TuneCorner

Making Your Release Unique by Jake Smith

Jake Smith is a TuneCore Customer Support Representative and editor of the weekly newsletter

A few months ago, I wrote an article called "Marketing Outside The Box", in which I discussed artists (most of whom had been on a major label at one point) who had come up with a unique way of making their content available.  Radiohead gave away "In Rainbows" on their website and allowed fans to pay whatever they thought was a worthy price.  Jill Sobule let fans contribute money before recording her album in exchange for prizes of different tiers (the lowest tier guaranteed a copy of her CD when available and a higher tier earned fans a private house concert).  Of course in discussing "outside the box" techniques, we had to mention Nine Inch Nails:

"Nine Inch Nails (with some help from TuneCore) offered their album Ghosts I-IV in a number of different formats, including 9 free tracks on BitTorrent sites, all 36 tracks on Amazon, and then multiple physical packages including a limited pressing $300 deluxe version."

Now, I would agree that the above ideas are all fun, buzz-worthy, groundbreaking, etc., however Jill Sobule, Radiohead and Trent Reznor were already well known artists before they made such creative leaps from said box.  If I, Jake Smith, have an upcoming release will anybody (aside from my mother - God bless her soul) be willing to pay $300 for a deluxe version of my album? No.

Trent Reznor wrote a post on the NIN forum today which addresses this exact issue.  You can read his full article here.  Highlights include:

• Set your goals: Do you want to be a megastar and share the rights to all your content with a major label, or do you want to forge your own way?
• "Make your record cheaply (but great) and GIVE IT AWAY", as your goal should be to reach as many new fans as possible.
• Sell your physical product on Amazon
• My personal favorite, "Use TuneCore to get your music everywhere".
• Follow the lead of the Beastie Boys and make your content available in as many formats as your fans could possibly want it.

Should we take this quickie post from Trent Reznor as gospel?  Definitely not, I know plenty of TuneCore users who have done great without giving their songs away (unless you consider MySpace streams giving the music away) and who sell only digital files without a physical component.  However, with so many artists fighting for attention, it can't hurt to spend some time thinking about how to make your releases unique.  I often think of two examples:

One was from an artist named Peter Mulvey who rode his bike to every gig instead of driving as a way to raise environmental awareness.  He filmed a short video about the experience and got some good press as a result.  The other was from a cool group I saw play in Asheville, NC called 'Hope For Agoldensummer' who constructed their own fabric covered, hand-bound, screen printed limited edition CD for sale on their website.  Because these artists demonstrated a passion beyond simply songwriting and recording, I felt more connected to what they had to offer musically.

What are your guys' thoughts?  Do you agree with Trent that the only way to become "Lady GaGa/U2" famous is to sign with a major label, or will artists eventually be able to reach those heights on their own? Do you think you should provide music for free as a way of reaching a larger audience, in addition to making it available for sale?  As a new or developing artist, what ideas can you think of to make your release more noteworthy?  Let me know!

Promoting Your Music with Facebook

Jake Smith and Mike Leikin are TuneCore Customer Support Representatives

A few months ago, we included an article in the TuneCore newsletter about how to promote your music using Twitter (you can read that article here).  We decided that for this week, with the rise in popularity of our own TuneCore Facebook page (thanks to everyone who became a fan!) we would discuss the pros and cons of promoting music with this site and discuss some tips on how to make the most of your own page.

A note before reading: Personally, we would recommend promoting your music on as many free social networking sites as you feel you can comfortably manage instead of putting all your eggs in one basket.  Facebook, MySpace and Twitter are the three most popular sites that exist, and often you may have fans who use one but not the other.  If you don't have an online profile for your music anywhere, then these three places are probably a good place to start.

This article is meant to serve as food for thought, it is not a step-by-step manual for how to create your own page.  So let's get started!

First and foremost: What is Facebook?

For many of us, Facebook is such an integral part of our daily lives that this doesn't seem worth discussing, but for those who aren't as familiar, Facebook is the largest social networking site in the world (it beat MySpace for the title last month).  You can use it to keep up with/update friends and can join internal networks based on city, school, occupation, and more.  You can make updates by computer or using a mobile device (much like Twitter).  You can host thousands of pictures which other users can comment on or share, and you can now personalize pages with "facebook apps".

Facebook artist pages can serve as an interactive portal to update your fans and get feedback. The real strength of Facebook, and the artist pages, is this interactivity. On the TuneCore Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/tunecore), we have been running weekly polls. There have been great responses and it's awesome to see fans actually communicate with us and with each other.

