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…
A digital divide
I remember the days of record players. Then there were cassette tapes, and then CDs. And now, it seems, everything has gone digital. Has everyone gone digital, too? When you download songs off of the Internet, do you tend to…
Remaindered Links: February 19
Public smoking bans are good for business: Keywords: smoking
Remaindered Links: February 18
The Daily Show Takes On MySpace: Keywords: funny, myspace
Musicians MUST Overcome Cocooning
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has new figures that should send a chill down the spine of folks that want to start making more money as working musicians. 22% of Americans’ “entertainment budget” now goes to cable and satellite TV,…
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…
Celebrating Independent Music
On Feb. 2, NYC played host to the Plug Awards — an awards ceremony that recognizes Indie bands and singers and celebrates Indie music as a whole. The Plug Awards, only a few years old, “seeks to create an awards…
Remaindered Links: February 16
Ripping CDs to your iPod is NOT Fair Use?: Keywords: business, music, riaa ‘Extreme Vocals Instructor’ Helps Screamers Preserve Their Pipes: Keywords: advice, music
Amazon and Google in talks to break iTunes’ grip on music downloads
Apple’s iTunes service, which currently has a 70-80 percent share of legal digital music sales, might not be in the lead for long. Separately, Amazon and Google are talking with industry executives to come up with alternate downloading services that…
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…
More on the online music debate
First, there was Napster. Then, there were lawsuits. What’s your take on the downloading debate? Should there be anti-piracy software on CDs to prevent people from burning CDs more than a certain number of times? Some people think that such…
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…