James Moore's Blog, page 113
November 27, 2013
How To Get Your Music Videos Seen
The following article is a guest post by Emma Owens of innovating music video app Rormix.com, whose mission is ‘to bring high quality emerging music video content on demand to the eyes and ears of the listening public.’ She very much agrees with me in that music video promotion certainly doesn’t begin and end with Youtube. There are many quality music discovery platforms, apps, video-specific blogs, channels and social media options for your video, and as many as possible should be utilized. Emma takes you through a few ground rules below. For more ideas, check out my previous “17 Ways To Promote & Distribute Your Music Video” piece.
With 100 hours of video being uploaded to YouTube every minute and a quarter of this being music, an unsigned or independent artist with a new video is going to get lost. To upload your video and consider the job done is going to get you nowhere. Therefore we at Rormix want to give some advice on how to get your talent out there and more importantly, how to be seen by the right people.
Have a quality video
Something that will separate you from all of those artists with photos to accompany their ‘amazing new track’ is a quality music video. This doesn’t mean that you have to pay a director and a producer to create it for you…be creative. There are amazing apps out there now which allow you to record retro, film style videos which look great with music. A digital SLR set up on a tripod can be perfect to create a simple acoustic video but you MUST make sure you have a mic, people want to hear you sing. And believe me, bad content is worse than no content.
Use Twitter
Twitter is a place a lot of people forget about when it comes to promoting their music – but choose your words wisely. Using specific hashtags has helped us promote videos in a more efficient way – #nowplaying and #MusicMondays are two examples of hashtags which your targeted audience actively search for. It’s also a big time saver if artists leave their email address in their twitter description so that they are easily contactable.
Be consistent
Those of you who are on YouTube and have a subscriber base must be consistent with content. The subscriber base is your biggest weapon; they’re your alpha fans – always coming back! So it is your responsibility to keep them entertained. It’s difficult to film and upload a new track/video every few days but what you can do is give little behind the scenes sneak peeks which make your subscribers feel involved. They want to feel like they are a part of your journey and you should fulfill this. Live, acoustic sessions are always a big winner, the occasional cover, anything to keep your name in their minds.
Collaboration
Put yourself out there! If you’re trying to make your music into your business then just as with any other business, network network network. If you can collaborate with other artists, whether it’s cross promotion, or a duet, it’s extra exposure and an opening to a new fan base. Remember it’s essential to work with someone who loves music as you do, because then if all else fails at least you’re both doing something you’re passionate about.
Get on a platform (other than YouTube)
It’s essential to put your music in front of a targeted and motivated audience. Utilize those platforms that are out there, such as the Rormix app, that specialize in putting quality emerging content in front of people who want to see it. At Rormix we have a user base covering 100+ countries and these users are actively interested in unsigned/independent music videos. Using platforms like this can bring new fans in daily and get people sharing your music!
As featured on Indie-music.com, Examiner.com, I Am Entertainment Magazine, Antimusic.com, and recommended by countless music publications, “Your Band Is A Virus! Expanded Edition” is the ultimate music marketing guide for serious independent musicians and bands. Get your copy now.
November 17, 2013
Seven Defining Movie Soundtracks
Movies and music have gone hand in hand for years, one not being complete without the other. Most of the memorable film moments over the last few decades have had the background music make them what they are. So on that note, let’s delve into the top 7 ‘perfect’ movie soundtracks…
Hans Zimmer- Inception
A film that defied expectations (and gravity), Christopher Nolan’s mind-epic, was helped by a thunderous score from Hans Zimmer. Zimmer and Nolan had struck up a partnership during the latter’s Dark Knight Trilogy, which Zimmer scored with James Newton Howard. The result was some epic movie blockbuster moments, an unprecedented sight for a comic-book flick. Well Zimmer continued his run of fine form in 2010′s ‘Inception’, for which he teamed up with legendary guitarist Johnny Marr, to create some spell-binding moments (when the ‘Dream is Collapsing’ for example), in a film that was lapped up by the masses, grossing $1billion in its run around the world. Top marks Hans!
Cliff Martinez- Drive
One of the films of 2011, ‘Drive’, was a mysterious, artsy action flick, that had Ryan Gosling at its centre. However, Cliff Martinez’ gentle, yet driving electronic soundtrack was constantly bubbling underneath the grimy, at times, gruesome drama on-screen. It’s often unnoticed, but when you do realize it, it’s a magical thing. Throw in some memorable pop songs from College, Kavinsky and Desire and the balance was perfect. Nicholas Winding Refn’s film wasn’t loved by all, but one thing the majority could agree on was its majestic score.
Michael Giacchino- Up
Michael Giacchino first made his mark with cult TV series ‘Lost’, his first collaboration with JJ Abrams, and a truly amazing score that popped up throughout six seasons, infact if it hadn’t of been for his masterful last contribution to the series, with ‘Moving On’, the infamous last scene wouldn’t have worked at all for me, as it was he pulled it off. He’s now the composer for everything from ‘Mission Impossible’, to ‘Star Trek’, but it is his work on Pixar’s ‘Up’, that impressed me the most, especially for THAT opening 10 minutes. The feeling of happiness to heart-breaking sadness is obviously partially down to the Pixar magic, but Giacchino’s soulsapping music also deserves a shout, for its tender strokes.
