Iron Maiden Connects With Fans And The Fans Buy

from the well,-look-at-that dept

There really isn't that much specifically new about what the band Iron Maiden has done, but as this NY Times article shows, the band figured out ages ago, that really connecting with fans is a useful trait in having those fans continue to support you. The article notes that the band was never really able to rely on radio airplay, since its songs were not acceptable radio fare, either in length or content. So, instead, it focused on really building up its relationship directly with fans, in part through relentless touring:

A lack of radio exposure may have created challenges, but these prepared Iron Maiden for the digital era, when the industry's traditional business model has broken down. Now, a hot radio single is more likely to send listeners to the Internet in search of a free, pirated copy than into the record stores.

Because Iron Maiden's songs do not fit the mold of a radio single -- three of them, on the newest release, are more than nine minutes long -- the band does not suffer as much from this problem.

The article notes that, with the album's latest release, sales of the actual CD are pretty high (it entered the charts at number one in many countries around the globe -- oddly, including Saudi Arabia -- and number four in the US), while unauthorized downloads are pretty low. Of course, there is a potential alternative explanation: the band's fans may come from a somewhat "older" generation (the band's members themselves are all in their fifties). The fact that authorized downloads are pretty low may support this claim, though an exec from the band's label says it might be that fans really want the physical CD for the artwork, lyrics and such.

Of course, what strikes me as amusing about all of this is that the band is on EMI internationally, and Universal Music in the US -- and the exec from EMI quoted in the article makes it sound like it's a no brainer that fans want to buy high quality physical goods from a band that really connects with their fans. It's nice to see EMI finally recognize that simple fact, but it does sort of make you wonder: why haven't they been able to do that with other acts as well?

Still, the advice from the band's manager definitely is pretty straightforward and dead on:

"Invest in the long term. Apply an image. Give the fans what they want. Tour and keep touring. Play the festival circuit. Embrace new technology. Be innovative. Be honest. Be original. Write good songs."

Filed Under: connect with fans, cwf, iron maiden

Iron Maiden Torturing Trademark Law?

from the puns-are-torture dept

Reader Fletch writes in to let us know that the band Iron Maiden is suing the creators of a comic book called Iron and the Maiden for trademark infringement. The creators of the comic book claim the name is a reference to the old torture device, not the band (and perhaps the band owes some royalties to the torture device as well...). Still, it will probably come down to a question of whether or not comic book buyers would likely be confused -- and seeing as the logos of the band and the comic book appear to be entirely different... it's not clear who would be confused.

Filed Under: iron and the maiden, iron maiden, trademark