Music and technology have had something of a strained relationship at times.
The introduction of technology into music often represents change, and historically, not everybody is always open to that. While some technology has allowed musicians the world over to have access to recording software, music pirating technology eroded and subsequently evolved the industry for good.
So it’s pretty reasonable that many musicians and music industry pros take what they hear about tech with something of a grain of salt. That said, the industry has changed in recent years, with digital markets like streaming and downloading sites replacing records and forcing musicians to adapt.
But where software has perhaps hindered musicians - can it also help? Software designed to aid musicians in the data-driven world of digital sales, marketing and streaming. We say yes, not only can it help: It already is. We examine how software as a service (SaaS) platforms are putting the ball back in the courts of music industry pros.
What is Software as a Service (SaaS)?
As the world of technology races ahead it is becoming more sophisticated, cheaper, and more intertwined with our daily and professional lives. SaaS is one of the business models that has arisen as a result of this. Do you use Spotify or subscribe to Netflix? You’re already using SaaS in your everyday life. As the world turns increasingly to the convenience of digital platforms, more and more organizations are finding ways to leverage the technology to provide advanced, personalized services to their customers. Fewer and fewer facets find themselves untouched.
Musicians are subscribing to networking sites, producers to plugin services. There are subscription based sampling platforms like Tracklib that allow samples to be cleared more easily. There are services like Soundcloud and Mixcloud that allow musicians and labels to store and highlight their works.
So there have existed for some time now, many SaaS type services that have empowered musicians and creators, but until more recently, cheap storage and advertising are where the main appeals drew music industry professionals that grew up in the manual world. Now, however, SaaS services and music businesses are becoming more sophisticated, and able to offer a specialized working space that does a whole lot more than store files.
Why Use SaaS in the Music Industry?
Well, considering the direction that the industry has gone - it’s actually a logical progression.
Let’s start with marketing. Not even music marketing - just marketing in general. In any online industry, digital marketing practices are a fundamental piece of the picture. These involve collecting data on social media advertisements, content and campaigns. Considering some, if not all of your inventory is digital as a music industry professional, it might be a good idea to subscribe to a service that lets you manage all of this data and all of your digital assets in one place.
Metadata has become an increasingly important part of any digital release - it’s how your catalog is discovered. But what metadata is optimal for each release? In this situation, it might help to have a powerful analytic platform that is geared towards helping you choose the most effective metadata.
The music industry has long been regarded as a complex place to earn a living. The way that people pay for music has been evolving over time and the resulting system can be complex to manage. Sync and royalty splits mean that even dividing revenues can be a complex procedure. Again, SaaS tools offer an automated solution that saves incalculable time and money over doing it the old way; manually.
The point is that much of the industry has moved to the digital domain. Whether it is the content creation, publishing, marketing and sales - a lot of your business occurs online. Using a SaaS product like Reprtoir, which is towards music business management allows you to use the digital domain to its full potential - so how does it work?
What Does Reprtoir Do for Music Business Management?
Using something like Reprtoir - a SaaS platform designed specifically for music business management allows organizations like labels and publishers - even indie artists - to take control of their business. Where music industry pros have been too often bogged down by the sheer volume of expertise they are required to possess, this SaaS tool allows them to use it to their advantage.
Among this tool’s features are a Catalog Manager, Release Builder, Music Sharing tool and Royalty Accounting Software all in one place. These allow for teams to coordinate around the work more effectively. The catalog manager allows users to store songs, albums, videos and more in one place. They can manage metadata and control other assets like music videos from here. The music sharing tool allows teams to create and share playlists safely in order to pitch for promo. When all is said and done and it’s time to get paid, the royalty accounting software ensures that every cent goes where it is supposed to, on time, every time.
