This is an interview series in preparation for my SXSW Panel: The State of Music Blogs in 2010. I reached out to a number of influencers, musicans, labels, marketers and music fans to get their perspectives on the topic and will be posting these in a series leading up to the conference.
Today we’re hearing from Minneapolis musician Adam Svec, who has a new album out, Resolution (stream it here).
Why do you think music blogs are so popular?
I think music blogs became popular during the decline of print resources like CMJ (New Music Monthly) and NME because they were more timely than a lot of the indie-rock magazines and journals. Instead of waiting until your copy of New Music Monthly was supposed to show up (and often didn’t), college radio dj’s could just look up pitchfork, stereogum, daytrotter (for a more cumulative approach) and brooklynvegan as reliable sources for what was going to be “the band” to watch this week/month/minute. In the last couple years I think there has been a bit of blog saturation. Political blogs, art blogs, and music blogs have been a little too concerned with timeliness and racing for the newest carrot-on-the-stick, without taking into account the timeless quality of the art/politican being promoted. However, good writers/reviewers have defended themselves very earnestly. The power of a good writer speaks volumes, and I hope that it always will. As new generations begin to embrace music appreciation and reviews, I think music blogs will remain an important strong-hold for the arts community.
How have they changed your music consumption and/or marketing efforts?
In 2005 and 2006, I read the blogs religiously. I checked their updates more than I checked the New York Times or the Star Tribune. Although, I didn’t necessarily find a large proportion of my favorite musicians via these means, it definitely gave me an idea of which blogs I wanted to send press kits when I started promoting a record. At the time, I even had a separate “blog” spreadsheet (set apart from my “radio” spreadsheet and my “press” spreadsheet). I categorized blogs by region, and I made sure to get in touch with the blogs in different states when The Glad Version was hitting the road for short tours.
What’s the best thing to happen to the music industry in the last year or so?
The return of singing… (e.g. Grizzly Bear, The Bowerbirds, Beirut). From the mid-nineties through the mid-thousands, the United States’ independent music landscape was powered by a folk-punk movement of “edgy” singers (e.g. Eric Bachman, Jeff Mangum, Conor Oberst, Tim Kasher). As much as I love the freedom of these singers (and I mean truly love), it is so refreshing to hear honest-to-jesus singers return to the spotlight as 2010 starts off a new decade. Belt them pitches boys, belt it!
What’s the worst?
The fact that Andrew Broder will no longer be recording Fog records.
This is an interview series in preparation for my SXSW Panel: The State of Music Blogs in 2010. I reached out to a number of influencers, musicans, labels, marketers and music fans to get their perspectives on the topic and will be posting these in a series leading up to the conference.
Today’s interview is with Marni Wandner, media promoter, music fan and owner of Sneak Attack Media (one of the better PR shops who pitch me, I have to say).
Why do you think music blogs are so popular?
I think blogs create a community where people learn to trust what one person/entity is bringing to their attention, that entity is creating a filter of things that the reader will most likely enjoy. But the great part is that the reader is also free to interact with that entity and the other readers. I also think the free mp3 downloads help.
How do you think music blogs/aggregators/social networks have impacted the industry?
Well, for one thing, it put the power of influence into the hands of the music fans. It used to be that you liked something and you could tell a friend and then they hear it and they tell a friend; now you’re able to develop a following and get your opinion out to hundreds of people or hundreds of thousands of people, with every post. The aggregators help the cause by making it easy to get all of those opinions in one place, and then sort through it depending on what you’re looking for. Social networks have changed the way we share, again, because we can say one little thing and find a whole slew of eyes and ears to catch it. Music blogs and social networks have lowered the barrier of entry. For better or for worse, it’s possible for one person with a lot to say about music to have as great an influence as a journalist at a major magazine. The unique thing about the way this model works is that it’s not just moving outward—people have a chance to interact. With each other, with the person putting out the initial information. It’s the interaction that makes blogs and social networks grow and remain living, thriving communities, and places where music and culture can become a constant conversation.
How have they changed your music consumption and/or marketing efforts?
Consumption, yes—I really do try it on a blog and then buy it on iTunes or Amazon, or (gasp) a record store. I’ll go through a bunch of blogs to play new music by bands I haven’t hear of and then go find out where to buy it (is there an album available, is it a teaser, etc.) The problem is that people are smart, and they do the trying part, and then go find out where they can get the rest for free. Marketing-wise, my company is a digital marketing company, so yes, without these changes I’d be doing straight publicity or sending posters to street teamers around the country. My company is based on the fact that people talk to each other about what’s going on that is interesting and compelling. But the blogs and social networks have without a doubt shaped the way we deal with marketing as it’s no longer simply breaking through to one or two giant entities to expose a band or record. It’s about having access to a whole lot of little entities who care and have the collective power to break a band through.
