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"Aging Out" Fans...


toddkuen

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Over on another thread there was a discussion about what happens as fans "age out" of certain types of music:

Quote Originally Posted by guido61 View Post
...

The real question is: where are the replacement fans? Are they staying home? Or going out and doing other things? Are they not going out to see bands at all? Or just not the bands that are also aging out of certain scenes as well?
I'll describe my theory - feel free to comment.

I argue there are basically two main types of fans:

Type "1" is focused on song lyrics and a certain beats. An example is my wife - she loves Hank Williams, Johnny Horton, Johnny Cash, various other similar artists and specific similarly styled/sounding songs up through modern times. She's been this way for maybe 50 years.

I argue this type never "ages out" of the genre they like - they fall into this at some early point in their life and they stick too it.

This is also true of a lot of jazz fans I think.

I don't take her out to music unless it falls into this category - there's no point.

Type "2" likes whatever is trendy, current or happening "now." This type of fan follow the latest videos/radio songs and tends not to "look back" at playlists in a strong way.

These fans like the latest "club" music and are not loyal to a band or club - they follow the trend.

This type of fan can become a type "1" fan, i.e., be converted, and then tends to stop running after trends and stick with what they have discovered they really like.

To some degree the type of fan you are varies per artist.

For example, I am a Lori McKenna fan - I will buy her releases unheard and probably have all of them to date. Of course, when she dies or quits writing I will convert to a type "1" fan with respect to her. I also like Theloneous Monk who is already dead so I am a type "1" Monk fan.

To some degree artists and newer genre's of music tend to have lifetime's measured in years to decades.

The artists progress in terms of style over this time.

So do styles of music.

Cover bands, on the other hand, are picking up on the change and tend to lock onto specific era's and tunes, e.g., classic rock, styles, etc.

As people's tastes change you are either going to lose fans as the fans follow the artists or trends or fans that fall into a large category, e.g., classic rock, tend to focus in markets on bands that offer that specific style.
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You're right but that's a bit different issue than what is being discussed on the other thread.

MOST people lock their musical tastes in at a particular period in their life --- usually teens/early 20s --- and stick with that pretty much forever. Hence why things like "classic rock" remain popular.

But club attendance is a different issue. I don't think those "aging out" fans being discussed stopped liking the music they used to like. They just grow out of hanging out in bars on the weekends listening to it.

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You're right but that's a bit different issue than what is being discussed on the other thread.

MOST people lock their musical tastes in at a particular period in their life --- usually teens/early 20s --- and stick with that pretty much forever. Hence why things like "classic rock" remain popular.

But club attendance is a different issue. I don't think those "aging out" fans being discussed stopped liking the music they used to like. They just grow out of hanging out in bars on the weekends listening to it.

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Quote Originally Posted by toddkuen View Post
Over on another thread there was a discussion about what happens as fans "age out" of certain types of music:



I'll describe my theory - feel free to comment.

I argue there are basically two main types of fans:

Type "1" is focused on song lyrics and a certain beats. An example is my wife - she loves Hank Williams, Johnny Horton, Johnny Cash, various other similar artists and specific similarly styled/sounding songs up through modern times. She's been this way for maybe 50 years.

I argue this type never "ages out" of the genre they like - they fall into this at some early point in their life and they stick too it.

This is also true of a lot of jazz fans I think.

I don't take her out to music unless it falls into this category - there's no point.

Type "2" likes whatever is trendy, current or happening "now." This type of fan follow the latest videos/radio songs and tends not to "look back" at playlists in a strong way.

These fans like the latest "club" music and are not loyal to a band or club - they follow the trend.

This type of fan can become a type "1" fan, i.e., be converted, and then tends to stop running after trends and stick with what they have discovered they really like.

To some degree the type of fan you are varies per artist.

For example, I am a Lori McKenna fan - I will buy her releases unheard and probably have all of them to date. Of course, when she dies or quits writing I will convert to a type "1" fan with respect to her. I also like Theloneous Monk who is already dead so I am a type "1" Monk fan.

To some degree artists and newer genre's of music tend to have lifetime's measured in years to decades.

The artists progress in terms of style over this time.

So do styles of music.

Cover bands, on the other hand, are picking up on the change and tend to lock onto specific era's and tunes, e.g., classic rock, styles, etc.

As people's tastes change you are either going to lose fans as the fans follow the artists or trends or fans that fall into a large category, e.g., classic rock, tend to focus in markets on bands that offer that specific style.
For sure we are a type 1 band. The vast majority of our fans are converts over to the lyric driven music we do.
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Quote Originally Posted by toddkuen View Post
Over on another thread there was a discussion about what happens as fans "age out" of certain types of music:



I'll describe my theory - feel free to comment.

