How music marketers can adapt to 3-second attention spans
Consumers, including once loyal fans, are getting harder and harder to reach due to the rise in short-form content, but there are still ways to grab their attention. Let’s dive in…
By Dan Smith, General Manager, Armada Music US
Andy Warhol’s age-old phrase “15 minutes of fame” has earned itself a new meaning in recent years. With the shortening attention spans of consumers, today’s songs only have a handful of seconds to make a lasting impact. The cultural dominance of short-form content on video sharing social platforms like TikTok continues to rise, with trending songs often charting on the Billboard 100 or Spotify Viral 50. The music industry has seen this shift toward shorter in length tracks for a decade, and artists and producers have followed suit by adapting their approach to songwriting accordingly. The average length of songs on the Billboard 100 dropped by about 20 seconds over the last five years, from 3 minutes and 50 seconds to 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Moreover, Spotify’s 2023 top song of the summer, “Ella Baila Sola”, runs at only 2 minutes and 45 seconds.
This shortened attention span is also leading music marketers to continue creating new online content that keeps people invested. In fact, advertisers saw a change in Meta’s viewership metrics in the last few years, which now tallies one “view” each time a user watched a video for a minimum of three seconds. Compared to Apple Music’s or Spotify’s standard 30-second requirement for the same metric, Meta is definitively capitalizing on the truncated attention spans of its Instagram and Facebook users. With this inadvertently affecting the music industry, artists, marketers and record labels alike are seeking ways to adapt – and win – in the changing market.
The Changing Anatomy of Music
Capturing the attention of an audience has evolved over the years, and musicians are taking note of how to structure a song to do just that. Songs are getting shorter and faster in order to keep up. With 25 percent of listeners reaching for the skip button in the first five seconds, artists and songwriters like Charli XCX have made note of songwriting rules to follow in order to adjust to this trend. One of these rules involves bringing in the hook within the first 30 seconds, the listening time requirement needed for royalties to be awarded.
For DJs and club records, there is more to consider in the development of music’s genetic makeup. Rather than relying on the hook to arrive faster, club DJs aim to prolong the build-up. The elements of a good set rely on providing the audience a live experience as the song breathes. Building a dance set has more to do with the experience of the festival go-er or the reaction in the club versus the typical streaming experience. However, social content will still follow suit with the tracks themselves and focus on the pay-off, showcasing an addictive beat drop as opposed to the prolonged build prioritized in real life. Dutch DJ and producer Armin van Buuren does a phenomenal job at balancing the best of both worlds with stunning visual production and social video virality. Videos posted under the #arminvanbuuren TikTok hashtag have accumulated 308M views and counting.
Adapting to New Avenues for Music Streaming and Promotion
As the structure of songs and how they are tweaked for live performances changes over the years, so do the methods of promotion. Pressure to stand out amidst the masses is felt across the industry, whether by indie artists looking to grow a fanbase or major label acts wanting to stay relevant. The change in consumption means that music makers and marketing tactics need to evolve, with more turning to short-form content to address this need.
Leveraging social platforms like TikTok and the new unveiling of YouTube “Samples” to expand fan bases is a crucial goal to reach new audiences. Indeed, AI-driven recommendations are increasingly driving engagement among non-follower users. Armin van Buuren recently used this method to promote a new single, teasing the record with a 25-second Tomorrowland post on TikTok. Established fans were left desperate for the track name, and new fans were introduced to something previously unknown – it’s a new way to hook attention.
Leaning into Consumer Interest
Though direct-to-consumer messaging can be effective in promoting music, leveraging the broader reach of a short-form post can help artists reach new audiences by engaging non-followers. Consumers are experiencing a shift from transactional to relational interaction with fan communities in which the storytelling matters more than the product itself.
With 120,000 songs being uploaded to streaming services every day, a great song is only the baseline to a successful record. Music marketers and executives are focusing on making genuine connections with their audiences as the key to tightening the reins on shortening attention spans. Labels regularly work with artists to extrapolate personal interests and reach new audiences through these channels. Social media is the primary tool that allows fans to connect with artists and music that resonates with them most, and allows artists to gauge fan reactions in real time. Dance duo Supermassive, who have racked up 1.3 billion views across social media, often tests multiple post styles on social media until they find one that resonates with their audience.
Zeroing in on the niches by leveraging social media and glocalization helps meet the masses where they are. As trends in music and marketing continue to adapt to the fast-paced changes, knowing how to capture short attention spans is key. By keeping up with consumer trends, emphasizing storytelling, niche marketing and glocalization, music marketers may be able to turn the 3 seconds of listening time into lifelong fans.
