ReverbNation Profile
Posted on | January 7, 2012 | No Comments
For musicians, the new promotion opportunities created by the internet soon created a new set of problems – how to manage all of those online profiles. ReverbNation was designed to solve that problem. With a ReverbNation page, you can update all of your profiles with new information from one central location and track stats from all of your sites.
Reverb Nation also gives you multiple ways to sell your music, from linking to your offsite shop on your Reverb Nation profile with a free membership to having your music on iTunes and Amazon in exchange for a nominal membership fee.
The promotional tools on ReverbNation are extensive, and you can pick and choose the features that work best for you. Once you set up your ReverbNation page, on which you can include unlimited music, video and photos, some of the most popular tools to use include:
Exclusive content creation – get fans to sign up for exclusive songs, etc, so you get to collect email addresses for promotion.
Viral marketing applications – including Facebook and Bebo
Street teams – get fans to promote for you. You can set up your own street team or Reverb Nation can do it for you.
Web buzz – track mentions of your music online.
If you want to get even more out of your ReverbNation profile, sign up for some of their premium features. Premium features include digital distribution on iTunes, Amazon, eMusic and Napster, press kits and extra storage. Prices vary, you can find out more here.
View the original article here
All In Deal
Posted on | January 7, 2012 | No Comments
Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.
View the original article here
Distribution
Posted on | January 7, 2012 | No Comments
Definition:
Distribution is how albums get into shops. Distribution companies sign deals with record labels (or very rarely, directly with artists) that gives them the right to sell that label’s products to record stores that have an account with that distributor. The distributor takes a cut of income from each album sold and then pays the label the remaining balance.
Some distributors expect a record label to provide them with finished product, but sometimes a distributor will do an “M&D” deal with a label. M&D stands for manufacturing and distribution. With this set up, the distributor will pay for all of the manufacturing costs of an album up front, and then keep all of the income from the album until that initial investment is paid off.
View the original article here
Self Release Pros and Cons
Posted on | January 7, 2012 | No Comments
It is getting easier by the day to release your own music and build a music career without the backing of a label. That’s an exciting thing for musicians, and for a lot of people, it’s the best choice. On the other hand, there’s a tendency for the DIY route to be romanticized. In reality, like any other kind release, the choice to self release your music comes with pros and cons (don’t forget to check out major label deal pros and cons and indie label deal pros and cons). Before you decide to self release your album, don’t forget to weigh up these factors.
Self Releasing an Album: The Pros:
You Keep Your Rights: Forget worrying about confusing contracts, expensive lawyers, and accidentally signing over your music, your vision and perhaps your first born child to some record label for life. You’re not very well going to trap yourself in a bad deal, now are you? You decide how your music is used, when it is used, and how much people have to pay to use it, end of story.
You Keep the Cash: Ever marvel at the way that some extremely successful musicians are seemingly flat broke? Sure, sometimes they’re in that position because they bought things like, say, gold plated tanks (ahem, not mentioning any names), but often they’re in the position because they’re last on the list to be paid. Every person that comes in to help with your career gets a cut, but when you’re doing it yourself, you get to eat the whole pie.
You Make It (Or Don’t) On Your Own Terms: Even the most laid back, artist friendly independent label is bound to have a few limitations in mind when it comes to projects they’re willing to work on with you, and major labels can be extremely demanding. Some labels may want to send you back to the studio when you decide to change musical directions or they may demand you adopt a “look” for marketing purposes. There are lots of ways you can clash creatively with a label, and depending on what kind of deal you have, sometimes the label will win. When you’re the one putting out the music, you release the music you want, and only the music you want, when you want to release it. The marketing, the touring – all of the decision will be made by you, so there will be none of the typical conflicts.
Self Releasing an Album: The Cons:
You’ve Got to Foot the Bill: One of the main reasons many people want a record deal is so there is some money behind their release. A major label deal may bring a nice advance and even a small indie label is going to pick up many of the costs associated with releasing a record, like PR and pressing. If you release it yourself, the financial burden will be yours alone, and that can be limiting when it comes to accomplishing everything you want to get done. It could also mean you will be facing a mountain of debt if you don’t sell as much as you anticipate.
Also, labels will have established relationships with manufacturers and PR companies that often translate into credit agreements and reduced rates, since the labels throw a lot of business their way. When you’re establishing yourself, you may be asked to pay upfront for your orders, and you can expect to pay full price.
You May Not Have the Contacts: Speaking of established relationships, labels will have a stack of contacts in place that help them promote their releases – media, promoters, agents and so on. If you’re new to the music biz, you’ll have to build your little black book from scratch. Of course, everyone has to start somewhere, and if you keep plugging away at self releasing your music, you’ll have your own network of connections soon enough. Don’t underestimated the time this can take, though – not having these contacts in place from the outset will make your job a little harder.
