The Dave Matthews Band (fondly called DMB) has been around since 1991 and has firmly cemented its place as one of the most prolific acts of the decade, with Under the Table and Dreaming being certified platinum a whopping six times. Since then, the Charlottesville Rocker and his entourage have established themselves as one of the best live bands in the USA.
This year, DMB proved that they can still churn out great material. They released their tenth studio album to critical acclaim. Now, it could be argued that they should do more to leverage the power of the entertainment industry to stay in the mainstream.
Tenth Studio Album Released Earlier in 2023
DMB’s tenth studio album Walk Around the Moon hit the shelves to much fanfare in May this year. If you haven’t heard it yet, it’s well worth checking out. Although the record harks back to the band’s roots in some parts, it has also been described as gentler than some of the content that has come before it. Indeed, there are many changes to the style that fans have come to expect, with full-blown orchestras making way for more subdued riffs and lyrics. This is a refreshing change after the weaker album that preceded it, Come Tomorrow.
Walk Around the Moon can not only be described as a return to form for DMB but could also signify the start of something new. Even after more than 30 years in the business, DMB is still willing to experiment with their music and lyrics to attract new listeners and hopefully please returning ones as well. It certainly shows that the band has no plans to slow down, and there could be many more albums to come.
Band Should Capitalize and Tap into Current Pop Culture
While the Dave Matthews Band has many loyal listeners, releasing new music and touring regularly are old-school methods of building a fanbase. The digital age presents new and novel opportunities that DMB would do well to harness to amass new followers.
One way to do this could be to tap into the sprawling entertainment industry, a booming sector and a great avenue for exposure. For instance, one of the band’s best unreleased songs of the 2000s was Blackjack, a banger that compares love to the widely played card game. Since artists like Taylor Swift have made unveiling old, unreleased music part of the mainstream, DMB can capitalize on the fad and release such fare. In fact, the time is ripe for releasing their song Blackjack, as the card game is having its moment in the sun, with everything from blackjack guides to strategy charts being unveiled to help players know when to hit, stand, or double down. Would this give DMB’s song increased exposure? It might well do.
The band could also be doing more to tap into the power of social media. Matthews currently has a meager 713,000 followers on Instagram, which pales in comparison to a lot of today’s musicians. Modern bands need to use platforms such as this to ensure they reach as many people as possible.
The Dave Matthews Band have shown why they’ve managed to stay in the business this long with a great new album. Now, it could be time for them to transition to the modern entertainment model so they can stick around for years to come.
