The music industry has undergone significant transformations over the past few decades, reshaped by technological advancements, changing consumer behaviors, and evolving revenue models. Today, the music business is more dynamic and complex than ever, offering both challenges and opportunities for artists, labels, and stakeholders.

Streaming: The Dominant Force

The rise of streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music has revolutionized how people consume music. Streaming now accounts for the majority of global music revenue, surpassing physical sales and digital downloads. This shift has democratized access to music, allowing fans to discover and enjoy a vast array of genres and artists with ease. Urban artists like Drake and The Weeknd have leveraged streaming platforms to reach global audiences and achieve mainstream success. However, it has also raised questions about fair compensation for artists, as the revenue generated per stream is often minimal compared to traditional sales.

The Role of Social Media and Viral Trends

Social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube have become crucial for music discovery and promotion. Viral challenges and trends can propel songs to global stardom overnight, as seen with Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP,” which gained immense popularity through social media engagement and challenges. Similarly, artists like SZA have used social media to engage with fans and create viral hits that dominate charts worldwide. This has empowered independent artists, giving them a platform to reach audiences without the backing of major labels. However, the reliance on virality also means that the music landscape can be unpredictable, with trends shifting rapidly.

The Resurgence of Vinyl and Physical Formats

Despite the dominance of digital music, vinyl records have experienced a remarkable resurgence. Many music enthusiasts appreciate the tangible, nostalgic experience that vinyl offers, driving its sales to the highest levels in decades. Urban artists such as Kendrick Lamar and Tyler, the Creator have capitalized on this trend by releasing special edition vinyl records, which have become coveted collector’s items. This trend highlights a desire for physical connection in an increasingly digital world and presents a niche market that artists and labels are eager to tap into.

The Evolving Role of Record Labels

Record labels continue to play a vital role in the music ecosystem, but their influence is evolving. While major labels offer resources and connections that can catapult artists to success, more musicians are opting for independent routes or signing with smaller, boutique labels that offer more creative freedom. Chance the Rapper, for example, has achieved significant success as an independent artist, retaining full control over his music and distribution. This shift has led to more diverse and unique music entering the mainstream, enriching the industry as a whole.

Challenges and Opportunities in Live Music

The COVID-19 pandemic dealt a significant blow to the live music sector, with concerts and festivals worldwide canceled or postponed. However, this period also saw innovation, with artists and promoters exploring virtual concerts and live-streaming events. Travis Scott’s virtual concert within the video game Fortnite attracted millions of viewers, showcasing the potential for digital experiences in the live music space. As live music returns, there is an opportunity to blend in-person experiences with digital enhancements, offering fans new ways to connect with their favorite artists.

Looking Ahead: Technology and Innovation

The future of the music business is likely to be shaped by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and virtual reality. AI can assist in music production and personalized recommendations, while blockchain offers potential for transparent and efficient royalty distribution. Virtual reality and augmented reality experiences could redefine live music events, providing immersive and interactive experiences for fans. Urban artists like A$AP Rocky have already experimented with innovative digital experiences, creating unique ways to engage with their audience.

In conclusion, the music business today is a landscape of rapid change and innovation. While challenges such as fair compensation and market saturation remain, the industry is also ripe with opportunities for those willing to adapt and explore new possibilities. As technology continues to evolve, the music industry will undoubtedly continue to transform, creating exciting prospects for artists, fans, and businesses alike.

Dan Runcie

Lizzo at a concert in Minnesota (via Manitou Messenger)

Nicki Minaj’s NICKIHNDRXX Tour — canceled in North America. Chance the Rapper’s Big Day Tour — canceled everywhere. T-Pain’s 1UP DLC Tour — canceled. Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy Tour— chose not to do one.

Touring’s traditional model needs work. Cancellations have happened for years, but this recent wave is different. Many hip-hop artists overestimate demand for ticket sales. We live in an era with endless data, but touring decisions still seem like the industry blindly throws darts. Meanwhile, artists who can sell out those same venues have proudly taken new approaches. These trends are connected.