I argue there are basically two main types of fans:

Type "1" is focused on song lyrics and a certain beats. An example is my wife - she loves Hank Williams, Johnny Horton, Johnny Cash, various other similar artists and specific similarly styled/sounding songs up through modern times. She's been this way for maybe 50 years.

I argue this type never "ages out" of the genre they like - they fall into this at some early point in their life and they stick too it.

This is also true of a lot of jazz fans I think.

I don't take her out to music unless it falls into this category - there's no point.

Type "2" likes whatever is trendy, current or happening "now." This type of fan follow the latest videos/radio songs and tends not to "look back" at playlists in a strong way.

These fans like the latest "club" music and are not loyal to a band or club - they follow the trend.

This type of fan can become a type "1" fan, i.e., be converted, and then tends to stop running after trends and stick with what they have discovered they really like.

To some degree the type of fan you are varies per artist.

For example, I am a Lori McKenna fan - I will buy her releases unheard and probably have all of them to date. Of course, when she dies or quits writing I will convert to a type "1" fan with respect to her. I also like Theloneous Monk who is already dead so I am a type "1" Monk fan.

To some degree artists and newer genre's of music tend to have lifetime's measured in years to decades.

The artists progress in terms of style over this time.

So do styles of music.

Cover bands, on the other hand, are picking up on the change and tend to lock onto specific era's and tunes, e.g., classic rock, styles, etc.

As people's tastes change you are either going to lose fans as the fans follow the artists or trends or fans that fall into a large category, e.g., classic rock, tend to focus in markets on bands that offer that specific style.
For sure we are a type 1 band. The vast majority of our fans are converts over to the lyric driven music we do.
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I don't think that the "aging out" thing mentioned in the other thread was about "aging out of certain types of music" as much as it was about "aging out" of the bar scene. I don't think folks "age out of certain types of music" ... they may broaden their musical horizons as they age - but few people ever dislike something they once liked. If you once had a soft spot for "genre X" - you'll always have a soft spot for "genre X".

Aging out of the bar scene is another matter. There are very definite age/stage (of life) demographics associated with the crowds at the typical "A Room" club. The types of bars I frequented at 25 are VERY different from the types of bars that I now frequent at 56. At 25 I was happy to stand in line and then pay a cover charge to get into a popular night spot - and then stand around on sticky floors (since there were never enough tables or chairs to sit) - then much buy overpriced drinks by pushing my way to bar in between struggling to talk to jiggly spinner types over a high energy band. At 56, I won't even think about standing in line, will rarely accept paying cover. As a married, father of 2 - jiggly spinner types can't hold a candle to a comfortable seat, good service and reasonable priced drinks. Me (and the vast majority of my friends) have "aged out" of the bar scene of our youth. I'll take that a step farther and opine that when I run into somebody who hasn't - I've run into somebody with serious issues than I'll ever care to deal with.

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I don't think that the "aging out" thing mentioned in the other thread was about "aging out of certain types of music" as much as it was about "aging out" of the bar scene. I don't think folks "age out of certain types of music" ... they may broaden their musical horizons as they age - but few people ever dislike something they once liked. If you once had a soft spot for "genre X" - you'll always have a soft spot for "genre X".

Aging out of the bar scene is another matter. There are very definite age/stage (of life) demographics associated with the crowds at the typical "A Room" club. The types of bars I frequented at 25 are VERY different from the types of bars that I now frequent at 56. At 25 I was happy to stand in line and then pay a cover charge to get into a popular night spot - and then stand around on sticky floors (since there were never enough tables or chairs to sit) - then much buy overpriced drinks by pushing my way to bar in between struggling to talk to jiggly spinner types over a high energy band. At 56, I won't even think about standing in line, will rarely accept paying cover. As a married, father of 2 - jiggly spinner types can't hold a candle to a comfortable seat, good service and reasonable priced drinks. Me (and the vast majority of my friends) have "aged out" of the bar scene of our youth. I'll take that a step farther and opine that when I run into somebody who hasn't - I've run into somebody with serious issues than I'll ever care to deal with.

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Quote Originally Posted by guido61 View Post
...

But club attendance is a different issue. I don't think those "aging out" fans being discussed stopped liking the music they used to like. They just grow out of hanging out in bars on the weekends listening to it.
I thought it was an interesting general topic hence the new thread...

In any case I think that there is also a modern trend especially with newer artists to focus on the latest media delivery devices - YouTube, iPhone, TV's with built in internet and Hulu, etc.

No one wants a DUI. Pot laws are becoming more lenient in private.

The music as is discussed here, is mixed more for headphones and harder to play live because of the number and type of tracks.

Why not party at home? Especially since if you are young virtually all your favorite songs are available there.

As a geezer I can have fun going out to see a guy playing out with a 6-string and a simple PA. Future generations won't have this. The songs weren't written on guitars.

