Crafting a strong brand identity allows an artist to build a more meaningful and long lasting relationship with their fans.

Many artist management companies are seeking to bring their merchandise development in house to create market differentiation and increase revenues. (IMG: Musiue Mode marketplace)

Artists have two main options when developing their merchandise strategy. Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs) can play an important role in deciding best approach and profit margins.

Festivals offer the perfect environment for artists to best connect with their fans, but are typically limited to doing so, if they don’t think “outside the box.” (IMG: Musique Mode Osheaga, 2023)

Music and Fashion are the external representation of a society at a given time, following a lifecycle that begins with the new and strange and ultimately gives way to mass appeal and obsolescence.

While many companies now facilitate the music merchandise process on behalf of artists, there is still a disconnect between the product and the retail experience, and little overall innovation and differentiation. (IMG: Musique Mode)

Finding the balance of cost and price across the full supply chain and logistics operation can alleviate costs and increase profit margins.

With very little design and production innovation and an unwillingness to see fans as more multi-faceted, the price and value proposition of merch is out of alignment. (IMG, Musique Mode)

Collector grade music merch “out in the wild” including Lou Reed, Bauhaus and The Red Hot Chili Peppers (IMG: Musique Mode)

Understanding the customer journey and experience (CX) is crucial to truly engaging customers and fans and providing an individualized experience. (IMG: Musique Mode)

Retailers recognized the power of music merch and have sought to incorporate collaborations to licensed goods into their mix. (IMG: Nirvana at Urban Outfitters, 2023)

The vinyl record industry has witnessed a significant resurgence in recent years, driven by a combination of nostalgia, the desire for physical music collections, and the distinct audio quality that vinyl offers. (IMG: Musique Mode)

There are stark differences between how fashion collections are developed and sold versus music merchandise. What can be learned by connecting the two?

There is much that the music merch industry can gain from fashion’s focus on customer desires and retail strategy. (IMG: The Djay Company)

When artists treat their fanbase as a monolithic group, they overlook critical aspects such as fit, cut, silhouette, design details, color choices, and price points.

Screen printing on apparel became increasingly popular in the 1960s as a tool for the counterculture to express their message. Over time, innovation in printing has led to wider range of printing techniques and an important part of music merch. (IMG: Sex Pistols)

While music merch has become more important than ever, the experience of buying has stayed largely the same—and as bad as ever. (IMG: Musique Mode)

The music merchandise industry has largely stayed the same for the past 60 years, focused primarily on logos and graphics. It’s a massive missed opportunity. (IMG: Electric Zoo)

The 66th Grammy Awards celebrated the best in music in the past year, including three EDM categories. Who won and what does it mean for the genre? (Skrillex, Fred Again.. Flowdan; © EDM Identity, 2024)

Electronic music started off as a niche, even academic, creative pursuit. While some bands integrated early electronic sounds into their music, it wasn’t until the 1980s that the genre exploded into popular culture. It would take another decade for it to fully integrate into pop music and beyond, becoming a major force in the how music is made. (IMG: Depeche Mode)