How Fans Are Building A Vibrant Gimme Radio Community

In this piece, Jon Maples explains how the principles and process behind the unique radio streaming app Gimme Radio have given rise to a successful listening platform, home to a vibrant social community. __________________________ By Jon Maples of Gimme Radio from Medium Slack was on fire. Our emergency channel, the…

Key Tips For Getting Started On Your Artist Website

As you start to develop as an artist and achieve more success, it’s a good idea to start thinking about your professional image. Once of the best ways to cultivate a good public face is through a website. Here we look at just how to go about that process. _________________________________…

Engaging Fans: 5 Tips For Your Next Show

Disappointing live shows are, unfortunately, endemic in the music industry, particularly for bands that are just finding their feet, and a tepid live experience can often leave potential fans regretting their decision to step out. Here we look at five ways you as an artist can effectively engage with an…

Spotify Condemns Apple’s New "App Tax," But Could It Be A Cover For A Price Hike?

Spotify is up in arms over the 30% cut Apple is charging developers for the privilege of being part of its app store, going so far as to lodge an anti-trust complaint, as well as threatening to raise its price in order to cover the cost. Such actions, however, could…

Tools For Managing Music Merch

Being an artist is hard enough without having to manage the mini-department store that is your merch – luckily there are a number of tools out there designed to lessen the headache of keeping up with orders and streamlining sales. _____________________________ Guest post by Tarryn Meyers of Symphonic If you’re…

How To Take Responsibility For Archiving Your Music, Data

Recent news that the down on its luck social network Myspace fried a dozen years of media due to a server error should have artists and professionals alike scrambling to make sure they have a multitude of backups for their precious data. _______________________ Guest post by James Shotwell of Haulix…

The Awkward Truth Behind Skip Rates

With the ubiquity of music access and a lack of any need for patience, the term "skip-rate" has crept into the modern music industry lexicon, and some new data behind why and when consumers are skipping songs (and thereby not generating revenue for the artist) has many in the industry…

Spotify Songwriter Town Hall Charm Offensive: Go Ahead, Make My Day [Op-Ed]

In an effort to combat some of the negative press it’s been receiving over its efforts to keep down songwriter royalty rates, Spotify is planning to hold a series of "town halls" where songwriters can air their concerns, a tactic the streaming company tried in 2014, with less than ideal…

6 Event Marketing Tips From The Facebook Live Team

As with everything else that takes place live, Facebook Live moments can be an unpredictable beast, and using the tool successfully means being prepared for mishaps and pitfalls. Here we look at six essential tips from the from the Facebook Live team. _______________________________ Guest post by Ronnie Higgins of Eventbrite…

5 Excellent Free Software Options For Creating Music At Home

The ubiquity (and quality) of available home recording software has dramatically lessened the cost of DIY recording, but with so many options available, it can be difficult to know exactly where to begin. Here, we breakdown five of the best. ____________________ Guest post by Evan Zwisler of Soundfly’s Flypaper The…