The way new music gets discovered has changed drastically
over the last 15 years. With the internet and social media having become such a
huge factor in our daily lives, it has become more important to win over fans directly
than to go through the old conventions of having to sign to a label just to be
heard.
Over its 12-year online, YouTube has become one of the
fastest-growing social media sites on the internet. Creators of all kinds can
upload their videos directly to the site, letting them share their passions
with the world. In particular, YouTube has been a beacon for music, breathing
new life into the music video format, which was in slow decline thanks in part
to MTV moving away from music programming. To go even further, it has also become
one of the leading sites for discovering new artists. And a lot of artists have
been discovered through the site since its conception.
Aware of the power YouTube can have on an artist’s career, VinylBay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, is taking a look at some artists who have
used the site to get themselves heard. Here are seven that rose from internet
fame to become today’s most talked-about artists.
1.
Charlie Puth: The latest star to cross over from
YouTube fame to popular music, Charlie Puth has one of the biggest singles on
the radio right now. “Attention” has already gone platinum in the United States
despite having only been released in April. His collaboration with Wiz Kalifa, “See
You Again” is currently the second most watched video on YouTube. But before
all the fame, Puth was uploading comedy videos, cover songs and originals to
his YouTube page and writing theme songs for fellow YouTubers like Charles
Trippy, ShayCarl and Shane Dawson.
2.
Justin
Bieber: Love him or hate him, Justin Bieber is one of the most famous
singers of the last 10 years. He was also one of the first YouTubers to be
discovered and signed because of his videos. Back in 2007, Bieber’s mom was
uploading videos of him performing covers to the site when Scooter Braun
accidentally stumbled upon them. Within the span of a year, Bieber was signed
to Usher’s
label and working on his debut album.
3.
Karmin: Karmin hit it big with their platinum-selling
single, “Brokenhearted,” back in 2012, giving them their first and only top 10
hit. One-hit wonders though they are, it was their covers on YouTube that made
that hit possible in the first place. Impressed by singer Amy Renee Noonan’s
ability to rap at a lightning-fast pace, the married musical duo signed with
Epic Records in 2011.
4.
Pentatonix: Currently one of the biggest names
in a cappella, Pentatonix have been nominated for and received many awards,
including Grammys, Billboard Awards and more. While one could argue that their
career started during the 2011 season of ‘The Sing-Off’ (which is where all
five of them met up for the first time), it was their videos on YouTube that
really put them over the top. Many of their covers and medleys went viral on
the site, leading them to become one of the most subscribed and awarded
channels on YouTube. The group has also had other success on the site; Mitch Grassi
and Scott Hoying’s “Superfruit” channel has been blowing up lately with the duo
releasing videos for every song on their debut album, ‘Future Friends.’
5.
5 Seconds of Summer: 5 Seconds of Summer took
the world by storm in 2014 with their single “She Looks So Perfect” and their
cover of “What I Like About You.” The band gave new life to pop-punk, going
heavier on the pop aspect while still managing to stay grounded in the genre’s
roots. Coming out of seemingly nowhere, tween girls began finding the band’s
music on YouTube with the band gaining so much in popularity that even
celebrities were starting to catch on. After one of their covers was retweeted
by One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson, they ended up touring with the boy band,
widening their audience.
6.
Christina Grimmie: A rising young star whose
career was cut short last year by a gun-wielding fan at a meet-and-greet,
Christina Grimmie might not be the most well-known name on this list, but an
important one. Before coming in third on the sixth season of ‘The Voice,’
Grimmie was uploading her cover songs to YouTube. Her popularity on the site
garnered her a lot of attention and she was eventually discovered by Selena
Gomez’s parents/managers.
7.
Lindsey Stirling: Currently competing on ‘Dancing
with the Stars’ and getting ready to release her Christmas album, ‘Warmer in
the Winter,’ Lindsey Stirling has made a name for herself playing
intricate and breathtaking violin
compositions and covers, many times while dancing or performing. But before all
of that, she started out uploading videos of herself playing and dancing on
YouTube. She started doing even more so after her stint on ‘America’s Got
Talent,’ really sending her career soaring. Stirling continues to post her
amazing covers and originals to her channel near-weekly.
These are some of the artists who have earned stardom after
finding a following on YouTube. The site has become one of the best places to
discover new artists on the internet for its ability to bring artists directly
to their audience without the need for a label middleman. As the internet
become even more ubiquitous, there is no doubt that the next generation of top
musicians will rise through similar means.
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Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s top new independent record
shop, is a great place to discover music new and old. We have thousands of
titles to choose from in a variety of genres. Browse our wide selection of new
and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs and memorabilia in store or
shop online at vinylbay777.com. With more titles being added all the time,
there is always something new to discover at Vinyl Bay 777.
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