Hello, everyone! Thank you for finding time in your busy day to spend a few minutes discussing the state of music journalism with us. We never set out to spend the week talking to writers directly, but that trend certainly seems to be emerging. If you’re not upset, neither are we.
The post you’re about to enjoy is a guest piece from Geoff Burns, who reached out early last week and told us he had some thoughts he would like to share with our readers. We told Geoff to submit his work, which he did, and upon review we knew it had to run here on the Haulix company blog.
This site exists to promote the future of the entertainment industry, and to do that we need input from people like you and your entertainment-loving friends. If you have any questions about the content in this article, or if you have an artist you would like to see featured on this blog, please contact james@haulix.com. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.
As a recent college graduate without cementing a professional career as of yet, it’s easy to feel unsuccessful. Especially if your part-time job consists of wrapping hamburgers and dealing with impatient customers. Every. Single. Day. The only motivation to stay focused in trying to one day secure that “dream job” is to drown my thoughts in music. More importantly, to stay focused on the ultimate goal of being able to support yourself financially as a music writer, you need to make time to actually do just that.
Many times each week I find myself questioning what it is I’m actually doing with my life. Is working at a fast food restaurant as a college graduate really worth going for the goal of getting that dream job as a music writer, even if it may never happen? The answer is yes, of course it is. But it’s difficult to keep reminding myself this after working 40 hours a week and still having the motivation to write each night. As long as you have the willingness to set aside 30 minutes of any kind of writing a night, that’s better than not writing at all.
Another factor that plays into struggling with motivation to write is the people you are constantly surrounded by. You need to find people who have aspirations and goals in life, people who always want to keep moving forward. As long as you can find that certain kind of positivity, writing might seem easier after a long day of the “real life” job you’re only working at to just get by. If you don’t have any of these people in your life and only the ones who care about thing like alcohol and drugs, then go to a quiet room and force yourself to type words. I know this is easy to read but hard to do, but once you get those first couple of word written, there’s nothing that can stop you from there.
It doesn’t matter what kind of job you have to pay your bills right now because after a long work day let’s face it, we’re all extremely tired. There’s nothing like taking a long shower after work and kicking your feet up on the couch trying to relax. It always seems like the perfect way of how I want to spend my time after a long day. But there’s always music to turn to. Whether it’s a single on the radio or your favorite album from when you were younger, you need to find that certain song or album that provides you with motivation and purpose and write about it.
I know it’s extremely difficult to keep wanting to write every day. It’s like having homework even when you’ve been out of school for years. The answer is simple. If you really want to land your dream job, you need to go out and actually work for it. As sadly as this sounds, the job isn’t going to knock on your front door tomorrow morning and offer you a position. Whatever job you have right now is worth it because you’re either paying bills, student loans and anything else you need to survive. It’s allowing time for you to sit down and write words. So keep your chin up and keep striving because that day will come no matter what.
Hello, everyone! Thank you for finding a few minutes in your schedule to spend with us. This post was created after learning of a fantastic new service made available from a company that would have been considered an industry pariah a decade ago. It’s a little crazy in theory, but it’s working to connect artists with their fans in a more direct way than ever before.
This blog exists to promote the future of the entertainment industry, and to do that we need input from people like you and your entertainment-loving friends. If you have any questions about the content in this article, or if you have an artist you would like to see featured on this blog, please contact james@haulix.com. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.
Sitting at my desk this morning following a brief brainstorming session for the coming month of editorial content, I could not help thinking that a decade ago it would have been considering craze for someone to suggest promoting new music through BitTorrent. The service, which rose to fame/infamy because of its ties to illegal file sharing, has worked extremely hard to build a legitimate business out of questioning beginning in recent years. One of the biggest components of this positive resurgence has been the company’s ability to partner with innovative and influential members of pop culture to share content in a way that artists and other content creators are able to control from beginning to end. Their ‘Bundle’ series has partnered with everyone from G-Eazy to Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke in recent months, each offering a different variety of media and promotional materials, and every campaign has widely been considered a massive success. We’re not talking about thousands of engaged listeners, but millions, and they’re receiving content curated by the people who created it with little to no voice from the middle man (BitTorrent) bringing them together.
