If you believe the news reports from the Television Critics Association, there’s “no villain” on American Idol now that Simon Cowell has left for the American version of X-Factor. That’s a shame. American culture has evolved in the past few…
Author
Joe Taylor Jr.
Why you should ignore thousands of music consultants…
…also known as your fans. While this will sound a little contradictory coming from the guy that wrote two books about audience engagement (with a third on the way), think about the qualities that drew your fans to you in…
Where can you sell your music online?
If you’re not already immersed in the entertainment e-commerce industry, you could face an overwhelming number of choices. Consultants and web contractors may want to charge you hundreds of dollars a month to develop and host custom solutions for selling…
Requesting Your Song on the Radio (Could Disappoint You)
There’s nothing like hearing your song on the radio for the first time. I’ve been fortunate enough to be around artists who’ve experienced the rush of hearing their beautiful recordings compressed like crazy and popped in-between station “stinger” IDs. But,…
Paramore Breakup: How Managers Influence Artists
A post by Thursday Bram got me thinking about something I wrote years ago about the relationship between artist and manager. “Musicians get to be the CEOs of their own small companies. And CEOs get to hire staffs.” I want…
Luck Means Nothing in the Music Business
I meet too many aspiring musicians who tell me they’re just waiting for that lucky break for the world to discover their talent. In the meantime, they’re usually the same folks watching every episode of American Idol instead of booking…
Music Management Skills: Get Others Involved
While revising the site’s “About” page, I realized that it’s been a while since I wrote about one of the most important skills for a music manager to develop: the ability to rally and display support. Bands often get stuck…
Announcing my fifth music business book: “Audience Supported.”
I’m so excited to tell you about the launch of my fifth music business book, “Audience Supported.” I started writing about the music business when I was still working as a public radio producer. My then-girlfriend, now my wife, took…
All new editions of spinme.com music business books in 2011.
Thanks to Lori’s help and to a much easier schedule since moving into Center City Philadelphia, I’ve got the road map for all new updates to my series of music business books in 2011: Grow Your Band’s Audience (“Tenth Anniversary…
Giving yourself the space to shine.
Pamela Slim writes that it’s easy for creative people to fool themselves into thinking that their strengths can overcompensate for environmental variables. Have you ever watched yourself spiral downward with something that’s usually a cinch? It happens to musicians and…
Scoring Big on the Secondary Concert Ticket Market
Jay Frank and I were chatting not long ago about concert ticket pricing and margin for large touring acts. He and I have both managed bands, booked bands, and booked venues, so we’ve seen this from both sides: Nearly every…
Putting the Wolf at the Door: Setting Hard Goals for Your Music Business Career
At the start of every new year, plenty of us resolve to lose weight, to get our finances in order, and to generally get our asses in gear. Ian Ayres, author of Carrots and Sticks: Unlock the Power of Incentives to…