The popularity of music festivals and concert residencies have added new variables to the live performance mix. Mainstream artists are on a quest to maximize each option. Some are farther along than others. But by the time the majority of rappers find the ideal balance, the touring business might be behind the curve.

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Opportunity cost is higher than ever

When artists are on tour, they’re on the road day-in, day-out. It’s traditionally seen as a justifiable tradeoff since many artists earn a majority of their revenue from touring. But it’s still time-intensive, laborious, and costly.

Here’s what I wrote in 2018 in Why Choosing the Right Concert Venue Matters:

A few years ago, Beyoncé, like Drake, once played it safe with concert tours. In 2013 and 2014, The Mrs. Carter World Tour earned an impressive $230 million, but it took Queen Bey 132 shows and twelve months of touring to do so…

Had Beyoncé subjected herself to the same arenas for [On the Run Tour, The Formation World Tour, and On The Run II Tour], she would have needed to perform an additional 207 shows since 2014 to match the $565 million her concerts have grossed in revenue. It would have been impossible to do all those shows while pregnant with the twins, make Lemonade, and do all the other stuff Beyoncé does.

There’s only a handful of artists like Beyonce who can justify the jump to a stadium. For the rest, festivals and short-term Las Vegas residencies are a viable alternative.

But even Taylor Swift has moved on from stadium tours. This summer the 1989 singer will do a European festival run (like Cardi B did last summer), then launch her own festival, Lover Fest, in Boston and Los Angeles. It doesn’t get more 2020 than that.

In an August interview with Ryan Seacrest, she explained why she didn’t do a traditional tour:

“I’m not quite sure what we’re doing with touring. I don’t want to do the same thing every time because I don’t want my life to feel like I’m on a treadmill. There’s a lot that goes into touring that nobody knows about — like you have to reserve stadiums like a year and a half in advance, and that to me is a lot. With ‘Reputation,’ I knew that nobody would really fully understand the album until they saw it live, but this album is different because people are seeming to get it on the first listen.”

All that’s true, but let’s remember two things. First, Taylor is in a select group of artists who can sell out the Rose Bowl, Soldier Field, and MetLife Stadium on back-to-back nights. She wouldn’t forgo that opportunity unless it made financial sense. Second, she’s right about the challenge in reserving venues eighteen months in advance. It’s especially frustrating for those who rise quickly and can’t easily pivot. It’s a good problem to have, sure. But it’s still a problem.

Last year, Lizzo rose to stardom so fast that she outpaced her touring revenue. According to Billboard, last spring’s Cuz I Love You Tour was performed in front of crowds of less than 2,000 people, grossing just over $50,000 per night. To capitalize on her momentum, she came back in the fall with the Cuz I Love You Too Tour at venues that were twice the capacity. But by that point “Truth Hurts” was #1 on the charts and nominated for Grammys. She still couldn’t keep up.

My wife and her friends bought tickets for Lizzo’s October show in San Francisco. They bought tickets at face value back in May for $50. The week before her show they were selling on StubHub for $350! It was a scalper’s dream but an artist’s biggest frustration. All the value was captured by the secondary market. Sure, there’s a chance Lizzo pulled a Metallica-Live Nation and scalped her own tickets. But if that ever happened… whew buddy. The Lizzo hive (and the anti-Lizzo hive) would have burned the internet down by now.

Hip-hop has an uphill battle

The mentality required to succeed in hip-hop and touring is in direct conflict. Most mainstream rappers take pride in beating the odds. They had to bet on themselves to make it this far. Why stop now?

But touring requires far more pragmatism. It’s economics. When supply meets demand, everyone’s happy. Those economics can be especially challenging for hip-hop though, where its streaming popularity outweighs its touring performance.

In a 2018 Wall Street Journal article, Neil Shah broke down how hip-hop may rule the record industry, rock is still king on the road:

There are many reasons that rock remains so powerful on the road, including that, as an older genre, it had a head start on pop and rap. Giant tours by older rap icons like Jay-Z aren’t as common. Fans of newer hip-hop artists skew younger, including teens with less disposable cash, making festival gigs more economical than lengthy, sprawling tours.