As a band or artist, you can post videos or links of your tracks and get real time feedback. You can also encourage fans to spread the music to their friends and so on etc.  Facebook also has a very large catalog of Apps (such as iLike applications) that you can use to customize your page to create a unique experience on your artist page.

We will soon be releasing an updated version of the TuneCore widget which can be used as one such Facebook application.  With this widget, you will be able to pick and choose which of your songs you would like to feature, enter band info & twitter feeds, and your music will have links that can take people directly to your iTunes store page.  More details will be coming soon, but here is preview of what to expect:

There are a few downsides to Facebook pages, but they do seem to be improving.  For example, artist pages do not feature a music player as directly or immediately as the MySpace player. For this reason, artists and labels often see Facebook pages as a poor tool to reach new fans.  For a while, Facebook URLs were very complicated and not very pretty to post anywhere, and on top of that visitors were forced to sign in before being able to view anything.  FB is in the process of trying to fix this by introducing "vanity" URLs, for example, you can now go to "facebook.com/artistname" to view many pages.  As a cool upside, you can have Facebook features that are available only to people who have signed up as your fans.

 

Do any of you have your own Facebook artist pages you are especially proud of?  Do you have a favorite Facebook page of any other artist?  Do you have any favorite applications or tips on how to make a page really shine?  Share your thoughts here!

Planning Your Record Release, Part II: The Release Show

Jake Smith is a TuneCore Customer Support Representative and editor of the weekly newsletter.

You can read Part I of this article on the TuneCore blog.

Part II: Planning your release party

Record release parties can be awesome for a number of reasons.

• They're "buzz" worthy: If you're trying to spread the word that you have a new album coming out, then a targeted event and date can lead to a lot of chatter all at once about your music.  Chatter is good. (Especially when it comes from the press - invite all of your local music writers to get early reviews!)
• The crowds are bigger: In general you'll find fans and friends feel more of an obligation to attend a record release than they do other performances.  It's a special day for you and they won't want to miss it.
•  It's a party!: There's a certain excitement in the air at record release events that regular performances might lack.  It's like a birthday, except with your CD instead of a baby.

If you're getting ready to release your own CD, think back on some of the record release shows you've attended yourself (if you've never been to one, just think back on shows you've enjoyed, or look one up online and catch one this weekend).  What, if anything, made those events memorable for you?  Was it the venue, was it the lighting, was it something crazy the bass player did, etc.?  How would you have done it better if you were in the same position?  You'll want to keep your answers in mind as you plan your own record release.

The Venue

One of the first things you'll need to do is find a venue.  What space is best suited for your music: a bar, a coffee shop, a living room or a back yard?  How will you perform?  Acoustic or full band, will you invite other extra instrumentalists (eg. guest vocalist, a string quartet), or will you just play the CD and treat it like a "listening party"?

After you've decided all of this, you can then make a list of exactly what you'll need for the show.  What do you already have on that list and what don't you have that you'll need to borrow or ensure your venue provides?

Make absolutely sure you know the following about any venue:

• What is in the venue's "back line" - Some places will provide certain parts of a drum set, like kick and toms, while requiring you bring your own kick pedal, snare, cymbals and hardware.  Some places will provide amp cabinets but will ask that you bring your own amp heads. Some places provide a few microphones but that may not be enough for you.  Many venues have a great PA system, while other places will expect you to provide your own.  If you come short of necessities between yourself and the venue, make sure you buy, rent, or borrow with enough time before the record release date.
• When do you need to arrive?  How much time do you need for set up, and how long can you play for?
• How does the door work?  How will you get paid?  Is it a 50/50 split, do you have to recoup a certain amount at the door and then you take all earnings after?
• Are there age limits?  If the majority of your fans are still in high school, it probably won't do much good booking your show as a 21+ club.
• Is there an area you can use to set up a table and sell merch and CDs?

The Promotion

Some people are born promoters, while for others promotion can be excruciating.  That being said, your record release is no time to start skimping in this department.  In addition to posting the date and time on your myspace, website, twitter, etc., get your fans writing about you as well.  When you reach out to bloggers asking them to review your CD, promote your release party through them and offer some kind of incentive for them to show (free tickets, free swag, free beer and so on).  Print out flyers to post in music friendly places.

