Member Since: 12/25/2003
Posts: 13,870
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Billboard nitpicks Taylor's genius article
http://www.billboard.com/biz/article...optimist-op-ed
Quote:
Swift's thoughts on the music business were unsurprising and middle-of-the-road mainstream. She argued for the value of artistic creations, the viability of the album format and the importance of developing deep, emotional connections with fans. She described the short attention span of young consumers and advised artists to "constantly [provide] them with the element of surprise." Her thoughts about free music -- streaming was not mentioned -- may clash with the mainstream, but they're hardly controversial.
But Swift could have written much more.
She left out the reasons country artists have to be optimistic. Their genre is supported by the most mainstream media formats. Country radio is incredibly successful, accounting for about 14% of listening in the U.S., according to Arbitron. Country is a mainstay on broadcast television, too. And it has two organizations — the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association — that help develop young talent and solidify the careers of established talent. Artists in other genres don't have that kind of support system.
Not only did Swift fail to mention the role brands play in music, she failed to the disparity in brand sponsorships. Brands already play an important role in the music business and will undoubtedly carry more weight in the future. Swift has worked with numerous brands, such as Cover Girl, Keds, Papa Johns and Diet Coke. These days, popular artists, especially in country music, tend to have brand sponsors. But the distribution of these sponsorships is heavily skewed toward a small number of superstars. While developing and mid-tier artists do attract sponsorship dollars, the top-tier artists command the lion's share of the money.
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Billboard telling the complete truth.