As a big music fan, I am very excited with the developments of the online music industry. With various streaming services that give access to all possible tracks I have ever heard in my life to online radio, podcasts as well as sites where I can watch live concerts! The online music business has exploded in a span of 6 years.
But today, with all the possibilities and developments in the online way of things, it is still an extremely defragmented market. There are websites today that cater to various needs-
Streaming, Radio, Podcasts, Various venue websites, Ticket sales sites, Live streams, Music review sites etc.
Problem-
1. Not 1 globally local site where I can access every thing I need. E.g.I love Metallica, now to listen to them online, I will go to a Spotify, then to see where they are playing, I will go to their website, next to buy tickets, I will go to another site. If I want to buy merchandise, fortunately, Metallica has an online store, which allows me to buy their merchandise, but other aritsts may not have an online store, which means I go to another site to buy their merchandise such as an eBay or Amazon. Lastly, to buy their music legally, I would go to another site..phew!
2. If I live in Bandra and I would like to see which artists are playing, I would need to either see a TimeOut which will feature the big names and big venues only and cannot tap into the underground scene. Also, there are different websites that showcase different venues but again, none that are comprehensive
3. Upcoming artist exposure- It is very difficult or next to impossible for an upcoming artist to get heard or have any exposure unless they are played on mainstream media. So how do we as fans, learn about new music and how do new artists express their creativity?
Solution-
Creating a site that caters to these 3 components
Artist – where one can stream, download, know where they are playing next, buy merchandize
Venue- Have an event calendar with pictures, videos, information, pricing etc.
Fan – Have access to everything above + a search/discover feature
As fellow music lovers, I would love to know your thoughts on this potential concept. Your comments are extremely valuable!