“Drake can do four Madison Square Garden shows, but Phish can do 17,” says Peter Shapiro, a New York-based independent concert promoter. Especially in the day-to-day business of clubs and theaters, rock bands, he adds, “still have a huge impact.”

This can make it mistakenly easy for an artist who dominates on RapCaviar or SoundCloud charts to think they are ready for the biggest stages available. Of the top 10 global tours of 2019, none of them were hip-hop. In 2018, just one (Beyonce and Jay Z’s On The Run II). Genre plays a factor.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=WTuIILNXyx4%3Fversion%3D3%26rel%3D1%26showsearch%3D0%26showinfo%3D1%26iv_load_policy%3D1%26fs%3D1%26hl%3Den-US%26autohide%3D2%26wmode%3Dtransparent

A good clip from The Joe Budden Podcast where they break down Chance’s canceled tour.

Artists bet on themselves, which is costly

Challenges arise when artists who were once the hot kid start to cool off and need to accept reality. They might not be DONE done, but their prime days are behind them.

That’s where Nicki Minaj and Chance the Rapper are at. Neither admitted that low demand drove their cancellations, but we can follow T-Pain’s humble advice and read between the lines. Several industry insiders believe that both Nicki and Chance couldn’t sell enough tickets to fill 25+ arenas across the US. (I also covered Nicki’s ticketing woes in the Globalization of Hip-Hop, Part I and Chance the Rapper’s in a recent Member Update.)

When both rappers first announced these tours, I thought to myself, “Who the hell gassed them up to think they can still command an arena tour? Who signed this off?” There are plenty of fingers to point, but honestly, neither rapper needed extra convincing.

Keep in mind, Nicki spent the past decade silencing doubters who never thought a female rapper could reach the heights she did. Chance proved the industry wrong as an indie rapper who won Grammys and did arena tours. Their brand is to stay resilient when projections told them otherwise. You wanna go back in time and try to convince them that the lackluster responses to “Chun-Li” and “Groceries” were signs of what’s to come? Yea, good luck with that.

Their mentality is understandable, but it distorts reality. And as more superstars like Taylor and Cardi consider alternatives to touring, promoters may be stretched to fill those same venues with artists who can’t compete in that weight class. It will inevitably lead to more cancellations.

There are levels to this

The traditional touring model is extremely linear. There are tons of venue options for rising rappers who want to perform for a few hundred or a few thousand people. But the leap to arenas (~15,000) is no joke. The jump up to stadiums (~50,000+) is even steeper. The artists at the in-between stages are more likely to leave money on the table or cancel because they couldn’t sell.

The popularity of festivals, residencies, and private events add more options to meet demand:

As AR/VR capabilities develop, more of them will be added to this mix too

I made a similar chart last year on how the traditional albums model has evolved with “mixtapes,” visual albums, podcasts, and more. The trend is similar here. Increased options lead to more experimentation and put artists in control.

Where is this all heading?

This trend should be top of mind for both Live Nation and AEG, which own and operate thousands of venues. It should also concern those who individually manage their venues.

I don’t expect arenas to shorten the timeline for advance booking or cancellation policies. That’s the nature of events in popular venues, whether it’s a wedding or a Migos concert. But they can lean into the trend by pitching themselves as locations for festivals, residencies, private events, or mixed reality experiences. It may be hard to compete against the machine of Coachella, but Rolling Loud and plenty of other festivals are more open to working with what’s available.

By now, every rapper with a big enough following has had at least wondered, “What if I launched my own Astroworld or OVO Fest? Should I do a Vegas residency too?” As I laid out in Why Rappers Started Running Their Own Music Festivals, artists want to leverage their power and run the show. They want the money from the highest profit margin areas of live performance, like sponsorship and concessions. It’s the same model that Floyd Mayweather uses in his boxing matches. He rents out the building and collects the revenue from everything else.

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Touring will always be key for the up and comers who want to meet their day-ones. It worked for Meg the Stallion in the rooftop cypher days and Cardi B in the Love & Hip-Hop days. It will always be a core for the legacy artists who can draw crowds wherever—like Rolling Stones, Elton John, or Jay Z. But there’s a whoooole lot of artists between up-and-comers and Hov.

