Rethinking the Customer Journey
Understanding the customer journey and experience (CX) is crucial to truly engaging customers and fans and providing an individualized experience. (IMG: Musique Mode)
Retailers Look to Music
Retailers recognized the power of music merch and have sought to incorporate collaborations to licensed goods into their mix. (IMG: Nirvana at Urban Outfitters, 2023)
The Resurgence of Vinyl
The vinyl record industry has witnessed a significant resurgence in recent years, driven by a combination of nostalgia, the desire for physical music collections, and the distinct audio quality that vinyl offers. (IMG: Musique Mode)
Merch vs. Fashion
There are stark differences between how fashion collections are developed and sold versus music merchandise. What can be learned by connecting the two?
Learning from Fashion
There is much that the music merch industry can gain from fashion’s focus on customer desires and retail strategy. (IMG: The Djay Company)
Fans as a Monolith
When artists treat their fanbase as a monolithic group, they overlook critical aspects such as fit, cut, silhouette, design details, color choices, and price points.
Branded Merch, The Evolution
Screen printing on apparel became increasingly popular in the 1960s as a tool for the counterculture to express their message. Over time, innovation in printing has led to wider range of printing techniques and an important part of music merch. (IMG: Sex Pistols)
Merch retail: The Ultimate Letdown
While music merch has become more important than ever, the experience of buying has stayed largely the same—and as bad as ever. (IMG: Musique Mode)
Rethinking Merch Development
The music merchandise industry has largely stayed the same for the past 60 years, focused primarily on logos and graphics. It’s a massive missed opportunity. (IMG: Electric Zoo)
66th Grammy Awards: EDM's Growing Influence
The 66th Grammy Awards celebrated the best in music in the past year, including three EDM categories. Who won and what does it mean for the genre? (Skrillex, Fred Again.. Flowdan; © EDM Identity, 2024)
Electronic Music Goes Pop
Electronic music started off as a niche, even academic, creative pursuit. While some bands integrated early electronic sounds into their music, it wasn’t until the 1980s that the genre exploded into popular culture. It would take another decade for it to fully integrate into pop music and beyond, becoming a major force in the how music is made. (IMG: Depeche Mode)
The Grammy Awards and Electronic Music
This weekend (Feb 4th), the music industry celebrates the the best of the best at the Grammy Awards, including some competitive EDM categories. (IMG: 2024 Grammy Awards)
EDM Education
EDM and DJing is still largely a self-taught art, stemming from classical music training or no training at all, as formal institutions have not embraced the music genre. The web has changed all that. (IMG: LP Giobbi, Femme House)
The Fusion of Technology and EDM
Borne out of the modern tech revolution, EDM artists continue to integrate new technologies to their repertoire, often going beyond the music itself, including gaming and the metaverse.
The Integral Role of Artist Managers
With the growth of touring and musicians as pop-culture icons, the artist manager emerged as a key role in the management of the full professional spectrum of a musician. (IMG: Bono and Paul McGuinness, U2tourfans)
The Glory and Demise of The Haçienda: Manchester’s Iconic Club
The Hacienda was an iconic nightclub in Manchester England in the 1980s and 1990s helping to launch and define rave culture and modern EDM. (IMG: Manchester Evening News)
From Royal Seals to Digital Logos
Logos have become more than just a way to protect a product or brand, it is a quick way to communicate identity. (IMG: Louis Vuitton)
The Evolution of the Tee Shirt: From Undergarment to Fashion Icon
Learn about the evolution of the tee-shirt from an undergarment to all around wardrobe style and veritable brand billboard. (IMG: Vivienne Westwood)
Pop Goes the Holidays
Since the beginning of recording music, holiday tunes have been a mainstay—some traditional, others more provocative. (IMG: Kaskade, album cover, “Kaskade Christmas”)
GETTING TO KNOW: NINJA TUNE
Get to know the genre-bending music label, Ninja Tune, based in London, UK. (IMG: Ninja Tune)