John Williams- Star Wars
The score that brought orchestral music back to the silver screen, John Williams’ diverse pallet of a soundtrack MUST be on this list. It had the jazzy otherwordly tones of the Cantina band, the hard action score that accompanied many flashy scenes and the romanticizing score for those ‘intimate’ moments. And it all came during Williams’ long streak of form, with ‘Indiana Jones’ and ‘Jaws’, in particular, meaning he must be one of THE best composers of our time. With his eagerly awaited return to come on the new wave of ‘Star Wars’ movies from 2015 onwards, expect more movie magic to be be made.
Lord of the Rings- Howard Shore
Peter Jackson’s adaption of the epic trilogy was widely regarded as something about a masterpiece. A tough sell given the complex nature of alternative worlds, elves and orks in J. R. R. Tolkein’s impressive collection, but whereas Jackson obviously did the business, a lot of the plaudits should also go to Howard Shore. I mean how easy can it be to weld together the appropriate tunes for a 3-hour fantasy blockbuster?! Well he managed it, from some choral vocals for the big, booming set-pieces, to even employing Enya for the quiet moments of the piece, he certainly earned his Academy Award for the stunning soundtrack he produced.
Pulp Fiction
Tarantino ripped up the soundtrack playbook once again for his 1994 pulp classic, favoring the tones of Kool & the Gang over some more traditionally-based dulcet cello tones. No, for what many deem to be his masterpiece, he careful manipulated every single scene in breath-taking detail, to ensure his creation was truly HIS. He dug out old classics like Chuck Berry’s ‘Never Can You Tell’, and gave them a fresh lick of paint, for a brand new generation to sink their teeth into. Tarantino done good!
The Good the Bad & The Ugly- Ennio Morricone
One of the all-time classics, Morricone’s creation became one of the most famous pieces of music ever. Parodies followed, from ‘The Simpsons’, all the way to ‘Family Guy’, but the 10 pieces that make up the film with shooting, yodelling and howling all included mean that as soon as you hear this collection of tracks, you’re immediately transported back to the dusty desert vistas that were the backdrop to this spaghetti western. A breath-taking score.
So those are my personal picks, but what about yours? Let me know in the comments!
As featured on Indie-music.com, Examiner.com, I Am Entertainment Magazine, Antimusic.com, and recommended by countless music publications, “Your Band Is A Virus! Expanded Edition” is the ultimate music marketing guide for serious independent musicians and bands. Get your copy now.
November 16, 2013
3 Lies Your Fans Tell Themselves About House Concerts
The following article is a guest post by Jennine Kristianson, owner of onlySKYartist.com, who was kind enough to reach out to me with her expertise on house concerts, something I learned about in the past and am keen on as a DIY promotion and income method for independent artists. More info on Jennine is in the author bio below.
Let’s be honest. It’s hard to get your fans to host a house concert. (In their defense, it is a lot of work. I know, I’ve hosted them.) But what makes your job even harder are the misconceptions your fans have about house concerts. If you want the gig, you need to educate your fans and give them the facts they need to make a decision. Here are some common objections and how to combat them.
My house is too small.
I hear this one all the time! People think they need a palatial mansion to host a house concert. But they’re missing the point. House concerts are intended to be intimate. And besides, once they move the couch out of the way, most living rooms are plenty large enough. To dispel this myth:
Share plenty of pictures on your website or Facebook showing the small spaces you’ve played.
Use words like ‘intimate’ and ‘cozy’ when talking about house concerts.
Communicate your ideal attendance is only 20-35 people.
Put your space needs into concrete numbers – “I only need a room 15’ x 20’ to put on a great house concert.”
Assure them that other fans have hosted a show in smaller spaces.
I can’t afford a house concert.
House concerts are more affordable than people think. By bringing together some friends, your fans could afford the $200 – $1500 most artists are charging. (I’m not an advocate of the free house concert model.) But talking to your fans about money is never a comfortable conversation. Here are some ideas to make the money talk easier:
Instead of presenting your price as one giant number, break it up into manageable bites. “It’s $600. That’s only $20 each for 30 of your friends.”
Consider adding a ‘starting at’ price on your website. If you have legitimate reasons to charge more (such as travel) fans will understand. But showing an affordable price on your site will encourage fans to come forward and start a conversation.
Give them options to lower the cost and create a win-win for both of you. A discount if they provide lodging, or a discount if they help you book a second show while you’re in town, are good incentives and have real value for you.
I can’t get enough people to come.
Your fans are smart enough to know that you’re counting on them to fill the room. They don’t want to disappoint you and therefore, some would rather not try than end up failing. It’s your job to support your host and show them how to be a concert promoter. Some good points to remember:
Emphasize that not everyone needs to be a fan of your music. That’s actually what you want. You want new fans.
Point out the size of their network. They know far more people than they realize and by inviting people outside of their closest circle, they can fill the room. Work associates and neighbors are two groups many people exclude from their invitation list.
Give them the tools they need to promote their show to their friends. Every host should receive an email from you with a promo pack containing videos and PDFs they can use to build excitement among their friends.
Send them a link to this house concert resource page where they can find ideas to promote their show
Booking house concerts can be a tough sell, but using some of these ideas will increase your odds. No matter what you’ve heard, once you book a house concert your work isn’t over. Having a successful house concert is a partnership between you and your host. Be there to encourage and support them up to, and right through, your show.
