Next Big Nashville Takeaways

Nashville’s mini version of SXSW was held this week at Belmont University and at various clubs and venues around town. The conference brought in some heavy hitters and some of the most forward thinkers in our industry to speak and debate on what’s next and what’s currently working in our industry.

The Bright Light Ahead

The overall theme to the week was things aren’t as bleak as they seem. While certain facets of our industry are fading, the opportunities are endless for those who are willing to try new things. Scott Borchetta, CEO of Big Machine Records, has been able to gain a “leg up” on the major labels by signing artist like Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts and the newly signed The Band Perry. Big Machine is able to move faster and try new things i.e. giving away 500,000 downloads when they were first breaking Taylor in the market place. Giving away .5 million songs wasn’t what broke Taylor Swift though. According to Borchetta it was her art and her ability to connect with her fans.

Catching up with Technology

Music is more accessible than ever before. Upstarts like Pandora are now upwards of 60 Million users and while traditional radio stations are currently the #1 way people listen to music, a shift is on the horizon. Pandora has struggled for years to stay in business, but now that advertisers are seeing the benefit they’re flourishing.  Pandora’s Founder Tim Westergren argued that internet radio if far more efficient for advertising products than the over-the-air model. Pandora can target a pinpoint demographic based on age, gender, and variety of personal taste which makes the ad more relevant for the listener and more efficient for the brand.

If you’re an artist or just a music lover you need to check these links out:

NextBigSound.com – This allows you to monitor your fan activity on all the social networks.

SoundExchange.com– They collect statutory royalties from satellite radio, internet radio, cable TV music channels and they have millions of dollars in unclaimed royalties for artist.

Rdio.com – Streaming service for on-demand streaming via computer or mobile device.

Greatness will rise to the top

Last, but not least, the main takeaway from the festival has been great art will find its way to the top. There are so many choices, but the ones who’ll stick will have something to say, and a platform to say it on. If you’re an artist aspiring to grow your platform continue to do what you’re doing by getting advice from blogs such as this one, don’t be afraid to try new things and work really hard at perfecting your craft.