Try and think of some "hooks" to make your release more exciting.  Maybe entry is free, or tickets are half price with pre-order or your ticket gets you a free copy of the CD and the cover charge includes open bar.  Or another great idea... if 60 or more people attend, you and your band will play completely naked! (...or... maybe not).  Playing is on the safer side you can always have some special guest who's known to draw crowds.  Which brings me to...

The Lineup

Depending on the venue, you may be able to exert varying amounts of control over the evening.  If you're in your own back yard, you can pretty much do whatever you feel like until a neighbor calls the cops.  If you're at the local coffee shop, there might already be tightly booked evening of artists before and after your performance.

If possible, you may want to see if you can get at the very least one act to specifically open for you.  This is good for a few reasons.

• Other artists bring their own fans to the show, and by opening for you they are giving your group a stamp of approval (likewise, choose a band you like and your fans may be into as well).
• Having a group serve as your opener makes you the "headline" of the bill which is good for press and audience perception.
• If the act or acts opening for you are good, the audience will be pumped up and ready to go for when you come on stage.

The Performance

Far and away the most important thing is the performance itself and the music you are sharing.  I don't want to go into too much detail about this as I think we all have our own unique stage personas.  That being said, here are a few "take or leave" pearls of wisdom from my own experiences:

• Practice, practice, practice.  Do not go on stage and wing it (unless musical improv is part of your hook).  Know your set list inside and out.  Even if you and your band have played a song a thousand times but just for just this show you're going to extend the intro, don't just try it once during sound check and assume you're good to go.  Memorize the song order until it haunts your dreams.  First impressions are lasting impressions and you do not want new potential fans witnessing a sloppy performance.
• Have someone tape the show.  Good to study on your own later, good content to post online.
• Spend time on but don't obsess over the little things - discuss outfits and "bling" with the rest of your group but don't let it take away too much time from rehearsal.
• Brush your teeth and bathe regularly - not just for your show, but now and for the rest of your life.

The more prepared you are, the more focused you'll be on the performance itself and the more fun you'll have.  Enjoy it and so will your audience!

Do any of you have record releases coming up or have you played any recently?  Let us know about your experience.

Interview with Stella Mowen of Shockhound

Stella Mowen works in Label Relations for the online music store Shockhound.  These answers are from an interview originally conducted in March 2009

Editor's Note: I decided to do this interview to help TuneCore users learn a bit more about the Shockhound store.  Many of you are live there already, while others of you may not be because there wasn't enough information at hand when you first submitted.  Whether your material is there or not, I thought it would be helpful to know how, as an artist, label, or manager can you best use this store to your advantage?

Your feedback on this will be very helpful to me moving forward - Would you like to see interviews like these with other stores?  Are there any follow up questions you would like me to ask?  Read the complete interview and share your thoughts here on the TuneCore blog.  Thanks!  - Jake Smith

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TuneCore: How would you explain Shockhound to someone who's never heard of it before?

Stella Mowen: ShockHound (www.shockhound.com) is the one-stop, genre-spanning music site loaded with millions of MP3s, a vast selection of artist merchandise, the latest music videos, and exclusive and compelling editorial content. With a wide array of interviews, album reviews, original “webisode” videos, and individual artist pages, ShockHound not only has the goods on favorite bands, but also promotes discovery of new and emerging artists. ShockHound encourages its members to be an integral part of the editorial voice, offering users the opportunity to join in the never-ending musical dialogue via user reviews, comment sections and personalized user pages.

TC: Let's say I'm already a loyal user of a different service like iTunes or Amazon MP3.  Why should I sign up for Shockhound?  What would you offer me that other music sites don't?

SM: ShockHound satisfies all your music needs in one place.  Where else can you read/watch an interview about your favorite artist, instantly purchase music in a DRM free format, make playlists, buy exclusive merch, become an entrepreneur from your own online Shock Store, while discovering new artists from a trusted community of music lovers all at the same time? Plus, at any given time you can comment or email any of us staff members and talk about music that gets you excited and we are all about it! We love music just as much as you do.

TC: As an artist, why would I direct fans to purchase music at Shockhound over a different online store?  Are there any promotional tools available to me?

SM: As an artist, you can create a Shock Store on our site, send people to the store filled by you, with all of your favorite artists represented (including your own band).  When people purchase anything from your store, you’ll make a commission! That means you get your full royalty from Tunecore and an additional percentage on top of that from ShockHound...and the best part...in addtion, you’ll get a commission for anything sold in your store by any artist you put in your store! It doesn’t even have to be your own merch or music. Why? Because we appreciate the fact that you believe in us as a site and we believe in you as a community member!

