How to be the Next Lady Gaga: A Talk About the Modern Music Industry

Ever had dreams of becoming the next Lady Gaga? Want to know how to legitimize the “band” you created with your roommates on GarageBand? Representatives from Northeastern University’s Music Industry Department spilled their secrets on how to make it in the modern music industry on Thursday, February 24 at a lecture and panel discussion hosted by Boston University’s Music Business and Performance Club.

A panel of Northeastern University music industry students shared their thoughts and opinions on the changing industry as it works to adopt cutting-edge technology and new media.

“There are very few ideas that are truly revolutionary, but there are a lot of good ideas and we need to think about the next chapter for the industry” said Northeastern University Music department lecturer Jim Anderson. “The biggest issue is how to make people pay for music when they’re used to getting it for free.”

Digital downloads have come to be the norm for consumers purchasing music, while music piracy simultaneously plagues the industry. However, the panel posits that if the industry changes the types of albums its releasing, traditional record labels won’t drown in a sea of piracy.

“The focus needs to be shifted away from recordings to live shows,” said Northeastern University Music Industry major and panel representative Kai Filippini. “It’s easy to record a concert. You can do two things at once without spending as much money.”

Another panel member, Connor McKnight, said the industry shift should come in the form of labels’ approach to live shows.

“Touring bands are doing fine – particularly the ones that have bootlegs or live recordings, too,” said McKnight, also a Music Industry major at Northeastern University. “It doesn’t require any packaging or a lot of production. It’s more of a souvenir that fans will want to take home.”

Fan culture seems to hold the most impact in the way consumers acquire music. Fans want to connect with the bands they love, but want reassurance that their money has a direct impact on the music – not on label executives’ pockets.

“We don’t want to pay all our money to a ‘suit’ who doesn’t get it,” said panelist Megan Vick, “we want to pay all our money to our favorite band so they can come see us.”

It’s easier now more than ever to write, perform, and produce your own recordings, which makes the overall cost a lot lower than that of the traditional music industry business model. If the product costs less to make, then it costs less to offset, and industry goals will no longer depend on platinum record sales.

“It’s the worst of times and the best of times,” said Anderson. “You can see the industry as being in dire straights, or you can see it as being appealing and changing.”