Category archives: DIY

PledgeMusic Goes Silent

PledgeMusic has not offered an update to the hundreds of musicians and thousands of fans affected by the crowdfunder’s inability to pay creators the funds that fans had pledged. Even the rumor mill is almost silent. As the week’s drag, on it seems increasingly unlikely that anyone is ready to…

Spotify Adds Streaming Conversion Metrics To Ad Studio

Spotify has added streaming conversion metrics to Ad Studio.The useful new metrics allow artists and labels to track how each listener responded when they hear ad on the streamer. Spotify Ad Studio launched in 2017. The self-service ad platform can target fans and fans of similar artists with a $250…

Spotify’s New Personalized Playlists May Impact Where Your Music Appears

Appearing on one of Spotify’s playlists has, in many ways, become the Holy Grail of the music industry for up and coming artists, but doing so could soon get harder, thanks to the platform’s rollout of its ‘personalized playlists’. Here, we look at the impact and how artists can work…

Songwriters vs Big Tech: Has The Tide Turned? [David Israelite]

[UPDATED] In this guest post, National Music Publishers Association head David Israelite explores how social media has shifted public opinion toward the songwriters and music publishers in their battles with Spotify, YouTube and other music services. _____________________________________ By David Israelite of the National Music Publishers Association [NMPA], This first appeared…

Cover Songs As A Marketing Asset

For developing artists, cover songs can be an incredibly valuable marketing asset. Instantly recognizable hits or cult classics can help bridge the divide between an artist and a potential fan who might be otherwise unfamiliar with the artist’s material. _______________________ Guest post by Jake Udell of Art of Manager Cover…

Ari Herstand On Digital Distributors, Spotify Listeners and More [Music Biz Weekly Podcast]

Musician, author and artist advocate Ari Herstand visits with Jay Gilbert on the Music Business Weekly Podcast to discuss digital distributors, Spotify listeners and his book ‘How To Make It in the New Music Business: Practical Tips on Building a Loyal Following and Making a Living as a Musician.’ The…

What It’s Like To Tour As An Unestablished Band

While many non-musicians think of touring as one of the more glamorous aspects of an artist’s career, the reality for most musicians is radically different, but while financial destitution and massive tedium await the unestablished artist hitting the road for the first time, the experience can still be incredibly rewarding….

Why, How To Practice In Gig Conditions

While practice is obviously essential to improving your performance abilities as a musician, where and how you do so can dramatically impact the kind of improvement you see. In this piece we look at how replicating ‘gig conditions’ can help you to more rapidly improve as a performer. ______________________________ In…

Consumers Getting Fed Up With Streaming Subscriptions

While many television consumers have cut the cord and are eschewing traditional cable in favor of streaming options, it seems these same streaming services are taking up some of the practices which made cable so unappealing in the first place, and consumers are less than thrilled. _______________________________ Guest post by…