TC: Do you generate additional artist content on your own (album reviews, artist bios, additional artist photos, etc.) or do you pull them from an online database like the All Music Guide?

SM: We use an online database to provide bios and photos because we don’t want any artist to be required to manage their pages.  Any artist, however, can have access to their profile page and update their own bios or artist photos. Just contact your Tunecore rep and they’ll walk you through how or email LabelRelations@shockhound.com with your question and we’ll help you out.

TC: Can anyone sell physical merchandise through the Shockhound store?

SM: Not currently, but stay tuned...

TC: Are there any changes coming to the site, either soon or far in the future that artists and users should know about?

SM: We make updates to the site all of the time.  We place these updates on the user dashboard, which you will have access to when you are signed in.  We’ll also keep you posted on any cool new contests or news items on the dashboard as well.

Planning For Your Record Release, Part I

Jake Smith is a TuneCore customer support representative and editor of the weekly newsletter.  He is best known for his Tony nominated performance in the TuneCore tutorial videos.

The idea of this writing this article came about from a conversation I had with my co-worker and good friend Mike.  We debated the value a "traditional" record release, where labels and artists leave months between an album's completion and an album's release to market, promote, and build up hype for the street date.  The digital revolution changed everything in that sharing and selling music worldwide became something ANYONE could do and at any time.  For that reason, some feel that creating a full length album and waiting months to release is an antiquated practice.  Millions of others still believe in the LP as a sacred art form and that this will stay true regardless of how people consume music.

In this article I am focusing on the idea of a more traditional record release, however I hope my musings will still apply for those of you who follow a different path.

For some artists, just finishing a record can be extremely difficult.  For others, the real hard stuff comes after the studio work is complete.  After putting so much time and energy into a project, the idea of having to do even more can become very overwhelming.  Making great music is the most important thing, but almost as important is figuring out how to get it heard.

Below is a list of some things you may want to consider prior to your record release.  This is by no means gospel, but I hope you'll be inspired enough to make your own check list! 

1. Make a budget

This first step is really important and is true for both money and time.  How much are you ready to spend promoting you project?  How much time do you need to get all of the work done?

This will vary from project to project.  Some things you may want to put funds aside for are:

    * Logo/website design
    * Online or print marketing campaign
    * Swag materials for sale or giveaway (t-shirts, buttons, stickers)
    * Promotional material like flyers, posters, business cards
    * Photo shoot
    * Press packages (including artist/album bio, music samples, photos/graphics, positive reviews, upcoming shows etc.)

Before you spend a penny on anything, think about friends, family members, or casual acquaintances who may be able to help you do some of these things for a reduced cost or completely free.  Think about what you can offer other than money (such as time in your studio, free piano lessons, free tickets to your next show etc.) for their help.

Next you need to think about how much time you'll need to get all of these things ready. Make sure you set deadlines for every last thing from CD manufacturing to flyer design.  Maybe your web designer is helping you for free but needs 2 months to finish everything, or maybe your "friend of a friend" who happens to be great behind the lens won't be available at the same time as your band.  Even when you're submitting your materials through TuneCore - remember that the iTunes store review can take as few as 3 weeks but as many as 6. Timing is everything when trying to coordinate a release and set a budget.

A record release can be one of the most exciting things about making music.  It is unfortunately this same excitement that can make artists take shortcuts near the end of the process.  My group ended up facing a WAY too early self-imposed record release deadline, and as a result we had almost no time to think about artwork, press photos, or additional promo materials.  Our CD manufacturing order ended up arriving about 24 hours before the show itself which made it very difficult to relax and focus.

2. Press

In the age of blogs, twitter, facebook, etc., everyone with an opinion and computer access is also a reporter to some degree.  There are millions of people out there who love sharing their thoughts on music, and if you play your cards right there are millions of potential outlets for your album to be reviewed and promoted.  And of course, the best part about press is that it's free.

The best place to start is to search for blogs that have written positively about artists you like or share similar qualities with.  If you are putting out a Polka album, you probably shouldn't spend your time reaching out to writers of Jay-Z fansites.  Ask your friends to list four or five music acts they'd compare you to and work from there.