About the author – Jennine Kristianson is the owner of Only Sky Artist where she helps independent musicians reach new fans on a limited budget with direct-to-fan marketing. She is also the author of House Concerts: build a fan base one living room at a time and its companion guide for fans The Ultimate Guide to Hosting a House Concert. She can be found at onlySKYartist.com or on Twitter @OnlySkyArtist.
As featured on Indie-music.com, Examiner.com, I Am Entertainment Magazine, Antimusic.com, and recommended by countless music publications, “Your Band Is A Virus! Expanded Edition” is the ultimate music marketing guide for serious independent musicians and bands. Get your copy now.
November 13, 2013
9 Ways To Make Your Music Go Viral
Monks of Mellonwah are an example of an act who have, and are, covering all the bases while still being true to their artistic vision, and it’s paying off, with worldwide tour dates, licensing deals, radio play, a rapidly growing fanbase, and over 300 press pieces worldwide.
I hope this latest article serves as a quality resource for independent musicians worldwide. It began as an excerpt from “Your Band Is A Virus”, but as I started adding links and new information, I doubled the size of the piece, attempting to cover a wider range of tips intended to help artists create some solid ground beneath them. Not sure what to do to promote yourself? This article will give you some starting points, and if you have a professional release, there are plenty of tasks that are doable right now.
1) Talk to people and create a connecting point.
If you wanted to get popular in school you would find out who the cool kids are and befriend them. If you want to get popular on a social network, look up the top personal users. Contact them and introduce them to your music. Befriend them. Take an interest in them. Create reasons why they should spread your music. Use incentives when needed. Reward the people who are on your side.
The same idea works for the blogosphere, the mainstream music press, the podcasting world, college radio, or any other area of the music industry. There are people who set up platforms for the same reason you picked up an instrument; for the love of music. They’re reachable, and the connecting point is always the music. Did you love a recent review you read on the new Janelle Monae album? Would that writer possibly enjoy your upcoming jazz/soul full-length release? There are connecting points everywhere if we’re perceptive.
2) Use what works on you.
When you scour a music website or magazine looking for a new band to add to your iPod playlist or CD collection, only a select few will stand out to you. Why is that? Is it their artwork? Their promotional photo (an often overlooked piece of the puzzle)? The promotional language used to describe the band? The reviews or press listed (did they impress you with “social proof”)? Was there something shocking? Some mystique?
Rearrange your own press materials and advertising if necessary to emulate (within reason) what looks effective or appeals most to you. You will be marketing to people who relate to you, remember.
3) Be there. Where? Everywhere.
Make sure you’ve prepared the necessary elements to go viral. Part of this is simply being there. The process is nearly endless, and doesn’t cut short once you’ve posted your new album for your social media friends. If your music is only on a few networks, or sitting in a custom player on your homepage, it has no wings. Your music must be spreadable and fully optimized on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Youtube (upload your separate tracks with album cover), Reverbnation, Sonicbids, Last.fm (acts as a mixture of Wikipedia and online radio for music), Facebook, and Twitter as ground zero/your starting point.
Join podsafe/podcasting networks such as the ones listed below:
For music discovery, try:
The same goes for licensing libraries, music blogs, magazines (in and outside of the specifically music realm), podcasts, internet and college radio…to optimize and create maximum potential, all of these outlets should be professionally and personally approached with your music. Talk to individuals when you can as opposed to going through the main channels.
4) Use your current allies.
Make a list of everyone who is on your side. Keep track of their names, roles (family, radio dj, blogger, fan, etc), and email addresses on a document such as Microsoft Excel or a custom program. Keep them in the loop at to what’s new with your band and how they can help you. Make it worthwhile and treat them well. Whenever you get played by a new radio show or get covered by a new website, add them to your list of allies. Once again, use cross-promotion, incentives and thank yous to keep them on your allies list.
5) Multiply your allies.
Yes indeed. Ask your current allies if they know anyone else you can contact for airplay or press. This can go on forever, as it’s recommended to ask your new contacts the same question as you get to know them. You may be surprised what comes up. Ask if you can tell this new person that you were referred by them. They will usually be delighted to give you a few names.
Plus, approaching someone new saying “John Smith highly recommended your radio show for our band and suggested that I get in touch with you. John recently interviewed us at his Rock Star Nation website. Would you be interested in a review or interview?” gives you a much better chance of getting coverage than approaching on your own. By helping you, they see themselves doing a favor or coming through for a friend. Their ego is stroked just by knowing that someone recommended them. Most people will want to come through in this type of scenario.
Make your marketing plan your own social network. Multiply your allies to build your army. Pretty soon you will have enough press to rival a major label act. It’s all about image.
6) Randomly reward people.
Word-of-mouth is not always created by set-in-stone freebies and campaigns. What does this mean to you? Well, it’s a very good idea to randomly reward people. Go above and beyond.
If a new person signs up for your street team, mailing list, or buys your CD, why not send them a personal email letting them know you’ve sent them digital copies of 2 of your albums to say thanks. Most people would be thrilled to be contacted personally by a member of the band, and on top of that be given free stuff, they would surely tell a few friends. Be generous on a person-to-person basis and you’ll be surprised at the word-of-mouth this can generate about your band.
7) Use psychological appeal
Ask for advice. This may sound like a simplistic tip, but it’s actually a highly effective way to create real movement in your path. Did you know that it’s been scientifically proven that people are far more likely to want to help when they’re asked for their advice? It’s even better to ask for their expertise.