These artist want more options, and the market can offer them. The rest of the industry will be forced to adapt sooner or later.

READ MORE: https://trapital.co/2020/01/09/the-hip-hop-touring-business-is-broken/

Dan Runcie

Founder of Trapital

His keen interest in music and dance made him teach himself both the arts and he declares that Micheal Jackson was his role model. He also participated in the local church choir and local talent shows. His perfection in mimicry of an Usher performance made his mother realize his potential and she started looking for a record deal opportunity.

Chris Brown’s Voice Type & Vocal Range

Chris Brown has a light Lyric tenor vocal style. His vocal potential was first discovered by his mom when he was still a kid. Brown reveals to People magazine that he was 11 and watching Ushers performance ‘My Way’, and I began endeavoring to impersonate it. My mother resembled, ‘You can sing?’ And I resembled, ‘Well, no doubt, Mama.” in this way, and began to sing.

Voice Type: Light-Lyric Tenor
Range: E2-E5-G#5

Chris Brown’s voice sits high up. He has relative easiness in the fifth octave (Yeah 3x, This Christmas, Crawl). The strain really makes it difficult for him to sing there, yet he does not have much of a problem. He likewise sings to be a baritone in the E4-G4 range effortlessly.

Not so sure where this originates from, yet I have seen it many times previously. In fact, He is brighter and lighter than the spinto. Due to the fact that the spinto will have a more substantial, warmer and substantial voice. Chris’ voice is awfully splendid and light to be a spinto.

He has a light and thin voice. His voice is additionally surprisingly energetic. Thus he should be a light-verse tenor.

Achievements

At the tender age of sixteen, Chris Brown made his debut with an album titled “Chris Brown” featuring the runaway hit single “Run It”. This song topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 2005 making him the first male artist whose debut song topped the chart after Montell Jordan had achieved the same in 1995. The RIAA  (Recording Industry Association of America) awarded the album a double-platinum certification and it sold more than 2 million copies in the US.

Riding on this success Chris Brown, American recording artist released his second studio album in 2007 November titled “Exclusive”. This album had two hit singles “Kiss-Kiss” featuring T-Pain and was number one and “With You” which became number two in the Billboard Hot 100 and was awarded a Platinum certification by RIAA. “The Forever edition” which is a deluxe version of his album with the single “Forever” was released in 2008 in May and this also peaked at number two position in Billboard Hot 100. “Graffiti” his third album was brought out in 2009 December and its official single “I Can Transform Ya” came up to number 20 in the Billboard Hot 100 becoming Chris Brown’s eighth hit on the charts.

Brown has other hits under his belt such as “No Air” with Jordin Sparks, “Shawty Get Loose” with Lil Mama and T-Pain, “Shortie Like Mine” with rapper Bow Wow all of which reached within number ten in the Billboard Hot 100. His dancing capabilities gave him an extra edge over other singers and he was compared to Micheal Jackson and Usher. On the negative side, Brown was given five years probationary sentence and 6 months community service for assaulting singer Rihanna. In 2010 May Chris Brown American recording artist brought out “Fan of Fan” a mixtape with Tyga and “Deuces” from this tape was released in 2010 June reaching the number one position in the U.S.

Musical Style & Influences

Chris Brown has referred to various artists as his motivation, overwhelmingly Michael Jackson. Chris Brown underlines that “Michael Jackson is the motivation behind why he involved himself in the music industry at the beginning of his music career. In “Fine China,” he represents Jackson’s impact both musically and outwardly as Britini Danielle of Ebony magazine mentioned that the melody was “reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall”.

And He also did mention that Usher is another role model in the music industry who seems to be a more contemporary figure for Brown. He discloses to Vibe magazine about Usher that he was the person who the youths gazed up to, in the singing and dancing world, admired him, and keeps up “If it was not for Usher, at that point Chris Brown couldn’t exist.”

Some critics suggested that Chris Brown’s first experience with R&B, perceiving his contemporary adaptions and flexibility in R&B music. As customary R&B prospered around him, the youthful singer started the development of the genre”. His first single “Run It!” as a “prelude to what Brown would keep on doing for the following decade: determinedly upset develops of blues and rhythm.