After just reading a story on how local businesses are using MySpace to bring in customers, I also ran across this amazing CNN coverage of how YouTube has breathed a new life into the career of parody loving Polka -man, comic genius and star of the 20 year old hit motion picture UHF, Weird Al Yankovic.
Weird Al’s latest album, “Straight Outta Lynwood,” has hit the Top 10 Billboard Chart for the first time in Al’s career (yes, even Polka Party and Eat It did not make the Top 10 almost 27 years ago).
Yankovich has to credit the fans of YouTube for fueling the demand of his new Geek targeted single, “White and Nerdy.”
“I’d kind of written off the chance of ever having another hit single, since record labels weren’t really releasing commercial ones,” Yankovic told CNN. “As much as people are griping about the Internet taking sales away from artists, it’s been a huge promotional tool for me.”
The video was ‘leaked’ onto YouTube before its officil release and everything Al has done since has been golden.
From CNN:
Once “Nerdy” hit outlets like YouTube, there was no stopping it. “We knew with ‘Nerdy’ that he’d hit on something incredibly relevant to different generations,” Dan Mackta, senior director of marketing for Zomba Label Group, says. “Kids were discovering him like a new artist.”
On MySpace:
Yankovic also has accumulated 155,000 MySpace friends since he joined the site in July — all of which he says he personally added. “I used to be a little pickier. Now I just kind of click as fast as I can.”
Apple iTunes :
“Nerdy” has been safely tucked into iTunes’ top five for the past few weeks.
Comments
1 response so far ↓
Belial9 on Jul 28, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Yes indeed, Good article!! This is a classic example of how the internet can be an extremely useful tool to promote artists. Many record companies complain that it’s hurting them, but as soon as they realize HOW to make it work, and that everyone who shows someone a new artist for free, is opening up ears to people who later become loyal fans, the amount of people who are willing to pay for an album actually increases, not decreases! (however, this only happens if the artist is any good!) So the trick is, if you have a good product, it will succeed, if you don’t, then it won’t help your business to just blame the customer! (it wouldn’t wash in any other business, so why should it work with the entertainment industry!? I’m glad to see that Weird Al is doing well for his work, because indeed, he’s a fantastic artist! I first heard him on the internet in 2003, and I’ve been a bit of an addict ever since, and I now purchase everything of his I can find! (and by the looks of this, I’m no exception!) Well done Internet! Well done Youtube! And well done to all those who have sussed out the secret behind success in the modern world! ;)
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