When reaching out to writers, don't come across as just spamming their inbox with an email blast.  Make it personal, let them know that you like the way they write, that you have common taste, and if they are interested you would love to have them review your album.  Some things you'll want to be armed with:

    * A free promotional copy of the album
    * 1 or 2 songs off the record they can share with their readers
    * A "one sheet" giving some artist and album background so that they'll know where to start
    * A band photo
    * A press kit, either physical or online where they can learn more about you

If you really want to go above and beyond, you may want to consider making an EPK, or "electronic press kit", including pre-taped interviews, concert and/or studio footage.  The more you give album reviewers to work with, the more consistent your message will be across the web.  Once you've got a few glowing reviews (which I'm sure you will), feel free to quote them or link to them from your myspace page or website.

Let me know what you think, especially if you feel I'm missing anything.  Thanks!

Tune in next week for part II - Planning your release party

This Tangled Web Is Yours To Weave

Thembisa S. Mshaka is a 17-year veteran of the entertainment business. She is also the author of the comprehensive career guide Put Your Dreams First: Handle Your [entertainment] Business, available at www.putyourdreamsfirst.com.

There are few things I love more than a great question. Questions that are new to my ears and give me pause; taking my brain beyond thoughts provoked to truth spoken to power. Questions like these are right up there with Haagen Dazs on a perfect summer day.

Jake, the editor of this newsletter graciously invited me to contribute to this week’s issue. He posed a very thought-provoking question to me.

‘Have women been able to use these tools [including MySpace and YouTube] to their advantage or have they simply increased the pressure to fit a particular mold?

I had to read this repeatedly and turn it over in my head for over a week. Initially, it led to more questions: had self-doubt and second-guessing many women experience borne of institutional sexism found its way to the internet too? Or can women be who they want to be in cyberspace instead of embodying a patriarchal stereotype?

The more I thought about it, the more I arrived at  certain answers. Two challenges that all sites face are those of being personal and connected: to establish a bond that sticks, and lasts, with whoever logs on. Be grateful for the progressive men in your virtual world and social networks; they are making the Internet a better place one guy at a time (hats off, gents!). The bad news is, until sexism is wiped from the planet, it will continue to be practiced on the Internet. Cyberspace contact remains the ultimate cold call. At times,  virtual and impersonal nature of the medium even lends itself to furthering the objectification of women.

The more I thought about it, the more I arrived at certain answers. Two challenges that all sites face are those of being personal and connected: to establish a bond that sticks, and lasts, with whoever logs on. Be grateful for the progressive men in your virtual world and social networks; they are making the Internet a better place one guy at a time (hats off, gents!). The bad news is, until sexism is wiped from the planet, it will continue to be practiced on the Internet. Cyberspace contact At times, virtual and impersonal nature of the medium even lends itself to furthering the objectification of women.

The good news is women artists and entrepreneurs now have Web 2.0 on their side: With social networking and  user generated content, the Berlin Wall that stood between artists and consumers has in many ways fallen. Distribution, sales, professional development, instant marketing, instant feedback - All available to you. All digital.

So even though there are misogynist morons are still logging on, you can be whoever you want so long as you’re not infringing on the identity of another of course…and yes, you can be yourself. You can tailor and target your message (most likely your music or your business proposition) with laser-like efficiency. Don’t wear makeup? No problem. Is your monster budget more like the size of a mighty (albeit diminutive) action figure? In the land of homemade tracks and videos, your campaign can stand out because of the substance of your product—and how you roll it out instead of how much you spend. The constraints of connecting directly with your audience have been removed, but the work is now up to you build and sustain the fans that labels used to bring to you. Pop sensation Colbie Caillat is a bona fide MySpace discovery. She didn’t have to glam up or strip down to appeal to her audience. Colbie had this to say in her bio about the leverage the Internet afforded her in her negotiations with labels:

"Nothing much happened for a few months," she remembers. "Then I wrote this song called ‘Bubbly’ and put it up there and it got this huge reaction. I mean thousands and thousands of hits every day." In the end, she became the number one unsigned artist on MySpace for four successive months, garnering an almost unbelievable 10 million plays. Record labels started courting her and she signed with Universal Republic because, she says, they offered her total creative freedom. "The great thing about MySpace is that you can build up an army of fans and then when you go to a record company, there's no point in them trying to change what you do because it's already been tried and tested," she points out.

