Sell-Outs or Successes? Branding in Music

Lauren Taylor

You can go to any country in the world and see an advertisement for a musician that is identical to an advertisement shown in America. Why? Branding. Branding has become a necessary element for any musician or band to become successful not only in America, but also, throughout the world.

As stated in an article titled, Musician Marketing: Branding, “A branded image establishes you as a legitimate musician…and it presents upsell opportunities such as apparel, hats and other merchandise. Without a branded image, all you have is a name.” The truth of the matter is that most people will recognize a band first by their music, and second by their brand. If you were talking to a younger kid about the Rolling Stones, they might not know who you are talking about right away. If you explain the Rolling Stones as the band with the lips and tongue logo, there is a better chance that they will know who you are talking about. This might be a dated example, but the Forty Licks cover is an image that is still used on merchandise, online, and in advertisements to this day. Just as some people are visual learners and some are auditory learners, some people remember bands from just their music, and others need something visual to remember them by.

In the article titled, Music and Branding: Sell-out or Buy-in?, the author writes, “Even though there will always be detractors who feel any association with corporate America is a ‘sell-out,’ well, ‘Times, they are a’changin’.” Originally, music and branding did not go hand in hand. Even today, some people may be worried that their favorite rebellious group will be a sell-out if they begin a career by branding their image. The idea of being branded with a corporation can create a negative image about that band. Fans used to view bands that worked on branding as caring more about money than they do about their artistic ability. In a New York Times article by Ben Sisario, Looking to a Sneaker for a Band’s Big Break, it is stated, “And while a generation ago these arrangements would have carried a stigma for artists, branding deals are now as common in rock as guitars.” Today it’s almost seen as though when a band decides to sign with a brand, it is the same decision as when a band decides to sign with a record label (Sisario).

Even artists that have made their mark in the music industry are still benefiting from branding. In the article, Madonna crowned top music earner in 2012 due to world tour, it is discussed how Bruce Springsteen released a number one album in 2012, but a large majority of his revenue came from merchandise sales. The majority of his earnings came from his artistic talent and fame, but because of branding, he was able to bring in even more earnings. Branding gives the musician an opportunity to target fans that may not be able to make it to a concert or tour, but instead can buy merchandise to support their favorite artist. If he or any other famous artist had stuck solely to their music, they would not be nearly as well known, or well off as they are because of the merchandise and memorabilia they get to sell and promote themselves with thanks to branding.

Brands like Converse have begun a new trend of opening studios to try to sponsor new bands. These bands will be getting better record deals while working with through these brands, but are still having all of their own artistic freedom. Converse has said that they are doing this not only to “give back” to its loyal customers, but also to build good will for the brand, and generate future sales. If a band becomes popular through a record contract with a brand rather than a record label, not only will the band will achieve success, but the brand will also benefit from having brought the band to the public eye, therefore giving the band automatic advertising.

A musician’s artistic ability as either a songwriter or performer is what inspires them to be successful in their field. That artistic ability is what brings in fans and creates original pieces that are favorites for years to come. However, music is just as much of a business as anything else. Any artist that wants to be known needs to know how to sell themselves to make a profit. They need to know that their artwork, imagery, and personality are all a part of the product they are trying to sell, along with the music they create.

Based off of this information, it is easy to see how both the musician and the company will benefit from branding. However the real question is: will musicians and their audiences ever truly understand that branding is a necessary aspect for bands to succeed, or will they always place a stigma on the musicians that decide to go the branding route?

Flattum, Jerry. "Music and Branding: Sell-out or Buy-in?" Technorati Entertainment. Technorati.com, 26                Aug. 2012. Web. 22 Mar. 2013.

"Musician Marketing: Branding." PsPrint.com. PsPrint.com, n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2013.

Reuters. "Madonna Crowned Top Music Earner in 2012 Due to World Tour." Yahoo! Music. Yahoo!          Music, 22 Feb. 2013. Web. 22 Mar. 2013.

Sisario, Ben. "Looking to a Sneaker For a Band's Big Break." The New York Times. The New York Times, 10              Oct. 2010. Web. 22 Mar. 2013.