Introducing...Music magazines!
by Melissa Mathews
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Help!
I recently had a conversation with a professor about my unforeseeable future in the advertising business, and not knowing where I fall in the industry. I had this same feeling when I started this area of expertise project – where would I be? Especially with graduation looming, it was the first time I had no idea where I would be in six months. But I knew I was interested in advertising and had always loved, from a young age, alternative, punk rock music. Throughout my exploration into an area of expertise, I found music magazines fit what I wanted to explore. Music magazines have had such an impact on the music industry and the way artists should be marketed. As the industry had settled into how music magazines work, the Internet emerged and turned the industry on its head again. My area of expertise merges the two media sources: magazines and online. |
The first issue of Rolling Stone featured John Lennon on the cover.
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Come Together
One thing I’ve learned in this process is the way these magazine brands are marketed can be applied to any area in the music industry. Music magazines were the first to break up the industry and create subcultures and niches dedicated to a certain genre of music. Now, because of online, music has been broken into millions and millions of subcultures and niches that are serving small, really dedicated communities of music lovers. Music magazines that have found success in an economically hard-hit medium, have integrated online into its publication.
When I started, I expected the people I interviewed to be focused more on creating an online publication and applications, and leaving print in the dust. But the people I spoke with were incredibly passionate about their print publications, and never want to see print go. They want to enhance their magazines and create something you cannot receive online, for example, quality images and well-analyzed news and interviews.
Across the Universe
One month ago, I started sending out my cover letter and resume for an internship in the summer. I decided to start big – aim for places that would be my dream internship and then work my way towards more realistic places. To my surprise, I had received an email back immediately from a record label called Fueled By Ramen, asking to set up a phone interview. And after a series of emails and interviews, I am now officially moving to New York City for the summer to pursue my dream and learn more about the industry.
These days, it is easier for artists to become successful internationally, but they have to maintain communication with fans in multiple countries. They cannot focus only online, but also, give their dedicated fans even more through music magazines. I’ve come to find out that artists who have integrated marketing campaigns that include a cohesive print and an online presence really can become internationally successful and maintain this success throughout their careers.
One of the most exciting questions I want to tackle while I am in London is - how do they do it? London is known for having internationally successful music publications, so how do these publications stay different and interesting in a digital world? While I can assume they have the same tactics as some of the US publications, they might have some drastically different opinions on the future of print and music industries.
One thing I’ve learned in this process is the way these magazine brands are marketed can be applied to any area in the music industry. Music magazines were the first to break up the industry and create subcultures and niches dedicated to a certain genre of music. Now, because of online, music has been broken into millions and millions of subcultures and niches that are serving small, really dedicated communities of music lovers. Music magazines that have found success in an economically hard-hit medium, have integrated online into its publication.
When I started, I expected the people I interviewed to be focused more on creating an online publication and applications, and leaving print in the dust. But the people I spoke with were incredibly passionate about their print publications, and never want to see print go. They want to enhance their magazines and create something you cannot receive online, for example, quality images and well-analyzed news and interviews.
Across the Universe
One month ago, I started sending out my cover letter and resume for an internship in the summer. I decided to start big – aim for places that would be my dream internship and then work my way towards more realistic places. To my surprise, I had received an email back immediately from a record label called Fueled By Ramen, asking to set up a phone interview. And after a series of emails and interviews, I am now officially moving to New York City for the summer to pursue my dream and learn more about the industry.
These days, it is easier for artists to become successful internationally, but they have to maintain communication with fans in multiple countries. They cannot focus only online, but also, give their dedicated fans even more through music magazines. I’ve come to find out that artists who have integrated marketing campaigns that include a cohesive print and an online presence really can become internationally successful and maintain this success throughout their careers.
One of the most exciting questions I want to tackle while I am in London is - how do they do it? London is known for having internationally successful music publications, so how do these publications stay different and interesting in a digital world? While I can assume they have the same tactics as some of the US publications, they might have some drastically different opinions on the future of print and music industries.
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