FELIX SHEN

With social media’s ever-growing reaches, people can easily watch and be informed of the newest trends and entertainment, especially in the music industry. The news platform Music Business Worldwide reports Spotify records over 60,000 tracks being uploaded onto the platform every day (Ingham, 2021). The internet has rendered the boundaries of international borders invisible, and music enjoyers can now have much greater access to foreign genres across the world. A listener in Texas can now easily listen to Indian folk music alongside Russian lullabies, whereas, prior to the 2000s, they would have had to travel across continents to hear authentic pieces. K-pop, as a relatively new music genre has swept through the world. It has captured millions of audiences and has artists consistently producing and publishing new songs at a competitive rate. The appearance of boy bands like Plave (A South Korean boy band debuted in 2023 by virtual talent agency Vlast), is one such sign of the changing music landscape. By taking a look at the publishing and distribution processes foreign artists undertake prior to and after the growth of the digital space, a shift in the publication dynamic is expected to be even more online dependent.

In the pre-digital era, the music publishing process for any artist—let alone foreign artists—was long, intricate, and heavily guarded by industry professionals in powerful positions. Whether in the U.S., U.K., or any other market, the system was rigid, with significant barriers to entry for those outside established networks. For Korean idols such as Plave, artists tend to be contracted to a larger company, which would manage their marketing and technical needs. Though many artists can choose to be solo artists who are not under any contractual obligation, the majority are teamed up to form groups. Originally, K-pop was relatively contained, and enjoyed mostly within South Korea. At the time, the majority of music groups had smaller budgets and thus, after the recording and packaging of their music, they would have to personally approach people in order to attract fans or rely heavily on television broadcasts for exposure. Their supply of music production would also be low, and they usually would not be able to afford mass production and distribution of tracks. However, with BTS’s debut in 2013, the popularity of their discography heavily promoted both K-pop and Korean culture to the rest of the world, that by 2017 their success had completely changed the old ways of K-pop publishing.

Prior to the physical production phase of music K-pop idols, like all artists, have to first compose and polish their compositions. This stage varies from group to group and their companies could already have a predetermined concept for the artist to work with. The company might contract or hire professional composers and musicians as they wish and leave the singing to the K-pop idols. To prepare for the next stage, artists have to take the time to review and revise their lyrics, melody, and chord progressions to ensure that the finished work meets their vision. Plave, for example, has digital models that copy and mirror the real idol’s body movements and facial expressions to cater to the online audience. The songs they release are all authentically composed and sung by the members, disproving accusations regarding AI use.

Foreign artists had to secure a record deal from a major label, sometimes through years of work and networking within their local industry. Once signed, the process involved recording the music, handling distribution deals, and finally finding outlets for radio play. Even then, the exposure of this was usually very limited, so to spread their art further out into the world, music was distributed in physical formats such as CDs, vinyl, and cassettes, making global distribution an expensive venture. Labels had to invest heavily in shipping, retail, and promotional strategies for foreign releases. For artists who tried to promote their music in foreign lands, gaining airplay in another country meant going through intermediaries who had connections with local radio stations, TV networks, or music critics. Promotion relied on traditional channels like television, radio interviews, and magazine features to get their name and image out. To add to the pressure, these international artists had to rely on expensive tours to build fan bases abroad; a slow and inefficient way to gain visibility compared to today’s lightning-fast online interactions.

As we head toward the modern music industry, it becomes apparent that western markets are difficult to penetrate, and western audiences tend to hold certain stigmas or stereotypical views on how certain music sounds based on their countries of origin. Cultural and linguistic barriers have played a significant role in this, as record labels have had little incentive to take risks on artists who don’t sing in English (it’s harder to remember a song that the listener can’t even understand), and artists have often had to “westernize” their image or sound to appeal to foreign markets. Circle Chart’s head researcher Kim Jin-woo reported that during the first half of this year, English lyrics were used in a significantly higher proportion of girl group songs (41.3 percent) than boy band songs (24.3 percent). These figures were up 18.9 percentage points and 5.6 percentage points, respectively, from 2018. The rare success stories of Korean artists sticking to traditional Korean music are exceptions rather than the rule. Traditionally, being promoted on international platforms has meant conforming to the tastes and preferences of the new market. Songs have to be translated or completely reworked, and even then, success was never guaranteed. Foreign groups like Plave have released many songs with a mix of English and Korean lyrics, with some songs being either fully composed in one language or the other.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Internet’s release marked a very visible shift in how music was to be published and consumed, a shift that makes a world’s difference for foreign artists, whose biggest barrier—geographic distance—can now be overcome through technology. Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube’s releases in the late 2000s and early 2010s revolutionized music publishing, allowing consumers to directly listen to their favorite songs digitally online. No longer did foreign artists have to rely on expensive distribution deals or physical media. K-pop groups, in particular, were quick to benefit from this opportunity. Plave, for instance, exemplifies how streaming services can amplify an artist’s reach globally. Unlike in the past, when a foreign artist needed a local label to sponsor their release, Plave could publish their music on platforms accessible to fans worldwide. In addition to the distribution of their music, platforms like Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Weverse (a fan-focused platform popular amongst K-pop groups that provides closer communication with artists and supports many official merchandise sales) allow artists to engage directly with fans, further helping with the advertisement and fanbase retention of a group. K-pop, as a genre, has mastered the art of social media promotion. Plave uses said platforms to communicate directly with their international fanbase, the “PLLI.” This bypasses traditional promotional routes like radio interviews or television appearances, allowing artists to build a loyal following organically, and helping them establish a closer connection to the fans. Moreover, social media algorithms can boost an artists’ visibility, helping them trend on social media and go viral globally in ways that were previously impossible. An idol’s image and their publicity are a very large portion of their publishing process, as the visibility helps prompt the funds needed to support the actual recordings and music video productions.

