Major Record Label Research Project
The purpose of this case study is to get you ready for the Audiences and Institutions exam. The examiner will expect you to reference your case study in the exam. Your case study is in effect revision and prep for the summer exam. The key questions are a guide; please feel free to use the key questions as a springboard for your case study. You will present your case studies on your Audiences and Institutions blog and you will use your case study during the mock exam season. Unfortunately you are not allowed to take your case studies into the summer exam.
Step One: Choose your MAJOR label. You have four choices:
Step Two Your case study will cover the following areas: OWNERSHIP,
Are you comfortable that you know what each term means?
PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION
Do you have a good idea how media technology has affected these areas of music production?
MARKETING, and EXCHANGE
Can you give at least one example for each area?
Step Three:You’ve chosen your label, now answer the research questions Who are they? What artists does the label promote? Are the artists well known? How does the label benefit from media technology? Place your research under the key headings: PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION, MARKETING and EXCHANGE. Does your label feature on the Radio One playlist? Find out at www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/playlist What radio stations play music from your label? What TV stations (if any) support music from your label? What web sites live stream music from your label?
Step Four Choose a couple of artists that are signed to your major label. Draw a Long Tail for your artists that illustrates: Their PLAYS on Last FM; what similar artists does Last FM recommend and where would you place them on your Last FM Long Tail? OR Their plays on Spotify (if you have it); what similar artists does Spotify recommend and where would you place them on your Spotify Long Tail? OR Their VIEWS on YouTube; what similar artists does You Tube recommend and where would you place them on your You Tube Long Tail? You can also look at We7, Myspace, Pure Volume etc for this task
Step Six Find the listings for last year’s (or this year’s if available) major music festivals. How many of the artists that played are signed to your chosen Major? In your opinion, why have music festivals had a renaissance over the last few years?
Drawing it all together: OWNERSHIP research: What other companies does the parent company own? Draw an organisational chart that illustrates all of the companies owned. What other labels does the Major label own? PRODUCTION research Does your label produce physical CDs or vinyl? In what ways has media technology helped your MAJOR labels to find and recruit talented artists?
Drawing it all together: MARKETING research: What marketing techniques does your Major label use to promote a new CD album or single launch? (e.g. web site, Myspace, press coverage, advertising, viral online campaigns etc.) How does the label use Myspace to promote their artists? Does the label use social media to promote their artists? Does the label have a You Tube account? If so what is featured (music videos, interviews etc) What press, TV coverage can you find about the bands signed to the label? Does the label organise gigs to promote the band?
Drawing it all together: DISTRIBUTION and EXCHANGE research: Do Physical Retailers stock CDs or vinyl from your label? If so which retailers? How much? Can you download tracks from the Major label’s web site? If so, how much per download? Does iTunes stock tracks from your label? In what ways has your Major record label embraced media technology? How could it improve it’s web/social media presence?