Today's songs are written by committees.
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Quote Originally Posted by guido61 View Post
...

But club attendance is a different issue. I don't think those "aging out" fans being discussed stopped liking the music they used to like. They just grow out of hanging out in bars on the weekends listening to it.
I thought it was an interesting general topic hence the new thread...

In any case I think that there is also a modern trend especially with newer artists to focus on the latest media delivery devices - YouTube, iPhone, TV's with built in internet and Hulu, etc.

No one wants a DUI. Pot laws are becoming more lenient in private.

The music as is discussed here, is mixed more for headphones and harder to play live because of the number and type of tracks.

Why not party at home? Especially since if you are young virtually all your favorite songs are available there.

As a geezer I can have fun going out to see a guy playing out with a 6-string and a simple PA. Future generations won't have this. The songs weren't written on guitars.

Today's songs are written by committees.
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Quote Originally Posted by toddkuen View Post
Why not party at home? Especially since if you are young virtually all your favorite songs are available there.
Because going out and partying and going to clubs has NEVER been about the music. Or at least not completely. Everything is true about drink prices and DUI laws, but it's also true that you're not going to meet a hot new chick and get laid at home.

When you're young and single, going out is at LEAST a weekly (if not practically nightly) event. When you get older--especially once you've gotten married---not so much.

As far as the music goes? I don't think it's as much about how the songs were written/performed as it is the nature of the live performance. Songs have been written by committees since at least the time that Berry Gordy opened up shop. People will go out and dance to DJs. Or watch Karaoke. They aren't particularly interested in seeing the music performed on the authentic instruments or being just-like-they-heard-it on the radio. Only musicians know the difference, for the most part. They just want to be entertained. If live bands want to compete with all the latest media delivery devices, then they've got to figure out new ways to be interesting and exciting. 4 guys playing guitars and drums has been the standard for 60 years now. They are trying to compete in a world of iPhones and Home Theaters with a black-and-white-TV-set-equivilant delivery system.
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Quote Originally Posted by toddkuen View Post
Why not party at home? Especially since if you are young virtually all your favorite songs are available there.
Because going out and partying and going to clubs has NEVER been about the music. Or at least not completely. Everything is true about drink prices and DUI laws, but it's also true that you're not going to meet a hot new chick and get laid at home.

When you're young and single, going out is at LEAST a weekly (if not practically nightly) event. When you get older--especially once you've gotten married---not so much.

As far as the music goes? I don't think it's as much about how the songs were written/performed as it is the nature of the live performance. Songs have been written by committees since at least the time that Berry Gordy opened up shop. People will go out and dance to DJs. Or watch Karaoke. They aren't particularly interested in seeing the music performed on the authentic instruments or being just-like-they-heard-it on the radio. Only musicians know the difference, for the most part. They just want to be entertained. If live bands want to compete with all the latest media delivery devices, then they've got to figure out new ways to be interesting and exciting. 4 guys playing guitars and drums has been the standard for 60 years now. They are trying to compete in a world of iPhones and Home Theaters with a black-and-white-TV-set-equivilant delivery system.
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The drum-beat of DUI has beaten down a lot of "going out" over the last decade and Facebook easily replaces the need for a club to "hook up," get party supplies, etc. Hell, people sit in clubs and bars and text/Facebook each other at the same table these days. They buy dope, you name it. Facebook and cell phones make it simple.

"Aging out" I think today means realizing that there are many other ways to accomplish the same results you would get at a club at home without having to get out of your chair.

Dedicated fans will support music by going out... Type "2" not so much because the trend is to stay home.

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The drum-beat of DUI has beaten down a lot of "going out" over the last decade and Facebook easily replaces the need for a club to "hook up," get party supplies, etc. Hell, people sit in clubs and bars and text/Facebook each other at the same table these days. They buy dope, you name it. Facebook and cell phones make it simple.

"Aging out" I think today means realizing that there are many other ways to accomplish the same results you would get at a club at home without having to get out of your chair.

Dedicated fans will support music by going out... Type "2" not so much because the trend is to stay home.

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Quote Originally Posted by toddkuen

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Dedicated fans will support music by going out... Type "2" not so much because the trend is to stay home.

 

There have never been enough 'dedicated fans' to support live music to any large degree/. Or even recorded music. The business has ALWAYS been about needing to hook the "type 2s" and casual fans.
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Quote Originally Posted by toddkuen

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Dedicated fans will support music by going out... Type "2" not so much because the trend is to stay home.

 

There have never been enough 'dedicated fans' to support live music to any large degree/. Or even recorded music. The business has ALWAYS been about needing to hook the "type 2s" and casual fans.
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I gotta be honest. NY has some of the toughest DUI laws in the country. Zero Tolerence. 1st Offense is a 90 day mandatory suspension (most are 6 months depending on the level)a stiff fine, mandatory classes and usually costs about $4-5K to defend.

