Lessons From A Jukebox: Build Fans And Income

Jukeboxes were once a staple of American culture, appearing in everything from drugstores to bowling alleys. However, their popularity has decreased in recent years, and nowadays they are mostly found in retro diners and eclectic bars. Unfortunately, the massive song boxes haven’t made as much of a comeback as vinyl turntables.

So if the jukebox is an outdated thing that people regard as a cool vintage tchotchke, why are we talking about it?

While the format of the jukebox may be outdated, there are quite a few behavioral and psychological lessons we can learn from its heyday.

In other words, there's a valuable connection between jukeboxes and increasing your earnings as a musician - and that's what we are going to look at in this article.

But First... A Brief History of the Jukebox (a la "Drunk History")

Gather around... The history of the jukebox is a long and winding one, my friend.

Bill and Lou's excellent adventure

It all started back in the 1800s - with a guy named William and another named Louis. Bill and Lou, as they were known.

They thought "Is there a way we could put one album put it in a massive box that weighs a thousand pounds and charges people money to play music?" - enter the jukebox.

They then did what any entrepreneur in the 1800s with a half-ton object would do; that's right, they decided on a test market in the hilliest city in The United States - San Francisco, CA. But in those hills was a thriving music scene and their first jukebox was piloted at the Palais Royale Saloon.

The first jukebox was a hit

We find the coolest San Fransisco socialites gathered around the newfangled contraption - and they were gathered super close. The machine had no amplification, people huddled around and used “listening tubes,” the matriarch of the headphone family.

Styled as a “nickel-in-the-slot phonograph,” the guys brought in over $1000 in six months with the first unit ($1000 in 1889 is worth around $31,250 today.)

But, as with any industry, there's always a new competitor on the horizon - and in this case, it was the bad boys of music - American Music Company. They started making jukeboxes and by 1906 had produced over 50,000 units.

The first “wall box” jukebox was introduced in 1927 by the Packard Instrument Company. This allowed people to choose their songs without having to walk up to the machine.

During the great depression, people could barely afford to get by, so jukeboxes became a big way for people to distract themselves from reality. By 1933 there were almost 500,000 units in circulation and they were bringing in $75 million a year - which is over $1.4 BILLION today. And popularity spiked in the 50s and 60s seeing the addition of even more catalogs and units around the world. The End.

So, How is This Relevant to You?

Taking song requests rewards your audiences while increasing your tips at the same time.

Now, there are numerous ways to increase your earnings playing live, but song requests are unique in that they build up engagement with the audience and create "brand love."

From the start, these monoliths were designed to get people to spend money - and they were pretty damn good at it. After all, you don't generate $75 million during the great depression unless you understand the consumer well... or you're a wizard.

The simple truth is that everyone loves to request a song

It's a tale as old as time, and a song as old as rhyme - as long as there has been music, there have been requests.

Now that we live in a world where listening to our favorite songs is as easy as shouting, “Alexa, play ‘You Go Down Smooth’ by Lake Street Dive!”

But even with the advent of tech that makes it easier than ever to hear whatever you want instantly, the same principles behind the wild success of the jukebox are still a driving factor today. Jukebox psychology is all about the human interactions that come with the requested songs.

I guess the underlying question then is why do people feel compelled to spend money to hear their top tunes while out somewhere?

Understanding just a couple of cognitive and behavioral theories related to the jukebox can dramatically improve your fan experience and tips the next time you get a request at a live show.

The Social Conformity Gremlin

Trying to fit in is a human need that starts when we're young. We want to be like the people around us and feel accepted.

This desire to conform continues into adulthood, especially when it comes to music. People want to listen to songs that everyone else knows and loves - it makes them feel good.

This type of social proof is a psychological phenomenon that happens when people conform to the actions of others to feel correct or acceptable.

It's a type of herd mentality, and it can have a powerful influence on our behavior. This is often why people choose songs on the jukebox that are popular - because they want to feel like they're part of the group.

They may even opt for a song they don't want to hear or enjoy, but will override their personal preference to fit in.

