Positioning Masterclass (PART 3 of 3)

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This is Part 3 of our 3-part masterclass on positioning in music. Over the past two weeks, we covered expensive vs. dangerous positioning in pop, underground trendsetting, and catastrophic positioning failures. This week: how positioning works across every genre from prog metal to pop punk, plus the final principles that tie it all together.

We've spent two weeks examining positioning in pop music because it's where the strategies are most visible and extreme. But positioning isn't just a pop music strategy—it's the fundamental principle for growth in any genre. This week, we're looking at how artists across completely different scenes use the exact same positioning principles to separate themselves from the pack.

The Most Identifiable Looks in Years

Right now, some of the easiest positioning where no one's in their lane comes from artists who look like nothing we've seen. The group that made me go "what the fuck am I seeing? I've never seen anything like this" was 100 gecs a few years ago. You see this, and it sounds nothing like what you've heard. You first hear the lyrics "Hey, you little piss baby, you think you're so fucking cool? Huh? You think you're so fucking tough? You talk a lot of big game for someone in such a small truck."

Masterful positioning. They have been massive. They play to tens of thousands in big cities now and are a massive band from this.

Another one is Teezo Touchdown. No one looks like this. I loved what they did in this video because they kept pulling it out, so when you want to examine positioning, you have to keep waiting for moments when it gets through. It was such a smart way to direct this video. This is the most identifiable look I think any of us has seen in a long time. Looks very comfortable too. Those things do a lot to help, especially when it's this exceptional.

We had things in their era like Mudvayne, seeing what Slipknot did, and then doing it in a not-as-cool way. It doesn't work as well. But let's talk about growing into it. Both 100 gecs and Teezo Touchdown had this positioning totally done from the start.

Kim Petras: Finding the Filthy Lane

Then you get some artists who don't have it at first, and they do fine. This is Kim Petras when she first hit the scene. Big fan of hers, been with her since day one. She just looks like every other girl, which is also why, for one of the most prominent young trans artists, I can understand why you position that just like "okay, here's a good-looking girl."

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