We all know that the music industry has changed dramatically since the arrival of the internet. The introduction of streaming services like Spotify has meant that many artists are now having to rely on somewhat unfamiliar endeavours such as upmarket merchandising and branded online games in order to fund their rock’n’roll lifestyles.
Merchandising in pop music is nothing new however. The huge global success of ABBA in the 1970s quickly brought in an array of surprisingly cool merchandise that was used to create waves of ABBA-mania that are still reverberating to the present day.
But whilst such endeavours were a sideline to the main recorded product in the past, now it’s a pop star’s merchandise that can often overshadow the music.
The ubiquitous Kanye West is now a fixture in the style magazines thanks to his Yeezy range of shoes. Whereas no pop star is complete without their own perfume brand as seen by the likes of Katy Perry, Beyoncé, Rihanna and Lady Gaga all releasing their own scents.
Whilst these branded perfumes have had limited appeal, it’s nothing compared to pop stars like Victoria Beckham who’s made a surprisingly successful entry into the fashion world, perhaps in a bid to overshadow her previously odious recording output.
Even the world of gaming has felt the influence of musicians with Iron Maiden routinely releasing games featuring their trademark ‘Eddie’ character. Plus veteran rockers AC/DC used Betway’s online casino site to feature their Thunderstruck slot machine that gave rock fans who haven’t seen these before the chance to big win amongst the riff-laden gambling fun.
There’s been something of a wave of rockstar autobiographies in recent years with artists like Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon gaining prestige through her candid tell-all story. But even Madonna has had a go at penning her own fiction with her children’s book The English Roses that was an attempt to transmit her dabblings with mysticism to a younger generation.
And certain high-minded musicians have also tried their hand in the artistic world. David Bowie’s striking paintings might not have carried the weight of his music, but they showed that he could easily turn his hand to just about anything. Whereas even goth-rocker Marilyn Manson has revealed his artistic side with some mildly-successful watercolour exhibitions in Vienna, Berlin and Paris.
So as long as the music industry continues its dramatic free-fall, it looks like we could long-continue to see artists releasing online games, perfumes and many other creative endeavours.
