Textual Analysis of a music video (AO4)

The denotes and connotation of using different shots and angles in Rihanna's song 

Rihanna's snap shots of her song What's my name looking at star persona and target audeince connotations

This shot is a close up shot of Rihanna's face exposing her facial expression such as her make up, her bold, red and unusual hair colour, big golden earrings, and her stripy top, all, gives a pronounced  and detailed image of how she looks like on the camera, as a singer. Hereby, she allows us to set our own personal understanding or interpretation of the shot. For example, this close up shot, obviously, connotes a couple falling in love, the connection between them is felt by the viewers and many viewers van relate their own feelings, thoughts and emotions to the music video.

Additionally, this connotes that her primary target audience which are young teenagers, aged 17-19, White/ Black African girls will imitate her looks. Meaning, they become obsessed with her looks as they want be like her.  Also, Rihanna's target audience are at the life stage that they are creating an identity so they would implement some of Rihanna's identity to themselves.

However, Rihanna is presented as a sensual, seductive and a very flirtatious young woman in this music video. In many of music videos, Rihanna's star persona is about love, intimacy and bonding sexual relationships with her ''man''. Meaning, her star persona is, primarily, about being very seductive, sexual, and wearing revealing clothing to attract her male audience, at the same time, girls want to be like her to seduce their own boyfriends. Rihanna's star persona appeals more to her target audience because they become more intellectual and emotional interested in Rihanna's music videos and will, therefore, buy more of her Cd's as all her albums are sexually and devotional based. Meaning, young teenagers are more cognitively obsessed with sex, intimacy, devotion and having close relationships with someone.                                                                                                                                                                                Also  on the picture above, her background is blurry which makes her and him appear dominant and significant. As you can see on Rihanna's fashionable clothing her satr persona is created through her clothing line. She has got this urban style with red denoting her sex appeal and attrectiveness.

As soon as they see each other, there is this instant, attraction or chemistry between. This connotes a first sight love relationship between them. Additionally, this would appeal to Rihanna's target audience as it's aiming at teenagers who are living their lives to the fullest, they have got a wild lifestyle (e.g. partying a lots and falling in love), teenagers who are interested in relationship between their opposite sex. This song conveys messages that are based on attraction, seduction, passion, devotion and intimacy. Likewise, Rihanna's start persona is more about representing a singer that is a fashion chameleon, wild, rebellious, loves partying, going out and having personal relationships with ''boys'' such as Chris Brown. Hereby, Rihanna's target audience will be more attracted and dragged into her songs. As a result, of this more fans would like her and buy her Cd's, magazines and want to know more about her particularly wonder whether Rihanna really goes out with Drake or not? due to her assault with Chris Brown people become more interested in her.

This song is mainly about a young and playful couple falling in love. Their lyrics reflect their role in the track as Drake and Rihanna are singing to each other: '' I heard you good with them soft lips the things we could do in twenty minutes girl wear it out, its getting hot, crack a window, air it out''. This lyrics suggests to us the strong chemistry between them. Again related to conveying the messages of intimacy, passion and love.

I denote that this shot is a close up of the couple holding hands.  It demonstrates the closeness of the couple and how he grabs her and touches her to convey to her non-verbally that he has fallen in love with her. This connotes that we, as audience are introduced to their personal relationship in the song. We can instantly tell that the song is mainly about the couple falling in love and trying to impress each other by non-verbal communications  such as  Rihanna looking very flirtatious and seductive at the that we can joy in to if we want to by listen to the song male singer.

 This is an extreme close up denoting more details of her facial expression and appearance such as her make up. Also, it connotes that she desires for passion by the way she's done her lips and the way she looks at the male character. At the beginning of the song, she is acting out all them the techniques of her falling in love with the male character at their first meeting step by step. For example this is more clearer when she starts to sort twisted when she came in and saw him. (see below picture)

