The Music Industry Does Not Have a Fan Problem. It Has a Customer-Ownership Problem

Making a Scene Presents - The Music Industry Does Not Have a Fan Problem. It Has a Customer-Ownership Problem

An independent artist sits in front of a laptop, staring at numbers that should feel exciting. The new single has passed 100,000 streams. A video has collected thousands of views. The band’s social pages have picked up followers from several countries. Last month’s show sold well, and the ticketing company scanned hundreds of people through the door. By every visible measure, something seems to be happening.

Then the artist asks a question that makes the whole celebration go strangely quiet: Who are these people?

The artist does not mean their average age, their general location, or which playlist delivered the most streams. They want to know which people came to the show, bought the shirt, played the album more than once, or might buy a ticket when the band returns. They want to know who prefers vinyl, who might join a membership, who would attend a house concert, who needs a producer, who might book a private show, and who has already supported the music three or four times.

The artist usually does not know.

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