Artist who embrace the internet and connect with their fans

[TimothyBFan]

I know we've talked in other topics about how certain artist really utilize the internet to connect with fans or introduce their work to new fans and promote themselves and how others absolutely loathe the web.

The reason I started this thread is because I absolutely love artist that do that, I feel like they really care about their fans. I can think of several artists that do this either thru their own websites, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc... I have several on FB, but wonder about any that others here might know of. Plus I have a fantastic story of one who is really doing something special for his fans, via a message board, for Christmas. I'll get to that story in a second.

Some of the artist I follow and really involve their fans on Facebook:

Jonny Lang -- he's always posting his pictures or fan pictures from his shows and post something from every town he shows up in.

Slash-- he's hysterical!!! Reports about anything he happens to be recording, tells stories about his wife Perla, etc. Thanks his fans the morning after every show and tells what's next.

John Waite -- Always thanking fans, posting pics, etc.

Sammy Hagar- Very funny guy also. Runs all kinds of contest for concert tickets, albums, etc.

Robert Cray- Whenever he's on the road, lets everyone know where he is or will be. Post pictures from the road. Pretty quiet when he's not touring tho.

Now for my (and about 100 others) special Christmas present from an artist I LOVE!!! As some here know, I'm also a member of a message board for the band Sweet. Well Andy Scott, the original guitarist, who still tours with his own version of Sweet, announced ON A BLOG that he links to us ON THE BOARD that he had a special treat for all the members on the board for Christmas and he'd let us know what it was, beginning of December and that it would be a month long endeavor to show his appreciation for all their fans.

Come the first of December, true to his word, he gave us a link and told us that every 2 days he would give us a free download of a song from a live concert that we could download ourselves and make our own cd. How freaking cool is THAT!?!?!? He leaves the song up to download for 48 hours each, so if you don't get it, you don't get it. It's been very fun getting all of them. Today was our 8th song, (Love Is Like Oxygen). They are very good quality downloads and something that only us members would know about or ever get.

This comes from a guy who, when told by a friend of his who is also on the board, about a woman in the US who has been a huge fan for years but has never gotten much on the band because not much about them in the us, made sure that she not only got a new cd and concert program, but made sure that they were both autographed by the whole band. Yeah---that was ME. In that package, I also received an autographed Sweet hat, bumper sticker, guitar pick and several pictures.

Now that's the way artist should treat their fans, in my opinion!!!

[VAisForEagleLovers]

That is so cool!! Good for you, really! I, too, have a lot of artists that I like on FB that push items out often. The Who, Pink Floyd. I 'like' a lot of Contemporary Christian artists and they post their concert schedules, when and where a CD is at a reduced price, videos, and even take prayer requests and ask for prayers (a serious fan interaction there). JD Souther and Jack Tempchin push things out at least once a week. Which is great because who has time to go to all those websites and look things up?

I definitely agree that artists that do these sorts of things will be the ones who are most successful. I can honestly say that a lot of these artists, I had never seriously considered going to their concerts but now, if they're in the area, I'll buy a ticket.

I haven't gone out to any other forums or fansites, but I'm thinking, when I have time, I'll search on Bob Seger and see what I find.

[Windeagle]

I follow Carbon Leaf, who had a hit a few years ago with "Life Less Ordinary." I've seen them live half a dozen times and they always go above and beyond. They connect with their fans onstage and they always encourage people to come chat after the show.

They also do all the social media stuff, though I only follow them on Facebook. They post almost daily with tour updates, backstage videos, holiday greetings and blog links. Sometimes they even ask for restaurant recommendations in new cities they play! They also encourage fans to post and share videos from shows on YouTube.

And they listen and respond to their fans' feedback. Before their NH show recently, someone requested their song "The Sea," which a couple other fans (including me) seconded via Facebook comments. At the show, they introduced a song with the comment, "We don't usually play this at winter shows, but it's by request." Then they played the first notes of "The Sea." The audience went wild and I was punching my husband's leg going "That was me! That was me!"

Having recently gotten reacquainted with the Eagles, I am struck by the difference between these two bands when it comes to technology. It's old school vs. new school. One shuns the internet and curses its existence. The other lives by it. Funny how times change.

So for anyone looking for a new band to check out, see Carbon Leaf next time they're in your area, or check them out on YouTube. Their live shows are amazing. You won't be disappointed.

[WalshFan88]

Slash-- he's hysterical!!! Reports about anything he happens to be recording, tells stories about his wife Perla, etc. Thanks his fans the morning after every show and tells what's next.

I know! Some of his posts are hilarious! And he posts pics a lot too.