You’ll Be Learning While Doing: If you don’t have much music industry experience to speak of it, you’ll face a learning curve when you start putting your music out there. It will take some time to figure out what works – and what doesn’t – for you. It can be an expensive lesson.
It’s a Full Time Job: Depending on your goals for your music, promoting a record can be EXTREMELY time consuming. Arranging press, keeping track of sales, promoting the album, booking shows – it really is a full time job. When you’re doing all of this work, you’re not concentrating on your music, so it’s easy to find yourself in the position where you’ve made some good headway with the promotion of your first release but you don’t have anything fresh to follow up with because you’ve been consumed with the business side of things.
Learn More About Releasing Your Own Music:
View the original article here
Album Press Release Template
Posted on | January 7, 2012 | No Comments
A well written press release is the first step in getting some attention for your new album. Use this template to help you organize your information. Note that this template was written with bands and indie labels in mind as the writers and the media in mind as the readers. PR folks and radio pluggers will want to take a slightly different approach with their press releases, and one sheets for distributors and stores should also be slightly different.
The Header: Centered at the top of your page should be the band’s name and the album name. To make sure this information draws attention, make sure you use a larger text size than the rest of your release, and also use bold and/or italics. You can also set this information apart by putting it in a box. If the album is on a label, include the label name and/or catalog number here as well.
A few optional inclusions for the header are: A scanned photo of the album cover Contact information for the person handling press for the release in the band or at the label (labels should especially consider having their label logo somewhere along the top of the page – ideally in the top right or left hand corner). A quote from a good review of the band. The band and/or label’s website/MySpace page
Paragraph One: This is where you want to announce the new album. Go for a strong lead sentence, and if this is a follow-up album, make reference to previous work by the band that the reader may know about. If this is a debut album, say so, and give a few clues about the sounds of the album. This is also the place to mention any “big ticket” selling points for the album or band, such as: Praise from well known artist, producer, DJ, etc A well known guest star on the album A song that has received a lot of radio play The album was recorded in a well known studio or with a well known producer
Paragraph Two: In this paragraph, briefly expand a little bit about the band and the music on the album. This paragraph is very important for a new band with a debut album. Don’t mistake this for a band bio – which should be separate – but include some info about where the band comes from, influences, and again, any “big ticket” selling points. Keep this paragraph brief.
Paragraph Three: This paragraph is for giving your reader clear reasons why they should write about your band and review your album (and just saying because it’s a great album won’t cut it). Use this paragraph to mention things like: Tour dates planned in support of the new album (or, if your shows aren’t confirmed, but you do plan to tour, something like “shows planned for June 2007″ will do). Reviews that you know are forthcoming in well known publications/on respected websites Any radio play the album has received (or that you know it will be receiving)
The Closing: At the bottom of your press release should be the contact info for the person fielding press queries for the album, even if this information is also at the top of your page. Set this information apart from the body of your press release in the same manner as you did the header – again, a box around the text works great, as does a larger type size or bolding/italicizing the text. Be sure to make clear what this information is for by saying “for more information, promo requests or to set up an interview, please contact (so and so).” Also include the band and/or label’s website/MySpace page here.
View the original article here
Music Myths: Selling Out
Posted on | January 7, 2012 | No Comments
Aside from the people who are actually approaching their music this way, no one wants to be tarred with the accusation that they are playing music just to make some money. That’s fair enough. But in order to avoid any impression that they’re only motivated by the love of the music, many, many musicians shoot themselves in the foot and refuse to embrace any opportunity to make money from their music. Now, before we go any further, let’s consider two different kinds of musicians:
The Hobby Musician – The hobby musician is a big music fan and is in a band because they love to play. BUT, music isn’t their job, and in reality, they really don’t want it to be. They’re not going to quit college or quit their jobs to go on tour, and they’re not fussed about getting a deal or releasing a record. They like to play live locally, but they’re not interested in making a commitment to making a career in music.
The Career Musician – The career musician may be aspiring or may already be making money in music. Like the hobby musician, they love music and love to play, but they are very serious about making music their full time job. They would (or have) quit school or their day jobs to tour or otherwise focus on their music careers. Their goal is to pay their bills with their music and have music be their full time job.
There’s nothing in the world wrong with being either type of musician, but do you see the difference? The career musician HAS to make money from their music. The hobby musician sometimes has a tendency to hold that in contempt, but that’s pretty easy to do when you don’t intend to pay the cable company with the earnings from the sales of your new record. The career musician should remember the difference in the face of any “sellout” accusations.So, what does making money as a musician actually mean? You will need to keep an open mind about all opportunities that come your way. It sometimes may mean working with people in the industry who know the business and can help you get where you’re trying to go, like PR people, managers, agents, and yes, sometimes even record labels. Making money doesn’t mean you have to take every offer that comes your way – you don’t have to see your song in a Gap commercial (unless of course you want to) – but it does mean you can’t keep the door closed on all promotional opportunities or other deals simply on principle alone. A big part of making it in music is being smart enough to evaluate the opportunities that come your way and to take advantage of the ones that will help push your further towards your goal.
