Friday, December 30, 2011

Indie Artist Promo Tip #11















Indie Artist Promotional Tip#11
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Consider whether or not your live shows are consistent with your online look and feel.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Indie Artist Promo Tip #10















Indie Artist Promotional Tip#10
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Plan events in areas close to one another to allow “word of mouth” to promote your shows.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Indie Artist Promo Tip #9















Indie Artist Promotional Tip#9
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Display your upcoming events on community billboards, websites, etc.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Indie Artist Promo Tip #8















Indie Artist Promotional Tip#8
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Build a solid fan base by collecting names, addresses and e-mails whenever possible.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Indie Artist Promo Tip #7















Indie Artist Promotional Tip#7
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Check out your local cable company for local access channels that can carry your message or a short set.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Indie Artist Promo Tip #6















Indie Artist Promotional Tip#6
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Use free entertainment publications in your area to promote your gigs.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Indie Artist Promo Tip #5















Indie Artist Promotional Tip#5
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Promote your music through Facebook, YouTube, ReverbNation and MySpace (well...maybe not MySpace...).

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Monday, December 19, 2011

MySpace Tries To Reassert Itself As A Destination For Music

by David C. Coleman




Billboard announced today that MySpace is rebooting and positioning itself once again as the online destination for music discovery. For those of you who have or had MySpace accounts in the past, you likely realize that MySpace was a great place to promote yourself or your band.

The site has revamped its music player (launching today) to include enhanced music recommendations, built-in search engines and a Facebook integration feature. Coupled with integrations with Spotify, MOG and Rdio, I'm cautiously hopeful for the future of MySpace as a valuable resource for musicians. Considering the long-term plans, it seems as if the new ownership has some interesting ideas they plan to implement within the next six months.

New Chief Operating Officer Tim Vanderhook states "Music is white-hot right now and we want to be able to capitalize on our music catalog and our history in music. It's something the previous management didn't really highlight."

Given the amount of time many artists and bands have spent building a fan base on MySpace, I think it's a great idea to keep an eye on MySpace and see if there's any life left in the platform at this point. From personal experience, I can state that MySpace was an important tool in building our business over the course of time. Call me nostalgic, but I'm hoping they can get back in the game. Sure, MySpace will never again reattain status as a viable social network where the average person connects with friends and family, but I believe there might be a place for MySpace as a way for artist/bands to connect with fans. That being said, I'm going to head on over and check out the new music player and Facebook integration.

For a more complete statement of the future plans for MySpace:

MySpace's Tim Vanderhook Talks Company's Future, Music Plans, Timberlake's Role

Indie Artist Promo Tip #4















Indie Artist Promotional Tip#4
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Diligently promote shows and events through your website and social media channels.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Outrageous Music Marketing Ideas

Reprinted from Bob Baker's Indie Music Promotion Blog

I'm not sure exactly what triggered it, but recently my mind started popping with creative, off-the-wall ways to promote your music. So I jotted down some notes and am sharing them with you in this article.

I'll let you determine whether these are truly "outrageous" ideas. But one thing is for sure: They certainly aren't the traditional things that most musicians think about when they do marketing.

Ready? Here we go ...

Outrageous Music Marketing Idea #1
Turn Yourself Into a Happy Meal

I definitely advocate that indie musicians *not* try to emulate the same tactics as the major labels. However, there are times when you can take one of their ideas (or an idea from a related entertainment industry) and give it a small-scale spin.

You know how the major film studios promote their new animated features by tying into fast food chain kid meals, such as the McDonald's Happy Meal. Most likely, you won't be able to land a nationwide Happy Meal deal. But you might be able to do something cool with a local deli or restaurant.

I know a couple of radio disc jockeys in my town who have sandwiches or special meals named after them at certain eateries. Why couldn't you do that? Especially if you perform regularly at a particular coffee shop, bar or restaurant.

For example, if your band is called Sweet Potato Sunrise, approach a manager with the idea of offering a Sweet Potato Sunrise omelette, or a Sweet Potato Sunrise latte, or a Sweet Potato Sunrise daiquiri?

You get the idea. The special name would get you exposure at the establishment whenever it's open (hopefully, you're item will be listed on the menu). Plus, you can use the unique promotional angle to get mentions in the local press.

Outrageous Music Marketing Idea #2
Become an Instant Cult Classic

The success of the quirky film Napoleon Dynamite has me thinking. The movie itself is still growing on me, but I'm fascinated by the buzz it has among people who really connect with it. Most of my friends who rave about it have seen it numerous times and claim that the more they see it, the more they appreciate and enjoy it.

What a nice position for a filmmaker to be in. Admittedly, a lot of people don't like the movie and its flat characters at all. But those who do appreciate the film like it a lot -- and preach about it to their friends, memorize lines, encourage theatres to have midnight showings, etc.

How can you tap into that? It's hard to manufacture cult status, but here's an idea: What if your music CD came with an accompanying trivia game? And what if the game tied directly into the theme, style and lyrics of your music? The game instructions could be included in the CD sleeve or delivered separately to everyone who bought one. Or, to make a greater impact with the trivia game idea, you could package the CD in a DVD case or even a small retail box.

To make this work, you'd have to come up with a cool, interactive game idea and have a CD filled with interesting, funny or insightful lyrics and music. But if you can get people examining the nuances of your material and sharing notes with other people who are memorizing your stuff, you might have some powerful buzz going for you.

Check out my blog at MusicPromotionBlog.com for more outrageous ideas. But hopefully, these will get your wheels turning in the meantime.

About The Author:

Bob Baker is the author of "Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook," "Unleash the Artist Within" and "Branding Yourself Online." He also publishes TheBuzzFactor.com, a web site and e-zine that deliver marketing tips, self-promotion ideas and other empowering messages to music people of all kinds. Get your FREE subscription to Bob's e-zine by visiting TheBuzzFactor.com today.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Indie Artist Promo Tip #2















Indie Artist Promotional Tip#2
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

You need to be thinking about ways to promote your self/band every step of the way.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Help Me Help You

by Sam Fisher of Lucas Gambit

In a classic scene from what has now become a modern movie classic where Tom Cruise’s Jerry Maguire is trying to convince Cuba Gooding, Jr’s  Rod Tillman to play by the rules a little so that he can push for a contract extension.  Or as Cuba eloquently states- “you want me to dance?”.

