Discovering new music you love can feel like unearthing treasure. So when fans flocked to Geese in the last year and made their frontman, Cameron Winter, the most talked-about indie star of the moment, it felt like a genuine rush of emotion and connection. They ruled the end-of-year lists. Their tours sold out. A big deal for a group whose members were barely born the last time New York bands were cool.
The Backlash
But when fans heard a podcast interview with two marketing executives talking about how they created a buzz around the bands they worked with, a backlash ensued. The culture journalist Shaad D’Souza explains why music lovers felt so angry, and the music business and technology reporter Eamonn Forde tells Nosheen Iqbal why bands’ publicity machines feel they need to take such extreme tactics to break through.
Key Insights
- Fake buzz: Marketing companies use tactics to create artificial hype, leading to disillusionment among fans.
- Industry pressure: Bands face immense competition, pushing them to adopt unconventional promotional strategies.
- Fan reaction: The revelation of these tactics has sparked outrage, questioning the authenticity of success.
Photograph: Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for Coachella
