This story makes it clear how much of a tool for instant communication and collaboration Twitter really is. It involves Erykah Badu (the Queen of Neo Soul) and Paul McCartney. The African-American musician was looking for last-minute clearance for a sample from the song “Arrow Through Me”, penned by the former Beatle and included on Wings’ final album “Back To The Egg” (1979).
In a bid to connect with Macca, she decided to tweet out and see if her luck was in, and if someone could connect her with Sir Paul McCartney. It turned out the tweet was picked up by Lenny Kravitz, who is friends with McCartney’s daughter Stella. She made the connection with Paul, who approved the usage of the sample on the spot.
This is an excellent example of Twitter making things easier for artists. We already know that the micro-blogging platform can be used to share your music (see here and here for some examples), but this is a bit different. This specific use cut short a process that could take up to a couple of months, and that would traditionally involve lawyers and other industry professionals.
One can’t help it but wonder what’s coming next…