In 10 years of playing on the club scene I've never heard anyone say they weren't going out because they were afraid of getting a DUI. Not once. I've heard them mentioning avoiding a club, particular highway or a location because of activity or noteable check points. No one does house parties around here. To start, most everyone lives with their parents until their 30's... most don't buy their first home until their mid-30's. And no want wants to entertain much where they rent.

Here in the Northeast... cover band age is pretty much 25-45. Those under 25 are still into the original scene, dance clubs, DJ's etc. They usually start hooking on to bands when they get their first 'office' job... when people meet up after work together and find live music. This is just my experience... but most of the large A-list clubs that book live entertainment here are catering to that 25-45 blue collar/semi-professional working crowd. There's a hearty nightlife between 10pm and 2am (some cities 3-4am)

Things are different in NY.

By the same token my company is based in Northern CA (Santa Rosa). In the 10 years I've flown out for annual meetings, most bars are closed by 12am and it's usually 'sleepyville' even in the suburbs after 10pm. Going out is not much of a lifestyle and people certainly like to entertain at home. So I can see the difference for bands and musicians in different markets.

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I gotta be honest. NY has some of the toughest DUI laws in the country. Zero Tolerence. 1st Offense is a 90 day mandatory suspension (most are 6 months depending on the level)a stiff fine, mandatory classes and usually costs about $4-5K to defend.

In 10 years of playing on the club scene I've never heard anyone say they weren't going out because they were afraid of getting a DUI. Not once. I've heard them mentioning avoiding a club, particular highway or a location because of activity or noteable check points. No one does house parties around here. To start, most everyone lives with their parents until their 30's... most don't buy their first home until their mid-30's. And no want wants to entertain much where they rent.

Here in the Northeast... cover band age is pretty much 25-45. Those under 25 are still into the original scene, dance clubs, DJ's etc. They usually start hooking on to bands when they get their first 'office' job... when people meet up after work together and find live music. This is just my experience... but most of the large A-list clubs that book live entertainment here are catering to that 25-45 blue collar/semi-professional working crowd. There's a hearty nightlife between 10pm and 2am (some cities 3-4am)

Things are different in NY.

By the same token my company is based in Northern CA (Santa Rosa). In the 10 years I've flown out for annual meetings, most bars are closed by 12am and it's usually 'sleepyville' even in the suburbs after 10pm. Going out is not much of a lifestyle and people certainly like to entertain at home. So I can see the difference for bands and musicians in different markets.

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Quote Originally Posted by wheresgrant3

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By the same token my company is based in Northern CA (Santa Rosa). In the 10 years I've flown out for annual meetings, most bars are closed by 12am and it's usually 'sleepyville' even in the suburbs after 10pm. Going out is not much of a lifestyle and people certainly like to entertain at home. So I can see the difference for bands and musicians in different markets.

 

Wow. I'm glad I didn't move out there like I originally planned when I was in my 20's. I had a blast going out every night "East Coast style"! Done by 12? I was just getting started around that time! eek.gif
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Quote Originally Posted by wheresgrant3

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By the same token my company is based in Northern CA (Santa Rosa). In the 10 years I've flown out for annual meetings, most bars are closed by 12am and it's usually 'sleepyville' even in the suburbs after 10pm. Going out is not much of a lifestyle and people certainly like to entertain at home. So I can see the difference for bands and musicians in different markets.

 

Wow. I'm glad I didn't move out there like I originally planned when I was in my 20's. I had a blast going out every night "East Coast style"! Done by 12? I was just getting started around that time! eek.gif
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Granted I'm a DJ these days but my room east of Portland Oregon is definitely not done by 12. We're just getting rolling and it's full all the way to closing.

Attendance is stable (busy) but turnover is huge. The people who used to go there regularly two years ago are now in the minority. But there's always a new crop of just turned 21s to take the place of those who move on. It's not DUI laws, changing economy, or changing music habits that make them move on - it's changing life. They marry, get stable jobs, take on responsibilities...

This thread's premise is just so weird. Young adults follow artists and genres far more than "trends" - just like older adults do.

It's just that they're different ones.

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Granted I'm a DJ these days but my room east of Portland Oregon is definitely not done by 12. We're just getting rolling and it's full all the way to closing.

Attendance is stable (busy) but turnover is huge. The people who used to go there regularly two years ago are now in the minority. But there's always a new crop of just turned 21s to take the place of those who move on. It's not DUI laws, changing economy, or changing music habits that make them move on - it's changing life. They marry, get stable jobs, take on responsibilities...

This thread's premise is just so weird. Young adults follow artists and genres far more than "trends" - just like older adults do.

It's just that they're different ones.

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