http://freak-recordings.com/community/index.php?topic=1087.0

The link above is of a forum post that has been posted by a member of a record label in order to gain attention of another producers latest album release. The individual posted links for audio samples of the album to gain anticipation for the albums release.

The genre of this music appeals to a niche audience so in order to release an album and for it to sell within this genre, you will need social capital in a number of forms. For the artist to make sales of their new release their reputation for making good music is obviously the most important factor. The artists’ colleague posted this information onto the site, which is an example of actions being made to benefit the other, this being another form of social capital.
Piracy issues have become a large problem within the music industry as of late and an even bigger problem within the smaller labels. For this artist to make a high number of sales he will need to have trust within this community that they wont rip the album once released, if people amongst this community rip and illegally download the album it will make it difficult for artists to release material in the future. I located a quote in this weeks reading that can relate to this particular issue.
“Positive experiences of trust and cooperation within a group or community enhance the likelihood of such exchanges in the future, thus creating a ‘virtuous circle’.” (Johnston 2002)

The number of contacts and colleagues an artist has certainly pays off. The number of people he knows within the country and around the world will help sales increase as he will be able to ask of them to promote on other websites, message boards, social networking sites and blogs. Contacts and colleagues will also benefit the artist, as it will enable the album to be distributed worldwide, all it takes is for the artist to have good relations with record shop owners or managers. For this artist a large, trustworthy network of people who are willing to assist is a strong asset.

This example of social capital can be related to Coleman’s three forms, Obligations, expectations and trustworthiness. Here the individual did something for another with expectation that his colleague will reciprocate sometime in the future. The artist had trust in his colleague to promote his album in a persuasive and effective technique.

C.Hardy