What’s Ahead For 2011? Marcus Taylor: Social Marketing & Mobile Will Continue To Be Important

As we end the year, Hypebot asked some our favorite thinkers, writers, and friends to answer two questions – one looking forward and the other back. Here Marcus Taylor, the founder of The Musician's Guide, answers.

Hypebot: What do you see as the most important business and consumer trends that will shape the music industry in 2011?

Marcus Taylor: I believe social marketing will continue to be the game changer in the music industry throughout 2011 as it extends into traditional music industry technologies like the charts (eg. The Billboard Social Chart, Theultimatechart.com). I also think mobile will become increasingly popular and important to musicians as both app development becomes more accessible through companies like Mobile Roadie, Band App, and Get Sound Around, and also smartphone ownership (and therefore potential reach) continues to increase.

Hypebot: Since this is ultimately all about music, what were your top musical moment(s) of 2010?

Marcus Taylor:

1. Acoustic nights at The Living Room, Oxford discovering and meeting lots of great indie acoustic artists
2. Rediscovering InMe's back catalogue of songs (especially Neptune, and Faster the Chase!)
3. Eating burritos with Hot Chip's Hagop Tchaparian!

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Marcus Taylor is the founder of The Musician's Guide, a music marketing website that offers resources to help indie musicians succeed in the music industry.