An excellent profile in the New York Times about the day-to-day life of an emerging artist. Do you see yourself in any of these scenes?
Corporate Patronage
Continuting our patronage discussion, expect to see non-label companies use the infrastructure of retail and radio distribution to promote their products by aligning with indie buzz bands. This used to be the domain of the “special products” divisions at the…
Parlez-vous Pink Slip?
1,350 jobs gone at Universal.
HTML Newsletters
I used to be pretty rabidly opposed to HTML newsletters, but many of my colleagues have shown me the light. Yes, there are still some problems, but the pros outweigh the cons. Especially when you design a newsletter that really…
See Through Cat
For those of you with whom I’ve debated the lack of effectiveness of “paid” street teams, look at the attention that the new Napster is getting for its color-within-the-lines attempt at guerilla marketing.
Indie MMMbop Club
In case you missed it, Forbes checks out the numbers behind Hanson’s move to indie-dom.
The History of the Disc
In all the hoopla around pricing for CD’s versus digital downloads, it’s important to remember that paying for recordings is a practice that’s only been around for a blip of history. Patronage is what fueled much of music’s development in…
Accept Credit Cards on the Road
It’s essential for your future as an independent musician to find ways to sell as much merchandise as possible at your shows. (And it doesn’t always have to be CD’s!) Read how one band is using new technology to take…
Monster Conference Call
David Hooper and I are planning what we’ve been jokingly referring to as The Mother of All Music Industry Conference Calls. Basically, we’re gonna get on the phone and go nuts answering your e-mailed questions about your future music career,…
PayLoadz, Affiliates and Dollar Downloads
Kudos to the folks at Tummy Touch Records, who are using the service our friends at PayLoadz have developed to offer low-cost music downloads right from your site. The REAL innovation is the built-in PayLoadz afflilate program, which lets them…
Music Licensing 101
Some great information on music licensing showing up on Velvet Rope this week…
Performance Anxiety
From New York Magazine, a reminder that you should be looking to your friends and family to populate your FIRST show in the area — after that, you should be building your audience from the friends that those folks brought…