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…
The Arctic Monkeys sell out a 2,000 seat arena — with only one EP.
I have been harping for what seems like years about the fact that you do not need to sink piles of cash into studio recordings before growing your audience. Here’s new proof. With only one “official” single on the market,…
If You’re Using a Free Web Host for Your Band’s Website, Your Fans Won’t Find You
I’ve written before about the phenomenon of bands relying solely on a MySpace or a Soundclick website to make information accessible to their fans. Today, there’s more news to discourage you from relying on free hosting sites. Specifically, if you’re…
Rob Thomas Remembers the Struggle
Even a record that goes on to sell ten million units (like the Matchbox 20 major label debut) can start out by selling only 600 copies. It takes time and patience, as Thomas attests. Track these topics:
Return of the Monster Music Marketing Conference Call!
Almost two years ago, David Hooper and I hosted a conference call where we vowed not to shut up until we answered everyone’s questions. So, we went for almost SEVEN HOURS. You can see some of the callers’ comments here.…