Connecting Musicians and Fans: The Power of Social Music
Why Social Music Is a Must-Have For Musicians and Streamers
Social music is a new concept that aims to make listening to music more social. It is a way for artists to reach their fans more easily and build relationships with them. It is a powerful tool for both musicians and the industry.
Music has long served as a social glue, binding families or peer groups together. However, academic theorizing has only recently begun to take note of these links.
It’s about building community
It’s easy to see why social music has been a tempting feature for streaming services and tech startups. It’s a way to give listeners an identity and a community they can belong to and interact with, tapping into our innate need for connection.
But if social music is such a great idea, why has it failed to take off? Perhaps it’s because the big streaming services, and music labels, don’t really understand what they are trying to build.
One good example is the work of musician Jon Batiste who fought to avoid calling his new project jazz and instead focused on building a community through his live performances. Another example is the study by Lars Tuastad and Brynjulf Stige (2015) who used a rock band to bridge two groups of prisoners in a prison-based participatory action research project, and found that they developed a sense of identity and belonging through their musical engagement. It’s an approach that needs to be embraced by the industry, or it may continue to fail.
It’s about connection
Music has a unique power to unite people and bring them together. Research suggests that music can help reduce the stress hormone cortisol and increase oxytocin, which promotes social bonding and decreases a person’s vulnerability to drug abuse. Moreover, singing and dancing with others can boost one’s self-esteem and confidence.
Social media platforms have steadily integrated music and music creation tools over time, a trend that’s likely to accelerate as consumer habits shift and artificial intelligence advance. But social media platforms must find the right balance between monetization and fandom, a challenge that Spotify and other streaming services haven’t mastered yet.
Mixtape Social Music is a social music app for musicians that launched in late 2017 with a goal of “bringing back the personal touch that used to be found on vinyl, cassette tapes, and CD mixes.” Its home feed features playlists from users you follow and a Discover section featuring popular content – much like a more music-focused version of Instagram or TikTok.
It’s about learning
Music has long been a social learning tool. Rhythmic activities like dancing and unison singing encourage synchronized movements and communication, which build trust and create social bonds between participants. Music can also teach children about the world around them. For example, a song can help children understand the importance of washing hands.
Social platforms are increasingly integrating music into their apps. Instagram and Snapchat recently launched music features, while Facebook’s upcoming live video platform, IGTV, will focus on the medium. In addition, TikTok has introduced music creation tools to its community.
With radio and streaming discovery losing share of ear, the industry needs new growth drivers. But spammy artist pages on social networks and more-than-perfect Instagram photos won’t cut it. What music platforms need is a combination of massively social communities and music creation tools. This could be a big opportunity for the social and creator tools industries, which are already converging. The resulting social music experience would benefit both brands and fans.
It’s about sharing
The app encourages users to share their tracks and playlists with friends and fans. It also encourages users to post live updates and photos from their favorite bands. This helps fans feel connected with the artists from afar.
Participants’ altruistic approach to music sharing reflects the cultural norm of reciprocity in online relationships (Reference Chambers, 2013). Music circulates as a social meme that functions as a time-specific salutation and moral meme.
For example, participant Diana shared a song on Facebook every morning with the caption ‘Good morning’ (Figure 3). Sue posted music each evening with the caption ‘Good night’ to send a positive message to her children before bedtime.
As cracks begin to show in the streaming industry and revenue growth starts to slow, the music industry is looking for new growth drivers. Social music could be the answer. It could help to revitalize streaming by providing new ways for fans to connect with musicians and music from afar.