When it comes to having a career in music, asking yourself the right questions, like how to create superfans or make a living as an artist, are hugely important to being successful, and asking yourself the wrong ones can just as easily derail an otherwise promising career. _________________________________ In this article from MusicThinkTank, Tom Hess poses five […]
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Five Questions For Berklee’s John Kellogg, Author Of “Take Care of Your Music Business”
Here entertainment lawyer and assistant chair of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music in Boston, John Kellogg Esq, answers five questions ranging from how to advance one’s career, to the ins and outs of a 360 deal. _______________________________ In this recent interview on MusicThinkTank from Cyber PR, Ariel Hyatt sat down with John Kellogg to pick his brain about […]
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RIAA Finally Adds Streaming To Gold, Platinum Album Certifications
Almost every corner of the music industry is changing to accommodate the rapid shift from music purchase to streaming. To that list add the RIAA, who have finally added music streams to the equation that calculates Gold and Platinum Album awards. In a long overdue change, the RIAA is revamping its methodology to include on-demand audio and […]
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The Key To Effective Rehearsals And Being Prepared For Your Next Gig
Musicians are a scattered bunch. I know you agree with me. Don’t lie. I think some of them just glide through life with this “things are bound to happen!” mentality. I mean, optimism is great and all but you know what’s better? Actually being in control of what’s going to happen. Do you know how you can get more […]
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How To Release Music As An Independent Artist (Infographic)
Hi, my name’s Josh. I’m a rapper/producer from Atlanta, GA, and a music business graduate from Loyola University of New Orleans and I was asked to do a presentation for Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO on How To Release Music As An Independent Artist. It’s mostly from an EDM/Rap perspective, but I figured […]
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The Internet Killed The Record Deal: Launch Your Album On Your Own
Saying you need a record deal to launch an album these days is like saying you need a desktop computer to visit the Internet. Twenty years ago people would not have believed that you could have every song in the world in the palm of your hand or on your television, but here we are. […]
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Six Steps To Successful Songwriting: 45 Tips From 45 Famous Songwriters (And One Not So Famous)
My ongoing music blog has carried the overarching moniker of IT ALL STARTS WITH THE MUSIC for some time now. It’s a lofty notion, touched with just the right amount of vagueness to seem proverbial. Recently, however, I’ve had to take that notion off the shelf and boil it down to its granular form. The […]
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SoundExchange To Audit Pandora, Music Choice, Univision, Others
In an effort to make sure that rightsholders and artists are being fairly compensated, SoundExchange has announced plans to audit some of the digital music companies which pay it royalties and multiple sport leagues have plans to audit several multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs). _______________________________________________ Guest Post by David Oxenford on his Broadcast Law Blog In the last week, copyright […]
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The Music Business Reimagined
While the recorded music industry currently rests on a poorly functioning and tenuously constructed business model, technological advancements and an incredibly high level of consumer engagement present an opportunity for positive change. __________________________________________ Guest Post by Vickie Nauman, Principal and Founder of CrossBorderWorks on Rethink Music When I work with traditional music companies (labels, publishers, PROs, […]
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SoundCloud Adds Stations – Personalized Streams On iOS, Android
“Sit back, tune in and discover.” That’s the pitch for the major new Stations feature, which just launched on the SoundCloud apps for iOS and Android. ______________________________________ As it completes its licensing deals and readies a paid subscription service launch, SoundcCloud is rolling out new features that focus on music discovery within its massive 100 […]
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SoundExchange Reports Record Payouts In 2015, But Growth Is Slowing Dramatically
SoundExchange has announced record royalty payments to artists in 2015. $802.6 million was paid out, but the year’s 4% growth was the slowest in the digital performing right’s organization’s 8 year history. ________________________________________ SoundExchange announced a new record with total year-end royalty payments reaching $802.6 million (up 4 percent from $773.4 million the prior year). […]
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Inside The Secret World Of Concert Ticketing
While touring is one of the biggest sources of revenue in the music industry at the moment, ticket bots are creating issues for artists and fans alike, listing absurdly priced tickets for sale on secondary markets before they’re even initially available to the public. ____________________________ In this piece for MusicThinkTank, Jason K Ventura provides us with a […]
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4 Best Places To Give Away Free Music
Many of today’s younger music consumers expect music to be free, and while giving it away can seem disheartening at first, using the four platforms listed below to make said music accessible to your fans can often pay big dividends in other ways. _______________________________ Guest Post by Hugh McIntyre on the Sonicbids Blog Many musicians may […]
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WMG And Sony Music Promise Artists Will Benefit From Their Ownership In Streaming Services
WARNER MUSIC GROUP said THURSDAY (2/4) it would include artists in any cash windfall the record label might get from the ownership stakes it holds in streaming services like SPOTIFY in the event those businesses go public or are sold. Shortly after the WMG announcement, SONY MUSIC said it would make the same promise. BLOOMBERG […]
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Less Than 10% Of Spotify Users Listen To 1 Full Album Per Month, According To Universal Music Group Analysis
Is the album dead? There’s no easy answer. But an analysis of Spotify user listening habits done by Universal Music Group suggests that while artists are continuing to make albums, almost no one is listening to them. Speaking on a panel at the Music Ally List For Life event in London, former Universal Music Group […]
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How To Hack The Music Industry: The Paradox Of Awareness
In the modern music economy, a lot of value is placed on awareness, with things like the number of hits, streams, and likes, often being perceived as the most valuable. This article suggest this perception is flawed however, and that creatives should focus more of their time and energy in the meaningful engagement of early adopters. […]
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A Lesson on Management in the Music Business
CLG Music & Media, the “One Stop Indie Shop” This is a great video featuring members of the 60’s group The Turtles (famous for their song “Happy Together”) describing some of the well-known pitfalls of the music business. Take heed. Major label deals aren’t exactly all they’re cracked up to be. Here at CLG Music […]
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Millennials push 2015 vinyl sales to 26-year high in US
Vinyl sales in the US are set to reach a new recent high, according to figures.The Recording Industry Association of America has posted sales of nine million vinyl albums in the first half of 2015, compared with 14 million in the whole of 2014. The vinyl revival has been attributed to younger consumers, what the […]
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