Why? We all love having our ego’s appealed to. If we’re just asked for help point blank, we may think “Why should I help this person?” There is no relationship building. However, simply foregoing the begging part and approaching an industry professional, no matter the level, and telling them your situation, then asking for their expertise or if there is anything they can recommend, can have lucrative results. They may send you to one of their contacts. They may take you under their wing. They may advise you on something you’re doing wrong and help you with the next steps. Just be sure your request is concise and nothing close to a sob story!
8) Everything at the same time
If you’re an independent artist you most likely have an issue with timing, and it’s directly related to finances as well as the feeling of being overwhelmed. If this is the case, save up for longer before launching your product, because in order to even hope for direct competition with other artists, you need everything to happen at the same time; your album release, your tour, your music video launch. You need to be busy all the time.
This is especially effective when you’ve built up a huge contact list of allies who are loyal to you. Send them your new music video and press release along with a personalized message all at the same time. Dozens of blogs posting about you at the same time can really catch the attention of outsiders, and that’s ultimately what you want. A post here and there can still have effect, but it’s tough to build the momentum.
9) Don’t worry about profit quite yet. The idea alone will hold you back.
You’ve got to launch this thing in a big way before you focus specifically on profit. The CD orders will eventually become a positive by-product of your viral campaign. Be very generous. Create reasons for your band to have an inside circle. Does your website allow people to log in? Are there member benefits such as extra free downloads? Are you providing a good incentive for those fans who are signing up for your mailing list or E-team? When someone does buy your CD, are you giving them something else as well such as a digital copy of your previous album or a previously unreleased track?
If it’s digital, it doesn’t cost anything. One common mistake that independent bands and musicians make in this day and age is being overly stingy and paranoid about their music. Here’s a tip: If your band records a CD, sets up a website with 30 second previews of each track and waits for the fans to come swooping in, it’s simply not going to happen.
Bands spend a lot of time asking “Should we offer this track for free? Will that be too much? But we won’t make any money!” This is the indie band’s paranoia.
Remember that a digital product is infinite. When someone downloads your song, you have a new listener. Period. Yes, they may have downloaded it for free, but you have no less stock. Now that we are beyond dealing with physical products, you don’t have to worry quite as much about running out of product and potentially giving away too much stock for promotional purposes.
Beyond that, you should actively be looking for potential virus carriers to send free music to! Tell them all you’d like in return is that they post it somewhere or send it to someone else. Tell them to treat your music as a virus. They will most likely get a kick out of the idea and be appreciative of your modern attitude. It’s this attitude that is going to get your music spread. Don’t waste time on the old school way of thinking – if you do that you may as well be a record label going out of business.
9) Advertise
There are plenty of quality ways for artists to advertise, and I don’t mean paying insane rates in major indie publications, something I typically don’t recommend. After all, you’re paying their rent. Niche websites with more reasonable pricing, ironically, tend to be more effective than massive indie titans. If you’re a desert rock act or a dream pop group, sometimes it’s best to start where your particular niche is – reach out to the medium level publications who cater specifically to it.
Facebook is great when you keep an eye on it, test, and optimize. If you don’t want to take the equivalent of an advertising course, you can always try out Reverbnation’s “Promote It” app for your Facebook advertising needs. Be sure to report to us how things go! Check it out here. Another set of potential ground rules have been outlined by Gen Y Rockstars. I love their approach to the descriptions, although my personal choice tends to lean towards pay-per-click advertising. Props to them for their approach.
Another avenue that I’ve used with some success is Blogads.com. They offer a very easy-to-use advertising system that enables you to advertise in music publications such as The Deli, Obscure Sound, and Short and Sweet NYC among others. Try their pay-per-tweet advertising, as that’s what was most effective for me.
To cover organic Twitter growth, I recommend Andrew Muller from The Real Musician. He’s who I hire for my own Twitter promotion and the growth has been tremendous. Also, I use his services for all my artist packages and campaigns. Read up on what he does at The Real Musician.
As featured on Indie-music.com, Examiner.com, I Am Entertainment Magazine, Antimusic.com, and recommended by countless music publications, “Your Band Is A Virus! Expanded Edition” is the ultimate music marketing guide for serious independent musicians and bands. Get your copy now.
November 6, 2013
Arcade Fire blow it on Reflektor
Arcade Fire don’t know it yet, but they are currently in the throes of a creative death spiral. Reflektor, their fourth, is a bloated, disengaging, self-important yawn of an album.
The build-up to the record release was long and arduous with spray-painted logos on the sides of buildings, Saturday Night Live performances, self-effacing video promos, etc. The album, too, mirrors that lagging wait. The morsels of song goodness are buried in a sea of wafting production layers while the ‘skip’ button always beams in the eye corner.
The album, puffed out to 85 minutes and 14 songs, is split into two halves–a wise choice. The flatulent girth of Reflektor makes it a very tedious listen in one sitting.
When every song is stretched out beyond it’s intended structure the impact of brevity is lost. Every single song, even the two that clock in under three minutes, is a total slog. It’s like quicksand to the ears. Each track gets stuck in its own groove, then remains suspended in said groove for an average of six minutes. There are no grand reconstructions mid-song, only a drawn-out, absorption of the same tired phrases and weak-as-hell rhythms. Little loops and tides wail along, but the groove remains.
The only songs to actually benefit from this formula are “It’s Never Over (Hey Orpheus),” “Porno” and “Afterlife,” but unfortunately they don’t appear until the very end of the album, all in one clump.
