Guest Commentary: Andrew Dubber Says Global Markeplace Does Not Mean Global Success

From Andrew Dubber @ NewMusicStrategies

Despite the fact that the internet is a theoretically boundary-less environment for the production, promotion and distribution of music, it’s clear that geography still plays a major role in the work of even the most connected music business.

Particularly outside of the United States, there is still a wall — both real and imagined — between local music success and international acceptance.

An ambitious contact in Jakarta reports that despite a local population of 250 million plus inhabitants, with
an internet penetration of around 10% (that’s still 25 million people!), most Indonesian musicians and music companies don’t bother with the internet as part of their daily business.

In New Zealand, there’s been a groundswell of both pride and investment in local popular music in recent years, and this is reflected in the online presence of some of the artists and labels. But breaking into the global music world requires a real leap of faith, capital and marketing muscle, even on a modest scale.
(more after the jump)

Visits to global industry events such as PopKomm, SXSW and MIDEM
are an expensive proposition — particularly for many independent
musicians working outside of America and Europe — and there’s a
perception that music businesses outside the easy reach of the London,
New York & LA music centres are out of the global loop.

But the internet does not just do worldwide web. It’s also very good at
constructing the local web. Music businesses whose constituencies are
very localised find that the tools it provides (forums, blogs, social
networks, and so on) are powerful reinforcing technologies that support
and enhance flyering, posters and local radio promotion.

In other words, the internet is not just a tool for export — it’s a
way of engaging in the local music scene and providing fans with an
easy way to interact, recommend and engage with your music in an
economic fashion.

Andrew Dubber is the Senior Lecturer in Music Industries at the University of Central England in Birmingham. He is a researcher, music industry consultant, public speaker and author. His blog New Music Strategies helps independent music businesses in the online environment.