Not that a major label deal has to be the objective; R&B vocalist Mykah Montgomery is also building her story from the virtual ground up, with her single “I Just Wanna Go Outside” from her debut album Me & U on iTunes and a self-produced music video streaming online all as an independent (ME Records) without traditional, terrestrial distribution. Les Nubians have a comprehensive site for their creative endeavors, Nubiatik.com, and sell their catalog and merchandise there while they keep their global fanbase up to date on new music and performances.

But know this: direct access is no substitute for a solid product. In fact, it’s easier to spot a fraud online. Don’t let limited resources handcuff your presentation. Bad music or shoddy production is painfully obvious in the virtual space. MySpace and YouTube are the tip of the iceberg. As an artist, a presence on MySpace is vital until your following grows large and loyal enough to migrate them to your own social network, for example. As for YouTube, I even have a channel there, and I’m an author.

YouTube.com/ThembisaMshakaTV houses my original content, from press clips to my self-produced commercial—plus content from other sources related to my book.

On this new web, niche is queen, and it’s all in how you spin your silk. Oh yeah, Jake also asked me to offer up advice for new artists, managers and producers. Next issue, I’ll share some direct insight from women in my book that will give you the affirmation you need to make like a Black Widow and kill ‘em out there.

iTunes Going DRM Free: What does it mean for you?

Jake Smith is a TuneCore customer support representative and editor of the TuneCore Newsletter

After 6 years, iTunes has announced that they will begin selling their entire catalog without DRM protection.  This raises a number of questions, and it is important to start discussing now what these changes could mean for all of us in the music industry.

DRM, or "Digital Rights Management", is proprietary code encoded in certain types of files to control where and how they can be used.  If you've ever purchased a song on iTunes before and tried to play it on a different computer, a message will come up saying that the computer is not authorized to play the file.  iTunes currently allows 5 computers to be authorized for any one iTunes account.  DRM protection reaches much further than just iTunes and digital music.  Movies, computer software, and video games often incorporate some types of digital rights protection.  For example, DRM stops (or attempts to stop) you from ripping DVD movies to you computer or by requiring you to enter a serial number before using a new program you've installed.

From the stand point of the music consumer, there is really no downside to iTunes removing DRM protection.  In addition to being able to move music more freely from computer to computer, music purchased in the iTunes store will no longer be limited to the iTunes library or iPods.  Files will be compatible with Windows Media Player, non-Apple based MP3 players, video game consoles and more.  From the label/artist stand point, the loss of DRM may seem good or bad depending on your personal philosophy.  Does it help your career in the long run by making it easier for fans to share, or is it simply less money coming to you for your hard work?

Realizing that the decision to drop DRM protection would be a controversial decision, and in an effort keep ahead of the rapidly growing Amazon store, iTunes announced they would sweeten the deal for labels by finally allowing labels to set price tiers for individual tracks.  We are waiting on iTunes to give us more specific information about this and we will make the details known as we receive them.

If you're looking for a more in depth look at these changes, I'd recommend this article from the staff of Macworld (http://www.macworld.com/article/138000/2009/01/drm_faq.html).  Some highlights include:

• iTunes DRM free files vs. Amazon MP3, which has always been DRM Free
• What happens to music purchased before the DRM change?
• Will the change affect TV Shows and Movies?

Reports say that this change will be taking place by June.  What do you think about this?  Was the DRM drop inevitable or is iTunes biting the hand that feeds it?  Let us know your thoughts.

Analytical Tools: How Artists Can Do What Labels Used To

This week, we talk with Mike McCready, the co-founder and CEO of Music Xray.  With services like Music Xray, but also with other tools Google Analytics, artists can access trending and traffic information easier than ever.  TuneCore wants to know why this information is important, and how can it actually be used to reach new fans or increase sales. 

The labels were only ever going to survive as long as they remained the powerful gatekeepers. Like bouncers at an exclusive nightclub on a January night in Manhattan; you suck up to them while you seethe at them for making you stand out in the cold.  The longer you wait, the more resentful you get (yeah, been there).
 
The music labels were society's music filters. They were responsible for finding the best talent, nurturing it, promoting it and distributing it all over the world. They provided valuable tracking and trending services to the artists, hired focus groups and market tested the music before spending hundreds of thousands of dollars promoting the songs. The labels ensured that your album stood out in a physical music shop that had 10,000 titles. In the end, these efforts were paid for by the artist because the labels would keep all proceeds until the costs were recouped and only then would they start to pay the band. They charged an arm and a leg and however much more they could fit into the fine print for these services.
 
