From the Margins to the Mainstream: Creating Value in Queensland's Music Industry

Abstract

As elsewhere, the music industry in Queensland comprises two tiers. The first tier is composed of products and services engaged by major music labels and commercially successful artists who at times attract significant sales. The second tier — or what is sometimes referred to as the ‘grassroots’ (Gibson, 2002) — largely consists of independent musicians, production personnel and producers attracting both niche and at times mainstream audiences. Characterised by informally networked micro-economies, independent artists, niche markets and the exploitation of new technologies, the second tier is also of interest to cultural researchers, who have tended to concentrate on subcultural music communities and music produced outside of the mass market first tier. A mapping survey which examined the Queensland music industry in terms of size, location, income and activity is complemented by interviews with musicians, label owners, production personnel and others involved in the music ‘scene’. We explore how second-tier practices (such as a reliance on social networking to achieve recordings and performance opportunities, as well as DIY culture and innovative business approaches) offer alternative methods for ‘doing music’ and generating value in the creative industries.