U.S. Regional and Local Music Scenes
Local Cologne, Germany Music Scene
Cologne is world famous for its music festivals and night life. A lot of the
music traces back to the nation's heritage with classical music.
Some of the most important venues for band development in Cologne include
E-Werk Cologne, Gebaude 9, Gloria Theatre, Lanxess Arena and Palladium Cologne.
Cologne's top local acts include rapper MC Guzto, rock band Die Drukers, country
band Blue Steel, pop singer Pia and alternative band Seligen.
People need to support local artists in Cologne for it to gain a stronger
profile in the world, as the local scene has been overshadowed by national
and international events. There's enough great music out there to make it
happen. So far the reason this solution hasn't happened is because there is not
a widespread voice in the media demanding it. That's because mainstream media is
controlled by the same big investors that control the
music industry and all other industries.
Luckily, the internet has been the savior to many widespread problems.
More platforms need to emerge to give indie artists a chance at
reaching bigger audiences. ReverbNation is becoming one of these components,
creating various lists based on themes beyond the narrow list of musical
topic offered by the major labels. Cologne artists need to come together
to develop a loyal scene that supports a completely new inventive sound.
Breaking away from music industry formulas begins with shattering the notion that
the teen market should control the mainstream charts, the main influence in history as to which songs
have gotten the most media exposure. Ironically, adults in the 40-55 age group are the
biggest spenders on music, but since their tastes are much more diverse than teens,
their impact does not show up on the charts. Teens are more obsessed with
supporting what they think they're supposed to like, which is all based on music
industry marketing through major media. This obsession leads to a high
concentration of sales on a limited list of current releases, which is exactly
what the music industry hopes for.
Shattering this paradigm requires cultural awareness. How do you convince teens,
who are pressured by their peers, to accept something outside of the music industry
marketing machine? The puzzle is rarely addressed by mainstream publications. It's
mostly accepted that "that's just the way it is." But the solution for the
Cologne music scene to advance is to nurture a desire to go against trends.
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