In March 2025, we gathered artists, marketers, cultural leaders, and music lovers for a roundtable on the future of music marketing — and what it takes to build meaningful momentum in a fragmented, post-streaming world.
The takeaway? The music industry doesn’t just need more content. It requires more care.
Here’s what we learned.
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🚧 Grassroots Venues Are the Heartbeat of Culture… And They’re Under Threat
We kicked off with a harsh reality: grassroots music venues — the lifeblood of local music culture — are struggling harder than ever. Streaming platforms have created infinite reach, but they can’t replace the community impact of a sweaty, packed-out room.
As one speaker put it: “Streaming isn’t building scenes. It’s just building soundtracks.”
Everyone agreed: brands have a role to play. Not as “saviours,” but as partners — helping fund stages, support venues, and create real-world spaces where emerging artists can find their first 100 true fans.
Grassroots scenes aren’t a charity project. They’re where tomorrow’s headliners — and tomorrow’s superfans — are being made.
🎤 Artists Need More Than a Campaign…They Need Ecosystems
A strong theme across the discussion: artists today are drowning in “campaign thinking.” Too many brand partnerships in music are surface-level boosts that end with a hashtag.
The real opportunity? Helping artists build complete fan ecosystems — merging online engagement with offline community, merch, live shows, and tactile fan moments.
“We’re not just building moments. We’re building careers,” one panellist said.
We talked about how brands can shift from quick-hit campaigns to slow-burn relationship building — supporting everything from independent tours and merch lines to community workshops and creative residencies.
Short-term fame is easy. Long-term impact? That’s the music branding game-changer.
🎟️ Bring Fans Off-Platform (Or Risk Losing Them)
Another key conversation: social media marketing can start discovery, but it can’t finish it.
Artists are winning millions of views on TikTok, but struggling to turn that into real ticket sales, genuine merch buyers, real fandom. “TikTok owns the audience, not the artist,” someone pointed out.
Brands and artists alike need to be investing in off-platform fan engagement strategies:
- Email lists
- Ticketing ecosystems
- Owned content hubs
- Real-world fan events
Building first-party fan relationships is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s the only real moat against algorithm shifts and platform fatigue.
🛠️ Scenes Are the New Superstars
In an age where mainstream celebrity is fragmenting, music scenes matter more than superstars.
Instead of chasing the biggest name available, brands need to embed themselves inside growing cultural movements — backing collectives, venues, and ecosystems rather than just solo talent.
One panellist summed it up: “Focus on nurturing the scene, not just banking on the next big thing.”
The loyalty, cultural credibility, and brand trust marketers crave won’t come from transactional deals. It’ll come from showing up early, consistently, and authentically inside communities as they grow.
🔥 5 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE MUSIC ROUNDTABLE
- Support grassroots culture: It’s not charity — it’s strategic investment.
- Help artists build ecosystems: Campaigns end. Communities last.
- Take fans off-platform: Build direct relationships or risk losing relevance.
- Think scenes, not stars: The real energy is collective, not celebrity.
- Play the long game: Cultural relevance isn’t bought — it’s earned.
Final thought: The brands that will win in music marketing aren’t the ones making the most noise in 2025.
They’re the ones investing quietly, consistently, and authentically in the cultural ecosystems that matter.
Let’s build futures — not just followers.
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