Marketing and promotion

• The role of a website: gives the audience access to the artist by giving more personal information and an over-arching narrative.
• The role of CD booklet: explains the thoughts and ideas of the artist and is a physical copy which is tangible, it is proof and evidence which the audience can display rather than a digital copy. An albums purpose is an advert for people to come to the artists shows.

How marketing and promotion of music video has changed over time? 

1960s – use of moving images (videos/TV performances etc) to promote artist and to make sure their songs could be heard on TV when the band was not available.

Main purpose: Sell Records

1970s – Beginning to record specific videos to go with the song. More artistic value than just performance. 

Main purpose: Sell Records/albums/Cultivate the ‘star’

1980-90s – Advent of MTV, cultivation of image of the artist, higher production values and experimentation in form. Videos become events in themselves eg ‘Thriller’

Main purpose: Sell Records/album/artist/video/DVD/Commercial tie-ins

2000s – Continued expansion and experimentation of form. The rise of the auteur directors (late 90s too). Music video continued to be as memorable as the music.

Main purpose: As above but also ease of access, repetition, archiving – watch music video on YT as a first introduction to the artist…watch it ten years later!