Social Media and the Music Industry

In class this week, we briefly discussed short-from video in our Music and TV chapter. Along with that, Professor Jeter mentioned that he had watched an interesting 60 Minutes interview with a popular Vine star discussing the substantial amount of money he makes doing Vine. Whether it be YouTube videos or six second Vines, there’s a lot to be said about the self-employed kid who has millions of subscribers and followers on several different social media platforms. A few days later, the news that Vine would be shutting down for good surfaced, bringing up an interesting question for me. Several content creators on YouTube and Vine have obtained an enormous following by posting videos of themselves singing cover songs and originals. That made me wonder why mainstream entertainment and the music industry wasn’t giving more attention to these platforms. Is it a decision on the artists’ or the record labels’ part to not risk such a gamble?

I myself have been an avid subscriber on YouTube and consumer of Vines for years, so I understand how bittersweet it can be to watch your favorite content creator get a record deal and never return to the platform with which he or she started. It’s another G.L.O.S.S. situation. Do you take the opportunity of a lifetime or risk the loyalty of your fans? Likewise, record labels risk taking on an artist who could either bring his or her huge fanbase with them or someone who might not quite cross over into the mainstream world of music.

Although they were not discovered on Youtube, the rock group We the Kings is a great example of a band who benefits from their members being hugely involved in social media. Every single one of their members markets themselves on every social media platform available. Three of them do daily vlogs of their lives on YouTube. The most notable member being the bass player, Charles Trippy. Charles holds the Guinness World Record for the most consecutive daily video blogs posted on YouTube. On his CTFxC channel, he is currently on day 2,736, which adds up to eight years and over 1.5 million subscribers. He has filmed everything from his start in We the Kings to his own brain surgery. It’s exactly that kind of intimacy, vulnerability, and dedication that builds such a massive and loyal fanbase across the world. It certainly doesn’t hurt their ticket and album sales either.

Other artists who have been discovered on YouTube and Vine include Justin Bieber, Shawn Mendes (Vine), Troye Sivan, and Carly Rae Jepson just to name a few. Songs like “Turn Down for What”, “Watch Me”, and most recently “Juju on that Beat” have absolutely blown up on Vine and given the artists publicity. Because of Vine’s viral factor and accessible sharing ability, its shutting down is a loss for the music industry. I know I will be sad to see it go. It is so important for an artist to market themselves on every platform possible and not just one. Many Vine stars have done just that and started YouTube channels as well, making them crossover stars. This just ads versatility to their resume.

Mainstream media and the music industry would be taking a huge hit if they did not pay attention these types of content creators. Six seconds on Vine or a short two to three minute video on YouTube are the ultimate elevator pitches. I definitely plan on using these different platforms to my advantage in the future. Versatility is key.

Charles Trippy: https://www.youtube.com/user/CTFxC