This is an over-the-shoulder shoot showing Rihanna's body language and facial expression. She looks as if she is interested in the male character's attention giving to her. This connotes that she looks flirtatious, seductive and her red hair signifies romance, rebellious and difference. The fact that, she enters the shop and instantly fall for the male character that looks at her shows her personality and interests in the male character. She has been easily impressed by the male characters looks and his  attention or love for her. This moves were enough for Rihanna to start an instant relationship with him in the song.  In other words, she was impressed quickly by him. Additionally, the over-the -shoulder shoot enables us as viewer to see what the male character sees from his point of view. In other words, he sees a young, beautiful, innocent and single female  who is interested in him. Therefore, this shoot shows us, as viewers, the start of the relationship between Rihanna en Drake at the beginning of this song track. So we know from the beginning how they got to know each other. This will make it more appealing to Rihanna's target audience as we are interested in what Rihanna is about to do next in the video. (e.g. what does she think about Drake in the video as her boyfriend or what is the story of the video about). As her target audience is young boys and girls who are interested in personal relationships with someone, will make it more interesting and fascinating to them.

                                     

This is a complete full shot of Rihanna but from a low angle. This connotes that it shows where we are and what's happening in the scene. Rihanna appears to be the only female in the shot which represents her female empowerment and dominance. Even though, Rihanna is wearing revealing clothing she is strong and powerful at the same time. This connotes to us as her target audience that she doesn't care what other people think about her, she is just being herself. This reflects her star persona as she is strong, powerful but at the same time she is representing females as seductive, wearing make up to look good, flirtatious, sassy but  intelligent and talented.

This shot shows that all the attention is focused on her with all the male characters surrounding her when she dances and sings.

However, I denote that behind Rihanna her background is smokey. This may connote mystery, danger, frightening, dangerous and scary. Additionally, her background is red which suggests either romance, intimacy and devotion or antagonist, unusual, and provocative.

This applies to her target audience as they are young and free just like Rihanna. They belief in love, life, and ambitions. The red and smokey background may be seen in different perspectives by her target audience. However, the song itself does apply to her target audience as it's all about love and intimacy. Teenagers are at a life stage that wants to try new things and challenge themselves. This is why Rihanna's target audience would definitely be attracted to her song tracks.

Target Audience (AO4)

I have chosen this video to see how Rihanna appeals to her primary and secondary target audience by analysing on costumes, props, performance, mise-en-scene, lighting and production design. Interestingly, Rihanna/Hard is a conceptual music video. Meaning, the concepts of the music video is based on a military theme.Throughout, the video you notice fighting, fire, grenade bombs, weapons, jeeps, and tanks which are used in the army.

From the beginning of the song, ''hard'', Rihanna commands a group of men in an army/war setting. The image that Rihanna is trying to portray is her dominate ego and authority reflecting her album title.  Rihanna's roles in the video can be seen as masculine and powerful. This is shown through dress codes in a contemporary femininely sensualist way.

The fact that the location, from the start, of the video is introduced to us, as viewers, in an army/war setting prepares us to, instantly, imagine about the traditional views and thoughts of the scenes in a war. Where, men are predominantly there rather than females because they are conventionally seen as vulnerable and weak. However, Rihanna is going completely against these conventions and she becomes the leader in the music video not the men. This would, surely, appeal to Rihanna's primary target audience as they will learn from it and become ''Hard'' just like Rihanna to 'rule the world' from the opposite sex. The message is don't be a failure but a winner.

The use of the mise-en-scene used throughout is portraying this ''Hard'' character is shown through her costume which includes military clothes such as helmet, boots and colour range from her costumes are khaki green, brown, blue, black and white which makes her stand out from the dancers who are suppose to be soldiers.
The fact that Rihanna wears at the start a white costume reflects the war that the soldiers are fighting is justified and the leaders are pure of heart. Meaning, there are no confidentialities.

Amazingly, in this music video Rihanna wears eight different customes in each eight scenes which are rather short and revealing. Hereby, she still portrays her sexy image which convey conventions of females in the R&B videos by revealing their body parts and show lots of skin.
The eight different scenes portray the artist as superior.

Furthermore, the video ends and starts with Rihanna wearing a helmet, close up shots of her face, and her red lipstick draws attention to her lips, but her eyes are covered by her military helmet.
Likewise, Rihanna's makeup denotes that in some scenes her makeup is very dark and strong connoting mystery and a stern look. Additionally, red lipstick portrays her femininity. At the same time, Rihanna's harsh war makeup evokes strength and power which relates back to the song title.

