Posted on: July 8, 2005 in Music
Goodbye lowest common denominator, hello niche markets
Chris Anderson has an interesting post over at the long tail, taking a look at how music sales on Rhapsody have changed in the last year. The result is not surprising. The long tail is expanding.
Chris’ case study of Rhapsody and Wal Mart is of particular interest to me (see my latest project at Bryght.com) but I’m curious about the success of other niche markets in different sectors. I imagine that a study involving books, Amazon.com and Barnes And Noble would reveal similar results, but being the data junky that I am, I would love to see the numbers. I also wonder if this is the beginning of a seismic cultural shift or simply a small blip as consumer choice expands. I would bet money on the former, for the reason that infinite shelf space is pretty big deal when it comes to consumer choice. Even a small change in the ‘rich-get-richer’ positive feedback loop of top-10 culture would have large financial repercussions.
I’m really interested to see how the market growth of the long tail affects creative pursuits. Using music again as an example, I’m excited to see what my favorite artists will produce in the coming years, as they are freed from the constraints of producing a top 10 hit. Goodbye lowest common denominator, hello niche markets!