Back in the 90′s, music labels had created a winning formula for sure fire music success and riches. Take some attractive youths, place some fabricated dance steps and songs, buy some hype (cough payola cough) and just hammering the teenage into buying the CD’s. Then Napster happened.

The industry has tried many things, but it seems it has settled on a few recipes for success. Here’s part one.The most obvious recipe is the good looking youngster with saccharine sweet lyrics and beats. We’ve seen it with Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers and now Justin Bieber. As Biebermania spreads (predominantly on Twitter) you see labels realize the quick buck that can be made off of essentially what was the old formula.

The only difference now is that the expectations aren’t necessarily of multi million sales from the get go. Young girls fawn after the Jonas’ (Jonasi?) and Bieber because they are young, cute, rich and on stage. Girls love them, and the parents are willing to buy the cds for their kids. And why not? Cute kids on the cd singing about love . And then countered by the shrieking voices of their kids.

But why wouldn’t the kids just download the music? And you know what? They probably do. But it’s the intrinsic value of having that Jonas brothers cd. Of having that poster (New Kids any one? ) .

However, as they grow older, and as their fan base grows older the formula changes. The girls split off into club/house/rock etc branches of music. And the labels are back at square one. That’s why you’ll see labels look for young stars constantly, and maximize their ROI now as opposed to leveraging their future on these kids. Unless they never learn, and I guess most labels never do.

Tags: analysis, commentary, Music