For artists looking to market to the Gen Z demographic, a new study by Fluent has revealed some interesting numbers around this particular group’s social media habits and and how it effects their lifestyle in general.
Gen Z is coming of age and they have a whole different take on communication than the generations before. Gen Z is generally defined with birth years ranging from the mid or late 1990s through the early 2010s or starting from the early 2000s.
A study by the college marketing insights agency Fluentexamined the online active of Gen Zers and found a number of interesting points.
Facebook is still the top network for many users. 51% use the platform for keeping in touch with high school friends and family, while 39% used it for keeping in touch with college friends. Gen Zers like the fact that the platform keeps on top of new technical trends like messaging and video.
Snapchat and Instagram were used to keep in touch with closer friends, particularly at college. 34 and 35% used Snapchat and Instagram several times a day.
They spend their time online looking for content rather than social interaction.
24% sample new apps every month.
YouTube is a major destination with 80% of respondents.
That said, Facebook has become a major video destination as well for 79% of respondents.
32% watched at least 1 hour of video a day, 30% watched 2 hours a day, and 21% watched 3 hours a day.
They cannot live without the following brands in order of popularity: Apple, Samsung, Google, Netflix, YouTube.
Notice that Twitter isn’t a part of the social mix. This goes to show that pictures and video are a big part of the Gen Z lifestyle, so if you’re fan base is in this demographic, this is something to strongly consider in future marketing campaigns.
Pop singer and actress Brandy has sued her record label for $1 million, claiming that it refuses to let her record or release an album, and bullied her into signing a contract that will let Chameleon Entertainment double dip at her expense.
Brandy Norwood has sued New York-based Chameleon Entertainment and its owner-CEO Breyon Prescott in Superior Court. She claims Prescott, who also works for Epic Records, is trying to double dip: force her to sign with Epic and release her records through Chameleon, so he can profit twice.
She demands $1 million in compensatory damages, plus punitive damages, for intentional interference with contract, interference with business relations, and business law violations.
Norwood, 37, claims that Chameleon is contractually obligated to record and release her albums but refuses to do so unless she signs a “terrible deal. She says Prescott is doing this in “a blatantly unlawful attempt to bully Norwood into signing a new recording and distribution agreement containing terms far worse than her current agreement. Defendants have made clear through their actions and words that, unless Norwood capitulates and signs this terrible deal, she will remain ‘trapped’ with a label that won’t let her record or release music.”
Represented by Allen Grodsky, Norwood says Prescott’s “outrageous actions are based on nothing more than greed.” “Prescott owns and operates defendant Chameleon and is employed full time by Epic Records and head of urban A&R,” the complaint states. “The new recording and distribution deal that he is trying to force Norwood to sign is with Epic, which allows him to ‘double dip’: if Prescott can force Norwood to sign the new deal, he will profit both as an owner of Chameleon and through bonuses and other benefits he will get from Epic.”
Given this “despicable conduct,” she says in the complaint, she has “every right to terminate, and has now terminated, her recording contract with defendants.”
For those still having a difficult time recovering from the physical and emotional toll of SXSW, rapper Kosha Dillz has several ideas for gathering up the pieces of your tenure at Austin and getting back into a productive groove.
If you are like me, you are still putting your feet in hot water from walking 3 miles a day from every venue in Austin and got a stack of business cards larger than the leaning tower of pizza. (is that how you even spell it)
With real life coming back into your post SX life, I created a list of things to do if you haven’t done them yet, because you probably should have already.
1. Please get to the gym and sweat
If you noticed it, you might have been slow to things. Please stop thinking if your day is slow and get on that treadmill.
2. Go through your old texts
From march 12-20, hit the people back and say hey it was a pleasure to meet you at SXSW. Let me know how I can help you out this year.
Something small like that will go a long way and take 15 minutes.
3. Go through those business cards now and scan them
There is a business card app where you can scan your cards. I suggest downloading it to help out before you lose them.
4. Email your notes to yourself
I once lost my phone at Coachella and it had everyones number! I need to make sure before that is gonna happen, I at least have my notes after all that hard work. The same goes for SXSW and all great festivals of the schmooze.
5. Eat good food.
Diet is key to bouncing back. Lots of greens will help you get there. If you change your habits now, you will be perfectly ready for the summer. There is nothing wrong with looking hot sexy and healthy in the music industry.
6. Call some of the people and smile
As one guy told me the other day...smile and dial. It will get you in the mood (to dial at least, and maybe leave a message too)
7. Get some work done. Not a lot. Just some.
Get on your email grind. Get on your studio grind. Push yourself to get back to work. You can sleep for a long time. Don’t do it for too long. Two days has become two weeks. WTF are you doing!!
