Music Industry Selectors and Payola

Selectors and Selection Process

• Selectors are individuals or groups that hold power in deciding which products succeed
• Examples of selectors include radio DJs, TV networks, music critics, and streaming platforms
• Selectors don't just evaluate products, they also compete with each other for influence

Payola

• Definition: The practice of offering money or incentives to selectors for favorable exposure of a song
• Used by independent labels to promote new artists by paying local radio stations
• Impact:
• Helped launch rock & roll and some new artists
• Had a major impact on the music industry
• Led to a criminalization of payola
• The text presents payola as a complex issue.
• Some view it as a corrupt practice, while others see it as an efficient economic mechanism that can improve customer welfare.

Authenticity

• The text highlights the importance of authenticity in the music industry
• Authenticity involves both the authenticity of the producer-product relationship and the cultural/ideological stance a product represents
• Authenticity has become increasingly important in cultural industries like music as consumers seek genuine experiences.

Historical Context: 1950s Music Industry

• Major labels dominated the industry
• They produced reliable hits through established artists and used larger broadcasting networks (e.g., TV)
• Independent labels emerged due to rock & roll and were initially overshadowed by majors
• They gained influence by leveraging local radio stations and new technology
• Examples: Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash
• Impact: Majors were threatened by the success of indies
• They responded by attacking independent selectors and promoting their own products as more authentic

Competitive Dynamics

• Direct competition: Offering better products that selectors prefer
• Indirect competition: Aligning with influencers to ensure their success over competitors

Implications & Findings

• Selectors have a significant impact on industry success
• Indies relied on local DJs while majors used TV networks and broader alliances
• Authenticity is crucial in music, and companies should position their products as authentic to gain consumer trust
• Shifts in consumer demographics and new technologies can significantly reshape selection systems

Identity Work

• Involves actively constructing one's identity to maintain a positive self-image as creative people
• Identities are dynamic and shaped by social and professional contexts
• It helps creative professionals in the TV industry maintain artistic integrity while creating marketable drama
• Often used to cope with the tension between creative vision and commercial success.

Consumer Pursuit of Authenticity

• Consumers are driven by a desire to extract identity benefits from authentic products
• Identity benefits:
  • Control (Sense of agency and mastery over their environment)
  • Connection (Links to communities or cultural symbols; shared experiences)
  • Virtue ( Aligning with moral values, universal standards, or purity of intent)
• The pursuit of authenticity is culturally informed, where individuals assert their authentic selves by consuming objects that they feel reflect their personal and cultural narratives.

Performing Art Venues

• Performing arts venues have distinct personalities
• They can be measured and influence consumer behavior
• These personalities impact how consumers perceive and engage with the venues.
• Venue personalities are based on:
• Prestige - how highly regarded a venue is
• Trendiness - how fashionable or contemporary a venue is
• Consumer-venue congruence: Consumers are drawn to venues that reflect their own perceived levels of prestige and trendiness
  • Examples: Consumers are more likely to attend a trendy venue if they perceive themselves as trendy; and vice-versa

Conclusion of Venue Study

• Congruence between consumer personality and venue personality leads to:
• Positive evaluations of the venue
• More frequent attendance
• Familiarity with a venue reduces the impact of personality congruence on both evaluations and attendance, but it doesn't eliminate these effects.
• It emphasizes that venues need to align their personalities with their target audience to be successful
• They should be slightly trendier but not excessively prestigious compared to their target audience.