The mood and tone of this music video is portraying this female artist as powerful, giving orders but she is not part of the action when the men are actually fighting.
Power is shown through her body language where she is quite stern , walks with confidence, with her head up and feels important, her facial expressions are quite serious but at the same time balanced with femininity and a flirtatious look.
Tone of voice is loud and aggressive rather than down and soft like a typical female.
The artist is depicted in this video as a female who is the one at the top of the hierarchy giving orders to male soldiers.

There has been a various range of shots used in Rihanna's music video,''Hard''. These camera shots include close up shots of her face, long shots of her and her costume, medium close ups and extreme close ups. Also, low angle shots makes Rihanna more superior and represents dominance and  female empowerment.
Fascinatingly, I denote that Rihanna is the only female in the music video connoting that she is the only one in control by ordering the men, power, importance, and challenges the depiction of women in the army.
The choreography denotes a mixture of street dance combined with military gestures and the camera composition are often deep and shallow focused. It has come to my notice, that in many camera compositions, I denote Rihanna in the ''Rule of Thirds'' composition connoting a dominant and vital focus on her within the frame of the camera.

Often, there is external natural lighting used for brighter and more original definition on Rihanna. However, the part where she is wearing this green soldier’s hat with red lips, the light just shines very sharply from a high angle often emphasizing her facial expression and her bold makeup.
Although, she is in a war zone she is still looking very sexy, fashionable, outrageous, yet also, attractive and flattering. Rihanna is showing an unconventional war zone in her music video. To continue talking about, Rihanna's facial expression often appears as if she is ...

Following that part, Rihanna strolls through a field of explosions, as if it is not occurring. This suggests that the war has no affect on her, showing that she is ''hard'' not afraid and will do anything to ''win''. Again through Rihanna's music video her star persona, clearly, appeals to her target audience by Universal has creating her star persona as being very rebellious, rocky, tough, seductive, sexual and an independent woman who fights for everything. She's ''hard'', dominant and powerful through her music.

The part where Rihanna is playing games during a war suggests that she is directly targeting to her audience as being playful, partying, having fun, seductively, and living their lives despite them meeting the demands of the world around them. The game reinforces the real truth during a war that there are winners and losers but the most dominant, ''hard'' and wealthiest person wins. Rihanna is conveying to her target audience, that having control, money and wisdom can change your position within the society.

Furthermore, the scene where Rihanna is on a pink tank, Barbie makeup and a Mickey Mouse helmet connotes that Rihanna is one who is representing someone who is pure, positive, and peaceful but at the same time, childlike and different. Yet also, it places war in a harmless and irresponsible light.

Most shockingly, in this music video Rihanna has often used violent and aggressive props such as the gun as she is firing in the air, symbolically, connoting that the gun shows the social and sexual equality between man and woman. At the same time, portraying a negative action to her target audience.

Interestingly enough, Rihanna, then, sits with the tank gun between her legs, using it as a source of prop, as if it were a penis, as dominance and strength are associated with men, showing Rihanna's ''hard''. Also, connoting that Rihanna's character is ''hard'' in a sexual way. In other words, creating an imagery of Rihanna looking as if, tough, she has got an ‘erect penis' connoting sexually aggressiveness and sexual independence. Rihanna has got a wild lifestyle.

At the end, half of Rihanna's face is covered with her hair but emphasised with eyeliner her left eye representing the ''All Seeing Eye''. This connotes that just like ''God'' she is looking over the human kind. This is why she has won the war by waving the R logo, at the end of the song, connoting victory of the war, This fascinatingly, reflects her star persona, as a result, makes everything Rihanna does more appealing to her target audience as they imitate from her actions because her primary target audience is young teenage girls which means they are naive, vulnerable and want to be like Rihanna, particularly looking up to her dominant and rebellious figure.
However, the one eye not being cover and the other one is covered also connotes mystery, we don't see or know a lot about her. Rihanna is hiding many things away from the public eye connoting her sensitive side is concealed rather than revealed.