Whenever I meet with a young, developing artist I’m reminded of this scene where the artist feels that they’ve “done enough” and should be rewarded for it.  Its always couched in the argument that “if only I had a shot, I could blow up”.  That is inevitably followed up with “I’ll do whatever it takes” or “I play at the local [insert restaurant bar name here] and people tell me all the time that they dont get why Im not HUGE yet”.

I’ll tell you why:
  1. You’ve only written 20 songs your entire life and spend more time learning the latest pop covers than you do perfecting your craft
  2. Your songs all sound the same. Are in the same key.  With the same melodic range. Unimaginative. Unchallenging.  About the same girl you keep hooking up/breaking up/falling in love with every month.
  3. You can only play one instrument
  4. It’s an acoustic guitar
  5. You only know five chords
  6. You spend any money  you do make from cd sales or cover gigs on…
    • beer
    • the aforementioned girl
    • beer
    • rent
    • beer
    • cigarettes
    • beer
  7. You stink at networking This one is a non-starter for me.  If the only industry folks you know live in Snow Hill, NC (sorry Snow Hill) and haven’t done anything since George Bush, Sr’s administration, then you don’t want it bad enough
  8. You care more about money than you do about growing as a songwriter, musician, performer See No. 1 above; it ain’t about being popular because you play some sorority girl’s favorite songs every Thursday night — it’s about writing amazing and compelling songs and then finding YOUR audience and writing songs until people are begging you to play YOUR music
  9. You watch more TV/play more Xbox/hang with your boys more than you practice your stage show-yes I called it a stage show.  You want folks to PAY to see you?  Then act like it.  Put together a show that’s worth someone’s hard earned money and practice it until it’s Keith Urban or Lady Gaga perfect.  Then you perform that show with conviction and passion and determination.  Trust me.  They’ll pay for that.
  10. You play eleventy billion cover gigs a week.  (see No. 8 and 9)  I know you’ve got to eat and pay your bills but you’re an artist.  Act like it.  Im sorry, but no matter how well you play Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” folks are only going to respect you (i.e. pay to see you play, buy your music, promote you, etc) if you wow them with YOUR music.  And why would anyone care that you’re playing tonight if they can see you do the same covers and the same bland, unimaginative songs (see No. 2 above) tomorrow night?
  11. You’re on Facebook or Twitter eight hours a day promoting what you ate or what movie you just saw This is BIG deal nowadays.  Social media has created an entire generation of “the faux famous”-folks who think they’re famous because five people (and their mom) follow their every tweet or status update.   News flash:  using up every clever quip or quote you read on social media depletes you of the very lifeblood of great art-inspiration.  It really does ruin songcraft.  Get off Facebook and Twitter and read a poem or two.  (and no, don’t tweet some great line you read in the poem to show off how “hip” you are-WRITE A SONG)
  12. You expect the label/manager/booking agent/publicist/radio program director to do it for you Another non-starter for me.  Let me tell you a little secret….come closer…the music business is a BUSINESS.  Why on earth would someone want to spend (read: waste) time on an artist that can’t sell out a living room, have 1000 cds sitting in his/her garage, only plays cover gigs in his/her local market, can’t get a write up in the school newspaper, and has only written 20 bland songs his/her entire career?!  Just being real here.  No label is gonna spend thousands (or tens of thousands) of dollars on an artist that cant rub two dimes together from selling their music.  You want someone to pay attention?  Make them pay attention by creating your own buzz from writing great songs (you sensing a theme here) and performing them perfectly (yes there is a theme here) and making money (there it is!!).  A side note if I may:  What’s the deal with trying to get noticed so quickly anyway?  Its far better to get “found” AFTER you’ve honed your craft, learned to play 3-4 instruments, and can sell out a 300 seater in your hometown.  Take your time.  Stay under the radar.  Get good at what you do.  They will come.
So what’s the takeaway here?  In a nutshell, you’ve got to put in the work.  You’ve got to be able to earn money from your music on your own.  You’ve got to “dance”.  Rarely if ever, am I approached by an artist for help and they’re “ready”.  Wanna know why?  The ones who are “ready”, don’t NEED me.  As you gear up for the new year, resolve to do the following:
  • write two-three new songs a week By the end of the year you will have 100-150 new songs.  Nuff said.
  • learn two new instruments If you play guitar, learn piano and bass; get good enough to play all three live in front of an audience.  Is it piano?  Learn guitar (acoustic AND electric there IS a difference-trust me)  In other words…
  • practice your “show” EVERY day
  • fly under the radar Don’t promote yourself so much; there’s a reason you post five status updates telling your “fans” to come see you play live and NO ONE shows up;  it ain’t because they didnt check Facebook
  • get a part time job to pay the bills Like it or not, you’re in the music business.  As a small business owner you need to pour any money earned from music back into the business so you can GROW your business.  Use your part time job to support you.  You know the saying…work your way out of a job.   Set aside cd sales for the next record, put merch sales in a bank account so you can buy more merch, money from those cover gigs should become your tour support so you can go play an original gig in Atlanta/Nashville/New York/LA.  Speaking of…
  • NETWORK Get outta town more.  Reduce the amount of cover gigs you play by 20% and go to other markets.  Meet other talented songwriters and set up cowrites and shows.  Go play an open mic night in Atlanta or Nashville.  I dare you.  There are dudes WITH record deals playing those things.  Doing so will build your network and most importantly it will make you better.  While youre there, meet industry folks.  Try to build a network of insiders that you can check in with from time to time.  These folks are invaluable and will gladly guide you through the industry.
You do this and I guarantee you’ll see a difference.
Help ME help YOU!!!

About the Author:

Sam Fisher, Jr., a second-generation musician, has been making music since the mid-1990s including a stint as the frontman of independent powerhouse, Weekend Excursion, who over the course of nine years sold over 30,000 units while touring all over the world.

