Hem has been honing their sound — a blend of etherial vocals and Americana — for close to seven years now. DreamWorks signed them in 2003, but couldn’t make their records click at radio. Luckily, they’ve moved on to Rounder,…
New Tastemakers
Back in about 1996, I decided to shift my career away from music programming and toward production. That’s because I simply didn’t have the memory capacity of my colleagues, who can remember everything about every act they’ve ever heard. (A…
Sales Drive Radio Airplay, Not Vice Versa
Yes, back when guys like Cousin Brucie and Dick Clark could open a mic and cause a Sam Goody stampede, radio (and TV) could dictate what records flew off store shelves. Not today. Focus groups and sales forecasts determine what…
How much destruction can a rock star write off on his or her taxes?
Here’s an awesome interview with an experienced band business manager about the kind of expenses he sees each week from his clients (and other musicians). Smashed Guitar? Investment in your image. Nephew wants to open a bar? Stay away, especially…
Que SIRA SIRA
…whatever will be, will be, if you don’t put your two cents into the latest Capitol Hill copyright fight. The Section 115 Reform Act (SIRA) would revise the way that businesses and consumers pay for the right to make “incidental”…
Music Retail Promotion TeleClass tomorrow!
Here’s one final reminder about tomorrow’s conference call! Music Retail Promotion How can you mount a successful record release campaign when you can barely get shelf space at a record store? We’ll share five insights that can shape the way…
Is YouTube Generating Music Stars?
I guess with folks dissing MySpace and the Sandi Thom incident souring fans on the idea of an internet-generated music superstar, it makes sense that YouTube is the new meme on the block. I’ve been digging all the tracks from…
Learn without your world imploding.
We talk a lot about “getting out of our comfort zone.” But, for many of us, that means dealing with anxiety that can pretty much shut you down. It’s why a lot of musicians fail to grow their audiences beyond…
Taylor Hicks’ Uphill Battle
Analysts are already calling Taylor Hicks’ post-Idol career an uphill battle. Will the folks that phoned in to see him win actually plunk $17.98 for a Taylor Hicks record? Two things going on here: 1. Record company expectations are too…
Online Music Promotion TeleClass in Three Weeks
We’ve got another conference call class coming up three weeks from today that can help you learn more about achieving success in the music business. Once you register for the event, we’ll e-mail you a telephone number that you can…
Let me tell you about the ORIGINAL Soul Patrol.
When I first started working in radio, one of our station’s specialty DJ’s was a fascinating guy named Bernie Milton. He actually fronted a band called Bernie Milton and the Soul Patrol WAY back in the day. He had a…
Music Business Contracts TeleClass in Three Weeks
We’ve got another conference call class coming up three weeks from today that can help you learn more about achieving success in the music business. Once you register for the event, we’ll e-mail you a telephone number that you can…