How does an album get better sales? By being blogworthy, of course!

A recent study done by NYU's Stern Business School shows that the amount of online "chatter" about an upcoming album release directly correlates to higher physical album sales. Researchers studied 108 albums released in 2007 to see how various outside elements affected the sales once the album had been released, and found that all had an effect in one way or another. Certain elements, however, proved to have more impact than others. Which elements, you ask? Say it with me now, BLOGGING and SOCIAL NETWORKING. I may sound like a broken record here, but article after article points to the strengths of web 2.0 as a marketing tool.

Researchers studied Amazon.com sales ranks (Nielsen Soundscan Ratings are too costly), as well as articles, blog posts, and Myspace presence for each album listed over a period of eight weeks. Findings showed that blogs tended to be the most strongly correlated to high album sales. According to the findings, if 40 or more legitimate blog posts- legitimate as in written by regular people, not marketers- were made prior to an album's release, sales ended up being three times the average.

This success is not limited to albums released under the umbrella of the "Big 4" labels, Independent releases reaped the same benefits. The study also discovered, as bad a rap as Myspace gets, that the number of Myspace friends a band has also correlates to album sales. Take this finding with a grain of salt, however, as the law of numbers proves that more friends generally equals more people ready to buy the album and support the band. That being said, while social networks are a new phenomenon and a good catalyst for high album sales, they simply cannot compare to a review from a notable source like Rolling Stone Magazine or one of it's counterparts.

As I've said before, I am a regular reader of music blogs like Pitchfork and Brooklyn Vegan, and I buy into the hype. I'm still loyal to the bands I've like all along. A negative Pitchfork review wouldn't deter me from buying, say the new Radiohead album. I'll admit though, that If a band I'm unfamiliar with gets intense praise, I will look into it, and perhaps buy the album. So yes, the hype machine (as we've collectively termed it) claims another victim. But really, is that such a bad thing?

'Spin' goes digital

Spin Magazine, the notable rock mag, has decided to post it's February issue online. Spin has created a myspace profile wherein users can get complete free access to the magazine, as well as exclusive online content not featured in the print edition. The myspace edition allows you to browse the pages of the magazine, which features "enhanced links" to featured bands' myspace profiles, stories from past issues, and links to purchase music from iTunes. The digital version offers more than the print, and at a great price- free. The magazine is planning to post it's next 12 issues online as well, so its a good chance for music-fiends to catch up on what's happening in the scene.

I think that this is a great thing. With Radiohead offering their album for discounted (or free) digital download, and other publications like Paste offering free issues online, people are able to get access to content that perhaps financial limitations wouldn't allow previously. More than that, for people that just don't feel like paying for content, now they can browse and decide whether or not it coincides with their interests. It also provides marketers a way to reach a much broader audience, especially in the case of free digital magazines. I'll admit, I still buy cd's, and I still subscribe to music magazines. I know I'm the exception in this matter. Very few of my friends purchase cd's, and even fewer buy magazines, especially with the internet so ubiquitous. For me, its about having a copy of something in your hand. I like that I contribute to the salary of writers, and (sometimes) to the livelihood of bands. I also, however, would like more people to be able to be exposed to these mediums, and with free digital content, they are now able to "broaden their horizons", if you will.