Ne-Yo’s Because of You album (P.S. Afterthought about HK music industry)

4 05 2007

今天在香港唱片買了一隻 Ne-Yo 的最新大碟，全碟都很好聽，對於 DefJam Recordings 的唱片一向都很有信心。我不多說，因為音樂，就像圖像及表演藝術一樣，即使我用幾千字形容，你也不會愛上它，除非你親耳聽到或親眼看到，那才是最有感染力。Post 的最底有 Music Video 和 Live。

之前政府的數碼版權咨詢是否真的要維護創意? 或是因為要保護香港的娛樂唱片公司? 或是受了RIAA的 pressure? 我不清楚，不過我只覺得那咨詢的內容十分不合理及落後，事實上，他們心目中破壞版權的 Youtube ，早已被美國的大公司肯定。你可以看看 Ne-Yo 的 Promotion Campaign。Universal Music Group 和 Youtube 合作，在 Youtube 上已有 Official Channel 上載了他們 artists 的 MTV ，還舉辦了 Ne-Yo Choreography Challenge ，讓歌迷下載主打歌後為Ne-Yo 創作的舞步，上載至Youtube 參加比賽。

香港的音樂界不要再向後看。我相信你們的 potential customer 是 Generation Y，他們這個世代從出世就接觸不斷湧現的科技，他們有97% 是擁有電腦，94%擁有手提電話及54%有 mp3players(可能未計 iPod)，34% 只會上網閱報，28% 會寫 Blog 及 44% 會看Blog。那麼為什麼還不利用Web2.0 及日新月異的科技去 promote 你的歌星和產品。什麼是創意? 請參考你們的美國同行的 Member Firm 吧!

I think not many people in Hong Kong know about Ne-Yo. Ne-Yo is quite a popular R&B/Pop artist in U.S. I love most of the records produced by Ne-yo’s music label - DefJam Recordings (JayZ, boyfriend of Beyonce, is the Presient/CEO of DefJam). I bought this album at $98 at Hong Kong Records. It’s a bit expensive because I could bought it somewhere else at a lower price. So what moves me to buy it?

(1) Coz I am in love with this album after listening online.
(2) The album should be in store @ May 1 (I guess in US) according to the website and I can get it today(May2) in HK at HK Records
(3) My friend recommended me to buy CDs @ HK Records, coz HK Records got the most comprehensive music CD inventory.
(She bought many old albums from HK Records, alternative+rock band)

OK! I am going to put Ne-Yo’s MV and live video at the very botton. Music is like picture/visual art, words cannot explain it and make you love it, unless you experience it by listening and watching yourself

But I wanna add some note here about HK music industry. Recently, HK government did a consultation on intellectual property over internet . The content of the consultation document is quite unreasonable and out-dated. It’s time for you, the big music company in Hong Kong to change! Please learn from you member firms in US. That’s creative!

(1) Universal Music Group allied with Youtube. So you can watch music videos of your favourite artists @ Youtube officially any time in the UMG youtube channel.

(2) Organize Ne-Yo Choreography Challenge, fans can download the theme song and upload their choreography video via youtube group

Change your RIAA mindset! Something, like youtube, which is regarded as breaking intellectual property in internet, is a great tool to martket your artists/products. Do you know that the Generation Y was the first generation to learn and witness the most advanced development of technology? Do you think they are your potential customers? Break from your traditioinal business model prison. Be creative and leverage the web2.0 and technology!

- Over 97% of them own a computer
- 94% of them own a cell phone & 56% own an mp3 player(maybe higher including iPod)
- 34% use websites as their primary source of news
- 28% own a blog and 44% read blogs
(via wikipedia)

P.S. Once my friend who are working at a big insurance company said that they won’t opt for web marketing campaign because their target customers are top people with purchasing power( maybe the last generation people), who only watched TV/listened to radio after work. YES, that’s right, but music should be for young people, the web2.0 generation! Young people doesn’t have money themselves but their parent earned for them. And they are those people who bought iPod, Computer, PS3, NDS, Xbox, Wii etc.

Ne-Yo : Because of you MTV via UMG