December 16, 2008 18 Things I'd Love to Pay Musicians For
Being a rather passionate consumer of music, I thought I would briefly share with you some of the things that I would eagerly pay money for as a fan.
I have several bands in mind here that I eagerly follow like a hawk. Some are small, lesser known; some are more popular. The popularity of the group is irrelevant because I’m part of what each those bands would consider their core community - if they got up out of bed this morning, I want to know about it (not really, but you get my drift).
I’ve identified with their craft and therefore want to be let into their “inner circle” so that I can get to know the musicians as people, deepening my appreciation for both the artist and their craft.
That is really what selling access is all about: satisfying your fans’ desire to get to know you better.
I’d like to just clarify that I realize most artists will need to reach a certain level of critical mass (will be different for every artist) before they could viably sell access to fans. There’s nothing wrong with being small, but clearly you need to generate a certain level of interest before people are willing to open their wallets.
That being said, let me throw some ideas your way. These are 18 things I would eagerly pay money for if my favorite artists offered them:
- Live video streams from the recording studio
- Access to unreleased demos
- Access to works in progress
- Cover art turned fine art (i.e. Gallery prints of album cover art)
- Meet & Greets (could be formal or “Let’s Grab a Beer”)
- Home videos (I’m thinking along the lines of funny here)
- A personal blog (about their life, not their music)
- An exclusive CD or Vinyl (only sold to members)
- Live video chats/Q&A
- Side projects (artwork, experimental songs, etc.)
- Hand-made things (how about a handmade cd sleeve?)
- Videos talking about the inspiration for individual songs
- Recording information (i.e. How specific songs were recorded, including mics, mic position, instruments, tone settings, ProTools plug-ins, outboard gear, etc.)
- Sheet music/Tablature or even better:
- Instructional videos on how to play a song (e.g. The picking pattern for this guitar part)
- Streaming video from live shows
- Live recordings
- ProTools sessions/Garageband files
I could really go on and on - there are so many possibilities! I would envision these things being offered as more of a ‘package’ rather than paying for them individually, but how many things are offered and how really is dependent on the artist.
Of course, you can always provide these types of things to your fans for free - for some artists that will make a lot of sense; for others, this list represents things other than your CD that fans would love to pay you for because it fulfills their desire to understand you and your art on a deeper level.
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Andrew Goodrich is currently studying business and music industry at Loyola University New Orleans. He’s an aspiring music business entrepreneur, casual musician and photographer, and an avid supporter of artists.
He has interned at Alan Ett Creative Group and 20th Century Fox’s Newman Scoring Stage and Post Production Department. In the future, he hopes to find himself where film and music meet.
He currently resides under the roof of Artists House Music as a video editor and regular contributor to the Artists House Music blog.
Reader Comments (7)
GREAT summary of potential revenue sources, Andrew - THANKS, and got me wondering...what would you (and others - readers here plus could make good survey for public -maybe do some polling and report back?), likely pay? (In a world going ever-more FREE)
I recognize it would vary widely based on what is offered, but how much for, say, a strong package of several/many of items listed?
And would you/public consider a monthly subscription?
I think for many indie artists this is one of the really strong possibilities for income (outside of touring), so seems worth exploring deeper.
Lastly, I believe "film and music meeting" may be a SIGNIFICANT part of the future of entertainment, in various forms, so on a personal note, Andrew, you are positioning perfectly - go ahead and make some history!
Andrew,
Finally got around to reading this post today. Great job. This is a post I am going to share at our product development meetings.
Thanks,
Bruce
@Dg
That's an interesting question - Just thinking about it briefly myself, I would pay very different amounts for different products from different artists - so it may be very difficult to pinpoint an 'average' price point that would work across the board for musicians.
I can tell you that I'd pay an absolute premium for several things that I really want. I'd be willing to fork over $50-75 for access to Kaki King tabs and instructional videos. I would pay ~$40 for a live recording/DVD of The Decemberists' one-off concert with the LA Philharmonic.
@Bruce
Thanks for the feedback - let me know if it leads to any inspired thoughts/actions
Andrew
This is terrific. It is exactly what myself and a songwriter I work with have been discussing lately. I believe that if an artist begins offering this type of material to the fans then the fans will be an excellent source of feedback for what type of material they should be offered next. I imagine that you only need to start with a few things and see where the interest lies.
@your bio.
I believe that the resting place between music and film is the future of live performance. Think live music videos crossed with a blockbuster musical, yet authentic to the artist and the tone of the songs. I am more and more interesting in creating and attending events that integrate and celebrate music, film, dance and physical art into one display. A choreographed barrage of the senses.
Cheers
Alex
@Alex
RE: integrating film and music
I definitely agree with you on that. Not that all shows need to be a huge 'production' necessarily, but that the live performance is another way to provide the audience with a context - here, more specifically, a visual story - that compliments and enhances the music. Ever been to a Sigur Ros or Flaming Lips show? I was a fan before I saw them play live. After the show, I came away a fanatic.
I love hand-made things too
mp3musicasite
How much would you pay for artist's garageband loops?