Andy Young's Blog on Tunipop.com

The Record Business Is Not The Music Business

Ayoung — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 09:04:41 -0400

(From HypeBot.com) Volumes have been written on the troubles facing the music business: illegal downloading is decimating sales, broadcast radio's dominance as a promotional tool has bee diminished by new media, music creation, distribution and discovery is now in the hands of the many rather than the chosen fe w. All are causing seismic shifts in the music business.

The problem with this doom and gloom is that they are talking about the record business and not the music business.

New Discussion Group Formed to Address Merchandise and Digital Music

Ayoung — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 10:28:47 -0400

New professional discussion group, called Merchandise and Digital Music Connection, moderated by Tunipop Founder Andy Young, has been formed on LinkedIn.

Summary: Merchandise aka "fan gear" has obvious potential to drive new music related revenues. This group is for those who are interested in rationalizing the intersection of non-recorded merchandise and the evolving digital music 2.0 marketplace.

Click here to join the group/LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/1115857

ShockHound Does Merch & Music Together

Ayoung — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:19:55 -0400

In the next few days, Hot Topic, a brick and mortar retailer with a chain of stores that sells music inspired clothing and accessories will to be the latest entrant into digital music sales with a new online store called ShockHound. (www.shockhound.com) While existing digital music retailers, fans sites, and media outlets have presumably been eyeballing the margins in merchandise sales for some time, it would appear that HotTopic has been looking towards music download sales as a way to drive new business.

Why Selling Music Still Matters... and Free Means Paid

Ayoung — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:00:48 -0400

(Digital Music News) Does selling music still matter? Payouts on downloads are paltry for most artists, and the broader format appears to be hitting a plateau. Meanwhile, CDs are continuing to plummet. That raises the question of whether artists are smarter to give away their recordings, and focus on more lucrative areas of the value chain. Instead of charging 99-cents for an MP3, why not charge $9 for a t-shirt, and $29 for a concert ticket from a stronger flow of fans?

Type “Go2Merch” for top search results!

Ayoung — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:21:20 -0400

Tunipop continues to clear away the clutter, and make it easier for fans to locate the official source of an artist's merchandise on the web. By virtue of the artist's name and official source being listed in our Go2Merch directory, you get top search results for your store. A Google search that includes the preface “Go2Merch” before the artist's name, usually provides a result that takes you directly to the artist's official merchandise store, frequently, but not always bypassing Tunipop altogether.

Spilled On Canvas, Music Marketing For 21st Century Bands

Ayoung — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:14:59 -0400

Repost from 50 Records: Sioux Falls, South Dakota natives The Spill Canvas have taken on a strategy that may not be new to some, but is essential for thriving in the music industry today. When visiting the band's website you see traditional content such as news, tour info, lyrics, street team, and a store. The game changer is how they have set up their fan club. The take action now style of copywriting says it all, "Now there are two ways to get all over The Spill Canvas!" Within their fan club, they have two tier levels of interaction and access.

Why Football Jerseys are the Future of Music

Ayoung — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:24:40 -0400

by Panos Panay from Panos' Brew on Sonicbids.com

An admission. I’m a football (soccer) jersey maniac. I started collecting them when I was 11 and have not stopped since. I must own well over 150 and I own every Arsenal home and away jersey since 1983. My most recent one (pictured below) is the new Arsenal away jersey that I bought here in the States two weeks ago. The catch? Official release day is today. Pretty cool (kinda like getting a pre-release copy of your favorite band’s album.)

Can merchandise increase the value of digital music?

Ayoung — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 12:37:45 -0400

While the perceived value of digital music alone may be difficult to sustain over the long-haul, consumers appear to value scarcity and a physical connection with their favorite artists. The following article points to research, which suggests that consumers may be willing to pay more for digital music if the deal also includes the equivalent in a physical CD. The theory being that while the digital content is perceived as “free,” the physical CD has tangible value and therefore worth purchasing, even at an enhanced price point. By extension, couldn't the same be said for merchandise? Buy a t-shirt and get a free download, or buy the CD and get a free t-shirt? The bundling and new marketing opportunities are nearly limitless.

Great Balls of Fire!

Ayoung — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:22:02 -0400

The very first submission to our Go2Merch database was for none other than the veteran piano rocker, Jerry Lee Lewis. Probably not the first artist to come to mind, especially when we are talking about fan gear, but I couldn't have asked for a better artist to launch Tunipop. It shows that merchandise is not just the domain of up-start twenty something bands and artists from the 70's and 80's.

The Merchandising Riddle: Database Project Emerges...

Ayoung — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 09:58:16 -0400

(Reprinted from: Digital Music News) As the recorded asset continues to slide, the focus is shifting towards broader, 360-degree revenue models. Major labels are attempting to diversify accordingly, though artists are in a unique position to centrally control their entire revenue stream.

That includes merchandise, often regarded as a lucrative add-on. In the old days, fans frequently purchased band-related t-shirts and hats at concerts or through fan clubs. Now, the game has shifted wildly, and artists can direct-sell their merchandise to fans online.