After the band disbanded, Sam released his critically acclaimed solo effort, People Living in 2006 on SBMG Records. In the years since, Sam has collaborated on several side projects (Caruso – contemporary blues, Mercury Blue – R&B and The Bristol Project – Trip Hop).

On September 21, 2010 Sam released his solo follow up: From Age to Age (cd) (mp3).

Sam is a voting member of the Recording Academy and staunch advocate for independent music, and he currently serves as worship leader and music director for Summit Church‘s North Durham Campus.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Indie Artist Promo Tip #1















Indie Artist Promotional Tip#1
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

You have to be your own #1 advocate if you plan to pursue a career in music.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Alicia Keys Demonstrates The Art Of Tumblr

Major Secular and Christian artists are finding new and exciting ways to connect with their fans via Social Media. Discover how Alicia Keys is using Tumblr to nurture relationships with fans:
Today we’re going to look at an extremely important aspect of your music career: Music Marketing. We’ll looking at some of the best ways to promote your music, as well as some of the platforms that work best in getting your music out there.

This article isn’t a bunch of rehashed information full of strategies that don’t work anymore, everything listed below still works for the modern day independent musician. It’s because of this that I ask you to share this article around if you feel it has been helpful for you. You can either do this by sharing it via the social media buttons at the top of this article, or by linking to it from your website.

But before we go into the best ways to market your music, let’s have a look at why you need to do this.

Why You Need To Market Your Music

View Article...

Friday, December 9, 2011

Don't Believe The Hype - Part 2


If you haven't read Part 1 of Don't Believe The Hype yet (posted below), it's a MUST READ! The post is based on a Twitter conversation between Sam and Derek Webb formerly of Caedmon's Call (and also one of the founders of NoiseTrade.com, a service which provides a vehicle through which Indie musicians can offer their content to potential fans for free and/or a "Tip" from those acquiring the content). The tweet directly following this paragraph is from Derek Webb:

“@SamFisherJr also, you have your facts wrong. i’m not nor have i ever been indie. so i make what i claimed to make. please correct your post” (link)

 Whenever I speak out against the myriad of third party services espousing that they’ve discovered the way to help indie artists “make it in the biz”, Im always troubled by the disconnect between what they’re saying and the reality of the “situation on the ground”.

If you “are not, nor have never been an indie” how on earth would you even begin to understand what an indie goes through? If Im going to get advice from someone and change my philosophy based on what they think, I want them to know what its like to walk in my shoes.

Do you wanna know why I fight so hard to protect indie artists and devote my whole career to trying to put more money in their pockets and give them the exposure they desperately need to survive?

Because I was one of you.

I know what its like to play covers in the corner of a bar and be completely ignored for three hours…

I know what its like to beg, borrow and sell blood to record and press a cd and play completely empty bars and clubs hoping to sell enough to buy a ham sandwich and gas.

I know what its like to sleep two to a bed in a Motel 6 outside of Hoboken NJ because we only made 70% of the money from people who paid to see us.

I’ve designed my own flyers and posted them.

I’ve collected email addresses the hard way (walking around the club after a set and writing each one down).

I’ve used Myspace, Facebook, Last FM, PureVolume, Twitter, Soundclick, etc.

You name it.

No label help.

No team of marketing people.

No publicist.

And guess what?

We succeeded.

We sold over 30,000 units independently.

We toured over 200 dates a year in a van we bought and paid for.

We sold out every club in our home state for 2-3 years before we stopped touring.

You see, Im not a label suit that’s trying to hold on to your last penny of revenue. I believe the majors will crumble and I believe industry will be better for it.

I’m one of you.

One day about 10 years ago, I promised that if I ever got to a position to help others like me, I would do EVERYTHING it took to do so. And here I am.

When I questioned Derek Webb in Part 1 of Dont Believe the Hype, I was again met with the “thousands of artists have made a living giving away their music” mantra. Yet, not one artist has come forward to support that claim. And, I’ll admit, I don’t have access to an artist’s accounting, but I find it curious that NO ONE has stepped forward to champion this strategy.

I’ve talked to a handful of artists who have used Noisetrade and yet they still have to set up Kickstarter campaigns to fund their next record or their next tour.

When I was an indie, we paid for our records using revenue from cd sales, tour revenue, merch sales and licensing.

News flash–if you’re giving away your music and you still can’t tour or make a record without asking for donations, you aint making it in the music biz.