To finalize, the use of lighting in this music video, at the start, we are introduced to Rihanna holding her soldier hat downwards but the light is shined very bright on her to strengthen the qualities and the interpretations of her facial expressions and body language. Mainly, her lips through the red lipstick is emphasised, her black nail polish and her diamond rings all appeals to her target audience. Rihanna has got a modern fashionable army look. This is clearly seen because this is the purpose of the top lighting to make the small, invisible and unnecessary props or items stand out the most. For example, top lighting is to highlight Rihanna's quirky and weird fashion sense, dress codes, makeup techniques, physical parts, postures etc, we will become more interested in the music videos and follow Rihanna throughout different media text because we become more obsessed with her image, as fans.
Def Jam Recordings the record label which she is signed to has created this star persona to make her appear unusual and stand out from the main to make it more appealing to her target audience as everyone loves 'different'.
At last, natural lighting gives us a sense of originals, brightness, purity, realistic and it gives a high definition images or shots.

Major Label Marketing research (AO1/AO4)

Promotion

Promoting Rihanna

Rihanna is actually signed to Def Jam Recordings by it is parented by Universal. Rihanna's primary target audience is young teenage females aged 17-22 and her secondary target audience is young male teenagers aged 17-22.
Below I've provided two examples of promotions which clearly shows how Rihanna is targetting her primary audience and secondary audience through merchandise and sex appeal.



This image above shows an example of Rihanna promoting her cosmetics Covergirl mascara product. this is appealing to her primary target audience because its her cosmetics which will persuade teenagers to purchase it. Cover girl is dedicated to Rihanna which is a collection of make -up products that are also used by make up artists. However, the make-up business promotes Rihanna very effectively as it uses synergy which means two companies working together to promote products or artists. For example, Rihanna is signed to Universal and she is synergizing with Covergirl to promote her cosmetics.



Promotion also includes displaying the artist on a magazine cover to persuade the audiences to purchase the products. To make them buy the magazines the artists must covey sex appeal and attracting attention through revealing clothing.

This is good example for advertising Rihanna in public adverts using synergy again with well known companies . Likewise, this is an excellent example for synergy when two organisations work together to allow them to reach the same audience and both profit from it.

This is another example that is an example relating to promoting Rihanna's music on YouTube.
This is very useful because they know that Youtube a the most often visited sites particularly visited more than 100x by younger audiences. This is the best site for promoting songs.

Researching Rihanna's audience profile

I have chosen Rihanna because I am a big fan of her. However, she is originally from Saint Michael, Barbados, born on February 20, 1988. (age 22) and her real full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty. Her occupations are a singer, songwriter, executive producer, dancer, video director, philanthropist, cultural ambassador, author and actress.

Most relevantly, she is signed to the record label of Def Jam Recordings. This music industry is a major music label because it's owned by Universal Music Group.
Many other artists such as Jay Z and Jennifer Lopez are signed to Def Jam Recordings as well.


Target Audience Profile is shown above on a slide share program:)

Major Label Marketing Research (AO1/AO4)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOS-68QPYzs

Above is the URL of the second example for Rihanna being advertised in an advert for Renault cars.




Above is one of Rihanna's publicity advert where she raises awareness about Leukimia on a Public Service Advertisment.

Below is the second example of Rihanna singing happy Birthday for American Cancer Society. I've included it's URL.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyCWPB5vpe4

Comparative essay of major and independent label(AO1)

Investigating the Macro Structure of the Music Industry (Ao1)

There are two different types of recording labels that make up the music industry which are the major recording labels and the independent recording labels.                                                                              In this essay I’m going to be contrasting one major recording company, ’Sony Music Entertainment’, with an independent recording company, ’The Big Scary Monsters’. 

Sony Music Entertainment UK is part of one of the largest music and entertainment companies in the world. It has a wide range of local artists and international superstars, it also contains of some of the most important recordings in history.

The key significance within these two recording labels is that, Sony Music Entertainment is the second-largest global record company. This will mean that Sony Music Entertainment, as a major recording label owns distribution channels, it’s known worldwide due to its successful, highly sophisticated marketing reputation, the company’s globalization connotes its wealth and power to be known across the Europe.

