rock music mixing techniques
Since the beginning of music, many bands and artists have become incredibly successful. The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell explores three rules of epidemics in which assist in creating success. These rules can all be linked to the success of alternative rock band Radiohead.
Malcolm Gladwell discusses his concept of stickiness. Gladwell states that what makes things stick is when you get the consumer involved. He uses the examples of Blue’s Clues and Sesame Street to portray these ideas. In Blue’s Clue the consumer is involved in helping Blue find his clues. The host of the show, Steve, is very interactive asking the viewers questions and making them feel apart. He explores the aspects of how making small adjustments, getting the consumer involved and using different and new approaches ultimately formulate the “stickiness.”
When dealing with musical artists and bands that have “stuck”, Radiohead is the first to come to mind. While there presentation and music is similar to many other bands, there marketing is the reason they stick. When building foundations for bands, a fan base is the most critical and crucial component. Having a relationship with fans makes them feel a part of something. One reason things stick is because of the maintenance of a strong relationship. Radiohead was an unsigned band with the drive to make it big. After releasing a half a dozen albums and being quite successful on each Radiohead wanted to be bigger and give back to their fans.
In 2007, Radiohead released their new album “In Rainbows” for free. Fan and other music listeners were able to download the album for free, yet the option to pay for it was there. While many listeners paid nothing, some paid up to $40, and supposedly a man was said to have paid $1000 for the FREE album. This is pure genius and the reason behind why Radiohead has stuck. What better way to market something then giving it away for free? Because of this marketing technique, Radiohead received a ton of free publicity and press. It was all over headlines that the band was “giving there album away for free.” There fan base also skyrocketed. All the press along with people who had never heard Radiohead downloading there CD simply because they could get it for free, put their name out into the public eye even more. Whether they liked it or didn’t, listeners were ultimately exposed to it.
Along with the stickiness factor, Gladwell also spends a lot of time discussing the power of context. The power of context is another concept that can make products and ideas tip. He discussed the importance of introducing trends in an environment/current and past conditions at the perfect time. He states that small altercations can change a lot if there are done at the right moment. This is not an easy thing to do. He shows examples of this through exploring the rapid decline of crime rates in NYC in the 1990’s. He also uses the success of the book the Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, along with discussing the size of groups to further prove his point.
Radiohead definitely fit the power of context into their success. They introduced there free downloadable CD at the perfect time. Back in 2007 the music industry was facing and still is issues of illegal downloading. They took this opportunity to give people exactly what they wanted, free music. They went against the music industry and record companies and simply connected with their fans. This influential change at such a perfect time, allowed for much of their success. If Radiohead had done this at a different time, when this wasn’t an on-going issue in the industry, they most likely wouldn’t have had the extreme success they have now.
If the band were to be marketed today using the law of a few to build a larger fan base, certain steps would need to be done. First it would be advisable to do some research. This research would involve finding out whom important individuals were. These individuals are the connectors, mavens, and salesmen. Connectors are those whom know a lot of people and can get a word out. An example of a connector would be someone who is known in the music industry or music scene. By them simply telling a few people, an epidemic may start. Mavens are people who enjoy helping consumers make informed decisions, out of good will. An example of a Maven could be someone who has a broad knowledge of music and really believes in something. Finally salesmen are people who have that certain “charm” that makes you feel good about purchasing something. They are also very persuasive. The salesmen in this case would be anyone trying to sell the CD simply to make a profit. After identifying these certain individuals, and putting them to work, the viral sensation beings. Radiohead would definitely benefit from the continuous use of the power of a few.
Malcolm Gladwell’s three rules of epidemics, consisting of the Stickiness Factor, the Law of a Few, and the Power of Context all maintain value. They have helped to aid in the success of many epidemics, in addition to Radiohead. Radiohead’s marketing approach and use of all of Gladwell’s concepts have opened the door to their current success.
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Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – When you mix the Tipping Point with Radiohead
How to Produce Music from a Home Recording Studio : Basic Audio Mixing for Home Recording
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