Independent music marketing in the digital age: an examination of the decision making process and key issues facing an independent singer-songwriter producing and marketing an album (LP) in the digital age

It has been widely documented that the global music recording industries have been undergoing major structural transformations since the arrival of music piracy and digital downloading that began on a mass scale over the Internet at the start of the 21st century. Anderton, Dubber and James (2013) state: “the move to digital and online music is not merely a change in format but a complete change in the media environment and a radical restructuring of the whole industry” (p. 1). These changes have also happened in a relatively short timeframe compared to previous transitions. Today’s digital music revolution is moving to the next phase as consumers embrace streaming and subscription models in markets around the world. Along with these changing product formats, is an increased access to a larger global music catalogue at lower prices, the fragmentation of music broadcasting and media (from the dominance of radio and television to online and mobile alternatives) and the proliferation of new digital communication channels for music promotion. This exegesis situates an Australian independent singer songwriter in the context of this rapid transformation and considers key issues facing independent musicians from a practice-based perspective. Using autoethnographic analysis, this exegesis examines the decision-making processes and workflows required when releasing an album in the digital age, and explores the nexus between specific artistic and marketing processes.