It is important to mention that, Sony has got a high status and reputation. It also has got mainstream, well known, highly qualified and experienced artists and stars signed to it. Hereby, the company will become wealthier and powerful through the music of its own artists. Obviously, without the successful artists the company won’t easily become global. This will also enable them to reach a mass audience.

Sony Music Entertainment doesn’t just focus on music but also in other media interests and outlets.  This is known as conglomerate, when a media company has other media interests and outlets besides just producing music. For example, SONY also produces many other hardware electronics. For example, cameras, TV’s, games, movies, films, mobile phones, DVDs, laptops, loud speakers and many more. Sony is the most respected, liked, trusted and modern company in the recent years. It has got a global reputation.

Contrastingly, the independent recording label the ’Big Scary Monsters’ is located in Oxfordshire outside London. In this sense, as it is local, it connotes that the ‘Big Scary Monsters’ recording company reaches a niche target audience. For example, Math Rock, Indie Rock or Post Rock.

Significantly, its target audience is mainly white, British, working class, Rock and Roll male fans whom prefer up-tempo beats and heavy guitar sounds.

Clearly, they listen to loud and energetic songs which set them alive. This connotes that as the record label is targeting a niche audience, of course, the record label has to be independent because they don’t have the money to use various strategies or methods to develop themselves, successfully, as a record label. For example, if they had money they could afford to synergize with other companies or they could use horizontal integration, vertical integration, or even being able to become conglomerate just like the major labels. Basically, this is what sets apart the independent recording labels to major recording labels in the music market.


Similarly, the ‘Big Scary Monsters’ has got less access to successfully advertise, promote or publish its music through the use of different media outlets, as I have mentioned above because it operates without any funding of and outside the organizations of the major record labels. 

Interestingly enough, Sony Music Entertainment is often known as a macro company which connotes that it’s a company on a very large scale. While, Big Scary Monsters is often called the micro organization which refers to a small, independent and less developed recording label.

Below represents a diagram of what share of the market Sony recording company and independent labels own.

Reference: world music market sales shares, according to IFPI.

As you can see from the diagram above, the four major labels almost own 72% of all the music in the music market. The four major labels are Sony Music Entertainment, EMI, Universal and Warner. All these labels are global, highly wealthy, triumphs and popular due to other subsidiary labels and companies they own and run.

However, I am going to compare Sony Music Entertainment as a major record label with Big Scary Monster as an independent label based on the music they produce.

To begin, Sony Music Entertainment has got a broad range of various music genres including Pop, Hip Hop, R&B, Rap, Jazz, Rock and a mixture of many other various genres.

This means that Sony Music Entertainment produces mainstream music genres which are popular, known worldwide by a global audience. For example, Justin Timberlake is known worldwide and his concerts and tours are based around the world.

The artist’s music videos, star persona, and overall, representation reflects the company which Justin Timberlake is signed in.

This means that Sony Music Entertainment is successful, wealthy and globalised its artists will too.   

There is a vast majority of different musical artists all signed to Sony Music Entertainment. For example, Leona Lewis, Usher, the legendary King of Pop Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, Lemar, Usher, Beyonce, Pink, Ciara, and the X-Factor winners, Leona Lewis, Alexandera Burke, Matt Cardle and many more. All of these artists are singing R&B, Hip Hop, Pop, Soul pop and many other genres.

Interestingly enough, these artists are unique and different from each other because they need to seal albums and engage people with their music. The star persona that Sony Music Entertainment tells them to be will make them distinguished from each other.                                  

Yet also, this phenomenal success, power and wealth of the artists and the major recording companies are the key significance between major and independent record labels.

                                                           

Most importantly, Sony caters for a range of diverse target audience using many professional strategies through promoting, publishing and advertising. Here are some examples for how Sony caters for different target audiences:

-       worldwide concerts

-       tours

-       selling millions of CD’s using synergy

In contrast, Big Scary Monsters recording label produces genre of music which are just different types of Rock and Roll niche genres. For instance, they’re only producing Alternative, Math, Post or Indie Rock.

