Connecting Listeners to Live Shows | Pioneering Music Discussions
In the dynamic world of music and technology, Fabrice Sergent, the Managing Partner of Bandsintown Group and the Co-Founder and CEO of Bandsintown, is making waves. With a career spanning over two decades and continents, Sergent has shown a knack for identifying and capitalizing on trends, as evidenced by his successful ventures in the tech and music industries.
Sergent's journey began in 1995 with the launch of his first start-up, Club-Internet, one of the first and leading French consumer Internet Service Providers (ISPs). This venture culminated in a sale to Deutsche Telekom's T-Online for €1.2 billion in 2000, with close to one million subscribers.
Fast forward to today, and Sergent's latest venture, Bandsintown, is evolving to better support artists in the digital age. The platform has integrated new livestream-focused features like watchLive and formed partnerships with digital platforms such as Twitch. These developments enable artists to reach fans remotely through live broadcasts when in-person attendance isn’t possible.
The watchLive feature allows artists to stream live performances directly to their followers, expanding their audience reach beyond physical venues. Coupled with partnerships like the one with Twitch—a leading live streaming platform for creatives and musicians—Bandsintown facilitates seamless live show streaming and audience engagement. This integration supports artists in monetizing performances and promoting merchandise to viewers during the livestreams.
The impact of these changes is reflected in the growing popularity of livestream events for artists across various levels of fame. Fans can easily find live show notifications and access concerts on Bandsintown, including livestreams embedded with Twitch streams or similar platforms, leading to increased visibility and fan interaction beyond traditional touring. This shift aligns with trends in digital music consumption, where livestream viewing on platforms like Twitch has surged, helping artists maintain connection with their audiences during off-tour periods.
While specific metrics on viewing trends are not provided, the prominence of Bandsintown’s livestream features and Twitch partnerships suggests these tools have helped sustain and grow livestream viewership for artists. Additionally, fan engagement through these platforms—including merchandise sales during streams—indicates tangible benefits for musicians adapting to hybrid live-and-digital performance models.
Away from the digital stage, Sergent is regularly featured as a speaker or expert at key music and tech events. He is also a director of the Mobile Giving Foundation since 2009, serving 800 charities in the US and Canada. Sergent's podcast, hosted by Dr. Gigi Johnson from the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, discusses how tech is transforming how we create, collaborate, and create communities around music in a connected age. The podcast, produced by Innovating Music, features interviews with innovators, change agents, entrepreneurs, creators, and researchers in the music industry.
In summary, Bandsintown's evolution through watchLive and Twitch partnerships supports artists by enabling live, interactive streaming events, enhancing fan access and engagement, and contributing to rising livestream viewership trends on digital platforms. For more information, visit Bandsintown's website, social media accounts, or email Fabrice Sergent directly at [email protected].
[1] Source: Bandsintown Press Release, "Bandsintown and Twitch Partner to Bring Live Streaming to the Forefront of the Music Industry," [date not provided]
- Fabrice Sergent, through Bandsintown and partnerships like the one with Twitch, leverages technology to bridge the gap between artists and fans, especially in the realm of social-media-centered entertainment, allowing for live, interactive, and monetizable performances.
- The intersection of music, technology, and social media is further enhanced by Fabrice Sergent's work, as demonstrated by the integration of livestream features and collaborations with platforms like Twitch, making it easier for artists to expand their audience reach and engage with fans remotely, providing a new avenue for entertainment and artistic expression.
