Vinyl’s aside, it’s no longer cool to own your music.

Dramatic advances in technology has seen the death of some of the countries biggest stores (HMV, Woolworths, Blockbuster) and there’s a simple reason for this: convenience. We have already moved on from downloading music too, this uses too much time and space!

In the next ten years, CDs will face the same fate as cassettes and radio will likely follow suit, with discovery resources such as Spotify’s daily mix taking over. Wifi is already beginning to be built into cars and with wifi comes a personalised (often ad-free) experience that the majority of the population would preference.

At first glance, this may feel like a loss for the content creator but there are many upsides to the evolution.

Firstly (and most importantly) exposure for artists is at an all time high. I constantly see posts on Facebook asking for new music to be added to playlists. Just like a “taster” when walking down the high-street, people are much more likely to trial a product when it is free. The option to see what your friends are listening to or be added to the many playlists built by Spotify also sees great opportunity. It is also much easier to get your music to the places you want it to go to now. You can instantly and easily guide people to your Youtube, Soundcloud, Facebook etc.

Secondly, music is now consumed in different ways. Like me, you (and your band) may contribute to a pot monthly (again usually online, as cash is old school). This means you could contribute your money at the start of the month and by the end of that month have produced the song to add to your music library. It is much more beneficial to be constantly churning out new material than to have one or two albums out per year.

Finally, music videos are so much easier to shoot now. The majority of people now have a smartphone with a decent video camera. Distribution? Facebook, Instagram, Youtube. All platforms you are already likely familiar with.

As referenced in the introduction, vinyl has recently become an exception to the rule. To avoid wasting money, it is important to build a following before going out and getting your vinyls pressed. Build the demand for the product. If 100 people ask you to release a vinyl, those 100 people probably aren’t going to buy it. If 500 people ask you then your 100 vinyls are going to fly out.

It is important to be honest with yourself and be realistic. Remember this is the music BUSINESS!