I really can’t emphasize enough the importance of drowning out the choruses of “sellout” charges that can sometimes follow you around as a musician and of coming up with your own understanding of the right choices for your career. Still struggling? Here’s a promise. Your favorite musicians – your favorite CAREER musicians – even the ones with all of the indie cred in the world – have made decisions that have allowed them to support themselves financially through music. That’s part of being a pro. Feel good about making money through your hard work and talent. Always.
Learn more about music industry myths: Music Industry Myths: Someone Can Tell You How To Make It In The Music Business Music Industry Myths: You Can Do It All Online Music Industry Myths: Never Say I Don’t Know Music Industry Myths: Demos are for Amateurs
View the original article here
How to Find Tour Sponsorship
Posted on | January 6, 2012 | No Comments
Contact the Right Person
Before you approach your potential sponsors, do your homework. Your first assignment is to find out who you should take to at the company about sponsorships.
Depending on who you are approaching, you may find this task is easier said than done. Large companies, particularly alcoholic beverage companies, for examples, are often so used to these requests that you can find specific instructions for making a sponsorship bid on their website. It is important to follow their procedures, even if you feel like their rules restrict the way you envisioned making your pitch. These rules are in place to help the company effectively deal with requests, and if you don’t stick to them, your request will likely be destined for “delete.”
With smaller companies, start with the PR and marketing department. For very small, local businesses without “departments” as such, start with the owner and/or manager. Read more below on making your first approach.
View the original article here
SXSW
Posted on | January 6, 2012 | No Comments
Location – Austin, Texas Costs – It depends on what portions of SXSW you want to attend and when you reigster. Tickets range from $225 to $950 (US dollars). Attendees – Record labels, distributors, radio and print media, unsigned and signed artists, managers, and agents.
Since 1987, The South by Southwest Music and Media Conference (SXSW for short) has grown from being a regional music showcasing event to one of the most important events on the music calendar. For an up and coming band, an appearance at SXSW is essential. While the emphasis at SXSW is still largely on indie music, the big labels are now flocking to the event every year.
In addition to hosting one of the most exciting music festivals around, SXSW also hosts a Film Festival and Interactive Festival, aimed at web designers and bloggers.
During the day, SXSW attendees hit the Convention Center, where they can network and attend panel discussion dissecting the most important issues facing the music industry. The Convention Center during the day is where bands have the chance to approach record labels, managers and agents, where record labels can approach distributors or create a buzz about their new artists, and where anyone hoping to get a foot in the door in any aspect of the music business can try and make an impression.
While the daytime is good for doing business, SXSW nights are where the action really is. SXSW handpicks a few hundred bands – from thousands of applicants – to play showcases in venues all over Austin. For bands, this is a big chance to get your music heard by the people who can take you to the next level, and for labels, this is a chance to attract media attention and distribution opportunities. For all the work that goes on during the day at SXSW, it is usually the relationships forged over drinks at clubs during gigs that really drive things.
Bands who wish to play at SXSW need to apply. The deadlines for applying to play vary from country to country, because of work visa regulations, so you should check the SXSW website to see the deadlines for your area. The website also details what information you will need to include with your application, like demos, press clips, and band photos. Make sure you follow the application directions exactly, or you may miss out on your chance to attend.
Is SXSW for you? That depends. For people trying to build a name for themselves on the business side of things – record labels, distributors, manufacturers, press, agents, etc – SXSW is a great way to let people know who you are and what you are doing. If you purchase a ticket in advance, in terms of music festivals, SXSW offers great value for money.
For bands, the SXSW story is a little different. The festival emphasizes bringing bands to showcase when they are “ready.” What that means is that the festival is looking for artists who already have a little bit of interest and buzz around them and have some experience
playing live shows. The reason for this is to make sure that bands who are unlikely to garner a lot interest don’t waste their money traveling to the show. There is nothing to be lost by applying, but keep in mind that your chances are better if you can send in some press clippings talking about your band and if you can show that you have some live experience under your belt.Some bands decide to travel to SXSW without shows and either hand out demos or try to book their own shows in the area. Keep in mind that SXSW showcase are heavily promoted and attendees of the festival will very rarely end up at non SXSW shows during the festival. Handing out demos never hurts, but it might not get you much, either. If you’re a new band, your money would be better spent on your own recording, promotion and touring outside of SXSW. You might find that going that route may help you get a SXSW invitation for the following year.
