Brands Should Pay Attention to the Music Culture

“It’s a different era,” he said. “In the gig economy era, it was earned media [and] blogs. It was [a] digital news era, but it was still traditionally earned whereas now it’s all about owned media [and] disintermediated content creators.”

In the music industry specifically, Kirshbaum says this shift may lead to more direct-to-consumer or direct-to-consumer-to-consumer strategies, especially as music fandom evolves and becomes more communal.

“These fans are creating user-generated content to carry the message,” he said.

According to Luminate’s 2024 midyear music report released in July, 76% of music listeners have watched short-form videos in the U.S., while 22% have participated in and posted to short-form video platforms.

Brand marketer takeaways

While it’s hard to predict the next viral moment, Kirshbaum wants brands to know that music is a “huge passion point for consumers.”

As AI and technology become more advanced, excitement around live events may also grow, creating opportunities for brands to activate around concerts and festivals as well as tentpole events like SXSW, the Met Gala, and the Grammy Awards — allowing brands to stay in the know and be a part of culture.

Per Luminate, live music events made up 64% of Americans’ monthly music-related spending in the year’s first half.

Digital trends like algorithmic changes on social media apps are also important to pay attention to, he said, as it presents opportunities for brands to expand marketing strategies.