Music artists social networks communication strategies: revealing relationship and discursive perspectives

Abstract

The recent evolution of the media ecosystem has witnessed a hybridization of the online and offline music market, profoundly impacting not only distribution but also consumption patterns and audience relations. In response to this digital transformation, music artists have undergone adaptations to distinguish themselves and forge meaningful relationships with their audiences and communities. This paper delves into the communicative actions that form the connection between musical artists and their publics, scrutinizing the conceptual core of public relations. Communication with communities is conceptualized as a nuanced relationship with the public, often assuming strategic communication forms. This perspective encapsulates all pivotal interactions for an entity, extending beyond formal conversations directed at specific objectives. Simultaneously, it posits that identity construction emanates from values, principles, and vision, serving as the source of enduring differentiation.

This exploratory study meticulously examines the communicative sphere of musical artists, focusing on the channels used, disseminated messages, and inherent discursive configuration. To achieve this objective, the study investigates how musical artists communicate with their online communities and/or fans by (a) exploring the ways artists use social media as a communication tool, (b) examining the nature of the content in such communication, (c) probing how the artist's interaction with their communities manifests and characterizing behavior patterns within these communities, and (d) scrutinizing the distinctive characteristics of the artist's discourse and the underlying symbolism it conveys.

This research seeks to understand how music artists communicate in their social networks and communicative products such as video clips and interviews, with a focus on content, discursive style, and interaction. Employing an exploratory and qualitative research approach, the study adopts a hermeneutic perspective, conducting multiple, holistic, descriptive, and synchronic case studies. The selection of cases prioritizes maximum diversity, considering internationality, musical genre, listening index on Spotify, and popularity on Instagram. The study analyzes artists such as Justin Bieber, Bad Bunny, Rosalía, Billie Eilish, and C. Tangana during the first quarter of 2022. The analysis reveals that artists' communication revolves around two strategic intentions. Firstly, there is a penchant for promotion and information dissemination, emphasizing content related to the artist's musical career, including concerts, albums, and non-musical collaborations on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Utilizing various formats such as images, text, and video enhances distribution. Secondly, a strategy of generating engagement is apparent, particularly on TikTok and, to a lesser extent, Twitter. On TikTok, artists leverage the brevity of video content to entertain, share personal aspects, and create humorous content. On Twitter, the platform facilitates free and spontaneous expression, fostering direct contact with communities and humanizing artists, thereby establishing a closer and more affective connection with their audience. The study's conclusions highlight (1) the use of networks for professional purposes, (2) spontaneous and personal content as an effective engagement generator, (3) the importance of direct interaction of the artist with the publics, and (4) the importance of a specific discourse and symbology for differentiation.