Singer Win Butler tries out his best David Byrne impression and gets achingly close on “Normal Person.” The song could be one the Talking Heads jammed for about two measures two decades ago, but promptly threw out. It’s this albums’ “Rococo” (from The Suburbs), as far as total meaningless lyrical overreach. “Is anything as strange as a normal person?” he asks before examining his own social reality. Just boring.
On “Awful Sound (Oh Eurydice),” Butler has the same pained quiver best used on “Ocean Of Noise” from Neon Bible. Here, though, light bongos put-put in the background and the break-down is so slight and lifeless, it makes this reviewer’s head just want to roll right off its’ neck.
“Here Comes The Night” moves with a slow drip of senseless plucking piano until the drums show up and pummel the same exact chorus. “You Already Know” is limpid and pale beyond repair and “Joan Of Arc,” which ends the first half, flat out sounds like shit.
There are those good morsels, though. A nice low-down groove anchors “We Exist” and the rising chorus is more reflective of the group’s sonic characteristics. The bass line rotates and the nah-nah-nahs are ethereal. The most quintessential Arcade Fire sound here is heard on “Afterlife,” somewhat catchy and emotionally bittersweet, while “Porno” has a slick downtrodden buzz that is the brightest spot on the record.
The truly disheartening part of Reflektor is that it could’ve been whittled down to a strong, compact 10-song album and then it’d be worthy of the praise that’s been wrongfully heaped upon it. Maybe this is what happens when a group wins Album of the Year after releasing two classics of millennial indie rock: Funeral and Neon Bible.
The Suburbs, which won the Grammy and thrust them before a new, wider audience, ironically, started the group’s current creative stagnation. That album and this new output lack the emotional urgency that made their first two so warm and sufficiently listenable. If this is the plateau Arcade Fire find themselves stumbling on going forward, you can count me out.
As featured on Indie-music.com, Examiner.com, I Am Entertainment Magazine, Antimusic.com, and recommended by countless music publications, “Your Band Is A Virus! Expanded Edition” is the ultimate music marketing guide for serious independent musicians and bands. Get your copy now.
November 3, 2013
Why Musicians Shouldn’t Rely On Blog Directories Or Major Media
(An excerpt from “Your Band Is A Virus”)
Don’t Rely on Blog Directories or Major Media. Hit Everyone and Do Everything.
The common thing for artists to do is look up a convenient list of the Top 50-100 music blogs, email them all and consider the job done. In fact, PR companies sell the same illusions to bands all the time by promising to send their music to all the major outlets. Pitchfork. Rolling Stone. NME. Stereogum. SPIN. Under the Radar. Sounds pretty good, right?
In fact, the illusion works pretty well. I have artists approach me all the time asking “Will you send my music to Rolling Stone?” This opens up a whole can of worms, but one way I can sum it up is this. Be where you are. Move from there. Should you send your album to Pitchfork according to their specifications? Absolutely. If they choose to review it, that would be a game changer. However, there’s a problem with only targeting media that you personally read or find relevant. Chances are you’re not relevant enough yet to be covered. Many artists are travelling constantly, putting themselves and their personal finances on the line, playing 250 + shows per year, and they still struggle to get a mention in major media. If you just posted your new Soundcloud stream, you may need more significant movement to warrant this kind of coverage.
I received a message from a mid-level music blog recently who told me that their daily submissions had surpassed 1,000. Think about that for a moment. This blog was nowhere near the echelon of Pitchfork or Paste Magazine either, who most likely receive upwards of 2,000 – 5,000 daily. You simply can’t have enough interns to go through all that. And yet, many artists simply refuse to send their music to smaller blogs who may be receiving less than 50 submissions per day. It’s a numbers game, and the more you do, the more of a press spread you’ll have.
Why is it that we all want to skip the journey? We want to jump from the garage to Rolling Stone. You need to make major strides in your career for these top tier publications to even see you as a blip on their radar.
Is there a positive side? I’m certain there is. It’s counter-intuitive and ironic, though. Starting small, to the agitated mind, is an annoying path to take. If you do this intelligently, though, you’ll be building actual, physical success as opposed to dreaming and deceiving yourself, dangling a hypothetical carrot.
Artists who focus only on the goal of stardom tend to ignore most, sometimes all, tasks. How many music licensing libraries have you submitted your music to lately? Are you registered with any? You could be receiving royalties. How many music discovery platforms have you joined? Have you signed up with Songkick to promote your live dates? Are you actively booking live dates? Have you looked into quality publishing companies? How are your PR efforts doing? Are you advertising on Facebook and Twitter? Is your Last.fm page optimized? Have you tried out merchandise bundles with Topspin? The fact is, you’re your own manager, so there are hundreds of tasks that need doing. It’s alright. One at a time and make it a fun process.
Many artists ignore small blogs, music discovery services, apps, and publications, even when they’re small themselves. It makes no sense. To build momentum, you need to befriend people who are at your level of progress and find ways you can help each other. Never underestimate what a small blog can do for you. Follow their pages. Let them know you’re supporting them and they’ll do the same. I hear constantly from bloggers who complain about the lack of support from independent artists after they take the time to cover them. Don’t be one of them. Appreciation and collaboration will take you far in this world.
First get your name out on the small and mid-level blogs. Then, the big blogs take notice. The blogosphere tends to be a world full of voyeurism and copycats. This means that when your name gets posted over and over again, it has a strong cumulative effect.