But I digress…

I said that I would give my suggestions for making it in music. Just to be clear, I define making a living from music as earning revenue from selling cd, downloads, streams, touring, licensing and merchandise. You dont need a part time job. You dont need investors, you dont need donations. You are self-sufficient. Im also assuming you’ve put in the work to develop yourself. 
  • Play shows ALL THE TIME – I’m always shocked when I look at an artist’s tour page and see one performance a month. Get out and PERFORM! Early on, you’ll have to play cover gigs, you’ll have to take free gigs, you’ll have to play coffee shops for tips. Doesn’t matter. Every time a human hears you, you should be singing something to them. This will hone your skills, give you confidence and give you the opportunity to…
  • Collect contact information Just because everyone hangs out online for 4-6 hours a day doesn’t mean that you have to stalk them on Facebook to get them to support you. I’m amazed that the bands I work with now consider a robust email list an afterthought. The emotional connection Derek talked about in his post? Yeah, you blow someone’s mind playing a live show and they’ll get goosebumps every time they hear your name. Get their email. NOTE: you do know that with an email address you can get to them on Facebook right? And how cool would it be if you reached out to someone and led with “I enjoyed meeting you after my show. Thank you for taking time to speak. I’d love to update you whenever I have something significant coming up”. *Sidenote here: I said SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT. Dont bombard folks with updates of where you had lunch, the tv show you watched, etc. When something big happens let them know. Otherwise, leave them alone. Unless you plan to…
  • Give them something People like stuff. They like to feel special. So make them feel special. Got a really cool sounding demo just laying around? Send it to them. Shot an awesome video of you covering one of their favorite artists? (everyone lists their favorite bands on Facebook, why don’t you know who they like?) Send it to them. Then you…
  • Ask your fans to spread the word Every time you send them something, ask them if they will send it to their friends and ask their friends to support you. Just promise me that you’ll…
  • Stop giving away VALUABLE content “But you just said to give them something!” I did. But you will never hear me say “Give away that studio recording you spent hundreds or thousands of dollars to produce. That’s asinine. This is where my frustration lies with Noisetrade and their ilk. I spent about 6 hours hanging around the site listening to songs on Noisetrade and noticed that the quality of recording was superb. Professional. Derek is ridiculously talented AND a producer. He can create amazing records all by himself with an mbox and a tin can. Unless you have the same skill, you’re probably paying someone to do it. (you should probably pay Derek; seriously, he’s THAT good) That’s expensive. Stop giving away your blood, sweat and tears. It cost money to make. It should cost money to hear it. “But I want people to hear my music so they’ll buy it” Fair enough. That’s why…
  • You only stream samples from YOUR website What’s the deal with providing free streaming content on Reverbnation, Bandcamp, Bandpages, etc? Notice that iTunes and Amazon sell your music and won’t let a soul hear more than 90 seconds. Why should they care more about your music than you do? Again, you’re promoting the service more than you’re promoting you. Have they sent you any share of the ad revenue they receive? Do you get .0000229 per stream? Then why are you letting people listen to your blood, sweat and tears for FREE on someone else’s site. Your Facebook page, twitter stream, Google + stream should scream LISTEN TO SAMPLES ON MY WEBSITE.COM You’re most likely paying $4.99 a month to have a website + hosting. USE YOUR SITE. Now you’re ready to…
  • Sell something The biggest hurdle for indie artists these days is that there are too many outlets available to give stuff away but not enough artists realize the revenue opportunities available to them. I started Lucas Gambit Music to assist indie artists in marketing and selling their music and finding all of the income streams for their assets. Shot an awesome video for your awesome single? You can get paid by Vevo and Youtube every time someone watches that puppy. Hang out at a church? Notice those really cool videos they play to give the band time to leave the stage? Did you know that Vimeo will sell your song to video producers who want to use your song in their bumper videos. Set up your own direct to fan solution to sell cds.  Put together a real digital sales strategy other than sending the album to Tunecore or CD Baby.  They take money too without doing anything to help you sale the music.  Be strategic.  Don’t just toss your music out there.  Maybe do an iTunes exclusive and then deliver the content to a handful of other services over time.  Streaming doesn’t pay much. But it pays more than free. Be careful with streaming though. Dont do it too early in what we call the “release cycle”. Let the record take its course. Hold off delivering your content to Spotify, Slacker, Pandora, etc until at least 12 months after the record has been released. People should only be able to hear a full song from you if they’ve paid something for it.
  • You’re a business, act like one None of this “hand to mouth” stuff. Get and maintain a part time job to feed yourself, pay the rent and keep you warm. Every penny (or micro-penny) you make should go BACK into your music. Every dollar earned represents a dollar you can use to move your business forward. Work your way out of job. Have a separate account for cd sales, one for merchandise, and one for touring. Play the cover gigs (who often pay guarantees) to support a tour to new markets.
 I’m not saying that if you do all of these things, you will make a living. A number of factors (wrong timing, wrong sound, you’re not good enough, the economy stinks) prevent anyone from predicting success. What I can guarantee is that you will earn and keep more of YOUR money. Noisetrade sells ad space to artists for up to $500. How much of that is passed back to the artist? Again, I have nothing against Derek Webb the man. I have a HUGE beef with Derek Webb the business owner (or whoever owns Noisetrade now). Why not give that feature space to artists for free and then sell ad space to big companies with a marketing budget? Tell me how its fair that YOU pay them for ad space promoting your FREE product?! C’mon man.

Someone on Twitter asked me if I was trying to “pick a fight”. The answer is a resounding YES. For the past 100 years artists and songwriters have been getting robbed blind by people claiming to be on their side while lifting their wallet. Now artists are starving or leaving the business altogether. Without you, there is no music business. We NEED you to survive or we will miss out on the next Jeff Buckley or Switchfoot, or John Mark McMillan.

Im rooting for you.

About the Author:

Sam Fisher, Jr., a second-generation musician, has been making music since the mid-1990s including a stint as the frontman of independent powerhouse, Weekend Excursion, who over the course of nine years sold over 30,000 units while touring all over the world.

After the band disbanded, Sam released his critically acclaimed solo effort, People Living in 2006 on SBMG Records. In the years since, Sam has collaborated on several side projects (Caruso – contemporary blues, Mercury Blue – R&B and The Bristol Project – Trip Hop).

On September 21, 2010 Sam released his solo follow up: From Age to Age (cd) (mp3).

Sam is a voting member of the Recording Academy and staunch advocate for independent music, and he currently serves as worship leader and music director for Summit Church‘s North Durham Campus.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Don't Believe The Hype - Part 1


The following article is written by Sam Fisher of Lucas Gambit, a full-service media and entertainment company founded to serve the developing artist and independent label community. Definitely a MUST READ! Part 2 will follow tomorrow...



A very good friend of mine forwarded the link below to Derek Webb’s tumblr blog post where Derek (formerly of Caedmon's Call) makes the argument that giving away your music ultimately leads to long-term career sustainability.  As you can imagine, I had a very strong reaction to it,  so I thought that it made more sense to state my contentions here and let the world wide web hear the other side.

Giving it Away: How Free Music Makes More Than Sense

In theory, Derek makes sense.

In theory.

