In the past, for an artist to stand any chance of being commercially successful, they needed to ensure that they could get their music on the radio and have a music video on MTV. This system of top-down marketing was essential as radio stations and MTV had a monopoly on the distribution of new music. Today, however, social networking allows users to communicate and share information amongst their friends, and as a result, bottom-up buzz marketing is starting to become a large component of a record label’s marketing strategy.
WOMM has always been a very important form of communication between humans, and now, thanks to social, music enthusiasts can recommend products and services to one another at the click of a mouse. But is WOMM important to artists? With people trusting recommendations from friends more than ever, the importance of creating socially relevant content is higher than ever. As the significance of radio and music videos decline, WOMM is the quickly becoming the most important marketing factor to consider when trying to make it big in the music industry. Don't just take our word for it, but look at hit country sensation Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush of Sugarland for further proof.
If for some strange reason Sugarland couldn’t make albums or hit singles anymore, they can always rest on their incredible live shows. The country duo has been rocking stadiums for years, and coming off their most recent tour, they aren’t slowing down anytime soon.
Sugarland is known for giving it their all during their shows. They have even borrowed a stunt from alternative rockers the Flaming Lips -- traveling over the audience in a giant plastic ball -- in an effort to entertain their fans. Can you think of another way to make a live performance more talkable and engaging (You are probably thinking of the Coke example, but let’s forget that for a second)?
While both Nettles and Bush are talented performers, what's even more impressive is how the country duo is sparking a dialogue by making their music accessible and maintaining an approachable demeanor with their fans. They are pushing the envelope and toeing the line between folk, country, and pop music – a maneuver that has proven to be quite successful and controversial for the group, but most importantly, always keeping them in the dialogue of the day.
Want to learn how to become a WOMM rockstar? Then join us for WOMMfest and hear from Grammy Award winning Kristian Bush as he shares insights into how WOMM propelled Sugarland into stardom.
Discount: Get $10 off your ticket price if you register before V-day by using the code "WOMMLOVE."
