            Last.fm launches

            Warp launches its Bleep download store

2003   iTunes Music Store launches in US

            Napster 2.0 launches legally

2004   MySpace debuts

            MyCokeMusic comes to UK and kicks off legal download market

            Napster comes to UK

            iTunes Music Store comes to UK

            First Official UK Download chart announced. Westlife are first digital number 1
            with ‘Flying Without Wings’

            High Court rules ISPs must identify 26 individuals accused of serial uploading to
            file-sharing networks

            Average of 250,000 downloads sold each week in UK; digital single sales surpass
            physical single sales

            Sony’s SingStar karaoke videogame released

2005   Apple sells 500 million tracks through iTunes and 30 million iPods globally

            HMV and Virgin Megastores both launch their own download services

            iPod Shuffle arrives

            iTunes sells three million video downloads

            Guitar Hero game is released

2006   Digital makes up 78% of all single tracks sold

            Microsoft launches Zune in US

            eMusic announces sales of 100 million tracks

2007   Chart rules changed to remove the need for a physical format to be released in
            order to be chart-eligible

            iPhone launches; 270,000 are sold in first two days

            Universal launches its Classics & Jazz download service

            Orange (in partnership with Musiwave) launches its full-track download service

            iTunes offers DRM-free option

            Napster subscribers stand at 830,000

            A total of 982,713 digital albums sold in UK in first three months of 2007

            Arrival of ad-funded download services We7, SpiralFrog and Qtrax

            40% of mobile phones in UK are music-enabled

            Radiohead release In Rainbows as a pay-what-you-like download

            eMusic has 350,000 subscribers and sells 165 million downloads
   
            5% of UK album sales now digital; digital makes up 8% of UK labels’ income

            500 million music phones and 200 million MP3 players shipped globally in 2007

            Shazam has 11 million unique users

            Rock Band videogame is launched

2008   UK rights holders and ISPs sign Memorandum Of Understanding to help stem
            file-sharing

            MySpace Music launches in US

            Nokia debuts Comes With Music in UK

            Launch of iPhone 3G and App Store; 1 million iPhones sold in opening weekend

            Amazon MP3 download store launches in UK

            7digital becomes first store in Europe to get content from all four majors stripped of
            DRM

            Majors license DRM-free to a variety of services

            Universal launches Lost Tunes (its obscurities download store)

            Domino launches its own download store

            Apple announces 6 billion tracks sales through iTunes and 300 millions apps

            2 million downloads sold each week in UK

            20% of all radios sold in UK are now DAB

            Spotify launches in beta

            Apple announces 174 million iPods sold to date; it has 65 million iTunes customer
            accounts

2009   iTunes announces full transition to DRM-free and variable pricing

            Apple launches new store features such as iTunes Pass and iTunes LP

            Spotify officially launches in the UK; 7m users globally by the end of the year

            Both We7 and Spotify launch paying, ad-free subscription tiers

            UK launches include:

            MySpace Music (audio streaming)

            Sky Songs (music subscription)

            Muzu (video streaming)

            Music Apps such as Shazam, I Am T-Pain and Tap Tap Revenge among most
            downloaded

            Sales of Guitar Hero III top $1 billion

            The Beatles - Rock Band launches in September, with downloadable tracks for
            use in the game to follow

            Several acquisitions take place, including:

            iLike and Imeem (by MySpace)

            Lala (by Apple)

            7Digital (50% stake by HMV)

            Digital accounts for 98% of singles sales in 2009 and 12.5% in the albums market

How has internet affected the relationship between audiences and institutions?

Twenty years ago, internet did not exist in the eyes of the music industry and the general public. Since there was no internet, music was to be bought as a solid product: vinyl, CD, minidisk or cassettes. This was an equal balance, the customers go to the music shop to purchase an item whilst the shop owner stocks the items made by the record labels. However, this all changed in 1999 when Shawn Fanning created Napster.

