The venerable music trade magazine Billboard is finally shifting its publication and chart dates to closer match the real world. Starting in 2018, Billboard Magazine issues and charts within it will be dated to the Saturday of the week that that the magazine is shipped. Currently, Billboard issues are dated…
Category archives: Indie Labels
Are Catalog Releases Making The Music Charts Inaccurate?
When it comes to measuring album success, it has long been a practice to focus only on the ‘frontline’ releases, with music being relegated to a label’s ‘catalog’ after eighteen month. Thanks to the age of streaming, however, music often sees increased increased spins in the years following its release,…
Copyright Royalty Board Raises Rates SiriusXM Pays For Music 40%
Responding to a request from SoundExchange and other artist advocates, the US Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) yesterday issued rate changes for for Sirius XM’s satellite radio service, as well as for cable and satellite television music services provided by Music Choice and Muzak, from 2018 through 2022. _____________________________ The CRB…
How Can Record Labels Make Connections With Independent Artists
In the music business, your actual abilities can often take a back seat to your network and who you know. Whether you’re an artist, a label or even a mixing engineer, making industry connections and expanding your network are essential. Here we look at how record labels can better connect…
Beatroot Shuts Down, Declared Insolvent
Manchester based Beatroot has entered administration, the UK equivalent of bankruptcy protection. Founded in 2015, the online platform helped record labels, production companies and publishers prepare music for digital distribution, collecting tracks, metadata and legal rights in a single place. _______________________________ B2B music tech company Beatroot has laid off all…
YouTube Is Leveling The Playing Field For Indie Artists says CD Baby CEO Tracy Maddux
YouTube is often maligned for low payments to creators, but CD Baby CEO Tracy Maddux see’s the video platform differently. Here, he recounts how, thanks in large part to YouTube’s open platform, more and more independent artists have been able to build a significant audience than ever before ______________________ Guest…
Do You Have a Plan to Wrap Up After Your Tour or Album is Over?
Music Biz Weekly Podcast co-hosts Michael Brandvold and Jay Gilbert have discussed plans to market and promote an album or tour. But, do you have a plan for when your tour ends or your album has run it’s course? It begins with removing messaging that is promoting something that is…
Soundcloud Names 2017 Top Tracks, Genres, Musicians and More
Despite a great deal of uncertainty surrounding its finances and future, 2017 was a big year musically for he platform and the artists that use it. To look back at the top achievements of the year, they’v broken down their achievements into 17 varied categories from hip-hop, pop, dance and…
As President Trump Toys With Mideast Peace, Palestine’s Musicians Fight To Be Heard
[UPDATED] News that President Trump had recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel sent shock waves through the region. For a growing group of musicians and music industry professionals, it was another reminder of how difficult it will be to attain their goal – exporting Palestinian music and culture on…
Merlin Elects New Board, Epitaph’s Dave Hansen To Chair
Global indie digital rights agency Merlin has announced results of its biennial board elections, including Dave Hansen, Epitaph’s SVP of Business Development, replacing Beggars Group founder Martin Mills as the new Chairman. This year saw the highest ever number of candidates standing for election, as well the highest ever percentage…