Long Tail, How Will You Shop? By: Heather Allred

There are many ways in the world we receive music. In the media marketplace long tail and short head are ways music is distributed with popularity and the amount of products. It is our choice to decide which way we want to purchase our music.

Short head is the portion of a distribution curve where a large number of people are interested in buying a limited number of products. Much of this music is very popular among what people want but there is a limited amount of music to choose from. Long Tail is the portion of a distribution curve where a limited number of people are interested in buying a lot of different products.

Chris Anderson talks about in his book The Long Tail about entering into a more individualistic and less mass oriented era. I agree with his thought process about this. I have a taste in music that requires me to hunt the long tail because this is where I am able to find the so called “underground” bands that I love. If it weren’t for people like me that find all those bands who are trying to get noticed, they would never have that chance to be noticed. But with the vicious cycle that continues, they then one day become popular and are put into the category of where they can be found; the short head – where Big Media companies like to live.

I am willing to deal with the consequences of the Long Tail because “With small things, great things come to pass.” Things start at small but they are able as they are nourished they have that potential to become big. This is why it is so great and so important to have dreams. So reach out and find those talented artists that have the potential to shine big. Because of you, their dreams will come true.