Twitter For Musicians and Bands: A How-To Guide
Comments (0) 
Found this cool guide on how Musicians and Bands should use Twitter, very informational.
Category: Music Business and News
Comments (0) 
Are iPhone Apps Good For Reaching New Fans?
By mvt2412, August 13, 2009 2:20 pm
I just read an article over at ArtistsHouse about how artists are reaching out to their fans via iPhone applications.
The question I have is this: are these applications used only by existing fans, or do they actually reach out to new listeners? I think it depends on the application. Artists like Lady Gaga have their apps instantly featured in the iTunes application store, and as a result sail right to the top of the most downloaded list. This portrays the image that their music must be good. A consumer does not even need to download the application. Just by seeing the artist on the list of most downloaded applications, they will remember their name.
Apple has always been quick to promote musicians like this, but what if you’re not as popular as Lady Gaga or The Jonas Brothers? In this case, its less likely that your app will take off. Without being promoted by Apple or having a fan base that will immediately go download your application, there is not much chance of growing your audience from the app store. Most features included in these applications are bonus content that fans want, such as interviews, new tracks, exclusive music videos, etc. Consumers simply will not want to pay money for these things unless they are already fans. For this reason, in my opinion, the app store cannot help grow your fame, unless you already have a reasonable amount of following, or are featured by Apple themselves.
Record Label Signs With Artist
By mvt2412, August 5, 2009 12:47 pm
Usually, an artist who signs with a record label has their music controlled by the record label. One label/artist is changing that up.
I came across an article over at TechDirt.com about a musical group who is not signing to a label, a label is signing to them. Basically, the group Blue Scholars has hired a label, Duck Down, to advertise and perform other duties served by the label, but the group retains all rights and creative control of their music. Additionally, Blue Scholars have partnered with Caffe Vita . Caffe Vita is a popular Cafe that will fund Blue Scholars and provide insight on distribution and advertising.
Is this the start to a new method of dealing with record labels? Is this a practical way for record labels to operate? Is the record labels place in the music industry changing.
I say yes, hesitantly. I think that this model is more practical than one where the record label takes control of the music. In fact, a method like this could even encourage competition between record labels, making it a better market for artists.
So what sets this so called “record label” apart from just an advertising company? Its not clear in the article, but my best guess is that there are distribution benefits that come along with the record label. Additionally, record labels have experience in the music industry that a new artist would lack. You can check out the full article here.
What do you think? Leave a comment.
Apple in Talks to Release More Content Alongside Music in iTunes
By mvt2412, July 30, 2009 10:48 am
According to Business Week, Apple is currently talking with major record labels about the possiblity of more than just music being sold with an album.
–
It does not seem that this will benefit the average artist until Apple makes the service avalible to more than just popular record labels. However, when it does, internet music sales can be taken to another level. Instead of only providing consumers with a music single, artists would be able to provide their listeners with lyrics, info about the band, short clips, pictures etc. The possibilities are endless. Check out the article here.
Leave a comment and let us know if, as an artist, you would provide consumers with more than just music on iTunes.
Artist Finds His Own Music Video Removed From YouTube
By mvt2412, July 24, 2009 1:02 pm
I came across an article over at TechCrunch.com about an Artist who has his own music video removed from his YouTube account. Apparently, the artist made his own remixed version of one of his music videos, and posted it on his YouTube channel. It was deleted by YouTube. The artist is making public threats on his Twitter Page. Leave us a comment and let us know what you think about the video being removed, and the artist’s public response on his twitter. Make sure to check out the article.
Rock Band Game Platform Opens to Indie Music
By mvt2412, July 22, 2009 12:13 pm
The popular video game “Rock Band” is letting indie artists submit their music to be used in the game, but is it really worth it? Check out the article here.
–
Many indie artists are desperate to get their music out to the public. Is Rock Band the way to do it? Let’s weigh the pro’s and con’s.
Pro:
- If you manage to get music on Rock Band, it becomes visible and accessible by every single owner of Rock Band.
- Adjustable price for your music. Anywhere from $0.50 to $3.00.
- 30% profit from every sale.
Con:
- $99 charge per year, with no guarantee that the music will actually sell.
- The process for submitting music is lengthy, with no guarantee that the music will be accepted.
- Only 30% profit from ever sale, as opposed to 70% on iTunes.
In my opinion, putting your music on Rock Band is a risk. However, the most that you can lose is $99 and a few hours of your time. If an artist has the time and is willing to take the risk, then why not? But for many indie artists, their time would be better spent getting their name in the public eye in more effective ways.
Agree? Disagree? Leave a comment and tell me what you think.
–
Michael Tuschman
COPYCATS Media Marketing Intern.
Duplicated CDRs On-Demand: Are They Worth It?
