How Music is Purchased and Advertised Today

Today music is advertised differently. In 2003, when iTunes began selling songs and albums in the MP3 format, users were able to create an iTunes account and preview tracks that way. Users are now also allowed to purchase single tracks, when before, unless a song was offered as a single, the customer would have to purchase the entire album. iTunes gave the customer the power to control what songs were purchased, and saved them money. Songs were first sold for $0.99, and were more recently increased to $1.29 per song. CDs used to sell for around $20 in the store, but with the increased level of competition, CDs can be purchased in the store for less. iTunes has iMixes, where customers can create playlists and share with others. Customers can then rate the playlists and comment. This serves as a form of social media. iTunes also has the top 200 current songs that allow customers to browse and preview and purchase the songs. Customers can filter results by genre as well to find songs that match their music preferences. iTunes also  showcases  new releases of albums and tracks. Additionally, iTunes keeps a record of what purchases were mad and gives the customer recommendations for other music based on past purchases. In addition to iTunes, other websites offer music for a small fee, such as amazon.com. Customers can preview tracks, read customer reviews, and purchase and download tracks and albums. This serves as a direct competitor for iTunes.

 This increased competition with digital music has forced some companies to go out of business.. f.y.e. acquired Strawberries and Coconuts in 2001. However, f.y.e closed one hundred stores in 2009. This shows the shift from tangible CDs to the digital age in music. Concerts are still used as a way for bands and artists to promote themselves. Music festivals are becoming increasingly popular, with Bamboozle and Country Fest being well attended by many. Bamboozle has a mixture of well known, popular artists and bands with emerging artists. In order to play at the Bamboozle, artists and bands must compete in smaller concerts. This increases the quality of the bands and artists playing at the festival. CDs are offered for purchase at concerts, as well as other merchandise like t-shirts and posters. T-Shirts especially are ways that customers are promoting the band or artist, with little cost to manufacture from the band’s perspective.  Although television is sometimes used as an advertising medium, there has been a shift to digital marketing. Television advertising is mostly used to highlight certain soundtracks that were played in television shows. The more popular way to advertise music is through social media.