This week, roughly 18 months after launching in beta, BitTorrent has opened its digital magnetization platform BitTorrent Bundles to all musicians and other creators of digital content. I know there is a lot of skepticism around the idea of embracing a company once known as the knife slicing the achilles heel of the music industry, but a lot has changed in the last decade and BitTorrent are doing their best to leverage their massive user base in a way that promotes the continued support of creative people. You may have used services in the past that allowed for sharing of free media and other promotional materials, but none of them had the built-in audience, nor the transparency, that this service offers. For further explanation, we put together a list of three reasons artists, labels, and other industry folk should seriously consider using BitTorrent Bundles as part of their next promotional push. You can read those reasons, below. Those interested in signing up for access to the BitTorrent Bundles program can do so here.
1. The cost and distribution fees are so low it makes Apple look like a school yard bully.
Signing up for BitTorrent Bundles is absolutely free, as is choosing to share your material without a paywall, but if you choose to charge fans for access to your material BitTorrent will charge you for using their service. The company charges 10% of the purchase price of each Bundle plus about 5% in transaction fees. This is almost the exact same right as Bandcamp, not to mention being only a fraction of the $40+ distribution fees that are deducted from iTunes sales. And let’s not even get into how this compares to the average per stream payout offered by services like Spotify or Rdio.
2. The access to information you receive may be worth more than your financial gain
iTunes and Amazon Music are two of the biggest digital music stores in the world, and they’re recognized by almost anyone with an internet connection. Those are two facts that cannot be denied, and it’s completely understandable why artists choose to have their music on those sites even though the fees and costs associated may often be viewed as unfair. Something else these companies fail to do very well when working with artists is provide any information relating to the types of consumers who purchase their product. BitTorrent shares the email and other purchase data of every transaction with artists. That’s something almost no commercial competitor can offer.
When BitTorrent Bundles went public this week, Straith Schreder, director of content strategy for BitTorrent, spoke about how this lack of transparency hurts artists in the long run. “Platforms like iTunes take up to 40% of sales revenue – without disclosing fan contact information or data. Which means that, as an artist, you have no idea who’s buying your work, and how to reach them. To deprive artists of this data is to deprive them of the ability to build a viable business.”
3. In a world of tired ideas, BitTorrent Bundles are still considered ‘cool’
Though every John Hughes movie would like you to believe there is nothing wrong with staying far away from emerging trends and whatever it is the quote/unquote ‘cool’ kids are up to, a big component in digital marketing today is the ability to adapt the latest trending topic/craze to suit your needs. BitTorrent Bundles offer a low cost method of engaging fans with new and unreleased material that otherwise may never get to them without first cutting through miles and miles of industry nonsense. In a time where it’s harder than ever to forge lasting connections between two regular people, let alone a person and a brand, this service has found a way of reaching passionate music fans that has proven results for a large variety of talent. Anyone choosing to not try and further connect with their own fan base out of fear of being thought a sell out or something equally ridiculous need to realize their ego will forever hold them back from achieving their dreams. Embrace the now, embrace what’s popular, and find a way to make it your own.
Hello, everyone! Thank you for carving out a piece of your busy day to investigate and discuss the state of music journalism with us. We have been meaning to run the following piece for a few weeks, but for whatever reason we woke up today knowing the time had come to finally push it live. It’s a bit of a personal piece, but there is a message everyone can learn from as well.
This blog exists to promote the future of the entertainment industry, and to do that we need input from people like you and your entertainment-loving friends. If you have any questions about the content in this article, or if you have an artist you would like to see featured on this blog, please contact james@haulix.com. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.