A quick aside

The year was 2009, and my friend and I were out at a local bar. "Bar" might be an overstatement; let's go with dive bar This shotgun-style pub was packed with patrons from the front door to the back wall.

Hanging on the back wall was the classic bar TouchTunes setup. People had been feeding the machine all night. I borrowed some cash from my buddy and stepped up to the plate - punched in what I thought would be the winning song of the night, and waited until the rotation got to my choice.

An eternity later, it was my moment. A slow-tempo voice emerged...

"Ground control to Major Tom... Ground control to Major Tom..."

No joking here - the bar visibly thinned out.

Bowie and I had killed the vibe by putting my taste in music ahead of the herd. It was embarrassing, to say the least - I mean I probably could have put on just about any other Bowie classic and been fine, but I made it about me instead of the "herd."

Needless to say, that was the last time I put personal music taste on display with a jukebox.

The jukebox is a perfect example of how social conformity can influence people's behavior. When you're at a bar or restaurant and you see that everyone else is playing songs from the top 40, you're more likely to do the same.

How can social conformity apply to you?

When you play live - your audience may pick songs that say more about how they want to fit into the crowd vs. what they may personally want to hear. i.e. "Freebird."

By understanding social conformity, you can begin to understand why certain songs become popular, and how the jukebox can influence people's behavior.

The Sunk Cost Fallacy and Audience Engagement

The sunk cost fallacy is a cognitive bias that dictates that we are more likely to continue investing in something as long as we have invested so much in the past - even if it's no longer rational to do so.

For example, let's say you've been dating someone for a while and things are going south. You're not happy, but you've invested so much time, energy, and emotion in the relationship.

That took a turn for the worse, but you get the point - it's easier to stay in something because we don't want to feel like we wasted all of those resources. If you need a different example, think of the slot machine.

The same goes for choosing songs on the jukebox. If someone has already put in a couple of dollars to play a song, they're more likely to stick around.

It's the sunk cost fallacy in action.

How can a fan's commitment to a request apply to you?

When someone makes a request, even if there are many requests before theirs, they are more likely to stick around and see it through.

This is why it's important to play requests from your audience. It shows that you're willing to commit to them and that you value their input.

It also keeps people engaged in what you're doing - they feel like they have a say in the music, and they're more likely to stay focused on the show.

You Need to be Able to Play A Wide Range of Requests

Go to any honky-tonk in Nashville. For $20, you can go up to the musicians, request a song, and you’ll get to hear it within a few songs (if not immediately).

It’s kind of magical.

These live musicians make crush because they fashion their bands as human jukeboxes.

Making money as a musician begins with talent, but the rest requires playing the right songs that will compel listeners to drop cash in the tip jar. The easiest way to play the right songs?

Open the floor to requests

Learning to play requests creates:

·   Increased income

·   Increased audience interaction and commitment at a live show

·   Building an intimate relationship with your audience

Playing requests as a musician is a learned skill. You can’t roll up to your first few music gigs and expect to be able to sing or play anything the audience throws at you. But you also don’t want to be the kind of musician that can only play what’s on their setlist.

SongMe Makes It Easier to Become A Human Jukebox

As a musician, I get the gravity of engaging with an audience to grow your fanbase and bank account. That's the whole reason I created SongMe - I wanted to make the experience better for the musician and the fan. An "all boats rise" kind of thing.

SongMe will make your life so much easier when on-stage - it creates a direct pipeline of requests between you and your fans.

Here's how it works: Fans can request songs, and they’ll pop up in your queue in real-time. You’ll be given the option to accept or decline the request. If you accept the request, the tip that comes with the song will go right into your pocket.

Simple right?

Here's the kicker:

After a killer show, you can go through your song requests to see which songs you declined, so you have time to learn them before your next show. You can also use the app’s analytics to track trends and improve your setlist.

And there you have it

Something as old as a jukebox can still teach us something new.

By playing requests from your fans, you'll increase your interaction, engagement, and ultimately - your income. But getting to know how your fans think and the underlying causes of their behaviors will enhance those experiences and your income.