View the original article here
Universal Music’s £1.2bn acquisition marks end of the road for EMI
Posted on | January 6, 2012 | No Comments
EMI, the British music major that was home to bands such as the Beatles (above) is to be broken up. Photograph: Keystone/Getty Images
Universal Music has triumphed in the auction of EMI’s recorded music division, home to the Beatles, Coldplay and Tinie Tempah, tabling a knockout offer of £1.2bn ($1.9bn).
The deal is about $500m more than that offered to owner Citigroup by rival Warner Music, which pulled out of the running a week ago, and marks the end of the road for the British company as a music major.
Friday’s sale is the first part of the break up of EMI, with the music publishing division tipped to go to a consortium led by Sony for about $2.2bn.
BMG Rights Management, a joint venture between Bertelsmann and private equity group KKR, has tabled a rival bid of $2bn which poses no regulatory risk.
Universal, the world’s biggest record company, is aiming to beat the inevitable regulatory investigation into the acquistion by selling off €500m (£429m) of “non-core” assets such as small catalogues and stakes in minority ventures.
The deal is certain to spark criticism that the disappearance of EMI to a French owner – Universal is owned by French media giant Vivendi – leaves Britain without one of the major global record companies for the first time since EMI was founded in 1931.
Lucian Grainge, chief executive of Universal Music, attempted to head-off some of the inevitable criticism by highlighting his British background and pledging to keep the iconic Abbey Road Studios intact.
“Abbey Road Studios are a symbol of EMI, a symbol of British culture, a symbol for the creative community of exactly what the company is and we are [now] part of,” he said in a call with analysts and the media. “For me, as an Englishman, EMI was the pre-eminent music company that I grew up with. [Universal] is committed to both preserving EMI’s cultural heritage and artistic diversity.”
Universal said that it expects to achieve £100m a year in synergies from a combination of Universal Music and EMI.
The company added that it was “very confident” that it will be able to get the deal through a regulatory investigation that could take up to year, saying that it expects “deep and fruitful dialogue”.
Vivendi Universal – which earlier this week benefited from bumper third-quarter results from Activision Blizzard, the company behind the top-selling game Modern Warfare 3 released on Tuesday – said that the deal would not require it to raise funds through a rights issue.
The company added that it expected to be able to maintain its credit rating, helped by the sell-off of €500m of Universal Music non-strategic assets, and to increase its full-year dividend.
Stephen Volk, chairman of the board of EMI Group and vice chairman of Citigroup, said that the deal “accomplishes Citi’s objective of maximising the value of EMI”.
“[This gives] EMI Music a partner in Universal Music that appreciates EMI’s rich cultural legacy, its incredible stable of musical talent, and its employees who work so hard to deliver successful outcomes for the artists they represent,” he added.
Dave Holmes, the manager of one of EMI’s leading acts, Coldplay, said that the deal “can only be a positive” for EMI.
“I look forward to working with the Universal team,” he added. “They have assembled the most talented group of executives in the industry today and their success speaks for itself. This can only be a positive for the artists and executives at EMI.”
Mick Jagger, whose dislike of former EMI owner Guy Hands is well-known, said that he “particularly welcomed” the new owners. The Rolling Stones switched from EMI to Universal in mid 2008 during Hands’s tenure at the company.
“This is a very positive development and I particularly welcome the fact that EMI will once again be owned by people who really do have music in their blood,” he said.
• To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly “for publication”.
• To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook.
View the original article here
Performing Rights Royalties
Posted on | January 6, 2012 | No Comments
Definition:
Performing rights royalties are royalties paid to a songwriter whenever one of their songs is performed. If the songwriter is a member of a performing rights collection agency, like BMI, ASCAP, or PRS, the collection group will keep track of performances of the songwriter’s material, collect payment, and pass the royalties on to the songwriter. Performing rights royalties are paid on radio plays of songs and songs played in clubs, in restaurants, in bars – anywhere music is played. The royalties are also collected whenever anyone does a cover version of your song.
It is important to note the distinction between performing rights royalties, which are paid to the songwriter exclusively, and mechanical royalties, which are paid to all of the musicians involved in a track. This does mean that songwriters in a band stand to make more money than the other people in the band. For instance, if your band plays a show at a venue that is registered with a performing rights collection agency, that venue will report the songs you have played to the agency, who will collect royalties from the venue and pay them to the songwriter in the band.
View the original article here
keep looking »New Posts
- ReverbNation Profile
- All In Deal
- Distribution
- Self Release Pros and Cons
- Album Press Release Template
- Music Myths: Selling Out
- How to Find Tour Sponsorship
- SXSW
- Universal Music’s £1.2bn acquisition marks end of the road for EMI
- Performing Rights Royalties
Categories
Archives
Blogroll
About
Welcome to How To Make It In Music - The Largest Online Resource plus Tips & Tricks for Today's Switched on Musician.