Napster was a small network created by Fanning during his undergraduate course in Boston University. Being able to swap perfect digital copies of music for free, the network grew massively outside Fanning’s university campus, far out of his imagination. A total of 85 million people started to use Napster globally.

Napster created outrage within the music industry, especially with the money-hungry conglomerates.  Not only were the record labels angry, the artists were too especially one band who decided to sue Shawn Fannings. Metallica sued Fannings and ended up getting a bad reputation as some artists thought they only did it for the money. Other artists did not sue Fannings as they believe he managed to share the music with other people, making the artist themselves better known to others. After two years of legal battle, Napster was shut down as a free downloading site.

The Napster incident shook the music industry like an earthquake. It caused an evolution, a culture change, just a year before the 21^st century. Music lovers realised there were ways on the internet where you can get music without any charge. Piracy and peer-to-peer websites were born and then even extended out to other Medias such as downloading movies and expensive software for no charge, but illegally.

Piracy websites become much more appealing than buying CDs from the music store since it was free, convenient and no need to store the big CD cases somewhere in your room since downloaded music are stored on the computer. This meant customers would stop buying the copyright music resulting to a massive loss in money for the record labels. From 2007 to 2012, the estimated loss for both conglomerate and independent labels is said to be £1.2billion. As the customers drift away from the record label, the trading relationship between customers and the labels broke down.

After realising what piracy is doing, the labels become active to get their customers back. Conglomerates like Universal Music Group, Sony BMG, EMI and Abu Dhabi collaborated in making Vevo. Vevo is a music streaming website where internet users can listen and watch the music video for free. However it is only streamed online so the audience do not actually own the music, only listening. The conglomerates made money from several advertisements between each video as well as merchandise.

We7 is also set up by conglomerates (Sony BMG). We7 is another streaming music website. They earn money by getting fans to subscribe monthly so they don’t have to listen to adverts beforehand. Vevo and We7 are both conglomerates’ weapons to fight the on-going piracy battle. With Vevo and We7, the record labels are trying to mend the relationship between the audience and themselves.

It was not just the record labels who were trying to take advantage of the evolution of the internet. Soon websites like Pledgemusic, Tunited and Spotify came to light.

Tunited was built upon the fact the music industry was becoming more and more unbalanced. It is a community made website where users pay for listening to online streamed music with a pay-as-you-go system with all profits going to the music makers/artists. Tunited tends to work with smaller, independent artists unlike Vevo and We7.

Pledgemusic is slightly different. Pledgemusic is a direct fan-to-artist platform where all the music is fan-funded. The purpose of Pledgemusic is to encourage fans to speak to their favourite artists and band directly, affecting the next release they make. However, for the band able to release the next album/single, the fans literally ‘pledge’ to the bands by funding their work with donations, fundraising the next single.

Spotify on the other hand, is completely different to Pledgemusic. Pledgemusic and Tunited are both account based and browser based. Spotify is also account based, meaning you must have an account (free or subscription based) to be able to access it, as well as being a software. Spotify must be downloaded first and internet access must be available whilst using it. Spotify is a live streaming software where you can listen to music for free with advertisements in between, similar with We7 thought We7 is browser based. You can create playlists and share music with other friends who also have Spotify and they pay artists by sharing profits from advertisements. They have also introduced that; if the artists stops making music, they won’t play their music hence they won’t lose any money.

With all these new websites popping up, the audience now have a wider choice than just illegally downloading music. The appeal of being legal whilst listening to music for free is generally what is attracting all the audiences to these websites. In addition, the websites are all online streaming so the audience don’t actually own the music. This questions the fact whether the audience really need the own the music to enjoy the music.

In conclusion, the internet has completely broken up the stable relationship the audience had with institutions. However, because of this, record labels are able to use new innovative ideas to build up a better and stronger relationship that suits the current technology.

How can you tell Domino's website is made for niche artists?