The always interesting Kevin Kelly published a long post yesterday detailing how any artist -- musical or otherwise -- can make money operating in the long tail. His idea centers around finding 1,000 "true fans," which he defines as people who will do anything to support what you do. Once you've acquired your following of true fans, says Kelly, making a living is doable.
"They will drive 200 miles to see you sing. They will buy the super deluxe re-issued hi-res box set of your stuff even though they have the low-res version. They have a Google Alert set for your name. They bookmark the eBay page where your out-of-print editions show up. They come to your openings. They have you sign their copies. They buy the t-shirt, and the mug, and the hat. They can't wait till you issue your next work. They are true fans."
This is interesting given the Nine Inch Nails release. As commenter Shannon Clark pointed out, very quickly the limited edition signed $300 "super deluxe" package of the new NIN album sold out. While clearly Trent Reznor is working with more than 1,000 true fans at this point (especially considering the "super deluxe" edition was limited 2,500 copies), the same concept is at play. Because his true fans came through for him, whatever else happens, Reznor will likely profit from the Ghosts experiment.
But how hard it is to find those true fans? Reznor had the benefit of a long career backed by major labels that help push his music out to a wide audience. There is an interesting debate raging in the comments of yesterday's NIN post about whether any artist has ever gone from obscurity to mainstream success without help from a major label. Of course, Kelly says mainstream success isn't necessary, with work you can connect on a more local, personal level with your true fans.
I've actually seen this happen up close with a friend of mine who plays music in a rather obscure genre. By doing things like playing free house shows, blogging on MySpace and Facebook, having email and IM conversations with fans, inviting fans to help in the process by doing things like copying CDs and designing case inserts, etc. he has made sure he stays connected to his true fans. The fan base he has cultivated, albeit small by record label standards, ensures that there are enough people who will buy every new CD he puts out and come to his shows and drop $30 on t-shirts and stickers that he can continue to pay his bills.
This is also essentially the same theory employed by music startup Sellaband (our coverage). The web site implores music acts to generate $50,000 from "believers" -- usually in the form of $10 donations from 5,000 true fans. Any band that reaches that goal gets studio time to record a full album and distribution via the site and other retail channels.
Kelly's blueprint for long tail success works because he is talking about goods that you sell directly to your fans. Alex Iskold wrote last year how that blueprint won't work in the blogosphere. Because most blogging is ad supported, and because advertising is based on volume, a small number of true fans won't cut it.
However, though Kelly's argument may not apply to those looking to make money directly from blogging, blogging is probably a good way to make connections with and create a base of true fans. So even though you can't make money directly in the long tail of blogging, as Iskold said, perhaps you can use blogging in the long tail to cultivate a base of fans to make money via other methods (i.e., by selling books or booking speaking engagements).
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I'm bummed, Josh, that you didn't link to your friend's band site, blog or MySpace page! Even if it is obscure stuff, I'd love to hear it. The bands in the Long Tail are by nature obscure, but that doesn't mean they're bad. Getting a band discovered through a popular tech blog would be a first, no?
As Kevin point out in his post, if you have built an audience of a thousand passionate people, you can make a living out of your art. And maybe that's the new truth of being a musician in an age of zero profit media. Go on a small tour. Build an audience through an intimate blog. Have your artist friends make your music videos. Distribute your music for free online, at nearly zero cost. And maybe, just maybe, with a little luck you could be living the dream.
Being in a band that makes money so you don't have to work some crap day job is the new bicycle.
Posted by: Mark Schoneveld | March 5, 2008 11:07 AMI actually linked to in a previous article here. ;)
Posted by: Josh CatoneInteresting, and I would have to agree. I know personally I bought Nine Inch Nails newest album because I am a long time fan. Strip away his previous successes and fame and if I had not been following NIN for a long time, I doubt think I would have bought the album. It is the diehard fans that will make you the money. No different than a Tivo type company breeding diehard customers who follow them through thick and thin and will always be the first in line to shell out money for the newest greatest product. The band I love, I would buy any of their albums blindly. If you get enough people like that, that is where you make you money. I am a guaranteed buyer for certain things. I do not need to test, preview, research, but I will always follow who has been there for me as a fan/customer. If it was not for the NIN name, and I just stumbled on the album this "True Fan" would not have even spent the $5. (Oh and I was even one of those who bought the 'in rainbows' album on day one for $10)
Posted by: JPack | March 5, 2008 12:09 PMI just blogged about the Long Tail yesterday, and looking at it from a Higher Education/Recruitment angle, I concluded that 'the conversation happens in the long tail' on our sites and social media efforts.
Similarly, this is where the 'true fans' of our University are. Actively engaging in discussion and dialogue. Not always about the school or anything related to it, often times just starting to build community with the other students.
Blog post here:
Posted by: Bradjward | March 6, 2008 11:50 AMhttp://squaredpeg.com/index.php/2008/03/05/the-recruitment-long-tail/
The 'True Fans' are the ones you play the music for in the first place. They are the ones that will allow you to achieve personal satisfaction and gratification. By establishing a solid foundation based around the quality music, you can extend the band's brand tremendously. You have to go out and find them.
I manage a band, The Minor Kings, and I tell them all the time: The music will sell itself...but only at a certain point. You must reach every available outlet in the meantime. Without the help of a major record label (which is completely unneccessary at the moment), they have to possess the fire to get their music to the masses. With the advent of the internet and the latest 2.0 outlets for exposure, the possibilities are endless..
Posted by: Adam Wexler | March 6, 2008 12:51 PMInterestingly, one of my friends does try and support his blog through 'angels' - or people who pay to support his blog, in return for a commitment to post daily.
(In fact, he has been keeping an online diary since the mid-90s, and achieved a minor level of fame from doing so. He's also a musician and the special edition of their most recent CD includes a book of lyrics and writings, which very much fits in with the idea of creating something that adds value beyond the MP3).
I'm not 100% convinced by the idea. Personally, I don't feel like subsidising a whole bunch of freeloaders by paying $100 for a recording, so that they can have it gratis - although essentially that IS how the industry has worked for years - people would borrow and tape vinyl LPs, CDs, etc - it is just that whereas one sale = 3 copies, which may also lead to more sales next time, but that ratio has hugely changed.
Although it will be interesting to see a music industry that will be increasingly influenced by what fans want to buy. (You can see this happening to a degree in the UK, where there has been a huge influx of adult MOR acts into the charts, because these acts SELL a lot, rather than necessarily being acts that are popular with 'the kids').
Posted by: JulesLt | March 6, 2008 1:33 PM