Corey Smith

Overview

After nearly two decades of touring and releasing music, Corey Smith had built a deeply loyal fanbase across America. As the music landscape shifted and algorithms became key gatekeepers, he faced a familiar challenge for legacy artists: cutting through the noise to remind longtime fans—and introduce new ones—that his music remained as strong as ever. Partnering with Venture Music, the objective was to reignite his connection with existing fans, drive discovery around new releases, and boost direct-to-fan revenue through email, SMS, and content-driven marketing.

Our Approach

Venture designed a campaign rooted in value and nostalgia, launching an exclusive email series branded “Special Reserve Small Batch Songs,” featuring unreleased material from Corey’s archives. These personal vault tracks reminded fans why they connected with his music in the first place. Released in the weeks leading to the Suburban Drawl vinyl presale, the series drove remarkable results—77% of all vinyl sales came from just two emails.

Recognizing the high return from superfans, we shifted paid ad budgets from vinyl promotion to growing Corey’s email list, turning a short-term push into a long-term engagement strategy. Social content also gained momentum, with several TikTok and Facebook videos reaching millions of views. In early 2024, this renewed fan energy led to the launch of “The Regulars,” a community for Corey’s most dedicated supporters.

Key Results

• 77% of vinyl sales directly from email campaign

• +119K Spotify monthly listeners

• 742.6K total TikTok likes

• Pop Index rose to 46, indicating increased popularity and engagement