“…and sometimes is seen a strange spot in the sky...”
One of the most unique challenges (and joys) in marketing music, unlike selling, say, fizzy brown sugar water, is that artists are not static products. Clearly a can of Coke is not a cognitive being, with a voice, an opinion, perception. A can of Coke doesn’t awake one morning and decide it no longer wants to be a soft drink but rather an energy drink or God forbid, a smoothie! It doesn’t decide to publicly criticize other colas, take a stand on divisive issues, or change its entire identity overnight. Coke is dependable. Predictable. Boring.
Unlike of course your average Indie darling who, mid-campaign, might shave their head, delete their Instagram, and move to a yurt in Muckle Flugga to “reconnect with the silence.”
Several years ago, we were working with a huge artist on the campaign for their next long-awaited album. In the lead-up to the launch, the public perception for them was off-the-charts good. The artist had built their brand around strong, consistent truths and values that radiated across every part of their ecosystem. They had championed a current societal issue in a way that was intelligent, compassionate, and genuinely resonant. And the new music was great! Honestly, at that point, they were one thoughtful interview away from being declared a National Treasure.
what unlocks real connection, real revenue, real growth
But then, right as we entered the album promo window, came the pivot. Out of nowhere, the artist went on the offensive. Shots fired at peers, critics, past collaborators, and even their own previous work. What should have been the attainment of greater success, became a masterclass in self-destruction.
“…SOMETIMES, THEY BLOW EVERYTHING UP JUST TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS.”
Yet, in music, this chaos is the job. Artists evolve. Their creative impulses shift. Their identities morph. And sometimes, they blow everything up just to see what happens. Successful marketing in this space requires a pipeline into the shifting audience behaviours, attitudes, cultural movement, and the delicate, ever-wobbling tightrope between artistry and commercial strategy. That's what we uniquely provide at Sound Effects – to artist management, investment funds, record companies etc. We’re constantly building and evolving tools with our clients to get a continuous read on how fans are reacting, emotionally, culturally, and commercially to what an artist is doing. Then we use that real-time understanding to adapt the strategy. Not with generic tweaks or last-minute panic moves, but with sharp, original, creatively-driven commercial ideas that are appropriate to the artist and grounded in fan truth.
"...a continuous read on how fans are reacting, emotionally, culturally, and commercially."
Thinking back to the earlier story, I still believe we could have, and probably should have, done more to help that artist. I blame myself a bit for that. Today, I think we’ve come a long way in what we do. But back then, dealing with strong characters, it could be easy to get swept up in the moment or step back when the mood shifts. But that’s exactly why solid, audience-first insight matters. It’s not about telling artists what to do but giving them a clearer view of the world they’re walking into. When the fan’s voice is grounded in truth, not hype, not agenda, it can act as a mirror. A compass. A reality check and a confidence boost. Because when fans are telling you what they really value, what they connect with, that’s not a constraint, but creative fuel.
“…NO ONE IS STOPPING TO ASK WHAT FANS ACTUALLY FEEL…”
The music industry is drowning in dashboards and starving for actual direction. Everyone’s chasing the next trend, the next TikTok moment, the next data point that might spike a streaming stat, but no one is stopping to ask what fans actually feel, what they care about, or where the long-term value really sits. Sound Effects works with clients to focus on attitudinal insight - that deep, human, behavioural truths, that spark growth across the entire fan ecosystem. Not just what’s reactive, but what’s genuinely strategic. It’s about identifying what unlocks real connection, real revenue, real growth and helps artists and rights holders build smart, joined-up plans that go beyond the ‘algorithm’ and actually builds a career.
Coz its a route sign, about navigation…get it?
Navigating this landscape requires more than commercial acumen. It’s a people game. You need to work across artists, management, labels, publishers, agents, sync teams, and probably someone’s cousin who’s “handling the streetwear drop.” Agility, diplomacy, and creative problem-solving aren’t soft skills here. They’re core competencies.
“HELPING ARTISTS GROW WITHOUT LOSING THEIR WEIRD, WONDERFUL SELVES IN THE PROCESS.”
Everyone’s got an opinion, but in our experience it’s almost impossible to argue with the empirical evidence that comes from the observation and appreciation of real human fan truths.
At Sound Effects, we’re looking for that hidden, often-ignored growth sitting in the cracks between traditional campaign plans. We look for those missed opportunities and then build strategies that are fan-centric, commercially potent, and culturally aware. It’s about helping artists grow without losing their weird, wonderful selves in the process.