The funny thing about making a career in music journalism is that you have as many personal struggles to overcome as you those facing the industry as a whole. You have to get over your own ego, find a way to retain some semblance of self-confidence in your work even when the world doesn’t seem to agree, and nail down the same basic grammar concepts that have tripped you up since high school all while worry about whether or not there will even been room in the entertainment business for you to make your mark and support yourself. Job growth has been shrinking while the number of blogs, zines, and similar publications has grown profoundly, and it’s not great secret that trend shows no signs of changing anytime soon. All this weighs on writers at every level, from those Judy starting out with a blog or Tumblr all their own, to those crossing their fingers the next morning editorial meeting at their publication doesn’t come with a fresh round of layoffs. Even those that seem to be riding high on a string of popular articles and a booming social media following are typically stressed over increasing their monthly income and more often than not have taken up a side gig offering PR and/or marketing services to artists on the rise.
I don’t mean to take the wind out of anyone’s sails or turn a truly passionate person away from their pursuit of a career in music writing, but it would be wrong of me to not make light of the stress, hard times, uncertainty, and other not so pleasant things that often come with this line of work. There are days it all presses on you to the point it’s impossible to create, and other times it may not bother you at all. Your friends in writing will go through this as well, though how each experiences this stress and tries to cope will vary from person to person. Some eventually decide they have had enough and move on to other careers, but others find the persistent risk of complete failure too enticing to resist. The chance things could all fall apart if their creativity one day gives out actually drives them to work harder, which is both insane and somehow incredibly admirable. They’re willing to put it all on the line for their dreams, regardless of the outcome.
The reason I bring all this up is because we live in an age where there are far too many people who wake every day with the drive and talent needed to be a professional writer, but none of the external support needed to make their dream a reality. Talent will get you far in this business, and a willingness to bend your ethics may get you even further, but without a support system even the best writers will eventually fold under pressure. And trust me, everyone feels the pressure. It’s present in every hour of every day, whether it be brought on by a rush to grab the latest headlines as fast as possible or a desire to finish your latest feature before the subject falls out of Twitter’s trending topics. It’s present in the up to the minute reporting available from Google Analytics, as well as the presence of every new music site that appears online, and you should already be well aware of the fact it’s found in the social media follower count of each writer and the publication(s) they contribute to. The pressure for success, let alone continued improvement in a situation where the odds are stacked against you, is enough to drive even the most brilliant minds to their breaking point. There is very little anyone can do to make lighten the weight of all these matters, but you can be a beacon of hope for writer’s that gives them the strength needed to forge ahead.
You may think writers and content creators receive an outpouring of support from people who read their work because they have a large Twitter following or because they always sound cheerful on a podcast, but in fact that is rarely the case. The vast majority of writers working today, especially those trying to make their way through the often impossible to overcome world of unpaid labor, rarely receive messages of support from people they do not know. In fact, even the people they do know only support their efforts in passing. After all, they have their own dreams and goals to be concerned with, which is perfectly understandable. You have goals as well, I’m sure, but you also spend time browsing music news, reading reviews, listening to podcasts, and sharing all the media you only know exists because a music site brought it to your attention. The only reason you’re able to do all that without putting a large amount of time and effort into research yourself is because someone – a music writer – took the time to review the latest round of press releases, select the most interesting material, craft original content to describe and accompany that material, then published their creation onto the world wide web. Those efforts may have taken anywhere from five minutes to several days or weeks to complete given the depth and quality of content being shared, and nine times out of ten it’s only one of dozens, if not hundreds of posts that individual had to create that particular month. If they’re lucky, and I mean really lucky, they may see some small compensation of this work, but more and more often the people creating the majority of content found on music sites do so without reward or payment. They create because they’re passionate about discussing music, and they hope that with enough traffic someone will give them the opportunity to do that for a living. They may also work in music already and simply be hoping to retain their position in life. Either way, they’re very much focused on trying to further chase their dream of writing professionally and they need your support to make it happen.
Everyone is busy these days, but when you find time to browse music sites and enjoy the latest entertainment headlines you need to also make time to appreciate the people responsible for making that content available to you. It’s true there are countless other blogs that will likely run a lot of the same stories found on whatever site you choose to visit, but for whatever reason you enjoy that particular site’s way of presenting information and you should let them know you feel that way. Writer’s spend their days crafting digital creations out of ideas they made up and push into the world wide web without any idea who, if anyone, would see the final result. They tell themselves people who visit their work enjoy what they find, unless of course they complain, but truth be told writers have no real way of knowing whether or not their efforts matter to anyone unless someone speaks up. A simple “Thank you” would suffice, or even a share of their content across your personal social networks. Those few key strokes and/or clicks require essentially nothing from you, yet may make a world of difference to someone sacrificing time and sanity in pursuit of music journalism.