The problem is the reality that artists and bands find themselves in these days.  The general public (lets call them consumers) are listening to more music than they ever have at a time when revenue from music purchases is going down.  I’m not going to bore you spouting out the same statistics that you’ve heard everywhere else.  Yes, you have more options to market yourselves than you’ve ever had.  Yes, you can create music easier and cheaper than ever.  Yes, you have access to the world through social media and the world wide inter-web.  Derek’s insistence that you give away your music for free in order to build a career in music, is disingenuous and relies on a bunch of ideals…

Derek and I have had this conversation before via twitter when I challenged the notion that giving away music could earn more money for an artist in the long run.  At one point, Derek said “Sam, you’re still on the Titanic and we’re telling you the water’s fine”.   My response:  “I’m in a row boat telling you there’s a better way”. Below, I’ve included excerpts from Derek’s post followed by my thoughts on the matter.
There has never been a better moment to be a middle-class or an independently thinking artist making and performing music than right now.  The costs and complications of creating, recording, manufacturing, and distributing music are at an all-time low, enabling more music to be made and more artists to make a living than ever before.
Derek is only half right here.  It IS easier and cheaper to create and distribute music now.  More people are making music, including you, your neighbor, the frat boy with a macbook pro, the guy at church singing Chris Tomlin tunes —  you name it.  Here’s the thing:  NONE OF YOU ARE DEREK WEBB.  Or Radiohead.  Or Nine In Nails.  Or any of the other “use to be’s” that can now sell music directly to the fan bases that their major labels paid to help them cultivate.  The former major label artists once had the largest labels with the most robust networks marketing, promoting, and selling their music.  Just because they aren’t signed to a major label doesn’t mean their fans quit buying their music and supporting them.  Now these artists, armed with FB, Twitter, tumblr, wordpress, etc, can sell and market directly to their fans.  They are the middle-class artist.  No one outside your inner-circle knows who you are.  My guess is, this is where you say “but that’s why I GIVE my music away so I can promote myself”.

True, that’s one way to do it.

Is it the best way?
NoiseTrade has enabled thousands of artists (including myself) to have and cultivate direct relationships with their fans rather than having to depend on proprietary third parties such as Facebook, Twitter, and not so long ago, MySpace, and therefore, to have a job.
How many Twitter followers do you have?  Facebook fans?  Go ahead, check.  I’ll wait.  Now, how many email addresses do you have?  Cool.  Where do YOU cultivate direct relationships?  When was the last time you had a meaningful conversation with a stranger over email?  More to the point, when was the last time you responded to an email from someone selling you something (if you read it at all)?  This whole “give away a song for an email address then you’ll have hundreds of best friends clamoring to pay you money” is a fallacy.  That’s not how folks communicate.  And furthermore, people spend more time on Facebook and Twitter than they do talking to real live human beings.

Just sayin.

Now, lets try another exercise:  go back over the past 30 days and add up how much money you made selling t-shirts and playing live.  Add in CD and digital sales too.  Next, divide that number by the number of email addresses.  What do you get?
On Twitter, I recently said, “I make more money giving records away on @NoiseTrade (in exchange for info) than selling those same records on iTunes (let alone Spotify),” which resulted in some pretty interesting discussions.  I said that in response to questions I received after criticizing streaming services like Spotify, which claim to offer a viable alternative to “piracy,” when in reality they offer artists almost no meaningful revenue or fan connection.  And while iTunes is certainly a better financial model and more equitable for artists, it does almost nothing to connect the fans to the artists in a way that yields any long-term benefit.
For example, I am paid $0.00029 per stream of a song on Spotify, and even this amount depends on whether the song is being streamed by a paid user or someone using the service for free.  This means it will take upwards of 3,500 streams of a single song on Spotify to earn $1.00 versus that same revenue for one iTunes song purchase (not to mention the fact that Spotify refuses to pay the same amount to independent artists as they pay major labels, unlike iTunes).
Derek isn’t being totally forthright here.  He’s claiming that he’s one of you but then he quotes a royalty rate when comparing his iTunes revenue to Spotify revenue.  He’s right, you’ll get paid less than 3 one thousandths of a penny for every stream on Spotify, Slacker, Pandora, etc.  But iTunes pays out 70% of gross sales.


Period.

When Derek was signed to Columbia, he was more than likely making roughly 12-18% of net sales.  Which means if Columbia sold his album for $12.99 on iTunes, they would’ve received $9.09.  Let’s say Derek got paid 12% of that as a royalty.  He would net $1.09 for that album sale.

But he’s indie now, so he actually gets to keep all of the 70% that iTunes sends him.  UPDATE:  via Twitter, Derek reminded me that he is not an indie (and has never been an indie) and therefore makes the $1 per album he claims to make.   Fair enough.  YOU will make 5-7 times more than that because you’re not signed to a major label.  Why give away your music when you can make 5-7 times more than Derek makes?

FYI, Spotify pays the same amount per stream to EVERYONE.  However, they paid licensing fees to the majors in order to have the rights to stream their content.  Indie artists weren’t paid squat for giving their music to Spotify.  Wanna know why?  Spotify doesnt have to.  Indie artists gave it to ‘em. Why’s that you ask?  Its simple.  Spotify has 10 million subscribers and you have 200 Twitter followers.  They have the leverage, you don’t. Don’t hate the game, hate the playa.
Most would argue that it’s apples and oranges (no pun intended): iTunes is a digital storefront for artists while services like Spotify are about discovery.  People will argue that low-cost streaming is good for the market, that it’s good for the artists, and that it’s still better than people taking your music for free from BitTorrent.  But I tend to disagree on almost every point, mainly because it’s just not that simple.  It’s true that iTunes is a place for people to purchase music, but it offers all the same benefits of Spotify in terms of discovery.  And while Spotify is claiming to occupy the discovery space, it’s clear that the service is operating functionally as a storefront, since people are streaming music as an alternative to purchasing that same music.
I’ll go even further to say that I actually prefer illegal downloading over Spotify because when you get music illegally it’s at least implicit in the transaction that what you’re doing is potentially harmful to the artist.  But with Spotify, your conscience is clear because you’re either enduring ads or paying to use the service and access the music.  But from the blue-collar artist’s perspective, they’re not receiving any meaningful payment (there’s little discernible difference between $0.00029 and $0.00) and they are learning nothing about their fans, not to mention that music readily available on Spotify for little to no payment completely poaches the record sales upon which middle-class musicians are depending for survival (which is why I will withhold any new releases from Spotify in the future).
Derek is 100% right here.  Hard numbers:  sales have dropped for my releases by 25-35% since those releases became available on Spotify.  Streams have shot through the roof.  For instance, we received a $123 check for 34000 streams.  Consumers are starving artists by streaming their music.
If someone buys my music on iTunes, Amazon, or in a record store (remember those?), let alone streams it on Spotify, it’s all short-term money.  That might be the last interaction I have with that particular fan.  But if I give that fan the same record for free in exchange for a connection (an e-mail and a zip code), I can make that same money, if not double or triple that amount, over time.  And “over time” is key, since the ultimate career success is sustainability.  Longevity.  See, the reality is that out of a $10 iTunes album sale, I probably net around a dollar.  So if I give that record away, and as a result am able to get that fan out to a concert (I can use their zip code to specifically promote my shows in their area), I make approximately $10 back, and twice that if they visit the merch table.  I can sell them an older/newer album and make approximately $10 back.  The point is, if I can find some organic way to creatively engage them in a paid follow-up transaction, I increase my revenue 10 times on any one of these interactions.
This is all an equation of scale. I might be able to outright sell 20,000 albums for $10 each (again, netting around $1 each).  Or I can remove any barrier from someone hearing about or discovering my music by giving it away, which will result in an order of magnitude more albums distributed, maybe around 100,000.  If I can then convert 20% of those free downloads into paid transactions of any kind over time, I have probably well over doubled or tripled my money.  And I can do this repeatedly as I continue to grow, and learn more about and invest in my tribe, to whom I now have a direct connection (rather than having to go through Facebook, Twitter, or Lord forbid, MySpace to access them).
And all of this by giving the music away for free.
Again, Derek is fudging numbers.  This is the second time he’s tossed out the $1 royalty number so I’m gonna go ahead and say he’s using the royalty calculation of 12% of SRP (suggested retail price) of$12.99.  He’s also betting on a LOT of things going right “over time”.  He assumes that 20 % of folks that download a free album or song will pay $10 to see him play live.  He then assumes those same folks will “visit the merch table” and spend more money on t-shirts and merch.