[Prettymaid]

I don't think the ones I like acually do the facebooking themselves....Jackson Browne, for instance.

Kevin Cronin does for REO Speedwagon.

[BramwenR]

I've come to this one late because I only joined a couple of days ago but this is a good topic.

If we're considering artists with a greater longevity than those who only emerged in the last two decades or so, then they aren't more readily adaptable to the internet.

In the Eagles heyday there was no such thing, publicity was done the hard way through the usual media outlets and self-promotion so really to me, it's understandable why some artists find the social networking sites so intimidating and not only that, with sites like Facebook, for example, there is so much room for error and fakes. Anybody can pretend to be anybody ese and this is a high risk area for credibility. And I wouldn't be at all surprised if this is where some of the more cringeworthy gossip about the really big names have come from. That's so not fair.

I admire the artists who have taken it on board willingly because they know the value of getting their music out there as quickly as possible. Doing that keeps their fans happy and of course we enjoy being talked to, not talked at by some Facebook pages who are managed by the artist/s' PR team, probably for lack of time/lack of interest/inability to be computer savvy...any number of reasons and I'm going with the old school reason where all the publicity generated in the past three decades doesn't especially need an electronic vehicle to be over the top about pushing it.

It's really lovely that some musicians provide direct feedback to their fans, it brings us closer to them and removes that unapproachable facade or media perceived arrogance that some of them don't [want to] interact with their fans. This is the electronic age and unless an artist is somewhere on the internet then chances are a fan will bypass anything current through lack of information and/or publicity.

I actually wrote a blog on this some time ago discussing the pros and cons of fan forums, a subject very close to my heart since I joined the Il Divo one in 2006 and have been writing there ever since. I observed a LOT over there, let me tell you!! And to the point where some of the guys have social networking sites that they interact directly with their fans. They don't answer anyone personally because if they do it for one, they have to do it for all. And there are so MANY fan pages dedicated to all four of them the mind BOGGLES because they are global..international and currently on their fourth World Tour.

So regular tweets from two of them, Facebook updates from another and a rare message on their official forum from the remaining divo is what keeps us all in the loop and live web chats where the boys are just themselves and answer any questions we have.

That is something that would be a great option for certain bands, if the opportunity fits :)

[TimothyBFan]

I'm glad you revised this. As I get alerts, pretty much daily, from Twitter and FB about Joe posting. Here's a guy that has totally embraced social networking the last few months. I think it's absolutely wonderful. Good job Joe!! :applause:

[sodascouts]

Joe and Tim are both rocking the social media! Even Glenn got his feet wet with a Facebook page. Come in all the way - the water's fine!

[Brooke]

I'm so glad Joe and Tim are doing this. Joe especially has really embraced it with his Twitter posts and pics. It just makes them seem so much more down to earth and lets fans know they really care.

I wish the rest of the guys would follow.

[lizzyplays]

First of all, GREAT topic TBF!!

I guess it's no secret that I'm a Slash FANATIC and yes, the fact that he tweets regularly and is so humble and grateful is what makes me love him more and more. There are times that you can tell a member of his staff has tweeted something, but those are obvious and are never worded in a way to make you believe that he said it. Just tidbits or links, etc. I really love the casual pics taken OF Slash when he's idling tapping away on his iphone. :-)

And yes, Joe and Timothy too!! As with many of you, Joe has jumped in head first and swimming through twitter like a champ! It really warms my heart to see the older musicians learn the new technology and embrace it.

Another that I follow religiously is Dj Ashba. Now here's another kid that is as down to earth and humble as can be, yet he's a member of Guns N Roses AND in another band with Nikki Sixx (Sixx A.M.) Like Slash, he thanks his fans profusely but he also periodically spends a few minutes and tweets back to various things people have tweeted to him! I happened to catch him on one night and sent a message about his clothing line and he answered back to me directly. That was pretty cool. But, I'm a bit silly... :-) He also has embraced the 'hangouts' thing in Google + and has done several video chat sessions, asking and answering fans questions directly which I think is a REALLY cool thing to do. It gives the fans a chance to interact when most would never get that chance.

I've noticed that Nikki has joined Google + too and he posts that he's learning, but he's an avid photographer so he's already using other social sites like Tumblr etc. We're so blessed these days to have all of these ways to peer into our favorites lives and get to see what they will allow us to and voice our opinions, etc.

I follow various other musicians... and a few other notable or interesting celebrities or what not. Sometimes I like what they have to say and others I don't so I follow and unfollow as it fits my style of tweeting.

So yes, I absolutely love when they too embrace technology. It's not going away and is already an indispensable tool in our everyday lives. I just wish more would jump in!!