The next time you’re reading an article online and you find yourself enjoying the words presented by the contributing author, please do me a favor and let that person know you enjoyed their work. It doesn’t have to be a profound or lengthy message, just reach out and let them know whatever it is you just read was an enjoyable piece of content. It may seem like nothing to you, but it will make their entire day. Hell, you may even make their entire week.
Hello, everyone! Welcome to the beginning of another week of music industry discussion and commentary here on the official blog of Haulix. It has been a few weeks since shared a Journalism Tips column, but we finally found a topic worth sharing and a fantastic professional writer to add their own flavor to the mix. Matthew Leimkuehler has contributed to this blog before, but this piece may be his best to date.
This blog exists to promote the future of the entertainment industry, and to do that we need input from people like you and your entertainment-loving friends. If you have any questions about the content in this article, or if you have an artist you would like to see featured on this blog, please contact james@haulix.com. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.
So, you’ve established yourself at a reputable publication. You’ve reviewed a fair amount of records, you’ve done some live reviews, you’ve interviewed the local bands, you’ve even shot a few photos. And now your time has finally come. One of your favorite bands is ramping up for a new record run and your editor just sent the email over saying you’re the lucky one from your publication who gets to interview the band before the album drops. It’s a “bucket list” interview for you, one of those artists you adored growing up — you’re nervous, you’re probably a shameful wreck. That’s okay. Take a deep breath and dive in. These people are human and you are, too. This is why you started writing about music in the first place, right? Here are three tips to consider when you prepare for the big interview:
1. Do your research
You want to do your best to make an impact during this interview. Stay away from redundant questions. Sure, it’s okay to break the ice with a generic question about the record or the recording process. But don’t stay on the surface for your allotted time. It’s your job to dig into this artist’s brain, to tell the world where his or her mindset is for this release. Read old interviews, watch old music videos, soak in every piece of media that has led up to this release. Don’t repeat questions that have been asked for a decade on end — find something you think needs to be talked about more and run with it.
2. Listen to the music
Make sure the artist’s representation gets you the proper assets before you’re heading into the interview. Get an advance of the new record, listen to the singles that have already been released. Don’t go into the interview blind (or, deaf?). The artist always knows. Listen intently and prepare questions about the record. This is new material for the artist, he or she should be excited to talk about the project and what they have created. But it always starts with you listening and preparing to ask the right questions.
3. Don’t be a “yes” man or woman.
It’s your job to tell a story, not to flatter the artist. It’s okay to be grateful and it’s okay to be complimentative if you like the music. This is an artist that probably has a world full of fans who preach his or hers greatness daily. If there’s something that’s questionable, don’t be afraid to hold the artist accountable. The last thing readers deserve is an extended arm of public relations. He or she pays people good money to make their new record sound good — it’s your job to deliver the truth. The artist will respect honesty over fake flattery any day. Stand your ground and enjoy every moment.
Have any questions? Feel free to tweet me @callinghomematt to discuss more!
A lot has been written about the supposed dire state of the music industry, but truth be told there are a number of successful and growing companies, including record labels, that are thriving in 2014. In this column we bring together every job opening we can find from the companies responsible for building the future of the business and present them to you, our reader, in hopes of aiding you on your journey to join the global music industry professional family.
Each Sunday we scour the internet for the latest and greatest job postings throughout the music industry. You can help us better serve our community by sending any job openings you find or have to james@haulix.com. Be sure to include the name of the company hiring, a detailed description of the position being offered, a desired start date, contact information, and any additional supplemental information you feel may be needed.