Now however, the Web provides us with unlimited shelf space and there are more than 10 million titles online. You have to do the work yourself because you want to ensure your songs stand out and you have to do it at a fraction of the cost the labels were paying. But how do you know if your promotion and marketing efforts are working, where they are working and where you should direct additional efforts?
 
I’ve been in the music business for about 16 years. For five of those years I worked in venue management in Europe and was involved in contracting the largest concerts that came through Barcelona – and that included everybody from Madonna to Springsteen to Prince, Backstreet Boys, Clapton and Metallica. In that time I got to know a lot of label executives, managers, promoters and the artists themselves.  When I speak with them today the first thing we comment on is how much things have changed.  In my few years as an artist signed to a label, it was all about distribution and placement in the shops. That’s no longer a worthwhile goal for most artists because the shops are all closing. But it was also about radio play, finding and targeting your market, building a fan base, having a street team or fan club and knowing if your efforts were working, making adjustments to your efforts and again seeing if they were working.  Doing those things today is as necessary it ever was but labels are doing it for fewer and fewer artists.  For the last eight years I’ve been working in the digital music space trying to help shape the future of the new music industry and there hasn’t been a more exciting time than now to be an artist.
 
A number of companies are emerging to solve the problems only the labels used to be able to address and some of the best tools are those that offer market analytics. They collect and organize information for you and show you clearly how you are doing.  One very useful and powerful tool is Google Analytics. Google Analytics enables you to see in real time how many hits your web page is getting, what other sites are linking to yours and also from where in the world people are accessing it. Now, it’s easy to see in real time if people in Paris suddenly start entering your website. That can alert you that something has happened in France that is generating awareness for you. The service offers a number of other cool features too and the basic version is pretty powerful and it’s free.
 
Tracking your music sales is also important. TuneCore, for example,  provides a report to artists that not only show them how their sales are going, but also a breakdown by zip code of where those sales are happening.  This is useful for many reasons.  Most importantly, it’s another indication of where you’re getting traction.  That can mean you might want to consider doing even more promotion in that area or book a gig there.
 
A smart company in the UK has launched a service called SoundOut that will take your song and for a fee will run it through a number of online focus groups and provide back to you a report indicating which market demographic might be most receptive to your song. At Music Xray we’re trying to provide additional data on the traction a song or a band has by offering a score generated by a computer that analyses your music and tells you your songs’ market potential. Additionally, we track in real time how many times your song (or your band) is mentioned on Twitter, on blogs and how many P2P trades a song is getting. Those are all indicators of the market demand for a song or a band.
 
These analytic services are going to be absolutely key to your future.  You can’t get where you’re going if you don’t know where you’re starting from and you can’t correct your course if you aren’t able to see how (or if) your promotion and marketing efforts are working.
 
These online tools are changing the landscape very quickly.  More and more bands are going it alone and they have the tools to do it. Radiohead left their label and released their album on their own and used many of these kinds of tools to track their own progress. Just the other day Counting Crows announced they too are leaving their label to go it alone.  Granted, these are established bands with brand names.  Few artists get to start out on their own with the same advantages but soon we are going to start seeing bands “breaking” all over the Web and bands and their managers need to make friends with analytic tools that will help them find their market and then focus like lasers on it.

Promoting Your Music with Twitter

What is Twitter?

To be totally honest, I wasn't exactly sure what Twitter was about a week ago, and after signing up I'm still trying to understand all of its uses and benefits.  Twitter defines itself as a service that helps people "stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?"  These days you'll hear about all sorts of people using twitter, from friends and family to celebrities and politicians.  Perhaps you've considered signing up yourself but want to know more about how it could help your music career.

A big upside of Twitter, and one of the reasons it seems to have caught on so quickly, is that it can be updated frequently and in multiple ways.  You can update it from a computer in your studio, or from a cell phone on the road.  Twitter posts, or "Tweets", are limited to 140 characters, meaning posts are generally short, sweet, and (hopefully) to the point.

I found this article from about.com by Heather McDonald that discusses the benefits and potential pitfalls of being a musician who tweets.  You can check it out here for the full run down:

How To Use Twitter For Music Promotion

Article highlights include

• How to set up your own Twitter page
• How to connect with new readers
• How to keep readers interested and involved
• What to avoid when Tweeting

Like with other promotional services, such as MySpace and Facebook, Twitter can be a great tool for making fans feel connected to your musical process.  Just finished the vocals for a track on your upcoming album?  That could use a Tweet.   Have a gig this weekend?  That could definitely use a Twitter post.