Quick question:  when was the last time YOU sold 20,000 albums.

Next question:  when was the last time 100,000 people downloaded your music?
The reality is, you put your music up on Noisetrade, and Joe Music lover downloads the album then tweets “I just downloaded So and So on Noisetrade for free, get it here” with a link to the download (from Noisetrade mind you-not your website) to his 75 twitter followers.  Let’s say three of his followers pay attention to his twitter feed and click the link, two download the link and its broadcast to their 75 followers and so on and so on.  At that rate, you’ll have five people watching you play a show in Topeka KS and the club will ignore any other phone calls you make because you lost them money.  Further to that, I believe giving something away devalues the music AND you…
When you talk about free music, people who work in the music business will tell you you’ve gone too far.  They’ll say you’re devaluing the art itself, and that once you go there, there is no coming back.  I suppose I would agree if I thought that music’s only value was monetary.  But I don’t.
Music does have monetary value.  But more than its monetary value is its emotional value, its relational value, its artistic value, even its spiritual value.  When you make meaningful connections with people based on artistic self-expression, I think you’re actually increasing the value of that art based on the many ways it’s valued.
Permit an analogy if you will…  Lets say you’ve just transferred to a new college (and you’re drinking age).  In order to meet new people and hopefully make new friends, you plan a party and put up flyers announcing that you’re gonna have free beer.  That weekend, your house is packed.  Music is blaring, folks are hanging out and laughing talking about how awesome the party is.  Then about an hour in, the keg runs out.  The room clears in about ten minutes flat.  No one bothered to get your name.  So then you have a second party and order two kegs of beer.  Everyone shows up, trashes your house and bounces as soon as the kegs runs dry.  This time you were smart though.  You walked around, met people, exchanged iPhone numbers and found them on facebook.  The next week, you invite everyone over to your house for a get together.  What do they say?  Come on, you know…  “Is there gonna be free beer?”  How many people do YOU think will turn up if you say ‘no’?  Here’s the thing, humans are impressionable beings.  We’re easily conditioned.  Why on earth would someone BUY something that they can get for free?  When I ask if the consumer “values” your music, I really mean do they CARE about your music.  A very good friend of mine who gets music from Noisetrade told me that he’s got a few albums he hasn’t even unzipped yet.  You think he would’ve at least LISTENED to an album he got for FREE.  I bet if he’d paid for it, he would’ve listened.

The point is, if the only investment you’re asking folks to make is an email address and a zip code, then you’re in trouble.  I NEVER open solicitation emails.  But at least I see (we call them ‘impressions’ in the biz) a Facebook status update or a tweet.

This brings me to my final point.  I’m sure somewhere deep down Derek cares about you the indie artist.  But don’t get it twisted, Derek has to make a living.  There is value in him supporting this cause.  When someone downloads a song or album from Noisetrade, they provide their Twitter info, email and zip code.  How valuable is that to Noisetrade?  Very.  When that person tweets about your FREE music, who gets some of the credit?  Yup, Noisetrade.  Any money you get from folks leaving you tips or donations on Noisetrade is subject to a 20% fee.  That means you only get 80% of the money you earned GIVING away your music.

You’re not middle class and if you keep giving away your blood, sweat and tears for free you’ll never be middle class.

About the Author:

Sam Fisher, Jr., a second-generation musician, has been making music since the mid-1990s including a stint as the frontman of independent powerhouse, Weekend Excursion, who over the course of nine years sold over 30,000 units while touring all over the world.

After the band disbanded, Sam released his critically acclaimed solo effort, People Living in 2006 on SBMG Records. In the years since, Sam has collaborated on several side projects (Caruso – contemporary blues, Mercury Blue – R&B and The Bristol Project – Trip Hop).

On September 21, 2010 Sam released his solo follow up: From Age to Age (cd) (mp3).

Sam is a voting member of the Recording Academy and staunch advocate for independent music, and he currently serves as worship leader and music director for Summit Church‘s North Durham Campus.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Jonathan Taylor Martin of Mosaic Discusses His Approach To Writing Christian Lyrics


I am a songwriter and for the past two years I have been traveling with a group of friends that are also songwriters; together we are called Mosaic. You probably haven’t heard of us, but if you have then you know that our vision and purpose is to “teach God’s Word through music.” What you might not know is that this hasn’t always been our vision and purpose. Though it seemed obvious to those who were acquainted with our music, it took us some time to realize what God was doing in and through our group.

