For those in the Music industry, this is not an option, so think the people behind a new initiative, WebFest 1.0.  This is a national fan-driven tour, which gives ‘musicians the opportunity to play in front of 30,000 fans at live events in 25 cities across the country.’  How do you qualify? By having the ‘most engaged fans’ on their Type-Pad powered blog.

While this is, quite obviously, an infomercial style competition designed to get bands to select this blogging software over some of the other sites available, the concept behind it is one which demonstrates a shift in the way a bands success is measured.  These gigs aren’t being booked on how many records are being sold but instead entirely on the way in which a band’s web presence is managed.

In Mike Ragongna’s enlightening article, (Found at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ragogna/the-business-of-music-ii_b_527570.html) Panos Panay, the creator of Sonicbids, argues that there is now ‘a class of artists that is completely redefining the way the music business works and the way that music is experienced and discovered.’   This ‘middle class’ has nothing to do with the funds behind the artists but much more to do with the value that they place in their relationship with fans. By considering themselves ‘entrepreneurs,’ using social networks and blogs to increase their profile, these musicians can raise their game into the music business without the help of execs and A&R men taking a cut of their profits.

While WebFest 1.0 may well, for all we know, not even get off the ground, this shift is here to stay.  This concept shows there is plenty of weight in the theory Panay puts forward and that tour bookers are starting to take notice of the power of having a group of seriously engaged fans.  Serious artists are those who ‘make things happen for themselves’ and engage their fans in every way possible.

If you are a musician and would like help engaging your fans through the internet then check out Indigo sky’s dedicated Online Music Promotion website – Indigo Sky Music.