Another key factor in the publishing process is the role of fans. Platforms like TikTok allow fans to promote and share music instantly, which has empowered audiences to become publishers in their own right, recording and creating viral moments that lead to mass consumption. Essentially, “free” advertisements for the artists. With Plave’s track “Why?” in 2023, much of the song’s global popularity can be attributed to fan-driven content on TikTok, despite the group being signed to a major label. On TikTok, this song alone has been used in over eight thousand videos, where users shared dances to the songs and reactions to the artist’s performance. This user-generated content extends the reach of the music beyond what traditional marketing campaigns could ever achieve, as well as inviting new listeners who are curious about the artists shown in the videos.

These days, most online apps keep large amounts of data backup on their users, and this information can make distributing music much more effective than it used to be. In the past, finding one’s fanbase was far more difficult, and niche artists would have to go to specific concerts or music festivals geared toward the genre where there would be a higher chance of finding fans who would appreciate them. Nowadays, online apps’ data collection creates a digital profile of what the users’ music would like and dislike, if they are open to listening to new songs or loyal to a specific genre. Artists and companies can then access such information and focus their funds and marketing on the targeted audience, optimizing their budgets and the effectiveness of their promotion efforts. Business of Apps found that the U.S. contributed to roughly one-third of all music streaming apps’ revenues, which typically already earned $47.7 billion in just 2023. Companies are willing to invest in this sector because of this clear result in profit that traditional marketing cannot compete with.

Although the music publication process has become more accessible, foreign artists still face some additional hoops to jump through on the business side of publishing abroad. First, artists would have to set up royalties to profit from their music being streamed on music platforms. Platforms like Spotify and Apple Music have simplified the royalty process, but foreign artists often earn less than their Western counterparts due to disparities in local laws and subscription rates; though some services like DistroKid and TuneCore allow independent foreign artists to receive a portion of royalties without needing a label. The globalization of music also means increased vigilance about copyright infringement. Foreign artists must deal with complex copyright laws and make sure that their music doesn’t violate the intellectual property of others—especially when borrowing elements from Western music via sampling— while also ensuring their published music does not get taken by somebody else. Besides just normal royalties, foreign artists are finding new ways to monetize their content. Patreon and Weverse Shop allow them to offer exclusive content and merchandise directly to their international fans, bypassing the need for third-party distributors. The fans would then also be able to support and allow the artist and company to benefit from the published music.

In the future, the publishing process for foreign artists will likely continue to develop as technology advances. Tools such as artificial intelligence could further simplify the creation, distribution, and promotion of music. In the K-pop industry, virtual idols like Plave, along with immersive experiences like virtual concerts, made popular during the COVID-19 pandemic, collectively show a future where the presence of artists may no longer be involved. This may allow foreign acts to connect with fans across the globe without ever leaving their home country, and likewise, fans may not need to waste high ticket prices just to fly or travel to where the artist is located. Additionally, for idols whose careers are prone to fan stalking and paparazzi, having a virtual avatar provides the great benefit of privacy. In the interest of keeping idols safe, more agencies may transition to virtual or online personalities to mitigate dangers that still run rampant within the industry.

While the transition that the music publishing process has undergone is quite complex, it does present opportunities for foreign artists to reach a global audience. Though the balancing of legal and financial aspects can still be especially challenging for indie artists based abroad, publishers are now turning towards digital platforms more and more to help artists overcome these challenges and achieve international success. This reliance has made it easier for artists to distribute their music worldwide, hence more artists and companies integrating the web into the publication decision. As technology continues to grow, music lovers can expect foreign artists and companies to lean in favor of fewer physical encounters with celebrities and more distanced interactions.

Work Cited

“Circle Chart – 써클차트.” 써클차트 – CIRCLE CHART, 로벌 케이팝(K-Pop) 음악차트, circlechart.kr/. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Ingham, Tim. “Over 60,000 Tracks Are Now Uploaded to Spotify Every Day. That’s Nearly One per Second.” Music Business Worldwide, 1 Mar. 2021, www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/over-60000-tracks-are-now-uploaded-to-spotifydaily-thats-nearly-one-per-second/. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

“Make Your Day.” TikTok, www.tiktok.com/@plave_official. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.

“Music Streaming App Revenue and Usage Statistics (2024).” Business of Apps, 5 Nov. 2024, www.businessofapps.com/data/music-streaming-market/. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.