by: David Jennings
Blogging is clearly one of the major trends in music, media and entertainment. It makes complete sense for the major labels to use the process in a creative way to encourage, discover and communicate with new artists.
This is according to Sony BMG UK chief executive Ged Doherty, quoted in Digital Music News, who, according to The Register, will frown on any senior staff at Columbia Records and RCA Records who don't blog. This is tied into an initiative to replace the old process of bands sending in demo tapes, and aspiring artists are also expected to blog about themselves when they submit material.
This is all very much in keeping with the old Cluetrain manifesto arguments: instead of "markets are conversations", the premise of this approach is that "discovery and A&R are conversations".
SonyBMG is working with Vox on establishing their blogging platform, and Doherty has his own blog there (which, in my experience, wasn't that easy to find with Google).
Original post: http://www.netblogsrocknroll.com/2007/04/sonybmg_believe.html
