Last year there was a TED talk regarding something similar to the last point – the influence of search rankings on popularity.  As we know, marketing yourself as a band / musician is all about (the illusion of?) popularity. According to the speaker, the major development in SEO is personalization of results. The gatekeepers have become algorithmic. 

As a consumer / fan, this means that having new bands to worship and sell your body to for ritual sacrifice to is becoming less about FINDING the artists you like and more about APPROVING recommendations for them. As a band, this means that your online presence and the “ease-of-forwardability” of your image is becoming – terrifyingly (gulp) – as important as your live show. 

Personally, I still believe a good old live show strips and trumps the faceless Sea of Web Crap You Get Every Day, but for those more serious about marketing themselves online, it seems we’re heading into an age where you have to become a “trophy slut.” Give all those nerdy strangers cool kid points for being the one who forwarded your video / song / competition / thing, but make it super easy to do so. 

Since when did rock stars have to think? 

(TED Link: http://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_bubbles.html)

Nice to hear you guys back together again talking trends. Just FYI, when you log in to Spotify there is a “private session” option that will allow you to listen to your Tears for Fears mini sets with no one the wiser