Many of these blogs you’ll want to promote yourself to have not been listed with Technorati, and aren’t in the chosen lists featured on Hype Machine or Elbows. I suggest searching various terms in Google’s blogs search related to your genre, and you’d be surprised the quality of blogs that come up. To find as many as possible, search in quotes various bands who are similar to you as well as their new album title. You’ll find hundreds of blogs that aren’t “cool enough” for Hype Machine. Many have a decent following that has grown organically, but they’re not considered hip enough for the directories. That’s a fact. Curation may be cool, but if you rely on it for your promotion, you’re likely to get ignored.
As featured on Indie-music.com, Examiner.com, I Am Entertainment Magazine, Antimusic.com, and recommended by countless music publications, “Your Band Is A Virus! Expanded Edition” is the ultimate music marketing guide for serious independent musicians and bands. Get your copy now.
October 29, 2013
6 UK Music Festivals You HAVE to Attend
Music festivals are a hobby for many, the magical worlds that exist for a weekend, even a week long, the music, the stages of varied musical taste, it’s a great experience. Here are the top seven festivals around the world that you MUST go to!
Reading & Leeds Festival
WHEN: August 22nd-24th 2014
WHERE: Reading & Leeds, UK
Where most young music-lovers go to celebrate their examination results, to take in their first proper music festival (it was mine!), or just to enjoy the likes of Foo Fighters, Eminem, Green Day or any of the other countless, varied rock, rap and indie acts that have headlined the Main Stage at both sites.
The festivals serves both the North and South of the country, with myself personally favouring the ‘glamourous’ North site at Leeds, but the unofficial ‘best’ site is supposedly down at Reading, just outside of London. With the stage numbers growing each year, a rap and dance stage were added just last year, the site is widening its variety, but has strong roots in the rock music that brought it so much success. As I said, it is usually full of young people wanting to celebrate, drown their sorrows or just have a laugh! It has a great vibe and manages to overcome even the most adverse summertime weather the UK can throw at it.
T in the Park
WHEN: July 11th-13th
WHERE: Kinrosshire, Scotland
Scotland’s premier music event, T in the Park, manages to grab massive acts year after year, on account of Scottish exclusivity, plus they have been known to take chances on wildcards like Calvin Harris and Rihanna, to great effect, Harris in particular’s set proving to be one of THE highlights of the summer last year.
Sure, some may say that rap and pop have taken over, with Snoop Dogg, David Guetta and Rita Ora all appearing high up on the schedule, but again the organisers know where the heart of the festival still remains, and there is more than enough to entertain indie and rock fans.
Plus, it is the only time that many of the world’s biggest acts come to Scotland, making it a must-see for all those of a northern disposition!
Glastonbury
WHEN:25th-29th June, 2014
WHERE: Worthy Farm, Pilton, UK
The grandaddy of festivals full-stop, and regularly regarded as the best in the WORLD nevermind the UK, Glasto is a huge cultural event for us Brits. Yep, the majority of the world’s biggest acts have played there in its 43 years of running, with this year seeing Arctic Monkeys, The Rolling Stones and Mumford & Sons take to the famed Pyramid Stage.
But music isn’t the only thing on offer at Glastonbury. No, the sprawling fields of Worthy Farm, also play host to comedy, cabaret, dance, theatre and even a circus! It really is a mini-city come June, with the fields often taking a year or two off, every now and then to give them a chance to fully recover, and allow the residents nearby to also. Still 175,000 people attend each year, and next year’s tickets have sold out already, after 30 minutes of being available!
It’s an incredible event and one that every reputable music fan must tick off their bucket-list one day.
Bestival
WHEN: September 4th-7th 2014
WHERE: Isle of Man, UK
A festival with a difference, Bestival, set up by Rob & Josie Da Bank a decade ago, has grown and grown with each passing year, starting out with the likes of the Bees and Basement Jaxx in 2004 and culminating with Snoop Dogg and Elton John last month. It’s not the biggest festival in the world, but offers a great experience, with it embracing a ‘green’, ‘non-corporate’ vibe.
There are inflatable churches where you can marry a stranger, the local WI supply the festival with refreshments, and there’s a more chilled out vibe at the Isle of Man site. Musically, it is very diverse, as Fatboy Slim, Franz Ferdinand and Wu-Tang Clan don’t usually appear on the same festival line-up!
It’s a place I very much want to visit one day, as I’ve heard only great things about it.
V Festival
WHEN: August 2014
WHERE: Chelmsford & Staffordshire, UK
The UK’s biggest pop music festival, shouldn’t be ruled out JUST because of its chosen genre to focus on. It’s a hugely popular event, and like Reading & Leeds, a rites of passage for thousands of young people every year, often becoming their first festival ever, too.
Mega-acts like Rihanna and Beyonce mix with the likes of The Killers and The Kings of Leon, showing that indie-rock bands is still pretty prevalent, and a sign that there is still some ‘hope’ for the purists who despise pop music. However, it is nice to have an alternative to the glut of rock and roll, dance and hip-hop, so why not have a pop haven for the mainstream masses!
Download
WHEN: June 13th-15th 2014
WHERE: Donington Park, Leicestershire
Probably the loudest festival going on these small isles of ours, Download is a proper rock/metal festival. Sure it can suffer from the problem of repeat bookings, but everyone who goes, goes to rock out, and manages it in spades.
