I put this blog into archive mode nearly ten years ago, thinking I’ve said everything I’ll ever need to say on any of these topics. But a lot of stuff’s been buzzing in my head lately, and Chris Gethard says…
Category
Making Money
Government arts funding’s going away. It’s our job now.
We knew it would happen someday. Back in 1989, Andres Serrano busted open a simmering debate over whether it’s right (or even effective) for tax dollars to support arts. As a high school student at the time, I got worried…
Avoiding music business scams
I just posted dozens of “classic” coaching call recordings to our membership area, and even though some of them are over a decade old, many of those conversations hold up really well! (If you take some of the specific technology…
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…
Where’s your hustle?
Fred Wilson shares the story behind Airbnb (a great startup that I’ll write a full post about soon), especially the strategy the founders used to raise $25,000 in emergency funds to keep their business afloat. Whenever someone tells me that…
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…
How Much Do Musicians Really Make from Record Deals?
After yesterday’s mailbag entry on royalties, our friend Ken Muse pointed me to a great breakdown of the current record deal math done by Cord Jefferson at The Root. By the math in the article, the average “signed” musician makes…
Mailbag: Royalties vs. Publishing
From the mailbag, Mark wants to know about different kinds of royalties: hey whats the diffrence between royalties and publishing revenue.. Cashmoneyrecords sighned a deal with Unviersal Music They keep 85% if tge royalties 50% publishing revenues and all…
Forbes: Jill Sobule Raised More Than Public Enemy
Katie Evans uses her entertainment column in Forbes to explore some of the ways that bands raise money from fans beyond traditional CD sales. (And, as I’ve been writing about for the last ten years, CD sales are just about…
$1,875 for Front Row Seats, But You Get to Keep the Chair
From this weekend’s New York Times, Ben Sisario covers the growing trend of large concert promoters offering special perks and souvenirs to help justify the prices of VIP tickets to this summer’s hot tours. The article’s centerpiece: Bon Jovi fans…
When Does a 360 Music Deal Make Sense?
For major touring acts, it’s a no brainer. Ditch the major labels, cash a fat advance check, and head out on the road.