I frequently tell clients that they don’t have to spend too much money on music videos, since there are plenty of talented filmmakers that are happy to work with the right band for free or for cheap as a portfolio…
Understanding “Local Max”
Seth Godin just published a blog entry that clarifies exactly what every musician experiences at some point in their career. As you move through your strategy to grow your audience and increase your revenue from music, you hit a point…
We promise you that Scott’s not on the payroll.
But perhaps he should be? 😉 For the second time in as many days, Scott Andrew flatters me and the research team with positive reviews of our music business books. I’m proud that musicians like Scott can use the action…
Kate Bush Takes Math Rock Seriously
Loving the Washington Post’s review of the new Kate Bush album, especially its description of the song Pi: For those about to math-rock, Kate Bush salutes you. I mean, who else could actually sing pi to 100 decimal places? Track…
Productivity for the Practicing Musician
Scott Andrew spills the beans on his music productivity process, including getting clear on why you’re playing certain gigs, and how to combine useful tools (like Yahoo! Calendar and thick notebooks) to keep on top of your booking pipeline. Track…
Barsuk Records Prez: “Almost Nobody Is Getting Rich Off Indie Rock”
And he’s right. The founder of Death Cab for Cutie’s original record label tells The Stranger about the disconnects that you’re already aware of. Because so many bands submit music to editors and music supervisors at television shows like The…
Nobody cares about your band’s ringtone.
At the risk of coming off a little peevish today… I have been BOM. BAR. DED. with companies wanting me to plug their “we make ringtones for unsigned artists” services. And I have turned down every single one. Why? Nobody…
Why your fans aren’t getting your e-mail.
There’s an interesting new trend in spam protection that impacts the results you could be getting from your e-newsletters. I often encounter bands that, desperate for attention, add folks to their mailing lists without permission. Ideological issues aside, there’s a…
Who’s disrupting the market in your hometown?
In the presentation I give at conferences and seminars about hosting house concerts, I note that many music lovers (especially folks who are old enough to own their own homes) are getting tired of shabby rock clubs. Too often, I…
Are you in a music supervisor’s jukebox?
Wired and some other publications are getting around to covering a trend we’ve known about for years. Companies like Pump Audio make blanket licensing deals with independent musicians, then including pre-licensed works in a catalog for use by directors and…
back from mini-hiatus
…been totally absorbed on a client’s recording project for the past few days. If you’ve sent me messages or left me voice mail, I’m back on the case.
Grey’s Anatomy music supervisor blogs her decision-making process.
More and more of our clients and members ask me how to get songs placed in television or film. Because directors and music supervisors need songs that “fit” a scene or a series, they’re not so concerned about whether an…