My passion for sharing biblical truth through music was ignited when I realized that really all music is teaching something. Or maybe it’s better said this way; all music is telling the greatness and value of something. I don’t mean to say that all music is “serious” in the sense that its intended purpose is to infiltrate the mind with new thoughts and ideas, but I am saying that all music is created; and created things always reflect their creator. A piece of art is naturally going to tell you something about the artist, and in that way it is teaching you.

Artists are story tellers and emotion stirrers. Songs are especially meant to celebrate, mourn, and/or re-live something of value to the artist. Sure, it’s true that there are those songwriters out there that are a part of machine whose job is to crank out songs about pretty much “anything,” but this “anything” still has to be something that sells. Even these “anything” songs reflect and give voice to values and beliefs held by both of the contributors to the creation; the artist and the culture. This is why we have so many songs about love, sex, heartbreak, revenge, youth, fame, and wealth. Our songs reflect us.

So, from Lady Gaga to Stephen Curtis Chapman, all artists are telling and teaching you something through their art. Mosaic has just decided to be very intentional about this telling and teaching by being up front with the fact that our desire is to exalt and explore the truth in God’s Word. Since I am passionately a part of this mission with Mosaic, I obviously think that putting biblical teaching in music is important. However, I think that it is especially important at this time because I get the sense that we, as Christ followers, are hesitant to create and exalt art that really explores and tells what we believe to be true. It seems we are afraid to “step on toes” and take steps outside of the realm of inspirational in regards to how we present our faith because publicly exploring our faith through our music might make people uncomfortable. The main problem with this is that the world is obviously not afraid of making people uncomfortable with their beliefs. They are proud of their beliefs, not ashamed. Everyday there are new songs displaying the religion of self-love. Songs that flamboyantly celebrate and worship self-love. Songs that bitterly mourn over the abuses to self-love.

I’m not saying that believers shouldn’t listen to secular music. The goal isn’t to censor one another because we shouldn’t be surprised at this point that we believe different things. In fact, it’s probably a good thing for us to know what is being believed and taught outside of our subculture for the sake of knowing how to fight for the truth. I’m really just meaning to point out the need for music that celebrates and explores, without fear or falsity, what we believe to be true. I’m just pointing out the need for music that truly resonates with our burning thirst to know Christ through His Word. We need music that tells our story. We need music that teaches us and reminds us that His Word is true and steadfast. We need songs that stir within us a longing for our home so that we don’t get too comfortable down here. We need songs that will renew our minds daily as the Holy Spirit does His transforming work in our hearts. We need to explore the deep mysteries and truth of God’s Word through our music.

The Lord has done different things in each heart within Mosaic to bring us to one united vision, but this is how I came to embrace the mission of teaching and singing about the Word of God. So far, it’s been and honor, a privilege, and a true joy.

About the author:

Jonathan Taylor Martin is a singer / songwriter from the Christian band Mosaic based in Nashville, Tennessee and runs the blog site "Authentic Faith."

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Distribution 101 - Part 3


Independence is defined as a state of being free from outside control and authority. For the independent musician, remaining independent can be incredibly liberating and extraordinarily burdensome – all at the same time. For those with a fierce work ethic and independent mindset, they wouldn’t change it for the world. These free spirits embrace this model of distribution and attack the task with vigor. But what are the advantages and disadvantages for independent musicians contemplating a proper course of action for their next album release?

First, I’ll focus on the advantages in remaining totally independent and free from entanglement with the industry establishment. On the upside, virtually every step of the process is controlled by the artist and, as a result, the artist maintains complete creative control. Of course, this can bring about results ranging from sheer brilliance to unmitigated disaster depending upon the competency of the individual at the helm. For virtually any musician, the lure of maintaining full control over the songwriting, production, instrumentation and marketing is certainly enticing and, ultimately, cost-effective. If successful, the payout per unit will often dwarf that of label artists. In recent years, “DIY” artists have come up with some very creative ways to compete in the marketplace, from “seeding the field” by giving away free music to allowing the consumer to name his or her own price. These tactics and many others have been used to successfully market and promote independent music and create sustainable careers. But, as always, the key to breaking through at any level is to create music that translates with the public. Proverbs 10:4 states “poor is he who works with a negligent hand, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.” Great music coupled with an unrelenting drive to succeed will ultimately find an audience.

That being said, there is a huge downside to remaining totally independent. Record labels and traditional distributors exist for a reason and have historically served an essential role by providing two crucial elements: (1) financial resources and (2) the knowledge to develop and implement an effective marketing plan. Most independent artists are not well-funded, well-informed or accomplished enough in key facets of the business to create meaningful success for the long-term. Producers, songwriters, radio promoters, publicity agents and other crucial service providers often take a rough stone and polish it into a marketable gem for public consumption. As music fans, we often don’t realize or simply dismiss the relevance of the various team members who contribute to the success of our favorite artists. We tend to assume the brilliance resides solely with the artist. But, much like the musician who spends hours upon hours mastering a musical instrument, these industry professionals spend entire lives perfecting their craft and often have a monumental impact on the final outcome. The point here is that virtually any successful artist needs to build a competent team in order to prosper. Proverbs 11:14 states “in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” An effective team can take the raw talent of an artist and refine it into something exceptional.For those who are savvy and persistent enough to stick with self-distribution, the efforts can pay off immensely. But very few artists are able to properly engage all facets of the creation, marketing and promotion of their music, and scant few have historically broken through pursuing this course. If you plan on remaining independent, it is wise to work toward assembling a competent team that can help refine your craft and market your content to as broad an audience as possible. Never underestimate the power of marketing. And never underestimate the power of teamwork.

