How Merch Is Saving The Music Industry.
From my own experience, I can relate to a recent article in The Guardian that explains how merchandise is now how artists and bands make money…not through their music. Are we now becoming glorified t-shirt companies? Is this a terrible thing? Or is it a good thing? Tell me.
Here is a link to the article: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/oct/21/im-with-the-brand-how-merch-saved-the-music-industry
My Patreon (it’s excellent): http://www.patreon.com/jushawk
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Merch Store: https://thejawsofvictory.com/
Cameo: https://www.cameo.com/justinhawkins
We are also doing a co-headline UK Arena Tour with Black Stone Cherry in 2023 you can tickets here: https://www.thedarknesslive.com/tour-dates/
#musicindustry #bands #musicnews
@JustinHawkinsRidesAgain
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
By the way, The Darkness are going on tour with Black Stone Cherry in the UK in January if you wanna come: https://www.thedarknesslive.com/tour-dates/
@Lorneplumber
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
I used to have that hot space t shirt bought at that tour
@BarbaraAntoinetteVeronica
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
Yes, I have been thinking about t-shirts myself. I'm not kidding. I saw this t- shirt in a catalog from a company featuring Hawaiian tropic al looks, but they also had those cat t-shirts & one style had space cats on it with flying saucers & it made me think of the Permission to Land video with the dinosaur flying & errr "attaching" to the space ship. I I think they sre Gilban cats. I no longer have the catalog. I have to look it up. But I think I am going to buy it & experiment with. It's patented I'm sure. I wonder what it would cost to modify it? They're fat cats. Skinny cats maybe.
@CJ-oi7zm
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
Where are the darkness t-shirts?
@turbzyangling
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
I have a record player. I've just ordered the Hot Leg CD and realised I have nothing to play it on any more!
@MariaFrancesca
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
I'm not even listening to KISS while I'm alive!!
@Area32Audio
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
The Queen T is great and clearly fought the test of time , The summer Breeze however need to use a different print service for thier Merch cos the heat press logo is coming away on the hat 😀
@Mark_Williams300
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
Isley Brothers or Seals and Crofts Summer Breeze?
@RevStickleback
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
Younger generations are so used to streaming music for free that they actually find the thought of it not being free disgraceful. If there was some way they could stream merch for free too, they'd do that as well. I love a tiny Korean female punk band called Rumkicks, who played Rebellion last year, and the only way they could do it was because their UK tour manager financed it – and even then they lost more money because a promoter stole the takings from their first gig. Their merch sales didn't cover the costs, but were enough to mean they didn't lose too much.
@RevStickleback
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
When Band-Maid supported Guns n Roses in Japan recently, they had to raise their merch prices to the same level as GnR's stuff, so they weren't undercutting them.
@andrewhess2978
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
When I was younger, I used to buy tour shirts partially to advertise I was there. And as a physical memory cue, still the case, bringing me back to the experience every time I put one on. In recent years, very aware that artists don't make real money streaming, I'm more apt than ever to buy a shirt at the show. During lockdown with touring shut down I made a point to order a few shirts direct from some young bands I love to support.
@mousekeith
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
I feel we need lots of Christmas merch from you guys!
@BopoGamel
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
I will buy Justin Hawkins Rides Again merch if you make it bad ass.
@b.draven
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
Band logo on the backpack in white out, so true! At a private school with uniforms, that was the only thing we could personalise. I had a round ratm logo.
@ledchickenfpv7164
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
'scuse me kind sir, might you explain to me what a tea(?) towel is? Or were you perhaps being less than serious (which I can't imagine, seeing the perpetually serious and highly focused renaissance man you're known to be) and it was just a quip playing on the preceding mention of "tee shirt"? I live to the left of the big pond and somewhat of an angloenthusiast (anglophile feels like overstating things a hair) , and I'm concerned that I might be missing out on a good time if tea consumption somehow involves having to towel off along the way. If you fill me in on the secret I might buy one of your tea towels and start drinking tea instead of coffee, who knows? 😉😆🙃👍
@macman6107
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
I've been wearing t-shirts by my favourite bands for over 30 years now. Many of them I still have. We're off to see The Cure on Sunday next week and I have already budgeted for a t-shirt and hopefully a Hoodia to go with the ones I bought when I saw them in 2019. I'll have these items and adding to them until I die.