Job summary: SMG is a digital media company connecting entertainment and music fans to the content, communities and brands they love. We’re the passionate minds behind some of the web’s most influential properties and we harness our collective voice to create online content, social and mobile platforms, events and integrated marketing programs. Through our iconic properties such as SPIN, VIBE, Celebuzz, Death and Taxes, Buzznet, The Frisky, Idolator, Stereogum, SMG provides advertisers with authentic, unparalleled access to the most loyal and engaged audiences around the world.
Job summary: The Manager, Listener Care Certification & Audit will manage the performance of trainers at SiriusXM call centers by collaborating with and overseeing day to day operations of our external service providers (vendors). You will ensure that training is being delivered as designed, that learners are engaged and that desired outcomes are met.
Job summary: The Vice President and Managing Editor of BET Digital will oversee the development and execution of all content for BET Digital. S/he will be responsible for defining and driving the editorial voice for BET Digital, generating the content people want to see across BETN’s online, mobile and social media platforms. The Vice President and Managing Editor of BET Digital will work closely with sales, programming, technology, marketing, research and other departments to translate the BETN brand across BET’s digital suite.
Job summary: Under the broad direction of the Dean of Admissions, the Associate Dean of Admissions Marketing and Recruiting develops strategies to support the Dean’s enrollment vision. Oversees ROI on all recruitment marketing campaigns. Responsible for the Admissions digital marketing strategy through leverage of technologies including (but not limited to) Marketo and Salesforce. Oversees direct mail list segmentation to generate highly effective response rate for our various summer, undergraduate, and graduate programs. Ability to think strategically and monitor/adjust tactical implementation. An entrepreneurial, results-oriented outlook.
Job summary: The Interactive Marketing Manager will be the main digital strategist for their own roster of artists and/or projects. They will craft and execute the digital campaign for those artists spanning promotion, social strategy, community engagement, e-commerce, and partnership opportunities with inter-departmental (marketing, radio, press, product development, etc..) input and coordination. They will continually look for new opportunities, services and platforms with which to partner and/or utilize. In addition to their work directly with artists, they will have a loud voice in forming overall departmental strategy and direction as operational digital specialists. Every campaign will come with mutually agreed upon goals and targets that the marketer will striving to achieve.
Job summary: The goal is to position INgrooves Music Group as the most effective monetization and distribution partner for independent content owners as the digital music market evolves from a transaction based economy to one based on access. This transition is being driven by the oncoming format change from download and physical sales of music to streaming subscription models and digital radio outlets. In order for the Company to achieve its goals, we need expertise in developing best practices and products around music discovery, digital promotion and viral marketing with the purpose of increasing overall consumption and revenue for our clients. You will lead a team of professionals who work with all INgrooves’ labels and artists across the globe. You and your team are responsible for helping us figure out how to make the most of, and stay in front of, this rapidly evolving marketplace. This position can be based in San Francisco or Los Angeles.
Job Summary: Ticketmaster is looking for a Senior Interaction Designer to join our growing User Experience team. Reporting to the VP of User Experience, the designer will be responsible for creating best-in-class designs for the next generation of ticketing tools and live event applications. From complexity to clarity, we are seeking candidates who can translate business requirements into clean, intuitive experiences. The selected candidate will have a proven track record of understanding user needs and motivations, identifying underlying problems, and designing effective, highly functional solutions.
Job summary: This individual will be responsible for providing timely and accurate financial reporting and analysis to the Finance and Marketing Organizations. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: forecasting and budgeting, supporting the CMO and business areas VPs on their strategic plans, variance analysis, capital allocation and KPI monitoring.
Job summary: The Marketing Coordinator works closely with the Senior Manager, Sales & Marketing to implement direct marketing plans for all concerts presented by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association.
Job summary: As a Social Media Coordinator, you’ll be responsible for overseeing the social media profiles for a handful of music and/or entertainment clients. You will be charged with creating a social editorial calendar, bringing unique / creative ideas to the table, and executing a defined strategy. The position focuses on ensuring our social media campaigns are fully optimized, forward-thinking and possess consistent movement towards client goals (engagement, growth, awareness, etc.). The social media coordinator will also seamlessly integrate social campaigns with our internal marketing team. This position is a support position, but candidates should be comfortable expressing thoughts, marketing strategies, analytics and general campaign status to clients be it via phone, e-mail or in person.
