The music industry has been greatly affected by the rise of digital technologies, especially in terms of revenue. Because the genre has historically focused on its storytelling lyrics, I will argue that country music has begun to approach modern technologies with new strategies of personalized content in order to promote artist brands and fan-relationships. To ultimately encourage audiences to participate with their music, 20th and 21st century country music artists are gradually increasing their offering of even more exclusive and personalized content through music videos, social media, and digital fan-clubs. In addition to their social media, the success of Dan + Shay’s 2019 single “10,000 Hours” and 2018 single “Speechless” offer insight into the implementation and effectiveness of exclusive content within these new technologies. As a continuously top female country artist since her 2005 fan-driven success on American Idol, Carrie Underwood’s fan club is the perfect example of artist-branding and establishing connections with fans through another new digital outlet for exclusive content.
