by Jared Navarre, Founder of Keyni Consulting
Music labels used to be in the business of discovering bands. They would sift through indie releases or sit through showcases at crowded clubs looking for the next Nirvana. And when they found a band with promise, music labels would save them from obscurity by fine-tuning their sound and sharing it with the world. But no more.
Today, bands struggling to find a foothold in the music scene have been forced to accept the reality that no one is coming to save them. Labels used to build careers, but now they’re just placing bets. If bands don’t show up with numbers, labels aren’t interested. The “care” part of artist development is a thing of the past.
Fortunately, today’s bands have the tools they need to build a sizable following without tapping into the resources that labels once provided. Through Instagram, Discord, YouTube, and other channels, artists can build brand ecosystems that reach fans directly, which they have discovered is a better alternative. If you can build real momentum yourself, why give away half your rights and your identity for a few playlist placements?
Leveraging identity and connections to build the ecosystem
A band’s brand ecosystem is built upon its brand identity, which involves much more than its music. The brand is what people connect with before they hear the song. It’s the presence the band projects into the musical universe.
Defining a brand identity requires defining what you stand for. What will you look like and feel like as a band? What will you sing, talk, and post about? The clearer you are on those issues, the easier it is to build a loyal fanbase.
Once a brand identity is established, bands can start orchestrating the direct-to-fan connections needed to foster loyalty. This outreach is where social media has changed the equation. Social platforms allow bands to connect and engage with fans around the world, instead of only those who can make it out to live shows.
Building a healthy brand ecosystem requires getting connections right. Bands need to talk with their fans, rather than just at them, by bringing them in and showing them they matter. Bands that want a loyal fan base, rather than just a big follower count, will need to put in the work required to establish an authentic connection.
Diversifying income to keep the band alive
When labels were responsible for keeping bands alive, music was the central currency. Bands wrote, recorded, and performed in exchange for money.
For bands building their own ecosystems, music isn’t enough. Streaming won’t pay the bills, either, as sources report that new artists using Spotify to stream are only making a few dollars per month. And those who don’t reach at least 1,000 streams per year won’t qualify for royalties at all on the platform.
Making enough money to survive in the new music reality requires thinking like a business. Bands that don’t diversify their income sources with merch, revenue-driving platforms like Patreon, custom drops, and sync won’t last. To survive, you turn the music into the entry point, then monetize everything around it. You need to accept that music is just one part of the job.
Technology can be leveraged to help with diversification and other business operations. AI, data analysis, automation, and other tech advances are all part of the modern music toolkit that empower bands to scale their reach and make smarter decisions.
Giving fans an experience
One of the most critical elements of the band ecosystem is the fan experience. Releasing music — even great music — isn’t enough anymore. Fans want an experience. They want access.
The ecosystem needs to serve up the story, the chaos, and all the other elements that encircle the music. Fans want to be in the thick of it. They want to feel like they’re part of the process and not just consuming the product.
In the days when labels drove the process, moving units was the goal. As bands seek to take the helm, they need to learn how to build experiences for their fans. They can’t just drop music and disappear anymore; they need to be always-on creators who constantly show up, post, engage, and perform.
What role will labels play in the future?
While the brand ecosystem model has evolved into a viable option, it remains to be seen whether it will be the only option available to bands in the future. Labels can evolve in a way that keeps them relevant, but it will require them to stop trying to own the artist and start supporting the ecosystem.
Labels that decide not to change will get left behind. Artists aren’t waiting around anymore. They’ve found a way to create infrastructure, financing, and connections without the handcuffs labels expect them to wear.
Jared Navarre, founder of Keyni Consulting, is a multidisciplinary entrepreneur and creative strategist with a proven track record of launching, scaling, and exiting ventures across IT, logistics, entertainment, and service industries. Navarre is also the creator of ZILLION, an immersive music project that fuses narrative, multimedia, and live performance into a cohesive storytelling experience.
