Metallica has mastered music merchandising, targeting multiple age groups and price points. They sell a wide range of branded clothing, from socks and t-shirts to expensive wetsuits and watches. Metallica also offers collectibles, box sets, liquor, and other high-priced specialty items, reflecting their older fan base of middle-aged consumers who can afford premium products. Through constant new releases and tie-ins with established brands, Metallica has sustained commercial success for over 30 years by strategically monetizing their loyal fan base across multiple demographics.

1. MONETISING MUSIC IN
THE CONVERGED ERA
From Kiss coffins to Slayer spirits
And how the kings of merch do it

2. Some Key terms

3. After the CD apocalypse…
 This graph tells a clear story…

4. After the CD apocalypse…
 It could start at 1999, the year music
industry revenues peaked, fuelled by the
CD boom
 That disappearing red = CD revenues
 Markets have come + gone: polyphonic
ringtones; downloads
 Streaming is booming, vinyl resurrected
 Merch is now key too; record labels are
forcing artists to sign to 360 deals…
Don’t forget that while online distribution,
initially fuelled by Napster and the availability
of internet accounts (ISPs), is the key
reason for the CD slump after 1999, as a
digital format it made CD piracy quite easy!

5. MERCH CASE STUDY: METALLICA
masters of muppets?
 The band that holds the all-time record for
most revenues from live performances
 That band with the biggest-selling album
of all time
 The band that killed Napster through their
lawsuit, seeking to protect sales of it
 …make an excellent case study, a real
four quadrant juggernaut (or, at least
seeking to monetise parents & their kids!)

6. AlmighTEE – global best-seller
 “the two biggest apparel pieces in the
world are a Yankees hat and a Metallica T-
shirt. This isn’t a 10-year phenomenon,
this is a stadium band since the mid-’90s
and they have continued to win on the
biggest levels, with $6 million-plus
grosses” (Dennis Arfa, an agent at Artist Group
International: post)

7. Sock music
 Their homepage has just 1 unhidden link…
for their store, leading with the latest
addition … socks!!! (visited 11.11.19)
Adult unisex socks,
youth socks, even infant
socks – four quadrant…
Newer, Indie acts may
not carry quite this
range!

8. Well suited…
 Tie-ins abound, including famous but ‘hip’
fashion brands like Billabong. Again, a less
established artist won’t risk production of such
expensive outfits! ($350 wetsuit)
The $350 wetsuit is a
further indicator of an
older, wage-earning
primary target audience.
Like the socks (and
watches, next) they
reflect a tie-in with an
established brand

9. Band branding
 A useful detail is their inclusion of promotional
videos voiced by the band (especially singer
Hetfield) [page]

10. Boxing clever…
 The inclusion of DL options reflects their primary
audience being 35-44+ adults who might prioritise
audio quality; this market has virtually collapsed
overall. Vinyl is booming across all age ranges though!
[page] Price ranges are more suited for wage earners!
KISS are the notorious
exemplar of squeezing money
from every possible angle, from
coffins to kids’ lunchboxes, but
Metallica also exemplify the
trend for editionalising,
including huge boxsets which
mix vinyl, CD and cassette.
Younger fans won’t be much
interested in DL, but this
market is still open for older
consumers

11. This keeps them ticking over…
 Remember
Metallica started
releasing music 34
years ago; their
original fanbase is
middle-aged,
including some
ABC1s who can
afford a $750
watch!

12. Four quadrant … parents
 Realistically, the band are looking for parents to buy
their merch, including for teens to toddlers (page)
Toddler, women’s, men’s,
unisex – Metallica have it all
covered. The ‘whiskey tee’
refers to their exclusive
whiskey brand; the male-
skewing pint glasses might
also be used to consume their
own beer…

13. Well seasoned
 Gift voucher – smart idea! – and Xmas fare,
collectibles, cuff links … and once more, check those
prices… (page)

14. Hitting the right note
 As a rock band, musical credibility remains core to
their brand, so its no surprise to see music notation
books, though the lyrics book reinforces this nicely.
The ‘coffee table book’ is yet another reflection of
their middle-aged primary target (page)

15. Special offer!
 Often linked to past albums/tours, you’d expect to see
some reductions on offer. You’d also expect to see
signed albums for a premium price – but these guys
are just too big/popular for that (page)

16. Have no fear – Metallibeer’s here
 Their rather
middle-aged brand
+ high costs are
reflected in going
for craft beer and
bespoke whiskey!
(article; whiskey;
 Esquire, ABC1
mens mag)

17. Beer today, Kasket case tomorrow
 There are endless further examples out there; KISS flog
anything going (KISS Kasket!); The Who are among several
bands with pinball machines; GnR slot machines; Slayer
have a wide range, including beer, & nice editionalising…
“Modern [pin-ball] machines
are being produced and they,
too, are costly pieces of
memorabilia. Aerosmith and
Iron Maiden are among the
bands to be immortalised by
pinball with prices reaching up
to £10,000 in places.”
(metalsucks)