A Public Relations Equation for a Music Industry Solution

With all this talk of a digital revolution within the modern-day music industry, you must be wondering where the public relations part of the equation, the purpose of this blog, fits into the "music industry solution." The answer is simple. They are one in the same. 

How can this be? How could the digital distribution revolution that threatened to abolish the recording industry, as we knew it, only a few short years ago be a part of the public relations equation to the music industry's ultimate solution? Once again, the answer is simple. 

The public relations profession, like many other modern professions, has recognized the powerful influence of social media and digital communication and, as a result, has harnessed its influence and directed it toward accomplishing their industrial goals and objectives. Because of the public relations professions' understanding of the modern marvel known as digital communication, the industry has been able to demonstrate the effectiveness of audience engagement and organizational transparency. 

Within the context of the music and recording industry, the same theory and methods of public relations sustain. The music industry solution is not to ignore digital distribution and Internet-mediated communication, it is to embrace it. As many recording industry conglomerates and independent labels have recently demonstrated, the music industry has slowly, but surely, began to recognize, harness and embrace the digital and social revolution. 

You might be wondering by now how public relations (PR) can help to improve and further legitimize the traditional recording label within the age of digital music. That, in and of itself, is a legitimate question and concern. As I mentioned earlier, I personally believe that the solution to the music industry's current anguish over industrial legitimacy within an era of digital distribution, self-promotion and social communication can be answered with two simple letters, "PR." 

Compared to the recording industry's traditional and widely accepted methods of music promotion and artist publicity, public relations is a relatively new concept to the music industry. In years past, the music industry has heavily relied on marketing and advertising-based methods of promotion to sell records and concert tickets, as well as publicize new and existing artists. Considering the increased popularity of digital distribution and social media platforms devoted to music lovers and entertainment junkies, I believe that a public relations-rooted approach to music promotion and artist publicity is more appropriate in light of a modernized recording industry. 

In my next post, I will highlight a few more concrete reasons why I believe public relations is a big part of the music industry solution for both today and years to come.