Job summary: Reporting to the Senior Manager of Marketing Services, the Partner Marketing Manager is responsible for helping Ticketfly clients maximize their marketing potential. This role will serve as a strategic marketing consultant to Ticketfly’s top venue, promoter, and festival partners to help drive important goals like building brand awareness, acquiring new customers, and selling more tickets. The Partner Marketing Manager will act as Ticketfly’s in-house subject matter expert on digital marketing best practices, diving deep into client marketing activities to develop marketing plans, guide implementation, and measure results.
Job summary: This individual will be responsible for a broad range of digital marketing and event coordination activities. They will develop social media campaigns to managing customer leads through Hub Spot. The individual will couple the social media campaigns with industry/customer events designed to drive interest in electric vehicles. You will be part of a small team that manages all marketing, branding, public relations, digital activities and events. This position is responsible for all digital activities.
Job summary: UT School of Music seeks a Communications Coordinator to publicize all music concerts and events, and who is also talented in graphic design and copy editing. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: brochure design, sending e-newsletters, working closely with the School of Music Recruitment Committee and Advisory Board, other on-campus communication’s offices,off-campus news agencies, purchasing advertising, and overseeing all related public relations for the School of Music. Some attendance at evening and weekend events may be required.
Job summary: Responsible for all marketing, advertising, promotional activities, and participation in product development. The Marketing Manager is responsible for developing and maintaining market strategies to meet organizational objectives and reports to the Chief Operations Officer.
Job summary: In this role, you’ll be part of a team responsible for growing a vast world of events—from large conferences to weekly meet-ups, from tech to healthcare to nonprofit to education sectors. You will develop strategies and execute key activities designed to grow our market share in target segments and convert more organizers into Eventbrite advocates. You’ll work cross-functionally across our Marketing, Sales, Product and Design teams to drive initiatives forward, and ultimately help accelerate Eventbrite’s growth across these core markets.
Job summary: Pandora is looking for a Digital Marketing Manager to join the growing Marketing team in Oakland, CA. The Digital Marketing Manager will be responsible for creating, managing and analyzing direct response mobile and web marketing campaigns as well as continuously identifying new opportunities for Pandora to acquire and reengage users.
Job summary: ReverbNation is currently hiring for an articulate, motivated, and skilled marketing professional to become our Content Marketing and Community Manager. This hands-on position will report to the Director of Corporate Marketing and manage the company’s core content marketing efforts, social media and Artist-facing communications.
Job summary: As a Marketing manager, you are a fully dedicated business leader, shaping the future of one of our many Google products. Whether you’re on a consumer product (like Gmail, Search, Maps, Chrome, Android) or a business product (AdWords, AdSense, DoubleClick, Analytics), you take part in a complete marketing experience as you lead every facet of the product’s journey. From determining positioning, naming, competitive analysis, feature prioritization and external communications, you help shape the voice of the product and help it grow a loyal consumer base. This means you work with a cross-functional team across sales, corporate communications, legal, webmasters, product development, engineering and more. The role enables you to shape the product development process, organize product launches from beginning to end and form future marketing strategy.
Job summary: As part of the US Latin Marketing team, the Marketing Content Coordinator is responsible for creating and keeping current a “holistic view” database / portfolio of artist-specific marketing assets that will support multichannel marketing programs, business development / licensing presentations, digital sales initiatives, physical sales initiatives and other programs as might be required.
Job summary: The Marketing Operations Coordinator will lead the daily implementation and coordination of marketing activities, requests and communication across internal and external project teams. The individual will respond to requests from internal (principally Marketing Services Specialists) and external clients by using system tools to implement marketing tasks. He or she will assist in managing and scheduling regular updates for clients and assist the MSS team as required in day-to-day delivery of tactical marketing activities.
Job summary: Bose Corporation was founded in 1964 by Dr. Amar G. Bose. Today, the company is one of the largest and best-known audio technology developers and product manufacturers in the United States and throughout the world. Bose is known for home entertainment systems and speakers, the Wave® products, premium automotive music systems, noise reducing headsets for consumers and pilots and sound for public spaces and musicians. We are seeking a new Sr. Product Marketing Manager to further these efforts.