The festival is just down the road from me, based at a race-circuit. Interesting, right? Well it often floods, and ends in the above scenes. Whilst there isn’t too much variation in the music on offer, and the stages are small but plentiful, the likes of Metallica, blink-182 and Iron Maiden are regulars, and right down the line-up there is nearly something for every rock fan to get their teeth into.
As featured on Indie-music.com, Examiner.com, I Am Entertainment Magazine, Antimusic.com, and recommended by countless music publications, “Your Band Is A Virus! Expanded Edition” is the ultimate music marketing guide for serious independent musicians and bands. Get your copy now.
October 22, 2013
Chords Of Truth Releases New Collaboration Music Video For “The Power To Be Alive”
Independent Music Promotions friend and favorite Chords Of Truth, who began his musical path with the well-received debut acoustic/folk EP “Reflections of Reality” before venturing into unknown territory with his extremely extensive “folktronica” collaborations, the Chords of Truth remixed project, a project that saw the original 7 songs turn into a whopping 57 new interpretations from a host of artists and producers coming from every possible electronic music perspective.
For something completely different, Jason Garriotte (aka Chords of Truth) teamed up with Connecticut rapper Man-U-Ill and electronic producer The Chameleon for an acidfolk/hip hop remix of a fan favorite track, “The Power To Be Alive”. Jason says about the video “the concept for the video is the bringing together of the city and nature for a new perspective on well known musical styles.”
Chords of Truth’s music is recommended for people interested in the ideas of Eckhart Tolle, Ram Dass, Jiddu Krishnamurti, Deepak Chopra, Amit Goswami, and Wayne Dyer, to name a few. Enjoy the uplifting vibes below.
As featured on Indie-music.com, Examiner.com, I Am Entertainment Magazine, Antimusic.com, and recommended by countless music publications, “Your Band Is A Virus! Expanded Edition” is the ultimate music marketing guide for serious independent musicians and bands. Get your copy now.
October 17, 2013
Alice BrightSky releases her first LP, full of strong female folk-rock and one special cameo!
NYC-based artist Alice BrightSky has a beautiful voice that, when combined with some perfect instrumentation, creates several stunning moments on her first LP, a collection of songs six years in the making.
BrightSky manages to bring together some melodic folk-rock, combines it with her soft, delicate vocals and manages to surpass and impress the listener to no end. Throw in a guest appearance from a pre-Lana Del Rey, Lizzie Grant as she is originally known, on backing vocals on ‘Lover’s Fate’, and you’ve even got the ‘celeb factor’.
Starting with, ‘Enter This World‘, the Alanis Morrisette comparisons can begin. Whilst the instrumentation and BrightSky’s strained vocals are reminders, the song itself doesn’t sound like a straight up cover, bringing in cello’s and a progressive drum beat, that create a uniquely sounding piece of music. Lyrics of ‘breaking hearts’ and being an ‘embryo against the unborn’, refer to BrightSky’s love that she found in her six-year hiatus from music, and her child, recently born.
‘Pry Me Away’, reminds me a little bit of Florence + the Machine, with its chorus gaining a big, banging drum beat, to keep things ticking over. The fragile guitar riff is a great backdrop to the even more fragile vocals of BrightSky. The aforementioned, ‘Lover’s Fate’, is one of my favorite tracks on the album, and not just because of Lizzie Grant! It’s a song I want to hear again and again and again, with the cello complimenting BrightSky perfectly, even if the guitar may sound remarkably similar. To be honest, Grant isn’t entirely there all the time, but listen closely and you can hear the beginnings of the Lana Del Rey that we all know today.
A third of the way into the album, ‘I Am’, picks up the pace a bit, with a grungy-riff to progress the song forward. The Morrisette comparisons will return, as BrightSky says ‘I’m not as strong as he thinks I am’. A couple of minutes in, trumpets join the party and everything sounds a bit Latino! You literally couldn’t make it up. ‘Up Up and Away’, sounds a bit like a Lana Del Rey-demo, and the more I think, the more BrightSky’s and Grant’s vocals share remarkably similar qualities. They both have a fragile, but ultimately strong range, and are talented for sure. This song again needs you to listen in and see what BrightSky really wants you to get from the song, a tale of departed love (at least that’s what I thought!).
‘Troubled Upbringing’, is probably the first track I was a little bit lukewarm on, it seemingly rambling into oblivion. It’s not bad as such, it just has no real direction for me. I do enjoy BrightSky’s range and her femininity shines through in spades, with some higher vocals. ’Girl You Hold Onto’ bursts back through into the positive, the ‘hmmmm’ and riff clicking with me straight away. Whilst some instrumentation may remain similar, the guitar for one, I like that new sounds are thrown in for good measure, the backing vocals being pretty prominent in this song, for example. It makes songs sound distinct and you can tell them apart, sometimes difficult for the casual folk-listener, such as myself.
Moving onto, ‘Tie and Untie’, and we see a calm, confident BrightSky, with a pacy riff to accompany herself on this journey of a song. It’s a gentle song that middles a bit of the way through, you expect a bit of a climax, but alas it does not come. ’Canopy’, sounds like another relaxing tune, to rest to as the sun goes down, shame here in the UK we are now entering Autumn, as this makes me long for those types of Summer evenings! The jazzy riff, coupled with some awesome trumpets creates a pretty good climax. ’Hold Me Down’ sounds like it should be a revenge song, but that doesn’t really materialize. This is another song I didn’t really click with, despite some nice harmonization halfway through, the back and forth with the male vocals is pretty nice though.
