Festival Producers: 3 Things to Remember About Social Media

Electronic dance music has seen a sharp rise in popularity and now, festivals look to social media to stay innovative and relevant to festival-goers. I am an undergraduate economics student at Northwestern University with a certificate in integrated marketing, and I have found two articles that stress how important social media is for festival producers to stay ahead of the game.

The Atlantic recently published an article titled How Fashion Co-Opted Coachella by Alexandra Cheney detailing how fashion houses are attracting followers away from the festival grounds and to private parties. The 16-year-old music festival has developed a cult following of sorts. In the days leading up to this festival, fans document their journey to Coachella Valley all over social media, tweeting about who they can’t wait to see to what outfits they plan on wearing. Looks are becoming more important then the actual music being played. Luxury and commercial brands aggressively spend to attract influencers, consumers and “fashionistas” to invite-only pool parties and tented fashion shows. A new trend in festivals is the creation of external parties like these designer house pool parties that add an air of exclusivity that everyone wants a piece of. In fact, many festival-goers go to established events outside of the festival grounds. “No-Chella” has taken over Coachella – being seen and getting that exclusive party-invite can be more important than what is happening on the festival grounds.

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Electronic dance music has been dubbed the music of the millennial generation. We thrive on connectivity. Phil Hudson’s article in the Atlanta Business Chronicle titled TomorrowWorld parent studies EDM fans examines how EDM is becoming a culture and lifestyle for fans. Electronic music thrives on connectivity and fans enhance their experience by sharing their experiences all over social media. Chatter about EDM, music festivals and fan preferences take place on the Internet. With so many festivals emerging across the country, the only way festivals can differentiate themselves is either by bringing in an impressive lineup or by doing something no festival has done before. Electronic music is here to stay and the challenge is in figuring out how to capitalize on the music festival industry.

There are three action points any festival producer should consider.

1. Go Social – The most successful festivals have highly active social accounts with a combination of user-generated content, popular hashtags and festival announcements.

2. Listen Online – With the majority of festival goers online, social listening helps you stay in touch with your fans and hear what they like and dislike.

3. Music First – There’s a reason why they’re called “music festivals” and not “fashion festivals”. Don’t sacrifice your sound for the extra fashion show!

Electronic dance music and the festival culture have taken over the millennial generation. To succeed in the festival industry, producers need to think of ways to stay innovative and relevant in the music scene but without compromising the music. Social listening and paying heavy attention to social media has become a necessity rather than an after-thought for any serious festival producer.

About the Author

I am a Northwestern senior majoring in Economics, minoring in Asian American Studies and completing my certificate in the Integrated Marketing Communications program. I am currently still seeking a post-graduate job in the marketing industry, ideally looking to work in the music festival scene. Feel free to reach out to me via Twitter or drop me a message at katherinekim2015@u.northwestern.edu. I would love to talk more about the changing music scene!

Finding the Contemporary in Classical Music

Classical music has been slowly decomposing most notably over the past few decades, illustrated in declining ticket sales and CD purchases. My studies at Northwestern have exposed me to a variety of genres in music, with particular emphasis on classical music. The articles below share my passion for the arts, with varying concern for the future of classical music.  

A recent article on Slate.com commented on the not so subtle reality of classical music’s rapid spiral toward extinction. Author Mark Vanhoenacker lists declining figures in concert attendances (less than 9% have seen one per year) CD purchases (down approximately 21% in 2012), community opportunities and music education programs. This trend is perpetuated in television shows and generation gaps, discouraging concertgoers and excluding of classical music from acceptable music tastes. Vanhoenacker provides his support for local and large-scale inclusion projects like Groupmuse that engage communities, but fears for the future of the art form.

In response to Vanhoenacker’s article, Jay Gabler of Minnesota Public Radio collected responses from members of MPR as well as music directors, businessmen, and performers across the country. Gabler and his colleagues are enthusiastic for the future of classical music, listing new educational programs, exciting new literature and enthusiastic performers as building blocks for reestablishing, or in some opinions, growing the already flourishing genre. "The 500-year old tradition remains vibrant today because of [the American youth's] enthusiasm about the discovery of what it means to be alive," claims Michael Tilson Thomas, director for the New World Symphony.

With Vahoenacker and Gabler's insight, musicians, music directors and administrators should strongly consider the following action items to attract new and existing audiences to the classical genre and outlast declining sales and performance attendees.

1) Keep it relevant: Design concert programs that deal with contemporary issues, and can translate to current issues in culture, politics or relationships as an meaningful form of expression.

2) Share meaningfully: Describe how composers tackle modern issues through their music in relatable terminology for persons of all ages, ethnicities, religions and demographics to understand.

3) Respond: Allow followers to communicate with organizations and participate in thoughtful discussions via social media.

Given these action items, followers should be moved to resolve conflict and experience more of the discussion through the performance of these various works. The end goal is to promote the pieces performed by any organization or ensemble, and to encourage new audiences to understand how contemporary issues have been in discussion for hundreds of years, learning from the art of the past to inform the future.

Jack McHugh is a senior Music Education and Integrated Marketing Communications student at Northwestern University. Jack rotates through practice rooms on trumpet, piano and voice, and looks forward to teaching choral and wind ensembles in Shanghai this fall. Talk to him @mchughjn