Research - Mainstream or Independent

You can tell the difference between mainstream and independent artist and can identify what makes these artist fall under these labels. This can be seen through the production value of the music video. Mainstream record labels such as Def Jam recordings and Island records distribute music videos world-wide and have the best artist recording music for them. 

Mainstream artist: Drake

Record Label

Drake is among many record labels such as Universal Motown, Young Money, Cash Money, Republic, OVO Sound. His talents has made him become noticed by many well-known record labels who also has big name artist in it such as Nicki Minaj, Lil wayne and Rick Ross. 

Genre

Drake's music is usually in the genre of Rap/Hip-Hop

Target audience 

Drake's target audience is set at young people and anyone really who enjoys listening to Hip-Hop, Rap & R&B as I think it is aimed at people who could relate to his life and also for people with dreams and ambitions. He has a large female fan base because of the type of songs he would produce, slow soft songs that appeals to them. 

Merchandise

Drake has many merchandises going from hats, jumpers, hoodies, t-shirts and wears these products in his music videos to try and promote it to his fans watching to generate sales. 

Website - http://www.drakeofficial.com/music

Independent artist: Giggs

Record label

Giggs is apart of a few independent labels in the UK such as XL Recordings, Takeover Entertainment and SN1 Records. He is the leader of SN1 (Spare No 1), alongside his brothers Gunna Dee, Joe Grind, Spender and Young Giggs (YG), Kyze and Tiny Boost.The group's main producers are Boom Productions (aka BoomBlast), Universe, Pablo Productions, Paws Productions, Bayoz Musik and Simple.

Genre

The genre Giggs started of with was UK Rap/Grime music in his area and once he began to get noticed he kind of changed his style to Hip-Hop.

Target audience

The target audience I believe Giggs wanted to illustrate his music to was to young males and females from the London when he first started his music career making singles that would be played at party events. His target audience expanded and got bigger in London increasing his fan base

Merchandise

Website - http://www.sn1giggs.com/

Questions

1. Some viewers maybe favour for either mainstream or independent artists depending on if their music appeals to them or not. People might go for one rather than the other because of how the videos re produced or because of the meaning the artists puts in their lyrics.

2. Having high status means that you will have more money and having more money will allow you to be more creative with the music video's they produce as it will attract a whole lot more of people to watch the video. 

3. The mainstream appeals more to more because the music video tends to be more attractive and also because they tend to have other artist featured in the video which are artists that I enjoy listening to