I still have the Bon Jovi t-shirt I bought and wore nearly all the time back in 89 when I saw them as my 1st ever concert. It still fits today.
Band merchandise is the biz 🤘
@capitaineboivin819
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
Where can we buy The Darkness t-shirts online? All I see is bootleg crap 🙁
@stevepoleri7604
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
The Misfits are a great example of merchandise outselling the actual music. Their logo is everywhere now. I’m pretty sure most of the folks wearing the t-shirt with the logo have never heard them.
@jascatt3341
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
Awesome T-shirt I’m 47 I bought Hot Space when it first came out on tape cassette I have three older brothers I said look what I got they said yeah not so much of a top album for them!
@samsewall8341
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
I order CD from the darkness, it's the only band I do that for. I use it in the car. And I definitely buy t shirts (and in one a sick bandana) whenever they come to town. I definitely helped on the last north american tour, got a killer darkness baseball shirt and t shirt. Anything I can do to support them!
Oh yeah, and Hot Space is great! Obviously not the greatest Queen album but has some great cuts. They never released a bad album (much like the Darkness).
@jmar6656
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
I'm sold on YOUR merch! Brilliant and talented band
@mackmackenzie8083
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
T-shirts are also for all ages!
@heartshinemusic
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
Future of music: Singer on stage addresses the crowd: "We got a new T-shirt line coming out, this is the first design." A model come on stage and shows the T-shirt as if it were a Catwalk presentation. The band's music plays in the background as the soundtrack of the fashion show.
@TheMcLaughlincrew
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
I spend hundreds of pounds every year to go see bands live, I don’t like the implication that some people make that I’m somehow not doing enough to support my favourite artists because I primarily listen to music on Spotify.
@vanarve
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
Hot Space is one of my guilty pleasures in the Queen catalogue, lots of catchy songs on that album, greetings from Norway.
@j1nz095
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
Justin can you do an analysis on Ween? I feel like you’d really really appreciate their creativity, the kings of being genre fluid
@cuiff62
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
"Adieu?" please don't say farewell to us. See you tomorrow, "à demain Justin!"
@TheWaveGoodbye-Music
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
"Cut me and I bleed merch" – a sh*t
@LuisSilva-Silvathesaint
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
Thanks! Let's all support Music!
@EliasBatche
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
Rebels Without Applause, the lead single from Morrissey’s upcoming album Bonfire Of Teenagers is out now! Produced by Andrew Watt! Rides Again video about this great song??
@mikewalker1885
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
Ive never bought "merch", never. Dont understand it, why? Grown men in band t shirts just comes across as a bit sad, a bit….. naff.
Like adults in replica football tops, no, just, no.
@christoph7395
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
Au revoir.
@christoph7395
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
I'll have a DEATH Scream Bloody Gore t-shirt in white, please. Thanks.
@flauwegeit
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
maybe it's because Travis(ty) Scott is now not only a world famous rap artist but also semi serial killer, encouraging people inside his death trap. I know that's a crude thing to say but what if we were to ask the people trampled underfoot if we could, perhaps they would attest from the afterlife and I apologize if this comment does not land well as we approach the holiday season
@flauwegeit
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
All this time I heard the intro tune wrong and i was like ' Justin Hawkin's right againn ' what is on about ?! hahaha i'm so daft
@flauwegeit
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
Dude I just wanted to drop the title of this clip to show you how good it was and accidentally you wear the exact same t shirt there , That's insane ! ><
Have a look here everyone:
The Darkness – I believe in a thing called love
Channel:
radiodeejay
228K subscribers
@vinylhotpants8594
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
My t-shirt collection is out of control. But it is also a like a memory rag of an awesome night out. Yes I do wear the darkness across my rack🤣⚡️🔥
@keiranhyre750
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
Wow queen my favourite rock band that's awesome t shirt Justin
@saradevelasco1187
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 pm
One of my favourite merch tshirts is The Darkness from Darknesstival, where you have a cat head. Perfect
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