In a music industry dominated by established streaming services and meager payments for musicians, is there a way that dedicated super fans can support their favourite artists in a mutually beneficial way?
The problem
Whilst streaming platforms have allowed the publishing of music to be more accessible than ever to indie bands and yet-to-be-discovered musicians, it has also commoditised music to the point of devaluing it. This quantity over quality approach has led to poor returns for musicians and has eroded the exclusive status musicians used to enjoy in the eyes of die hard fans.
As a music industry start-up, Tremorz was interested in learning more about how music fans consumed music, related to their favourite artists and if, in fact, the relationship between musician and fan could be improved upon.
Research
We all listen to music, but our initial research provided insight into how very different this experience can be for each of us. Multiple surveys, targeting music super fans, musicians and the recording industry were sent out to gain insight into how these different groups related to one another.
56
survey respondents
survey respondents
12
individual interviews
individual interviews
Quantitative research
Our surveys included a range of quantitative questions to determine how people generally listened to music, and through which media. We were also interested in discovering how ideas like exclusive content, and the perceived quality of physical vs. digital media influenced fans' relationship to the music they were passionate about.
Qualitative research
Our team participated in a range of in-person interviews as well, where we targeted a range of different types of music consumers in order to acquire more anecdotal evidence. Our surveys had also included some qualitative questions, and it was through this channel that we actually found the greatest insight, as there was a lot of in-depth feedback provided, especially by disgruntled musicians.
“Bandcamp or Spotify. They already exist. We don't need more fragmented, competing markets with associated fees to publish our music. We need ways of connecting our music with those it would resonate with, and ways of discovering new bands we like.”
Anonymous – Musician survey respondent
“I have a large collection of CDs, and a small collection of vinyl records. Not so worried about scarcity, but I will pay more for stuff I don't see around much.”
Anonymous – Music fan survey respondent
Synthesis
Our team's first priority when synthesising the data we had acquired, was to collate a broad range of fairly similar feedback responses. In this instance we chose to mind map the data, based on the standard 5W and H questions. This method provided a clear sense of the scope of the feedback, which we then filtered into an empathy map. This helped us begin to work out who our primary persona might be, based on what the data showed they were experiencing.
Key Insights
Our research confirmed some initial assumptions, such as a difference in behaviour based on age, with older music fans preferring physical media, and younger fans taking cheap, digital streaming for granted. One of the most intriguing insights to surface was the number of different channels through which fans learn about and engage with their favourite performers. Fans stream or purchase through digital platforms, read about their favourite artist on dedicated websites, but regularly learn about tours and performance dates through social media.
Personas
We considered developing personas for musicians, DJs, music industry professionals and different types of fans, but we soon realised that the opportunities we were most interested in learning about were those related, specifically, to the dedicated music super fan. Our fan became known as Alice. She's a young professional who also DJs in her spare time. She appreciates the convenience of streaming music, but as a DJ and a music super fan, she values rare, exclusive and high quality content.
Alice's Journey
Conceived around the idea of a platform that would allow Alice to develop a richer and more mutually beneficial relationship with her favourite artists, her user journey explores the different moments where she tries to keep up to date with the latest news and releases from her favourite artists, and her often frustrating experiences with so many different information channels.
Alice's pain points
• Staying connected to music and her favourite bands is challenging for Alice due to so many platforms to keep on top of.
• Alice often finds herself so inundated by marketing and recommendations that she actually has a hard time choosing what to listen to.
• She find that people are largely unaware of how little streaming services actually pay artists.
• She is forced to interact with apps and large corporations rather than directly with the bands she cares about and wants to support.
Opportunities for Alice
• Alice wants a single place where she can interact with artists, buy and sell music, find out what’s happening and book tickets.
• A clear brand differentiation of the differences between Tremorz and the mass consumption model offered by other services would allow Alice to feel that this unique platform is aimed at her.
• A format where bands can communicate directly with fans like Alice with news, exclusive content and direct video messaging would help to build a value-added relationship
• A rich digital experience that mirror's Alice's physical album collection could allow her to easily interact with content such as album artwork booklets.
Peer analysis
Through our desktop research, but also mentioned through survey responses and interview feedback, our team became aware of a number of online solutions (and failed attempts at solutions), which currently aim to allow self-publishing online. Each of these services has focused on publishing to current streaming platforms, or providing alternatives to them, but none currently provide a singular experience where fans can engage with the the artists they follow in a wholistic way.
How might we statement
“How might we provide a channel for Alice, a dedicated fan, to connect with her favourite artists and their content in an authentic and mutually beneficial way?”
Prototyping
The best opportunities identified in Alice's journey involve the seamless integration of her various informational and music consuming needs in a singular channel. Ideally this channel could see streaming or purchasing live along-side other information, such as performance details, and potentially even exclusive messaging from her favourite artists.
Ideation
A wide range of potential functions and interactions were collated based on respondent and interviewee feedback, along with the most useful features from a variety of existing platforms, websites and digital channels. We were interested in discovering how efficiently some of these currently disparate interactions could potentially work side-by-side.
Minimum viable product (MVP)
In order to work out what the baseline functionality might be for a new, more integrated digital music experience, a minimum viable product matrix was used. Those functions with the highest value, which were also most feasible to prototype were filtered out for immediate attention.
Sitemapping and workflows
The highest priority functions from our MVP matrix were then organised into a logical hierarchy, allowing us to focus on which pages and interactions to prototype as a proof of concept.
Low fidelity prototyping
Quick, colour-coded sketches were produced and shown to music fans who are already regular users of one or more digital streaming or purchasing platforms. Fast feedback allowed our team to make efficient decisions about what to take out, add and refine before moving on to higher resolution designs.
Medium fidelity prototyping
At this early conceptual stage, the best format for this new solution has yet to be determined, so our priority was to include as many of the priority functions and interactions as possible into a logically structured format, so that we could quickly test and iterate.
Features identified as being important to Alice, such as a personal dashboard, a music library hub, and a band info and comms page were integrated into this proof of concept for the Tremorz team. Future design will have to take into stronger consideration what format and device types will provide the best value for this kind of product.
Outcomes and next steps
As this project involved a quick, human centred design sprint only, further research will certainly be required to more fully understand the contemporary music market, as well as the needs and behaviours of both musicians and fans. As with any new concept, the Tremorz team is in the early stages of determining its viability as a new way of approaching an existing market. In the short term, the HCD double diamond process has, once again, proven how rapidly information can be acquired, synthesised and tested to provide valuable insights into real needs.
Recommendations for next steps
• Additional research into die hard fans to better differentiate between different sub-groups.
• Continue to evolve the Tremorz brand to clearly communicate the artist to fan experience.
• Work with artists to develop brand ambassador relationships and front this with rich media content on new platform.
• Focus on the relationship and connection experience with limited edition (but not necessarily exclusive) content.
• Test and validate the fine line between offering an exclusive and connection-based experience and offering the features fans have become accustomed to through other platforms (e.g. playlists).
• Further research on how to replicate the tactile experience audiophiles relish with the vinyl experience.
“There are a lot of grifters trying to get in by telling you they'll help you make a music video or whatever, who assume there's money in it, and that you have money to give them. We don't. DIY is a necessity!”
Anonymous – Musician survey respondent
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