The last couple of songs, ‘Dry’ and ’Box of Me’, are some of BrightSky’s best. The former is a slowburner but really worked for me, with it becoming a little bit repetitive over time, but a nice song to kick back to and relax, despite BrightSky’s tortured vocals. The titular ‘Box of Me’, was fun, for me. The funk influence really shone through, with the otherwise quiet instrumentation letting Alice’s vocals really take centre stage, it was a treasure of a song and a really subtly great way of bringing the album to a close.
So, overall, for a person like me, not really a massive fan of folk music, I found that this collection of songs was pretty compelling, there were a couple of misses in there for me, but on the whole I enjoyed listening to Alice BrightSky’s ‘Box of Me’.
http://alicebrightsky.bandcamp.com/
As featured on Indie-music.com, Examiner.com, I Am Entertainment Magazine, Antimusic.com, and recommended by countless music publications, “Your Band Is A Virus! Expanded Edition” is the ultimate music marketing guide for serious independent musicians and bands. Get your copy now.
October 10, 2013
6 of the Greatest Musical Reunions
When a big, successful band decide to call it a day, tears are shed by all…but in the case of this sextet, fans rejoiced when years later, they revived themselves, releasing new music, heading out on a fresh new tour, and to great effect. Below are the best musical comebacks ever…
Blur
They may have ended far before their fellow Brtipop rivals Oasis’ eventual demise, but Blur came back roaring in 2009 with a series of festival headline slots, at the likes of Glastonbury, Oxegen and T in the Park. Since then, they have played a steady stream of shows across Europe and America, released a couple, just a couple, of new songs and a couple of ‘mastered’ box-sets. Whilst a new album would’ve been preferable, it’s clear that one of the busiest men in music, lead singer Damon Albarn, isn’t able to dedicate enough time to his first musical love. And maybe that’s the way it should stay, just keep the festival performances coming lads!
The Stone Roses
Again another late 80′s-early 90′s band who were worshipped heroically by their fanbase, the Stones were part of the ‘Madchester’ movement in the 80′s, along with bands like the Happy Mondays and New Order. Their debut album was a great thing, whilst their second disappointing, it wasn’t long before that was it, relationships had completely broken down between the quartet and the magic was gone. Fast-forward 15 years to 2011, and an announcement was made that 2012 was to be the year of the Stones. Ian Brown looked fairly happy, a reunion world-wide tour was announced, 3 homecoming dates at Heaton Park, Manchester were fixed. Since then, they’ve played festivals, had TWO films made about them, one fictional, one a documentary and potentially have new material recorded, unreleased at the moment. Whilst the original Second Coming of the Stones was a bit so-so, this REAL Second Coming is the real deal.
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are one of those legendary bands, part of a select few that are revered by those ‘in the know’. Despite the rumours (geddit), of break-ups, strained relationships and whatnot, the band didn’t officially break up until 1995, but were back on tour together just 24 months later. However, they aren’t as musically active as the bands above, instead taking a year or two out, here or there. Most recently, there have been some UK dates, including three at the 02, London,but with 10 years since the last album, there have always been perpetual rumours of another new record, whether it’ll transpire or not, who knows?!
Led Zepplin
Led Zep, are another ‘legendary’ collection, and have been a bickering quad ever since. They ended in 1980, but have had one-off reunions on several occasions, most notably, ’85, ’88, ’95 and ’07. That last occasion was a memorial concert, with their first full-length concert since the death of original drummer John Bonham in 1980. In a nice touch, Bonham’s son played drums, critics raved about the performance, for which there were 20 million ticket requests made, but nothing solid came of it, as the in-fighting between guitarist Jimmy Page, lead singer Robert Plant and bassist John Paul Jones meant touring wasn’t a viable possibility. The latest movement has come in the form of the 2012 concert film, ‘Celebration Day’, which may well be the last Zep contribution to the world.
The Police
The Police were a revolutionary band, chucking in rock, reggae and new wave influences together, to create an authentic, incredible sound. They broke up in 1986, just under a decade after they began. Some hit albums are singles, like ‘Roxanne’ and ‘Message in a Bottle’, were their legacy, but 30 years after their first single release, ‘Fall Out’, it was decided a reunion tour was in order. 2007 was the year, and after some initial catfighting, Sting lead his bandmates to the third-highest grossing tour of all-time, selling 3.7 million tickets and creating a live DVD in the process. Not bad lads, not bad…
Pulp
And finally, we reach the eclectically named Jarvis Cocker and his band of Brit-poppers, another collective who achieved their biggest success in the 90′s. Finishing in the early 00′s, allowed Cocker to pursue his own solo projects and a BBC radio show, before 2011 came around and they banded together to tackle headline slots at the Isle of Man festival, Coachella and Reading & Leeds. There were a trickle of further dates, with a homecoming show at Sheffield, but Cocker has confirmed there will be no new major releases by the band, and even hinted at the reunion coming to an end soon. But who knows, do the band have one last Glasto headline slot in them? It would certainly be a triumphant end for Cocker’s tale…
As featured on Indie-music.com, Examiner.com, I Am Entertainment Magazine, Antimusic.com, and recommended by countless music publications, “Your Band Is A Virus! Expanded Edition” is the ultimate music marketing guide for serious independent musicians and bands. Get your copy now.
