Snarky Puppy, the syncretistic, progressive jazz- funk band has had a long struggle to the top. They’ve been touring for the past fourteen years and made it big about five years ago, but their story to the top is fascinating. As has been in the music industry for a long time, artists must tenaciously fight to earn money. Streaming is the number one way that people listen to music, and this system leaves artists with next-to-nothing royalties. In a master class at the National Music Academy,Michael League, the band leader, talked about this fight to make a profit: “[I] usually blow [extra money] on another album that nobody buys, but everyone listens to, but nobody buys.” Michael League is gifted enough and educated enough to make great music that people enjoy. The hard part for him was, and continues to be, getting people to buy it.
To be financially successful, he added an entrepreneur alter-ego. He was the designer of all of the merchandise. He was the manager of all the venues and personnel. He was the head of finances. Under his parent label Ropeadope Records, he set up his own label, GroundUp Music, for which he established a strong social media presence. He decided the budget. He took care of payroll. He ran the website. In other words, on top of being the leader of the band, he was responsible for everything else.
As one can imagine, wearing all of those hats was tricky. On his path to success, Michael League assumed all of the risk in investing in Snarky Puppy. (At one point, he maxed out three different credit cards). Because of his assumption of risk early on, though, he now reaps the reward of his diligent work and investment. Marketing was a huge piece of the recipe for financial success. Michael League says touring and establishing a global presence was not only a cornerstone to the sound of their band, but also to their money in the bank. They have performed on every continent except Antarctica and always get pictures with fans to post on social media. While they would be lucky to break even from a tour, the fan-following they accumulated while touring is paying off big dividends.
This case study of Snarky Puppy shows that it’s not enough to only have a good product or good service anymore. Please excuse if I sound like a Marketing 101 professor, but it takes customer engagement and strong branding to make money. Yes, this concept applies even to music. Snarky Puppy, while it wasn’t pretty, mastered the recipe for engaged customer, and the way they innovated in regard to their brand is what has brought them from the ground up.
I find it absolutely amazing how much a single entrepreneur can accomplish with the right attitude, skills, and plan. It is extraordinary that Michael League was able to handle so many role and tasks simultaneously. This is a great example of entrepreneurial reward that came at a great risk.
I think this story of Snarky Puppy is a clue to the future of the music industry. The music industry is old and outdated, and new technology like streaming has minimized artists’ margins even further. I don’t think great music and great bands will continue to form if it requires brilliance like Michael League’s. There must be a better solution. Entrepreneurial ventures within the music industry are ripe for the taking, it just takes the right person and the right idea.