Most fans of rock and metal artists expect to be able to engage with them in one primary format: by listening. Once upon a time, this was true. But digital technology means that we have a world of engagement at our fingertips and can connect with the bands we enjoy in several different ways. While listening to streamed music, albums on vinyl, and going to live concerts is one way of engaging with our favourite bands – what are some other ways?
Social Media
Social media means that today we can interact with the artists we enjoy listening to in ways like never before. We can ask them direct questions on Twitter, can watch them live on Instagram and can engage on Facebook. Many artists take to social channels to tease new albums, play new songs, and curate their following. This is a hugely different experience to that which occurred even 10 or 20 years ago. Fervent fans are even sometimes recognised by the artist and even followed back. There are also a lot of fan accounts that are dedicated to sharing information about the bands.
Band-Themed Games
Games are an area that can the likeness of a band or artist to create an immersive world which fans can get involved in. Recent games are inspired in part by the spate of video games and arcade games that took bands such as Journey and Kiss as central characters back in the 1980s to 2000s. Other rock acts that have launched themed games include Prince, Guns N Roses and Motorhead. The Guns N Roses slot game is part of the guaranteed fun at Party Casino as it features motifs, imagery and influence from the band, alongside a range of other slots titles. Indeed, the fact the site hosts this game could convince fans of the band to play, especially as the site offers a welcome bonus for new players that includes free and no-deposit spins.
VR Concerts
Not all artists are able to tour as they used to. As Slash showed us in 2017 when he performed a VR concert filmed at the LA Zoo, virtual reality concerts are another way that digital means allow us to engage with artists. For those who might be unable to travel, or even go to the gigs, VR gigs allow people to feel as though they were there in a way that surpasses the traditional televised gig. VR gigs have also been planned by other artists – with the estate of Whitney Houston, for instance, planning a hologram tour. This could be something that other artists decide to do to allow smaller bands to reach a larger audience. Older rock stars are also able to benefit from this as they might be less likely to be able to travel on expansive world tours.
Digital technology has improved so many aspects of our lives, we can often take for granted what it has enabled us to do that would have been impossible 20 years ago. This includes being able to connect with artists on social media, being able to engage in games themed around the artists we enjoy and being able to watch concerts from our computers that make us feel as though we are there.
