The New Role Merchandise Plays When Creating A Musician’s Brand

For many years, musicians sold merchandise like t-shirts and posters simply as a way to make money. It might not have been the most important revenue stream back when CD sales were still growing, but cash is cash. When people stopped buying music and instead got what they wanted from piracy sites like Napster, and then via streaming giants like Spotify, Pandora and the like, merchandise sales took on a new importance. Artists of all sizes needed to bring in additional revenue wherever they could, and for those who hadn’t yet made it to superstar status, selling branded items became very important.

Now, an artist’s merchandise has yet again taken on new significance, but this time around, it’s not only about the money. According to Mat Vlasic, the CEO of Bravado, a merchandising company that has handled all manner of merch solutions for artists like the Rolling Stones, Katy Perry, Drake, Lady Gaga and most recently, Prince, items with a logo or a name are about much more than just making a few extra bucks.For many years, musicians sold merchandise like t-shirts and posters simply as a way to make money. It might not have been the most important revenue stream back when CD sales were still growing, but cash is cash. When people stopped buying music and instead got what they wanted from piracy sites like Napster, and then via streaming giants like Spotify, Pandora and the like, merchandise sales took on a new importance. Artists of all sizes needed to bring in additional revenue wherever they could, and for those who hadn’t yet made it to superstar status, selling branded items became very important.

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