Starter Pack: The Emerging Tech Guide for Independent Artists
The independent music sector continues to face several macro-level market challenges going into 2024.
As technological advancements make it easier than ever to create music, the market will become even more saturated beyond its current breaking point (an average of 103,500 new tracks hit streaming services each week in 2023). Emerging artists are competing directly with existing stars for audience attention — and, with impending changes in streaming payout models, some artists may be cut out from earning streaming royalties entirely.
Given these challenges, there is a clear case for artists and their teams to consider engaging with emerging technologies — encompassing digital innovations like AI, VR, and blockchain that could transform the ways music is created, distributed, monetized, and experienced.
New technologies can help artists:
- Stand out in a crowded landscape by opening up opportunities for creating innovative IP, expanding fan bases, and connecting with individuals who might not have discovered one's music otherwise.
- Expand revenue streams by reaching and engaging fan bases in novel ways, beyond the dominant modes of music consumption.
- Free up more time to do what they love: Make music. Contrary to the common perception that independent artists need to do everything themselves — across creation, marketing, and content production — the strategic use of new technology can help one achieve more in less time (e.g. using AI to streamline social content creation, marketing automation, and data analysis).
The trick for artists and their teams is approaching and engaging with technology thoughtfully, in a way that actually achieves their specific creative and career goals.
Building off of several years of research and case-study analysis on music and tech, we’re thrilled to release our most extensive Starter Pack yet: A comprehensive, practical guide on emerging tech for independent artists.
This is designed to be an evergreen resource for any professionals — especially artists, artist team members, and startup founders — who are eager to bridge the latest emerging-tech trends in entertainment with the critical perspective needed to architect a truly impactful creative strategy.
Key features include:
- Strategy checklists for ensuring an emerging tech project has all the elements it needs to be successful.
- Pathfinder flowcharts to help artists identify the best strategic entry points into experimenting with emerging tech, based on their long-term career goals.
- Case studies on key independent music projects that incorporate emerging tech thoughtfully into their creative and business strategies.
- Limitations and challenges around the legal, logistical, and marketing around emerging tech, with concrete solutions on how to address them
- Accessible tips to get started for those who are completely new to the emerging tech field.
- Glossaries of key terms artists should know to understand the implications of emerging tech, especially on a technical and philosophical level.
We hope our guide serves as a valuable toolkit for the independent sector as we collectively continue to navigate the dynamic, fast-paced landscape of emerging technologies. We welcome your questions, feedback, and corrections at any time — please reach out at hi@waterandmusic.com.
You can view the full guide for free below: