MADT 219 Blog Introduction
Hi! Welcome to my student blog for MADT 219 :)
User-Generated Content for Music Marketing
User-generated content (UGC) is essential for independent musicians because it broadens their audience reach, fosters community engagement, and provides a promotion opportunity at little to no cost. Unlike major label artists with large marketing budgets, small artists rely on independent “campaigns” to spread their sound. Social media platforms and UGC have helped give indie artists a marketing voice. Small artists can leverage UGC in various ways to gain exposure. TikTok and Instagram Reels have become popular methods amid the push for short-form-content. TikTok has become essential in breaking new songs/artists.
Small Artists vs. Big Labels
Independent social media music campaigns have forced major labels to rethink traditional marketing strategies. With viral hits emerging from platforms like TikTok and Instagram, labels now prioritize digital-first approaches, investing more in influencer partnerships and UGC-driven campaigns rather than costly traditional advertising. It is argued that labels may be leaning too much on social media marketing.
Concerns have been raised that social media has shifted the focus from music quality to online presence, often valuing follower counts over artistry. Many industry A&R professionals now prioritize viral potential over musical depth, signing artists based on engagement metrics rather than talent. This makes labels more money in the end, as marketing campaign expectations are handed off to artists who have already established an audience prior to signing a deal. Musicians/singers/songwriters come to labels as fully idealized artists with online marketing in full swing, begging the question: What do labels have to offer if not exposure?
Another contributing factor towards the rise of the independent artist.
User-Generated Content for Me
As someone (semi)actively trying to pursue a career as a musician, I do my best to take advantage of the marketing opportunity allotted by UGC. I’ve been making and consuming UGC since I was 12, but the content I was creating/interacting with then is very different from today. I’ve had a personal Instagram account since 2014, and from 2015-2018 I ran a couple of fan accounts (mainly for Taylor Swift but give me a break please, I was 12). I discovered my love for social media through my fan accounts because of the community they fostered. Several people I met through Instagram became close online friends, like digital pen pals. We would bond over the creation of our user-generated content (which at the time was short video edits, photo edits, or art revolving around Taylor Swift) and support each other's content online.
Being an active creator of UGC meant I was introduced to creative technologies, like photo and video editing applications, at a young age. There was a time where I thought I might want to become a film editor, and I most definitely fostered my passion for marketing through the content I made for these fan accounts. I credit these beginnings with my passion for editing and digital marketing. I’m also a more vigilant consumer of digital media, especially marketing, because I’ve been exposed to it for so long. This is positive in a sense, but I also feel a bit jaded, which is why I’m excited by innovative/creative uses of user-generated content.
I plan to make this blog about exploring social media as a music marketing tool. I'm interested in how smaller music artists use social media as a tool to gain exposure for their music and expand their listener base. Social media has become an unprecedented tool for the music industry. It’s unique in its availability to large music labels and small independent artists alike. I want to use this blog to compare the similarities and differences in how labels vs. independent artists are using these platforms. I'm also interested in the initial launch of a music artist's career, whether independent or backed by a label. Comparing campaigns would mean looking at the content, the distribution, the budget, and the reach.
I’ve been using social media since a young age and it’s been interesting to see its evolution. For the past couple of years, I’ve been spending a lot of my social media time exploring small music artists. In February of 2022, I followed an independent artist under the stage name Chappell Roan when she had less than 200k. Roan would post herself clad in glitter, feathers and various eccentric thrift store finds, dancing and lip syncing to her singles. Her uniqueness and effortless spark garnered attention. Today, Roan has over 7 million followers on Instagram, and won best new artist at the 2025 Grammys. Following her rapid growth has only strengthened my interest in small artists and how they gain exposure for their project through social media.
There are many sides to the conversation around social media for music marketing. The newness leaves many with questions: How can small artists use these platforms to their advantage? Will this usher in an entirely new era of music advertisement, or the music business as a whole? Do labels rely too much on social media for advertising? Are labels still willing to invest in extravagant marketing campaigns for their artists? What does it mean for new/emerging artists if labels require a certain amount of social media followers to even consider signing them? Are we allowing social media to convince us to consider the wrong factors when it comes to music and musical artists?
I’ve wondered about all of these questions, as someone making music and hoping to become involved in the industry. I’m excited to use this space to explore this topic further!
Previously, I used this blog for MADT 307 - Technology & Communication.
Below is a link to my previous self-introduction post if you're interested!
