How have strategies evolved to propel music acts to sustainable success in the shadow of mega-stars?
Study modern music industry streaming and revenue data long enough, and something else soon becomes obvious.
Yes, foremost, it’s Taylor Swift and Beyoncé’s industry, and everyone else is playing for second place.
Yet, focusing on those who remain beneath No. 1 makes the conversation much more compelling.
The leaders of the Beyhive and the Swiftie Army have sold 20 million tickets over the past 10 years. Taylor Swift is also the most-streamed artist on Spotify, while Beyoncé holds the records for the most Grammy wins and nominations, with 35 and 99, respectively.
In this context, shooting for "second place" means building a brand strong enough to consistently remain in the top 10—a more realistic and sustainable path to long-term influence.
To understand how to build a strong top-10 brand and maintain lasting success, consider the example of KISS.
I’m not suggesting Bad Bunny, Justin Bieber, Kenny Chesney, Coldplay, Drake, Billie Eilish, Post Malone, Dave Matthews Band, Ed Sheeran, or U2 wear kabuki makeup or spit blood. Still, KISS' audacious branding and marketing skills deserve praise today.
KISS merchandise sales peaked from 1977 to 1979, making it their second-largest income source, with global sales exceeding $100 million. KISS shifted from a band to a brand, licensing lunchboxes, dolls, pinball machines, comic books, and Halloween masks.
And yes, in 1978, the band spent, adjusted for 2026, roughly $16 million to release the Hanna-Barbera-produced, NBC-debuted film “Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park,” which was distributed globally.
Regarding the film, Gene Simmons commented in VH1's 2004 documentary 'When Kiss Ruled the World,' "It's a classic movie...if you're on drugs," while guitarist Ace Frehley added, "I couldn't stop laughing from the beginning of the movie to the end."
Fast forward four decades, and, for the band, merchandise has remained a steady and substantial income stream, with licensing deals continuing to generate significant revenue (reported at $100 million around 2014-2015).
Adjusted for inflation, merchandise revenue dropped only about 60 percent. Impressive, given the decade-long studio album hiatus in the 2000s and 30 percent fewer tours each generation.
Drawing from KISS' brand strategy, which act could become a sustainable No. 2 behind today's reigning divas?
The answer is one I haven’t mentioned yet: Korean pop superstars BTS.
2024 Custom Ink research shows that, at present, per person, their fans spend twice as much (nearly $1,000) as Iron Maiden devotees, the current leading heavy metal merch act.
That's yes, a worldwide fanbase that has, in the past decade, jumped 100 percent in median age, while still gaining 50,000+ new Spotify followers daily. This indicates a near 90% increase in follower growth rates compared to their previous averages.
At present, via their unprecedentedly broad and lucrative appeal, BTS has achieved 7 #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and is among the top 10 most-streamed acts on Spotify. The group has also sold roughly as many touring tickets as Taylor Swift and Beyoncé over the past decade.
And yes, they have films, too. The latest is 2026’s Netflix-premiered “BTS: The Return,” which follows the band recording their album “ARIRANG.”
It’s not a laugher meant for a drug-fueled bender, either.
This film better reflects KISS' origins, offering an evolved, streamlined approach.
According to the New York Times, “This is as polished as you would expect of a work about a pop behemoth…for the BTS Army, that’s likely more than enough.”