You will want to avoid what Heather refers to as the "TMI"  (or "Too Much Inormation") affect.    Followers of your Twitter page probably don't need to be notified when you floss your teeth, and if you're not careful you can lose readers by overloading their mailboxes.

Are you a Twitter user now?  Do you want to hear more from current Twitter users about what works and what doesn't?  Share your thoughts right here.  Tweet Tweet!

Viral Marketing–What’s Really “Real” About It?

Cliff Goldmacher is a songwriter, producer, engineer and the owner of recording studios in both Nashville and New York City. Cliff is also a regular contributor to EQ Magazine and Pro Sound News. He can be reached at cliff@cliffgoldmacher.com.

The Bad News

In my 15 years of making a full-time living in the music world, one thing has become more and more clear to me. It’s work. The romantic image of the starving artist being so incredibly talented that one day he or she gets “discovered” and becomes rich and famous is a dangerous myth. I say “dangerous” because the more you as an artist believe it, the less inclined you’ll be to do any work on your own behalf. The gritty reality is that if you don’t do the necessary (and daily) work promoting yourself and your music, it’s highly unlikely anything will ever happen.

The Good News

There has NEVER been a better time to spread the word about yourself and music. The internet, with its downloadable digital music files, social networking sites and countless other advances that we can’t even begin to imagine yet, has leveled the playing field in a way that will make the “work” you have to do infinitely more effective.

Gather Your Fans

The more you can identify and reach out to your fans the better off you’ll be. Whether it’s your friends on MySpace or Facebook or the email addresses you’ve been collecting at gigs or online, it’s these people who you need to be able to reach effectively to spread the word about what you’re doing. Treat your list of email addresses like the gold that it is. It’s these people who will not only consider buying your music when it comes out, but more importantly, will also help spread (“viral” get it?) the word about you and your music. Once you’ve got a network of fans that you can reach out to, you’ve dramatically increased your potential to spread the word about what you’re doing.

Be Creative

The fact that the playing field has been leveled and almost anyone can get their music out worldwide is both a blessing and a true challenge. Instead of fans knowing that the local Tower Records is where they should go to find new music, the internet, with its infinite musical venues, has become the new (and overwhelming) place to find what’s new and great. The more creative you are in your presentation, the more likely a fan of yours will be to forward a YouTube link with your video or any one of a thousand other ways you can create to present yourself and your music. Again, the plan is that by putting something out there that’s unique enough to rise above the typical internet fare, it will take on a life of its own and appeal not only your current fans but also to new fans in ways you’ve never imagined.

Stay Current

The outlets for music and ways of marketing online change and advance almost hourly. Taking time out of your day to be aware of the next MySpace, Facebook or Twitter will pay huge dividends going forward. It’s not enough to find one way of reaching people and stubbornly stick to it. If that were the case, bands would still be mailing postcards to let people know about their gigs. Did I just date myself?

Give It Away

Don’t be afraid to give something to get something. A free download of a song in exchange for an email address is the best deal out there these days. Make it worth someone’s while to give you his or her email address and you’ll be amazed at what happens. Let your music speak for itself. If fans like their free download, there’s a much higher likelihood they’ll come back and buy the rest. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to do this either. Take a peek at a simple and effective example by clicking here.

Make Sure Your Music Is Available

I can’t think of anything more depressing than the artist who comes up with an amazing vehicle to promote his or her music, watches it go “viral” and generate huge web traffic to their site only to have nothing readily available for sale. Don’t expect most people to wait around or check back with iTunes every few days until your music is up. Make sure that before you go about promoting your music, you’ve taken the necessary steps to insure that if and when people want to buy your music, they can do it easily. Companies like Tunecore make this essential step both simple and cost effective. Don’t wait around for people to start asking how they can get your music. By then, it’s too late. Do it first.

Trust Me, It’s Real

Be patient. Not every online marketing attempt you make will result in thousands of downloads and new fans. However, every effort you make to get the word out about your music (even if it’s fifteen minutes a day) becomes part of the bigger picture of reaching new fans. The more fans you have, the greater the potential for any one thing you do going viral and bringing in not only more fans but income. All of a sudden your “friends” on MySpace and Facebook just became a whole lot friendlier. Think of your work as a series of base hits that will get you ready for your shot at a home run. Good luck!