Love me tender: New entry in popular music

Purpose–The purpose of this paper is to investigate new entry as a process of organizational change against the background of the digital revolution in the music industry. Design/methodology/approach–The study analyzes questionnaire data gathered from 131 companies active in the Dutch music industry that collectively engaged in 215 new entries in the wake of the introduction of new information and communication technologies. Findings–The most salient finding concerns a strong positive relationship between financial performance and having access to the dominant set of institutional gatekeepers, i.e. radio DJs. Originality/value–This investigation prompts rethinking the concept of new entry, highlighting the importance of the institutional context in which it takes place. Beyond entry modes and new entry motivations, special consideration is given to specific resources that grant new entrants access to institutional gatekeepers because they are key predictors of performance upon new entry. Copyright © 2012 Emerald Group Publishing Limited.