Science confirms what we musicians know in our hearts, even if we don’t want to believe it: the social influence of peers affects your taste in music. Researchers at Columbia University observed that listeners who could see what music their…
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scott
Working With An Agent
This article has been around for awhile but the information is still valid: Working With An Agent. The point is this: regardless of how wonderful a talent your are, the commissions you pay a booking agent must be able to…
American Idol and Signs Of The Apocalypse
Upset to hear that American Idol trounced the Grammy Awards earlier this month, making it the least-watched Grammys since the 70s and signaling the decline of civilization? Well, it may be time to panic. AI also crushed the Olympics last…
Getting fans involved online
How can you get your fans more involved with your career with your website? Acoustic soul-rocker Granian has a “share” page with info on how to spread the word about his music. Ironic popster Brad Sucks encourages his listeners to…
Getting press attention
An interesting article that came across my radar this weekend: How to Get (and Not Get) the Attention of a Music Journalist. Some artists seem to get obsessed with getting press — any press, in any publication. While seeing your…
New rock memoir hits shelves this week
Back in the mid-90s, Boston singer-songwriter Jen Trynin was the subject of a major label bidding war. A few years and two unsuccessful albums later, Trynin left the major label game, went back to school and into hiding for awhile.…
WikiRecording Launches
WikiRecording is a new site that claims to be a “free audio recording guide that anyone can edit.” Lots of useful articles on recording equipment, software, microphones and more. You can create an account to share your own knowledge as…
Your photo on the cover? Maybe not.
Over at David Hooper’s weblog, a debate: should you use your photo of yourself on your CD cover art? David says no, and I agree. This was something I debated each time I got ready to release a new CD.…
HINT: health insurance aid for artists
The Future Of Music Coalition has put together a page of health insurance resources called HINT. In addition to tons of informative articles, HINT also includes a free phone service that allows musicians to speak one-on-one to an insurance expert…
5 Questions with Howlin’ Hobbit, busker
Last week I wrote about Howlin’ Hobbit and how he uses his unique talents to connect with his audience. This week, HH joins us for a quick interview about his experiences as a veteran busker. What do you think “typical”…
Derek Sivers on music marketing
Years ago, Derek Sivers of CD Baby created a website called Marketing Your Music, and it remains one of my favorite bookmarks. I consider it a must-read for anyone try to “do something” with music. Why more people don’t know…
Pandora: not just another jukebox
Pandora has been building a buzz in indie music circles lately: Pandora is a music discovery service designed to help you find and enjoy music that you’ll love. It’s powered by the Music Genome Project, the most comprehensive analysis of…