Interestingly, Kevin Douch is the finder of BSM and he is

The artists that are signed to this label are:

-       This Town Needs Guns

-       Kevin Devine

-       Pulled Apart By Horses

-       Walter Schreifels

-       Andrew WK and Get Cape

-       Wear Cape

-       Fly

Moreover, there are various approaches which BSM can provide for different target audiences.

For example, through their official website they promote market and publish their music, released debut albums, live videos or CD covers and other media outlets.

For this unit, I’ve thoroughly examined the various strategies BSM has used, as an independent recording label, to promote, advertise and publishes their music. Here are some of the examples for BSM’s marketing, promotion and distribution channels.  

They’ve got I-Tunes store, exclusive offers on their website and BSM has launched a mini website ‘Friends of the Family’ which provides us access to free downloading MP3 songs. Hereby, BSM promote their music which makes their music known to and purchased by their customers or clients.

To add, it has also launched a blog called the ‘Big Scary Monsters’ which contains lots of waffled messages, live and promo videos posted by members of bands in BSM. For example, a YouTube video of their band known as Shoes And Socks Off – Smithereens on their Blogger.

 Their multimedia content includes MP3 format songs. For example, Hymns-Invidia and ?Hymns?- A punch to the temple. The MP3 demo tracks can be heard on Amazon.com or Emusic.

Additionally, videos are included too. For example, Kevin Devine and Shoes And Socks Off - Stan (Eminem cover in a Little Chef) or Shoes And Socks Off - Lounge Act (live Nirvana cover) and a monthly podcast where they will be uploading each month new episodes of their featuring past, present and future BSM bands as well as live recordings, a few unreleased and rare tracks, old favourites and the best unsigned bands.  Additionally, it has also got extra contents, Last FM: Radio, samplers, BSM covers, Walter UK tours or ’’BSM in Europe’’, and talons about current updates.

Interestingly, Kevin Douch , the founder, has created a ‘packaging company’ where they offered their customers to sign up a membership club known as ’BSM 10 collection’ which you will have to pay to receive a package of 52 free MP3s, 11% discounts and artists’ CDs send to the customer’s inbox and home address.

At last, Big Scary Monsters is also promoting a DVD/CD compilation featuring over 30 promo. For example, Mimas CDs, Partied Hard, Tall Ships, Tellison, and Hold Your Horse Is.  

To add, they also have great deals of offers when selling their products such as 10% website discounts.

They also synergy with few of the most well known social networking companies such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Blogger, and MySpace. But, it’s free of charge and easy to sign up with these companies. BSM doesn’t have any horizontal integration because it doesn’t have any other media interests to cross promote their artists except music. Significantly, as BSM is an independent recording label it doesn’t own any other companies or labels.

Besides, they’ve also got label profile, they increases their sales by setting up an online digital store which sells many merchandises, For example, CD covers, CD’s, T-shirts, digitals, vinyl’s, cassettes, Distro items, DVD’s, limited addition items, bags, misc and pre-orders, and free streaming MP3’s.                                                                                                                                                           Additionally, they also have their band’s information on their website and online videos providing examples of the songs or records such as debut albums, live bands and festivals.

Kevin Douch, founder of Big Scary Monsters, owns it own distribution channels. Kevin works solo which means he’s staying completely independent and figuring things out for himself. Although, he’s got a cast made up of managers, booking agents, press people, distributors and occasional interns, he is required to take on all these roles for those who don't have any managers, press people, distributors, runners and interns

Their roster is arguably more varied than ever before. For example, Andrew W.K.,Tall Ships, Kevin Devine and Walter Schreifels, Talons and Chicago based punks Grown Ups.

The official website also includes free music, tour dates, photos, The sampler CD tracklisting, videos, iTunes Store, exclusive offers and extra content.                                                                                                                      
On top of that, BSM organized a 5-a-side football tournament, taking place at the Linford Christie Sports Centre in London which often offers some bonus material, behind-the-scenes tour footage, some interviews, exclusive mp3s and many more.
Yet, Big Scary Monster synergizes with ‘Bearded’ magazine and ‘Front’ magazine which is appears on BSM’s Blogger. BSM is synergizing with a published magazine that is targeting similar target audience as BSM. This magazine is known as the Front magazine which publishes lots of pictures, videos, posters, stickers and wallpapers of naked seductive young females. It also includes video games. This shows the informality of the record label.  