Copyright 2011 - David C. Coleman

About the author:

David Coleman is the President of Chrematizo Label Group & CLG Distribution. CLG is based in Nashville, and is a distributor of music, video and other Christian-related products to the Christian and general markets. The company was founded in 2004 to create a flexible solution for accessing physical and digital distribution channels and to enable independent Christian rock, pop, gospel and worship acts to focus on what they do best - share their vision with the world through music. For more information, visit: CLGDistribution.com

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Distribution 101 - Part 2


Last month I discussed two distinctly different types of physical music distribution – “traditional” and “one-stop.” This month I will delve a little deeper into some of the various deals potentially offered by traditional distributors. While it remains true that opportunity has never been greater for the average indie musician or label, a traditional distribution deal is still very hard to come by. A general rule of thumb indicates that an artist or label typically surrenders control and profitability in direct proportion to the amount of outside investment agreed upon and/or required to record, market and promote an album. For the purpose of this segment on distribution, the terms “distributor” and “record label” are often used interchangeably.

In a “packaging and distribution deal” (sometimes referred to as a “P&D deal”), the artist or label maintains more control over a project since the distributor is only fronting the costs for manufacturing. Due to the limited exposure, the distributor allows more freedom to the artist/label since the risk for marketing and promoting the album is assumed by the artist or label.

Under a “profit-sharing” model, more of the burden is assumed by the distributor. The artist or label will typically enter the agreement with a finished project in-hand and maintain ownership of the master recording. The distributor agrees to invest in the marketing and promotion of the project and profits are then shared between distributor and artist/label.

In a “license deal,” the artist or label licenses the rights to exploit the content to a distributor or label while retaining ownership of the master recording and songwriting revenues. Once the license term concludes, the rights then revert to the artist or label. This model can be very advantageous if the artist/label is able to properly market and promote the title independently.

The next model is what most people would be familiar with when discussing a “major label deal.” In this model, the label/distributor funds virtually every aspect of the recording and marketing process and, as such, inherits a great deal of influence over each and every aspect of the recording and marketing processes. One of the hot-button issues for many past, present and future recording artists operating under this model is the ownership of the publishing rights and copyright of the master recording. Most deals under this model require that the artist or label surrender ownership of the master recording and, often, the publishing rights as well. If and when this occurs the distributor will maintain ownership indefinitely for all aspects of the master recording.

One of the newest models in vogue is the “360 deal.” Under this model, the artist is basically “branded” by a team consisting of artist management, producers, promoters and a marketing team. The team assumes “ownership” of the brand and work together to create success on behalf of the artist. At this level, virtually any and all merchandise branded with the artist’s name or likeness becomes a profit center for the label. This model involves the most financial investment by the label/distributor and, proportionately, the least amount of creative control for the artist.

Next month I will discuss self-distribution and the truly independent artist.

Copyright 2011 - David C. Coleman

About the author:

David Coleman is the President of Chrematizo Label Group & CLG Distribution. CLG is based in Nashville, and is a distributor of music, video and other Christian-related products to the Christian and general markets. The company was founded in 2004 to create a flexible solution for accessing physical and digital distribution channels and to enable independent Christian rock, pop, gospel and worship acts to focus on what they do best - share their vision with the world through music. For more information, visit: CLGDistribution.com

Monday, November 7, 2011

Distribution 101 - Part 1


by David C. Coleman

In business, there's usually more than one model by which to conduct business in any given field. When it comes to physical music distribution, there are basically two distinctly different types of distribution models - "traditional" and "one-stop." Both traditional and one-stop distributors "distribute" product. They simply have a different methodology behind their business practices. And, within the traditional model, there are various types of deals which can be offered. Two additional models for music distribution which have become popular over the last decade or so include digital distribution and self-distribution. This month I’ll be discussing the differences between traditional and one-stop distribution.

A traditional distribution deal (sometimes referred to as a “standard” distribution deal) is very hard to come by for the average indie musician or label. In reality, it’s almost an impossible task unless you’ve already made a name for yourself and can clearly demonstrate substantial momentum for yourself or your band. These deals are funded by the distribution company which, in the most “traditional” of traditional deals, maintains the primary responsibility of handling the recording and manufacturing processes, as well as distribution, merchandising, publicity and promotion. As you can see, a traditional distribution deal requires considerable investment by the distribution company.

One-stop distributors are sometimes referred to as “wholesalers” or “fulfillment centers.” A one-stop assembles music content from many different sources (labels, distributors, etc.) under one roof in order to provide a “one-stop” shopping destination for music retailers. This type of deal is much easier to obtain, either directly or indirectly, primarily because the distributor is simply buying and reselling product. The risk is reduced substantially once the requirement or expectation of investment by the distributor is removed. But even a one-stop deal is not necessarily “easy” to obtain. Most of the larger one-stops have sales parameters which must be met before they’ll consider a direct relationship. In these instances, a label or artist can work through a middle-man as growth occurs in this regard.

Both types of distributors help facilitate placement in retail stores, but one-stops tend to be somewhat less pro-active in doing so. Both normally provide access to marketing opportunities with chain retailers as well. “Co-op” programs provide the opportunity to feature product in prominent locations for a pre-defined period of time. These prime locations are typically located in highly visible areas of the store where customer traffic is high. Examples might include a “New Release” wall or an “end-cap” located at the end of an aisle.

At the end of the day, the significant difference between a traditional distribution deal and a one-stop deal is most often defined by the source of the marketing funds being invested and the sense of "ownership" the company maintains in backing a project. A traditional distribution will typically assume a greater level of responsibility in ensuring proper marketing and promotion is being conducted on behalf of the project. But, as mentioned earlier, there are variances in deals which normally fall under the umbrella of the traditional deal, so not all deals offered by traditional distribution companies will be identical. Variations can include "360" deals, licensing deals, packaging and distribution deals and profit-sharing deals. The appropriate distribution deal for you will mainly depend upon your ability to create and maintain forward momentum by building an ever-expanding fan base and touring presence.

Copyright 2011 - David C. Coleman

About the author:

David Coleman is the President of Chrematizo Label Group & CLG Distribution. CLG is based in Nashville, and is a distributor of music, video and other Christian-related products to the Christian and general markets. The company was founded in 2004 to create a flexible solution for accessing physical and digital distribution channels and to enable independent Christian rock, pop, gospel and worship acts to focus on what they do best - share their vision with the world through music. For more information, visit: CLGDistribution.com

Saturday, November 5, 2011