Music Industry Predictions for 2015

[HOFX]

Hey, thought I'd share my 5 predictions for 2015 for the music industry, would be keen for others to share theirs as well.

1. Labels will become even more irrelevant. Bands will turn to new technology such as Kobalt to manage the business side of things, and there will be new gateways to book, manage and promote tours. Bands will gain more control of their revenue streams, and technologies that favour labels over bands (eg Spotify) will need to adjust to remain relevant.

2. A fresh genre of music will begin to emerge in the charts - something other than RnB, faux-skrillex techno or country. My bet is Ed Sheeran acoustic style with actual talent driving the production which doesn't rely on Auto-tune and heavy editing.

3. More Asian bands / acts will break through, particularly South Korean and maybe Chinese.

4. Slate Digital will have a big year. Virtual Microphone System and a couple of VMR packs will be big hits. A Raven price drop and additional DAW support will see even greater shift towards touchscreen interfacing.

5. No new leaps forward in amp sim technology. S-Gear may finally release their hardware box and along with additional amp/cab packs for Recab 4, Kemper, Axe FX, there will be nothing to get excited about. The generation that grew up with ipods/ipads will finally realise that BIAS is nothing special.

 

[Machinated]

funk music influences will become more prevalent in pop. funky guitars have crept their way in over the last 18 months or so (essentially down to daft punk/pharrell/nile rodgers, also 1975, haim) but the new ronson tracks have taken it a step further.

an alternative to spotify will step up, ideally where artists and producers are paid fairly. (maybe beats/apple?).

more high quality options will become available to listen to music. mp3's will become less and less common.

legal downloads will keep increasing and illegal ones will decrease.

this won't happen but I wish it would: full production and song credits will be embedded into tracks.

 

[HCL]

I think labels are settling into their new role in the music industry now, IMO predictions of their demise from this point on are exaggerated. The shock of the digital era was a while back, the industry seems to have come to terms with it from my perspective, I'm aware I could be completely off on this but that's how it seems.

 

[egan.]

I think labels are settling into their new role in the music industry now, IMO predictions of their demise from this point on are exaggerated. The shock of the digital era was a while back, the industry seems to have come to terms with it from my perspective, I'm aware I could be completely off on this but that's how it seems.

I agree. For all of the talk about labels disappearing they simply haven't and in some ways they're more powerful b/c they own huge chunks of the delivery mechanisms (spotify, beats, etc.). If anything the industry is more corporatized than ever and I expect that trend will continue and the pyramid scheme of streaming will continue to erode revenue for mid-level artists.

 

[Fox Mulder]

I think the world's about to implode.

 

[Star Ark]

1. Djent will still be everywhere but the average joe will start to hear how unoriginal most of it is.
2. Younger artists will continue to idolise artists using podcasts and twitter feeds and the "rockstar" characters will continue to lose their mystique.
3. Rings of Saturn will be outed as metal's Millie Vanillie and even non musicians will be outraged
4. Tool will get sued again and we won't get the album 2015

 

[Pman]

^
Everyone is already aware of what a bunch of cheats Rings Of Saturn are. To the point that their guitarist left a couple weeks ago because of it.
And even though i'm aware of it, I've still been listening to their newest album a bunch because its really enjoyable, miles ahead in terms of songwriting than the previous two.

 

[LeSedna]

Hey, thought I'd share my 5 predictions for 2015 for the music industry, would be keen for others to share theirs as well.

1. Labels will become even more irrelevant. Bands will turn to new technology such as Kobalt to manage the business side of things, and there will be new gateways to book, manage and promote tours. Bands will gain more control of their revenue streams, and technologies that favour labels over bands (eg Spotify) will need to adjust to remain relevant.

I want to discuss this, as I am myself concerned by the case "I have music I want to promote, but I won't be touring at all because I have a job that does not allow it". How can be labels irrelevant, aren't they those who actually do the marketing ? Surely they shifted their center of expertise, but isn't there still an interest ?

 

[MultiM]

I predict that necrophagist won't release a new album

 

[MetalMiller]

lol

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

I predict a lot of the same shit in pop, more easily digested horse shit music. You guys seem a bit optimistic IMO.

 

[indecizo]

the info I gathered from friends of necrophaggots says they are (supposedly) going to release the new album this year

 

[Flow Of Time]

I predict a lot of the same shit in pop, more easily digested horse shit music. You guys seem a bit optimistic IMO.

This

 

[HOFX]

I want to discuss this, as I am myself concerned by the case "I have music I want to promote, but I won't be touring at all because I have a job that does not allow it". How can be labels irrelevant, aren't they those who actually do the marketing ? Surely they shifted their center of expertise, but isn't there still an interest ?

The tools for bands to manage their licensing and track sources of income are making labels irrelevant. As for marketing, I'm sure there's nothing stopping you from paying for your own advertising, and if there's enough buzz, getting interviews / reviews published on line.

I think one of the least utilised marketing strategies by bands is by doing split releases and leveraging each others' fan base.

If I was relying on the income of my music to put food on my table, I would be very happy on any initiative to cut out the middle man.

Maybe labels need to restructure as well, and market albums based on a fee paid by bands, and open to any band that fits their genre / standard?

 

[Winston Wolf]

The tools for bands to manage their licensing and track sources of income are making labels irrelevant. As for marketing, I'm sure there's nothing stopping you from paying for your own advertising, and if there's enough buzz, getting interviews / reviews published on line.

Basically you are up against corporations full of marketing specialists with connections.and those guys do it full time.You severely underestimate them.

 

[bryan_kilco]

^
Everyone is already aware of what a bunch of cheats Rings Of Saturn are. To the point that their guitarist left a couple weeks ago because of it.
And even though i'm aware of it, I've still been listening to their newest album a bunch because its really enjoyable, miles ahead in terms of songwriting than the previous two.

Never was into RoS, but my drummer and vocalist saw them maybe a month or so ago and just last night I saw some of the live video my vocalist took and I must say, from what I could tell, they were playing that shit. Apparently they released a new album and couldn't play it so they toured and played their old album in support of the new one? LOLZ.

 

[Machinated]

I predict a lot of the same shit in pop, more easily digested horse shit music. You guys seem a bit optimistic IMO.

"more of the same shit" - you're better off trying to appreciate what makes those hits what they are. It's one thing to not like them, but theres way too much talent involved to rule it all out as shit. writing pop song puts you under completely different constraints and its not easy to make. its not going away so may as well get wise to it and learn what you can from it.

 

[HCL]

"more of the same shit" - you're better off trying to appreciate what makes those hits what they are. It's one thing to not like them, but theres way too much talent involved to rule it all out as shit. writing pop song puts you under completely different constraints and its not easy to make. its not going away so may as well get wise to it and learn what you can from it.

This.

 

[He's Dead, Jim]

Yeah, if you don't think there's some fantastic pop music being made right now then you just don't like pop music.

 

[HCL]

This has been the best decade for pop music since the 80s IMO and we're only half way through.