By chrisbrummund, July 1, 2009 4:24 pm
There was an interesting little article over at Billboard today the problems of on-demand CD manufacturing. On-demand CD manufacturing is the process of duplicating, printing, and packaging a individual CDs as they are ordered. The article mentions that customers do not like the lower quality print and packaging that come with these duplicated CDRs. But there are ways that you could improve the product quality with this distribution method. Below is a real-life example:
At COPYCATS Media, we had a client who was in the business of recording live concerts and selling freshly recorded, mastered, and printed CDs within an hour or two after the show. They had some big name clients and were hired to record a summer tour for the Black Crowes. So how did we provide CDs, print, and packaging for a customer who needed a 2-hour turnaround time?
We printed up blank CDRs and empty packaging for each show. The client that recorded the shows would have a big truck with all their equipment outside the concert venue. Once the show was finished, they’d start mastering the recorded concert inside the truck. When the mastering was finished, they would start burning copies using the printed CDRs we made for them in advance. Then they’d take the duplicated copy of the CD and package it in the pre-printed digipaks we provided for each show. This was how they got their products to the fans almost immediately after the performance. They would then duplicate and package the rest of the CDRs and sell them through their online store.
The only downside to this method is the packaging did not contain the tracklisting because most touring artists don’t play the exact same setlist at every show. However, we did print seperate packaging for each date, so they would have a different color scheme along with the date, city, and venue printed on it.
In order to make this on-demand CD selling model work, this is what these companies would have to do to improve their product. But this would negate the reason retailers are interested in on-demand CDs in the first place (larger selection, less shelf space). The next best option is getting better printing technology to produce single high-quality prints at a reasonable price. This solution is also a dead-end, as a single high quality print might cost more than the CD, and reasonably priced print is going to be of lower quality.
Here’s an idea that might work for both brick-and-mortar retailers and online retailers: mail a commercial quality printed CD whenever a customer purchases a digital download of an album. If they purchase the downloads at a store kiosk, they can just dock their MP3 player or USB flash drive to the system and get their music on-demand. Then they can have the option to enter their address and have a physical copy of the CD mailed to them. The same would work if you buy from an online retailer like Amazon. You download the tracks on your home computer and receive the CD a few days later in the mail. Again, this satisfies the need for on-demand music as well as having a physical copy complete with the packaging and artwork. They would still need to store these CDs in a warehouse somewhere, but it will save valueable space inside stores.
Just my two cents. Has anybody ever purchased an on-demand CD from a kiosk? What did you think of the quality?
Get Duplicated CDs If You Want To Be On Pandora
By chrisbrummund, June 30, 2009 3:38 pm
Hypebot is pushing a headline that reads “Pandora Forces $29.95 Payments From Indie Bands.” The title is somewhat misleading because the $29.95 does not go to Pandora; it goes to Amazon.com. Pandora now requires submitting artists to have a CD available for purchase on Amazon. Amazon charges the annual fee to make your titles available for distribution.
From the Pandora FAQ page, here is what they require from you:
* a CD of your music
* a unique UPC code for that CD
* your CD to be available through Amazon (must be a physical CD, not just MP3s for download)
* the legal rights to your music
* MP3 files for two of the songs from your CD
* a free Pandora account, based on a valid email address, which can be associated with your music
While some artists are focusing on the digital realm for music distribution, this is an example of why you shouldn’t abandon physical formats just yet. The CD still has plenty of life left to it. If you only sell digital downloads, then you’ll miss out on lots of opportunities to sell your music. The same goes if you haven’t gotten on board with selling MP3’s yet and are only selling CDs. It’s best to have a mixed media distribution strategy.
If you get your CD duplication services provided by COPYCATS Media, you’ll be all set to submit your album to Amazon and Pandora. We provide a free bar code with our projects along with all the packaging and print.
Before iPods, There Was The Walkman
By copycatsmedia, June 29, 2009 3:02 pm
There was a great article over at BBC News written by a teenager who trades in his iPod for a classic Sony Walkman for a week. It may not seem like that big of a deal to a person like myself who’s in his mid-twenties, because I used to tote one of these around when I was a kid. It’s funny listening to him marvel at the device, but being that he is a teenager and born after 1990, he’s probably never actually seen or used on before.
It’s a good article to read not just because of the nostalgia, but also because he points out a couple advantages of the Walkman. It’s funny that Apple has yet to add such simple features to the iPod. I’m not going to switch back to using a Walkman just for multiple headphone jacks or a built-in AM/FM radio, but it sure would be nice to have it in an iPod.
Cycle Keeps On Spinning: So Long, Trocaderos
By chrisbrummund, June 26, 2009 3:39 pm
Trocadero’s in the Warehouse District of Minneapolis has shut it doors and put up a “For Sale” sign. Our own Zac Boyd was disappointed at the sudden closing and feels this may be a reflection of the Twin Cities music scene itself. You can read his blog here for some more in-depth thoughts.
It was about a month ago that we were celebrating the arrival of a brand new music venue in Downtown Minneapolis. But with every new beginning, there comes another beginning’s end (or however that line from Semisonic’s “Closing Time” goes). Gained the 501 Club, but lost the Trocadero’s a few weeks later. As long as there are good bands out there and fans who want to listen to them, we’ll continue to have good music venues in the Twin Cities. Clubs will come and go, but the music will always be here.