What’s the best thing to happen to the music industry in the last year or so?
Good music
What’s the worst?
It’s too easy to steal it, and people don’t care about quality
What is the single biggest strategy/technology/innovation/societal shift you think will impact music in 2010?
The iPad, just kidding. I’m really interested to see what the next step up for Twitter is, because I think they’ve really distilled it all down to where it’s going to stay for a while. I’m looking forward to see how people and companies use (or continue to use) Twitter to monetize music.
As I prepare my brain (and liver) for my SXSW Panel: The State of Music Blogs in 2010, I reached out to a number of influencers, musicans, labels, marketers and music fans to get their perspectives on the topic. I’ll be posting these in a series leading up to the festival.
First up is City Pages Music Editor Andrea Swensson who is a self-described writer, blogger and music fan (although tehcnically the main blogger at Gimme Noise and editor of the City Pages music section).
Why do you think music blogs are so popular?
Music blogs help people to sort through the maelstrom of information that is swirling around out there online — even music bloggers need other music blogs to keep it all straight. You could listen to a steady stream of new music 24 hours a day and still miss some cool stuff. But if you find a music blog that you identify with and whose tastes align with your own, it can help you to weed out some new bands you might have otherwise overlooked.
How do you think music blogs/aggregators/social networks have impacted the industry?
It really depends on how you look at it (i.e. how cynical you are). From my perspective, I think that music blogs have really helped us locally. When I comb through my Google Reader and see the range of bands being written about on our local blogs, it gives me an overwhelming feeling of community and belonging. I especially love the rare instances where one blog picks up where another leads off and continues a dialog across the platform. Whether it’s to argue about a hyped-up band or dig deeper into a venue closing or band breakup, it’s reassuring to see a network of people working separately yet harmoniously to find out more about what’s going on in the local scene. I don’t know if I answered your question, and I don’t know if this has led to more ticket sales or CD sales or downloads of local music, but I would imagine (hope) it has helped local artists to feel more supported and for independent artists to make more of an impact without the help of a publicist or manager.
How have they changed your music consumption and/or marketing efforts?
Absolutely. I rely on blogs to help me sort through which music I want to listen to first — on the local level, anyway. Nationally, I still mostly rely on live shows to discover new bands.
What’s the best thing to happen to the music industry in the last year or so?
Lady GaGa.
What’s the worst?
Something that I find to be discouraging is what some would call a “pack mentality” amongst bloggers, which was especially noticable for me with the 2009 year-end polls and lists. While I think a lot of our local blogs avoid this, I see a trend across national blogs involving a lot of regurgitation and very little critical and/or independent thought. In the race to see who can leak the new (fill-in-the-hip-indie-band name) track first, a lot of bloggers tend to overlook that we don’t actually need 1000 people writing about the same Animal Collective/Vampire Weekend/Dirty Projectors/whatever song. The conversation seems diluted at times, and lacks thoughtfulness. On the other hand, that level of hype seems to help these otherwise anti-mainstream bands sell records, so maybe it is useful for the artists in the long run. I’m not sure.
What is the single biggest strategy/technology/innovation/societal shift you think will impact music in 2010?
My personal feeling is that video is going to become even more important for musicians in 2010. People are craving interaction, and videos give fans and newcomers alike a chance to feel out the artist on a more tangible level that just streaming an mp3 or reading a review.
Anything else to add about the State of Music Blogs in 2010?
Don’t stop writing, and don’t pay attention to page views. Write about what moves you, and don’t be afraid to show some passion. Otherwise you’re just reposting a press release, and who needs that?
Japan’s Polysics will be in the U.S. for a headline tour in support of the new CD Absolute POLYSICS starting January 28. But they aren’t coming to Minneapolis, which makes me feel ??? (kanashii).
Today I’m checking out The Candles, which is a solo project from Josh Lattanzi, best known for playing bass for Albert Hammond, Jr., Ben Kweller, and The Lemonheads.
This is unobtrusive chill rock reminiscent of Fountains of Wayne’s older stuff or perhaps material that could’ve been on the Dumb & Dumber soundtrack (which I dig, btw).
This is an interview series in preparation for my SXSW Panel: The State of Music Blogs in 2010. I reached out to a number of influencers, musicans, labels, marketers and music fans to get their perspectives on the topic and will be posting these in a series leading up to the conference. 
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