As an independent recording label such as BSM has built a national fanbase, made all of their music available for free, attempted to establish a solid online presence.

The label is funded through Kevin Douch doing a variety of extra jobs.
Kevind has got a number of magazines and radio stations who he can call on for support. They also employ PR people for their bigger bands, which helps secure extra content.
As BSM is a DIY independent record label based in Oxfordshire. The type of company connotes that the product will have to be sold for cheaper prices, bargain deals which means having to give away more to earn the same value. For example, their ’10 collection’ club cost £17 to subscribe and each week throughout the year they'll be emailing a new track out to all of their subscribers. These will mostly be made up of the best new and unsigned bands, along with a few exclusive new BSM signings, before the rest of the world finds out about them, album tracks from some of their old favourites.

As well as the 52 MP3s, everyone also gets an exclusive BSM t-shirt and a 10% discount on all purchases from BSM’s online shop for the whole year and free entry into monthly prize draws.  
-Tours are often based nationally due to lack of money for funding international tours for all the bands. When the record label is run by one person, it’s going to be difficult to save money quickly.
The record label has to synergize with free but most visited social networking, merchandise and radio companies such as FaceBook, Twitter, Blogger, YouTube, LastFM, MySpace, Amazon, and Emusic.

Currently, there are 27 bands signed to BSM which signifies that the type of company reflects the amount of artists signed to the label. Instead, of a company like Sony Music Entertainment who’s got a broad array of international and national artists. This also means that the less funding a company has the fewer opportunities it will have to become successful. Compare to BSM, Sony Music Entertainment, has got a rather more complex structured system.

Likewise, the type of company depends on the ways artists are promoted, published, advertised and marketed. The wealthier, successful and known worldwide the easier the record label can become conglomerate and their artists can be familiarize through a wide range of marketing, promoted, published and advertised strategies. For example, synergizing with other well known and powerful companies can make a record label earn the same profit, beneficial and advantages, as a result, they can use horizontal integration. For example, Sony has used Usher to publish their Sony Ericsson mobile phones through the use of horizontal integration. 

BSM artists have sold 99 recordings but, recently, released their 100^th records from Partied Hard. Primarily, they appeal to a niche audience as its aim at a specific and exact target audience. This is white, working class, British, men who are interested in partying, being different and informal in the sense of fashion, ideas and manners, female seduction, drinking, clubbing and hanging around. 

Moreover, Sony Music Entertainment is a macro organization parenting subsidiary labels such as Columbia, Deconstruction Records, RCA Label Group and Sony Commercial Music Group. This means that Sony Music owns these four independent labels. Whereas, the independent label, ‘Big Scary Monsters’ is a micro organization which will always require parenting from the major labels to succeed.

Therefore, BSM doesn’t own any other companies or labels for horizontal integration.  Sony has done many synergized advertisings, promotions and publishing to reach a wide audience and earns more. For example, Sony Music Entertainment has synergized Alexander Burke which is signed to Sony with Sure deodorant in a commercial. Hereby, the two media institutions, Sony and Sure deodorant, have collaborated together with the same selling product to appeal the same audience for their own benefits.

Major recording companies including Sony own distribution channels. Whereas, independent labels can only sell through their websites. BSM hasn’t got a lot of solo artist; they mainly have bands that perform as a group.

Sony uses horizontal integration through different media sources such as games such as Wii, music such as Matt Cardle or Leona Lewis, films such as the most recent released film,’’The Tourist’’ with Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp, TV programmers such as X Factor. Whereas, BSM websites and their music to sell its music. Commonly, they are more likely to synergize with Facebook, Blogger, Twitter and other social networking websites.

As Christina Aguilera is signed to Sony her marketing and promotion access would be varied as she is signed to a very wealthy and successful company that has the ability to access or synergise with any other companies they want. Often, independent companies desperately wants to synergize with Sony as it has got such a high reputation.
Anyways, Christina Aguilera have used the increased amount of merchandising available as well as the abuse of censorship rules to create media hype. An artist’s image can really help to market their singles. The image and fashion connected with the genre of the music is really important too. Popularity of glam rock saw artists such as Gary Glitter and David Bowie, who all had a very strong visual image. Major record companies just like Sony and their artists would use this to create an unique selling point.

