Notes

Argumentative Essay

Music is an art that has existed for thousands of years. For the artists, it is used to express themselves and make money; for the fans, it is a way to connect with other people. As an artist though, it can be hard to become famous and to get profit out of your music. An effective method to do so is by allowing companies to advertise their products with the use of an artist’s music.

The use of an artist’s music in advertisements can lead an artist to fame. In the source ”The New Necessity in the Music Business” by Stadia Coates, it reads, “For example, the massively successful pop group, the Black Eyed Peas, focuses on exposure before a paycheck. For years, they’ve allowed corporations to use their music in advertisements for cars,electronics, and jeans, among many other goods… Then, in 2003, when Apple unveiled its iTunes store, the Black Eyed Peas’ song ‘Hey Mama’ was the first of the now-famous ad campaigns for the store. For the Peas, this business model has paid off.” A catchy song that is being advertised by popular companies can make viewers listen to the song again, even though it’s just to get it out of their heads.

If an artist lets companies use their music, it can result in gaining popularity and fame which can lead to bigger paychecks. It’s almost like a domino effect. “A corporation paying for these costs can make the difference between artists growing their careers, or completely giving up on the music business altogether… a band can earn anywhere from $10,000 to $150,000-plenty of money for equipment, touring, and living expenses.” (Coates, paragraph 13). If a person or band lived based on what they earn as a musician, then their best deal is to put their music in commercials and promote products.

On the other hand, some may believe that it is not a good idea to help companies promote their goods because it can ruin an artist’s image. “Selling Out Not Worth the Risk” Darrius Johnson wrote, “When the electronic artist Moby released his critically acclaimed album Play in 1999, he licensed out each one of the album’s 18 tracks. Fans simply lost interest because they heard his music everywhere they went, and the artist himself has suffered the stigma of going a bit too far in licensing his songs.” A musician has to be careful on which songs to license and how many. A person cannot just give away all of their work for companies to use because it can discredit that artist’s work and fans will eventually get tired of hearing the same songs over and over again, which will decrease an artist’s profit. Other than that, a musician should licence their work.

An artist should let companies advertise with his or her music, as it has more advantages than disadvantages. A musician’s music in advertisements can make he or she famous and it can lead to his or her millions, or even billions. All careers require its own tactics to succeed, and a career as an artist requires artists to license his or her music to succeed