8. Buy new music to support the dream
You must’ve saw like 20 new artists at least. Go crazy and buy a song from everyone. For 20 dollars, you will give 20 new artists hope that SXSW was worth it, and of course you will have good new music.
9. Offer to Take them out
Believe it or not, taking people out for a drink of a coffee or an anything is awesome. I currently live in LA. When I meet people who aren’t from LA, I invite them out for a meal or coffee when they come to town. Being welcoming is something people don’t forget. If you live in Iowa, tell people that you’ll take them for BBQ corn dinner when they arrive. It is the thought that counts. People love to be welcomed when they arrive somewhere. I even offer my place to people when I am not there. You don’t have to do that, but any gesture give a double positive effect. One for you and one for them.
10. Read a book even if you don’t read
I know this is coming out from left field, but brain power is the power you may need to really think about a lot of your experiences in the music game. Reading helps you feel positive about yourself and also relaxes your nerves of not getting stuff done, losing deals, and takes you out of any compare and despair. I am currently reading “9 things successful people do differently” by Heidi Grant Halvorson. It is really small and only 106 pages.
OK fellow hustlers.
Those are 10 ways to help you get back to something you should already gotten back to. But hey, who am I to say anything? I am just as depressed, angry, happy, sad, and proud of my music career as the rest of you emotionally stable readers. No seriously…I am!!
Kosha Dillz recently curated his 2nd official OY VEY! Sxsw showcase featuring Kool Keith, Tesha, Shinobi Ninja, Shi 360 and other great acts. He is currently prepping his album release for What I do all day and Pickle, is prepping his jail diaries book, and teaches rap class to people who cannot rap at all. He is also the only rapper with an office at Wework. Elite Daily called him The Jewish rapper isis loves to hate. If you want to consult with him about your life and career, shoot him an email at rapperfriends@gmail.com or send him a tweet about this awesome article @koshadillz
According to reports, Kanye West’s updated The Life Of Pablo album is hitting all streaming services tomorrow (April 1st) after being exclusive to Tidal since its release.
The news comes a month after Kanye had declared that his album would ”never never never be available on Apple”…or Spotify for that matter. In fact, Kanye even went to the extent of saying that ”you can only get it on Tidal.”
Seems that Kanye has changed his mind, which wouldn’t be the first time. Indeed, the album itself has had countless updates since launch, with Tidal scrambling to keep up. All of which feeds the massive circus that surrounds this rapper.
‘Famous’ and ‘I Love Kanye,’ the two most popular songs from the album, are already available to stream on Apple Music and even made it to Soundcloud’s new music subscription service, Soundcloud Go.
Kanye West fans will be happy to hear the news. But considering that the album was illegally downloaded over half a million times in the first 24 hours alone, most have already heard the release.
Then again, nearly every song on the album has had an update. The modifications include additions of reverb, changes in background vocals, changes in the basslines, not to mention vocal balancing and updated freestyles. So those who have already heard the album may want to have another listen.
As Kanye so perfectly describes it, The Life of Pablo has been a ‘living breathing changing creative expression’.
(Image by Kenny Sun, Creative Commons, Attribution 2.0 Generic, cc by 2.0)
Overnight, reports surfaced from Scandinavia that Jay Z’s TIDAL would be filing a lawsuit estimated to be worth $15 million against former owners Aspiro over exaggerated subscribers claims prior to the sale. This morning TIDAL confirmed the lawsuit and the reason behind it. Here’s the full text of the TIDAL statement.
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Statement from TIDAL
We are excited that one year after TIDAL launched, we have surpassed 3 million subscribers globally. The growth in our subscriber numbers has been even more phenomenal than we’ve previously shared. It became clear after taking control of TIDAL and conducting our own audit that the total number of subscribers was actually well below the 540,000 reported to us by the prior owners. As a result, we have now served legal notice to parties involved in the sale. While we cannot share further comment during active legal proceedings, we’re proud of our success and remain focused on delivering the best experience for artists and fans.
This week TIDAL announced that it had 3 million paid subscribers alongside impressive stats for its slate of exclusives. But even as Jay Z was popping the champagne corks his lawyers were prepping a massive lawsuit against TIDAL’s former owners.
Jay Z ‘s legal team has put the former owners of Aspiro and its music streamer WiMP, which Jay Z bought and turned TIDAL, on notice that they believe that they “significantly” exaggerated both user stats and the company’s financial condition prior to purchase. Apsiro had claimed 503,000 paying prior to the sale.
Media company Schibsted and venture capitalists Verdane both received letters outlining the charges. The local business press estimates potential damages at north of $15 million USD.
Schibsted communications manager Anders Rikter told Today’s Enterprise that his company had received the demand letter from Jay Z , but that it “says nothing about sums in the letter we have received about. All figures are pure speculation.”
