Icelandic multi-instrumentalist and producer Ólafur Arnalds released a new track with an interactive player. The player allows listeners to add or remove instrumental layers, which affects the visuals shown as the song progresses. [Read more...]
Ólafur Arnalds Releases Track with Customizable Layers and Visuals
February 7, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Social Media Is Not Your Band’s Saving Grace
February 4, 2013 by 1 Comment
Social media isn’t a silver bullet.
In a guest post for AT&T, Brian Solis drops a bomb:
“Hostess baked over 400,000 likes on Facebook and yet the iconic American brand is now shut down.”
Social media gurus/ninjas/mavens hail the power of social media to radically change a business. They write e-books, produce blog posts, and use their own networks to amplify that viewpoint.
Let’s look at the bigger picture. I love social media, and I think it plays a role in any musician’s career. But that role has been grossly inflated.
The Justin Timberlake School of Landing Pages
January 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Today, Justin Timberlake released his first song as a lead artist in almost 7 years. That’s right; 7 years! To turn this release into an event, Justin and his team at The Uprising Creative made a gorgeous landing page. I think it’s a stellar example of everything a landing page should be.
Let’s take a look at how the landing page dresses up the release of “Suit & Tie.”
Fuel Your Fans & Feed Your Career: An Interview with CyberPR’s Ariel Hyatt
January 8, 2013 by 1 Comment
Ariel Hyatt is the founder of CyberPR, a New York based social media PR firm. Her Cyber PR ® Campaigns and books Music Success in Nine Weeks & Musician’s Roadmap To Facebook & Twitter help connect musicians with new media makers and coach them to create authentic relationships with fans. She is an incredibly knowledgeable person, and I respect and look up to her tremendously.
Ariel is running her own crowd funding campaign for three huge resources. She is releasing two books for musicians, showing them how to dominate social media. A third book is for anyone who wants to build a healthy social media presence.
Here is our chat about how these resources can enhance your career and how to handle the uncertainty that comes with fan funding campaigns.
Action and Music: Cause-Driven Touring with The Blind Woods
January 3, 2013 by 2 Comments
We’ve all heard about musicians playing concerts for charity. Boston’s own The Blind Woods takes that idea to the next level with a charity tour.
I spoke with vocalist and frontwoman Andrea Belanger about how The Blind Woods combines touring with cause advocacy and volunteerism on their Action and Music Tour.
It’s Never Too Late to Play a Charity Concert
December 17, 2012 by 2 Comments
As I write this post, it’s a time where many people have seen better days. The economy is still iffy, and the music business is still at a loss for how to make money. It’s a classic doubly whammy.
Typically, musicians as a whole aren’t a wealthy bunch. But they do have the ability make a difference. Here are four tips to lend a helping hand by playing a concert for charity.
How to Solve Any Music Business Problem
December 7, 2012 by 1 Comment
The following is a guest post for digital music distribution company Ditto Music.
The music industry is a tricky business. There are plenty of career hurdles that lack easy, clear answers. Countless musicians get lost in the woods searching for answers, and many never find the formula for success. No music success story is the same, after all.
But you’re dedicating your life to music, and you’re not going to quit without a fight. Good! That’s the attitude you’ll need. I’m not going to hold your hand and lead you down the path to prosperity, though. I will give you a big, sharp machete to clear your own way.
Concert Ticket + Album Download Bundle: Already Doomed?
October 9, 2012 by 1 Comment
There’s a trend emerging of artists bundling album downloads with concert tickets. After purchasing a show ticket, the fan receives a download link with their receipt.
Seems like a great value add, right? Well, yes and no.
The first time it happened, I didn’t expect it. The surprise made me feel special. Like the band appreciated my commitment to see them live and support their art.
I also see how bundling downloads and tickets can enhance the live experience. By giving the latest album to fans in advance, the audience will know the new songs better. Instead of being bummed an artist didn’t play a track from the last album, more people will be glad to hear new favorites.
So this sort of bundle is a pretty cool thing. Here comes the wet towel.
For me, streaming music makes offering these bundles the equivalent of getting a gift card to a restaurant I never go to.
I sincerely appreciate the thought. Really. I do. I just never go to that place anymore because it’s out of the way, and I already have plenty of other great places to eat across the street from my home.
This is frustrating, because the marketer in me loves the concept of packing extra value into the live experience. But as a consumer, album downloads are starting to fall flat because of streaming services.
Is there anything that can keep the concert + music download bundle alive? I’m not sure. Perhaps if artists offer rarities or provide live recordings of events after their conclusion. As innovative as the ticket + album download bundle seems on the surface, it looks like its days are already numbered.
On Feeding Wolves
October 3, 2012 by Leave a Comment
A Cherokee elder was teaching his grandchild about life.
He said to them, “A fight is going on inside me… it is a terrible fight between two wolves. One wolf represents fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, hatefulness, and lies. The other stands for joy, peace, love, hope, humbleness, kindness, friendship, generosity, faith, and truth.
This same fight is going on inside of you, and inside every other person, too.”
The child thought about it for a minute. He asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”
The Cherokee elder replied, “The one you feed.”
By circumstance and luck, traveling musician Sarsten Noice was kind enough to pass this story along to me. I always felt these sides warring against each other. Since Sarsten shared this tale with me, I’ve been able to define that nebulous feeling.
Some days, we do the right thing. We treat others with kindness. We keep faith in ourselves. We believe in what we do.
Other days, not so much. We submit to anger and fear. We wallow in regret. We slide into laziness.
The fight between the two wolves lasts a lifetime. One day, doubt will sink its teeth into optimism, and the next, optimism will be back with a vengeance.
Having success in the music industry is hard. From what I’ve seen, it’s a lifelong endeavor. It comes down to the decisions we make each day.
Which side are you feeding today?
The Musician’s Guide to Touring with Airbnb
September 12, 2012 by 1 Comment
On a recent trip to San Francisco, I didn’t stay in a hotel. Rooms there go for more than $200 per night. Instead, I lived in a stranger’s house with her two hilarious cats, saving more than $500 during my stay!
I used an innovative service called Airbnb. Airbnb is a service that matches people seeking vacation rentals and other short-term accommodations with regular people with spare rooms to rent. Options range from a simple couch to renting out entire homes.
Naturally, this is something touring artists should look into. I spoke with Airbnb TV Superstar Venetia Pristavec about how musicians can best use the service on tour. Combine her insight with my tips for a musician’s guide to planning tour accommodations with Airbnb. [Read more...]
