I have been a part of the music industry for a few years now and have met some amazing people in that little amount of time. I spend a lot of time talking about merch because that is my job and what I love doing, and although it is a major part of the music industry as we know it there are many other facets of it to be looked at. One of the bands who have inspired me the most musically and professionally is Hanson (http://www.hanson.net) . Not only are they the #1 most profitable band in merchandising (Seriously! I know!) and holders of literally dozens of more music-related world records (#1 Independent Album Worldwide, #1 album in the most countries consecutively, etc.) but they also spend a lot of time doing charity work on behalf of the AIDS Crisis in Africa (http://www.takethewalk.net) as well as promoting their own music.
A topic of interest where Hanson is concerned is the making of their 3rd Studio Album, Underneath, and the trials and tribulations it took for them to get it out to their fans. They started filming a documentary to showcase the ins and outs of making a record and ended up documenting the breakdown of their relationship with their record label and subsequent move to producing their music independently. Strong Enough To Break (the documentary) has been added to the curriculum of many entertainment business programs in college-level schools throughout North America because it provides an interior view of what happens when a capitalist regime takes over an existing record label and starts to put pressure on its own artists. It’s incredibly thought provoking and a really great picture for anybody interested in pursuing a career in the mainstream market to watch. You can download 13 consecutive episodes for free in Podcasts on iTunes (http://www.itunes.com). The documentary is called “Strong Enough To Break” and is produced by Hanson and directed by Ashley Greyson.
I know what you’re thinking! Hanson? That band from 11 years ago? MMMBop? How could that teach me ANYTHING about the music industry?? Well, in some cases it’s not that great to sign the first record deal that comes your way and hope for the best. Building a career that lasts over a long span of time and has ups and downs will benefit a band or artist a lot more in the longrun than the 15 minutes of fame most artists experience today. Hanson has been lucky to maintain a strong fan base throughout their entire career (more than 15 years!) which has allowed them to continue touring and making records, own their own record label and make a lot more money than you could ever dream of! Not only that, but they control their own career and are able to make decisions based on the values that are important to them. It’s a hard road to follow and somehow a band as understated as Hanson has managed to out-last and out-succeed most of the artists that were generated from that “era”.
Anyways, check it out, it really is both informative and entertaining!
