Indie Record Store Black Friday Sales Up 13.8%, reports CIMS

Black Friday sales reports from the Coalition Of Independent Music Stores are in and they were universally positive, according to Michael Bunnell, CIMS Executive Director. Less comprehensive data showed an up day on Small Business Saturday, as well. ____________________________________ Sales reports from most Coalition Of Independent Music Stores show Black…

This North American Indie Record Store Chain Grew From 8 To 82 Stores In 2017

Much like the recorded music industry, record stores are making a comeback. While the gains are modest, some new stores are opening successfully with a mix of vinyl, merch, used music and more. One independent chain has grown to 82 stores, fueled by the vinyl resurgence and guided by technology….

The Orchard Lands Record 50 Grammy 2018 Nominations

While we wait for A2IM’s definitive tabulation of who independent record labels faired in 2018 Grammy nominations, the tally for The Orchard stood out. Buoyed by its merger with RED, the Sony-owned indie music and film distributor notched a record 50 Grammy nominations. 3X Grammy 2018 Nominees Nothing More Orchard…

Majors Score More Charted Tracks, But Indies Win On Longevity [Mark Mulligan]

It’s clear from looking at any chart or official playlist that the major labels have a significant edge when promoting music and "creating" hits. But that promotional power does not always lead to longevity – how long a songs stays on the charts. In fact, indie labels, though falling behind…

Grammy Nominees 2018 – Full List

[UPDATED] The 2018 Grammy nominees were revealed on Tuesday morning., and along with the usual suspects there some real surprises. Here is the full list of Grammy Nominees 2018: Grammy Nominees 2018 Record of the Year “Redbone” — Childish Gambino “Despacito” — Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber…

Digital Music Distributor Symphonic Scores $4 Million Investment From Ballast Point Ventures

Tampa based Symphonic Distribution has secured a $4 million investment from Ballast Point Ventures (BPV). Symphonic will use the investment to add to its sales force, bolster its marketing and enhance its product capabilities. __________________________________ After 10 years as a bootstrapped company, Symphonic Distribution found a venture capital firm that…

Spotify Took K-Pop Global, But Could Do More To Help Other Genres

K-Pop is hardly a niche genre, but until recently, its fans were found primarily in Korea, neighboring Asian countries and Korean immigrants in the US and elsewhere. Spotify, with its global footprint, helped change that two years ago with the launch of its Korean pop genre hub. The streamer could…

Q&A With Downtown Records Noah Jackson

In this interview Noah Jackson, content and social media strategist at Downtown Records, discusses the importance of artists keeping up with marketing tech, as well as the value of messenger bots and strategies for getting them to work effectively. _________________________________ Guest post Veselina Gerova of The Message Can you tell…

Armada Music’s Nicolet Hofman On Branding, Bots and Marketing Strategies

In this piece we chat with Nicolet Hofman, the marketing powerhouse behind Armada Music’s roster of artists about online branding, bots, and marketing strategies for the future. __________________________ Guest post by Veselina Gerova of The Message Behind The Artist is a Q&A style interview series featuring the people behind the…

Latin Grammy Awards 2017 – Complete List Of Winners

Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee took top honors last week at the 2017 Latin Grammys, winning four awards for their smash hit "Despacito." The track won Record and Song of the Year, as well as Best Music Video and Best Urban Fusion/Performance for Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber. Hosted…