Ed Simons from the Chemical Brothers wonders that aloud, in response to Radiohead’s new album release. In an age of quickly copied digital downloads, turning your album into an artifact can help you preserve sales and reward your most loyal…
Author
Joe Taylor Jr.
Is it tough to make a living as a music manager? Ask Quincy Jones.
At 78, you couldn’t possibly begrudge Quincy Jones the right to slow down a little. “Slowing down” for Q means working on just one album project at a time. This powerful career retrospective and interview from The National reveals some…
University of North Alabama Students Plan Concerts, Run Record Label
Here’s another case study of a college-based music management degree program taking things to the next level: At the University of North Alabama, students in an Artist Management and Touring course have to stage a concert for a final project.…
No more “Dadager” for Beyonce
The entertainment press buzzes this morning with news that Beyonce has dropped her dad as her manager. It’s not unusual for artists and managers to evolve in different directions, but it’s very rare for a successful family partnership to last…
David Barbe to head University of Georgia music business program full-time.
I’ve written in the past about the music business major degree programs popping up at colleges and universities all over the United States. While it still worries me that we may be creating a bigger supply of would-be music managers…
Grow Your Band’s Audience Only $2.99 on Kindle! (SPONSORED POST)
[At the start and end of every week, I’ll reserve one post for a product, service, or sponsor that’s paying to keep the lights on at spinme.com.] Even though I’ve offered a version of Grow Your Band’s Audience as a…
Philadelphia Event Alert: Grammy Awards 101 at Gershman Y, 4/12/11
Could your next album qualify for a Grammy? If you’re in the Philadelphia region, my home chapter of NARAS is sponsoring a free “Grammy Awards 101” session for performers, producers, and music managers to learn everything about submitting your recordings…
Songcatch.com: the future of free MP3 search forces a strategy shift for music sales.
Artists sometimes ask me why I focus my books on earning revenue from touring and merchandise sales, instead of from boosting album sales. In response, let me introduce you to Arizona State University Economics and Finance major Hasan Siddiqui. The…
It’s just as challenging to give away your money as it is to earn it.
It’s hard enough to find music managers you can trust. Once you’re earning enough money from music to think about helping others, you’ve got to find managers from other disciplines who can carry out your mission without embarrassing you in…
What happens when Gadhafi’s on your guest list?
From the “problems you probably can’t wait to have” file: Artists at all stages of audience development have discovered that house concerts, private events, and corporate bookings can often result in far more revenue than traditional club gigs. And while…
Why you want your manager, your business manager, and your booking agent to work for different agencies.
Young Buck’s not having a great year. In the wake of his recent arrest, we’re learning more of the details about his money troubles, and the feud with 50 Cent over an unpaid $300,000 loan. He owes the IRS even…
Build an Affordable, Essential Website for Your Band
Over the years, I’ve had plenty of arguments with musicians and with music management professionals about the importance of maintaining a website under your own domain. Their responses often included: * 1996: I don’t need my own domain. AOL gives…