Q-Burns Abstract Message AKA Michael Donaldson has been an artist producing music and playing gigs by embracing the Internet for marketing his art long before the social web has evolved into what it is today.

I discovered him initially through the web, as thousands of others have, and he’s someone with an innate understanding of embracing technology to concurrently make connections with fans and network with venues, other artists and labels.  I recently asked his perspective on music, file sharing and marketing to share with you and was pleased to get a response.

You’ve been using the web as a marketing tool for your music since the days of message boards and forums, the original Napster, and through the popularization of P2P services like Soulseek and BitTorrent. Have things really changed or do we just keep witnessing cycles repeat themselves? How long do you think the music industry and customers will keep fighting each other?

qburns
Q-Burns Abstract Message: I feel we are still basically playing the same ball game as we always have, simply because the end goal hasn’t changed. We want to get our music and message out there to the most possible listeners and hopefully make a living from it. The tools we use have changed the game rules a bit but it’s essentially the same. I know in the early days of digital releases vs. physical release I would tell the labels I consulted to not separate the two in their minds. Too many labels did, and would treat the two differently and with different strategies, even giving the two formats different budgets. I think labels have naturally come around (especially as physical releases become more scarce) but it’s important to not consider ‘digital’ as this completely new thing. It’s just a new process of delivery. One should still try to market and get a digital release out there the same as one would a vinyl record ten years ago, at least in attitude and strategy but using different tools.

That said, the most encouraging change that has occurred in the world of music marketing is the shift towards a reward for creativity. In the not so distant past the music releases with the biggest advantages were the ones attached to the labels with the biggest marketing budget and best distribution avenues. Those things still matter somewhat now (though distribution is hardly the guarded luxury it once was) but many of today’s biggest, organic ‘hits’ came from the most creative minds. A unique YouTube video, personal variations on the remix contest, whimsical exploitation of social network sites, and so on … things that are open to any person with the ability to brainstorm. Of course, the music still has to be exceptional to really make an impact, but at least the prerequisite is no longer a million dollar marketing budget. This bit is the thing that has me the most excited about the time we live in.

Something as simple as dramatically and publicly giving music away can now be considered a marketing strategy which is pretty wild when you think about it.

“Home Taping Is Killing The Music Industry”. The fighting between the music industry and consumers will go on and on. If home taping had trackable IP addresses attached we’d probably see lawsuits in the 80’s as well. But this is the reaction of a panicked industry, and, like a lot of turmoil in all current news, a push-back against unstoppable change. Things are certainly coming around from the ground up (small label to big label). It’s amazing to me that MP3 blog promotion is now an accepted form of marketing for many huge labels. And I’ll never be convinced that most pre-release album leaks aren’t actually savvy marketing (especially when we’re told these are ‘rough mixes’ in the leak … you’ll have to buy the release to hear the real version, see).

“The Wild West” is such a cliched description, but here it’s totally apt. We’re told that the actual Wild West hardly lasted for as many years as the plethora of cowboy movies would imply. The music industry’s Wild West, however, may possibly be here to stay.

Visit Q-Burns Abstract Message’s blog and follow him on Twitter @qburns.

Other Interviews from The Future Buzz:

Interview With The Conversation Agent: Valeria Maltoni

Interview With A Pro Blogger: Sarah Perez

Social Media And Web Publishing: Interview With John Boitnott