Constrastingly, Kevin Devlin who is an independent artist isn't being marketed or promoted the way Christina Aguilera is being promoted. This has al to do with funding and the type of record label the artists are signed to. Kevin is only being marketed through going on tours which wil increase his fan base and has affected his career.

Moreover, Kevin was interviews by 'Popwreckoning' and Manchester Orchestra's Andy Hull.
Played a number of festivals and has got a myraid amounts of social networking websites such as Blogger, Myspace, Twitter, Fcebook, Youtube, hyperlinks and accounts such as Amazon.com and eMusic. These are all the working class based websites which are for free and easily accessable. They're a bargain for anyone who ones music for sale. Whereas, major recording labels will sell Christina Aguilera's music for £20 or even more.

Overall, below I have revealed the key similarities and differences between Sony Music Entertainment and Big Scary Monsters.

Similarities

Differences

The major similarities between Sony and Big Scary Monster are that they both: - Have websites to publish information about their music.  Selling their music using different types of media strategies. A range of artists who are mainly aiming to produce music that appeals to their targets audiences. Consider genre of products in their music.

The major differences between Sony and Big Scary Monsters are that they both have: Sony doesn’t synergize with social networking industries but with other well known companies meeting similar standards to them and these industries should have a global reputation as well just like Sony. Whereas, BSM pays for more social networking companies to enhance their popularity and they are trying to appeal to more audiences. The differences for BSM and Sony is mainly that Sony is mainstream, reaches a mass audience, wealthy, it’s a conglomerate industry, has got a global reputation, meet high demanding standards and sells it’s music using a broad array of media resources such as synergy, horizontal integration, vertical integration, and enhances the quality of its products by making it more wider, most wanted and famous electronic products such as the new Vaio Sony laptops or camera. Contrastingly, BSM is a niche record label, local, unknown, on budget industry, the only source they use is to synergize with social networking websites and its own website to gain popularity and reach high standards. Another key significance to major recording companies is that they have artists that can easily become famous because they are signed to the company. Whereas, independent recording labels will find it difficult and challenging to easily become famous and appeal to a mass audience because the independent record labels don’t have the ability to become known worldwide. Moreover, major recording companies own music hardware. In contrast, independent recording labels like BSM don’t have that. Instead they sell their music only through websites. Independent recording labels are just known nationally. They'r very small and insignificant. Due to lack of funding they don't have the ability to access synergize with other highly respected and successful companies like major recording labels can do. As a result, promoting, advertising, publishing or marketing their artists to the maximum exposure will be difficult for an independent recording label. Therefore, their artists won't be well known, popular and won't succeed easily. Whereas, Sony is a successful company because it has got good merchandise techniques.

Sony market and promotes their artists in an extensive, expensive and elaborates way where they consider every single detail in order to gain as much as credit through their promotion and marketiing as they can. For example, Susan Boyle shows us that Sony Music focuses on a mass audience producing a range of music genres such as Susan Boyle sings Operas. Whereas, Usher sings R&B or Hip Hop.

I have researched in Sony Music Entertainment’s home website that every artist that is signed to that company owns their own official website where it has got a host of official videos, pictures, news, galleries, music, hotspots and many more. They’ve got lots of free streaming, Login accounts, news archives and headlines, world tours and concerts, official music store online selling CD’s, T-shirts and album editions but they are not available in other countries besides Canada and US, Also, they also don’t have any discounts or offers at all, updated news about the artists, community forums and so on.

Sony Music synergizes with a broad array of companies in order for them to gain familiarity and power. For example, synergizes with I-Tunes, Tweeter, Facebook, MySpace, Feeds, YouTube, Amazon.com, and Myplay.com. Additionally, they also have an international bar on each and every official artist websites.

Overall, the major difference between major and independent recording labels are that majors are highly wealthy, powerful, has got an excellent reputation and high status. Whereas, indepedent recording lables are niche, on budget and targets a very small target audience which means the mainstream music or audiences don't even know them.