Feb 03, 2025 3 min read

Don’t You Forget About Me - How Music Artists Are Innovating in the Licensing Space

Don’t You Forget About Me - How Music Artists Are Innovating in the Licensing Space

Like all fandoms there has always been a desire by music fans to show and share their support of their favourite artists and bands. Traditionally this took the form of t-shirts, mainly sold at concerts. 

Today however ‘band merch’ is more of an art form that connects fans with their favorite musicians. Licensed products have become a crucial part of an artist’s identity, attracting new fans as much as giving existing fans a way of expressing their love. It, has to be said of course, that it can also be a significant revenue stream.

Every licensed product is a walking billboard for the artist and helps foster a deeper connection with fans. They extend the artist beyond music, creating a lifestyle that fans want to buy into. Whether it is a t-shirt, cap, phone case or piece of wall art, each item tells a story and connects fans to their favorite artists.

Live events (physical and digital) and online stores are prime places to drive sales. As with everything it is about being present where the fans are, from IRL concerts, to Fortnite, to social media platforms. Offering a wide array of products is a must. Artists, especially those that have been around for some time, have a wide array of fans, with different wants that need to be catered to. Limited edition items and collaborations can spike interest and drive sales. It’s all about creating that must-have, don’t miss out feeling.

Fans want to dress up and have connections when they go to physical live events - just look at the cowboy hats and feather boas worn in their thousands at Harry Styles' concerts and the probably millions of friendship bracelets at Taylor Swift’s record breaking Era’s tour. ABBA Voyage (the digital avatar experience) in London, as well as having exclusive merch on sale sees a large proportion of the visitors go already dressed up in official, or inspired by, ABBA outfits.

These products also offer the opportunity, and power, to develop storytelling with each item offering a unique opportunity to enhance the artist’s brand narrative. Whether it’s through the design, packaging, or limited-run items tied to specific albums or tours, each can play into building a stronger connection with the existing audience and bring in new fans.

One more recent trend has been the increase in digital products. From the more obvious like digital downloads, offering exclusive tracks, bonus content, to provide the hardcore fans with immediate access to new music. There are also virtual meet and greets that allow personal interactions with artists outside of the usual concert setting. As in other areas digital artwork and NFTs have been used to sell unique digital artwork or moments. And then there are online concerts, which have been incredibly popular, such as those in Fortnite, and then behind-the-scenes content, or interactive experiences can also be used as incentives for fans to purchase other merchandise.

As ‘band merch’ goes mainstream and gets picked up by apparel buyers looking into trends - such as the 80s and 90s - you can end up with people wearing band products without even knowing they are bands, or who they are. The Metallica logo is a good example of band logos being used as part of trends at mass market retailers such as Zara and H&M, with the wearers being completely unaware of what it is they have on their clothing. This can cause a backlash among ‘core fans’ but also offers an opportunity to develop new creative for ‘true fans’ to differentiate themselves from the unaware.

Having instantly recognizable creative offers up great opportunities for collaborations also. The Rolling Stones and their iconic Mouth and Tongue have seen countless collaborations on product lines, with the likes of MTV, SuperVinyl, Brain Dead and Paul Smith. They can be used to drive further hype around new albums, concert tours or even to ‘fill in’ the quiet times between these big moments.

Licensing and music are incredibly good bed fellows and, if managed properly, they can be an incredibly important part of how an artist builds and maintains their image and fanbase.

What are your thoughts on licensed music products? What are the best, and worst, examples you’ve seen? Let us know in the comments