Job summary: This position is LA-based. Reporting to the VP of Sales & Marketing, the Director of Digital Sales & Marketing will be responsible for developing and fostering key relationships with the sales & marketing teams of worldwide digital and cable retailers. He/she will champion the Orchard’s growing slate of theatrical and digital releases, driving incremental revenue, merchandising and marketing opportunities and overall category management of the portfolio.
Job summary: Pandora is looking for a Digital Marketing Manager to join the growing Marketing team in Oakland, CA. The Digital Marketing Manager will be responsible for creating, managing and analyzing direct response mobile and web marketing campaigns as well as continuously identifying new opportunities for Pandora to acquire and reengage users.
Job summary: This successful sponsorship sales professional will be responsible for creating and selling branded, high-impact music marketing programs across our music properties. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Create, package and sell solution-based music marketing programs for Live Nation amphitheater, club, promotional and digital properties and assets, as well as meeting or exceeding revenue and key account goals.
Job summary: This position is responsible for marketing the Warner Music Group catalog across the online spectrum. The individual in this role will work with the Sales and Marketing Department, collaborating to bring creativity, strategic direction, and best practices in all online marketing efforts across company websites, social media properties and streaming partners. This role is also responsible for outreach to potential online partners to further expose the Warner Music Group catalog to new fans. This position is also responsible for staying in tune with the latest online marketing trends, constantly searching for new partnerships and opportunities to expose the WMG catalog across all online platforms and digital distribution channels, including internal and external partner websites, social media, streaming partners, and apps.
Job summary: The Sales Representative secures high-quality licenses in accordance with the licensing sales process by performing the following duties: Manages all assigned opportunities. Assist in the marketing function, and develops territory plans for approval by team management. Performs traditional sales calls as dictated by the sales process. Makes collections calls as specifically assigned.
Job summary: The role of the Segment Retention Manager – New Customers is to drive customer and competitive insights into the strategic market planning for new customers. The Segment Retention manager will initiate the segment analysis and on boarding journey to lead the transition to segment market plan and metrics. The manager works in tandem with the segment team to weave Planning and Insights seamlessly into customer marketing efforts to drive discovery and engagement. Create customer touch points in support of renewal & retention strategies and leverage digital media and other mediums to achieve strategic goals.
Job summary: The Engineer selected should possess the technical expertise to support all facets of a medium sized Cable Network Post department. The selected candidate should be capable of the following duties: o Perform diagnostics, troubleshooting, routine and preventive maintenance of all equipment in post-production department including tape decks, routers, servers, encoders, graphic and editing system including Avid Interplay/Isis, etc.
Job summary: This individual will direct Cafe sales and marketing efforts ensuring that the business is financially successful and that it represents our brand identity in its entirety, therefore positively impacting our global operation.
Job summary: Responsible for daily management of the digital marketing team and genre-specific oversight of digital marketing strategy. Director also manages a roster of high-profile artists online, including content development and management, grassroots community building and marketing, the Atlantic “artist.com network,” tastemaker sites, and genre-related digital marketing lifestyle outlets. The Director of Digital Marketing is focused on the creation and building of Atlantic’s artist communities as they serve as the core of the direct-to-consumer initiatives and future product development, and guiding their direct reports in executing the digital strategy for the label.
Job summary: The mission of The Juilliard School is to provide the highest caliber of artistic education for gifted musicians, dancers, and actors from around the world, so that they may achieve their fullest potential as artists, leaders, and global citizens.
Job summary: Responsible for providing premier administrative, project, and research support for VP of Alternative/Rock Formats, Director AAA/Adult Promotion, VP of Rhythm/Pop and VP of Adult/Pop Promotion. This should be done in addition to working independently and following through on all assignments.
Job summary: Pay Grade 38/Full-time/Non-Exempt Position. UT School of Music seeks a Communications Coordinator to publicize all music concerts and events, and who is also talented in graphic design and copy editing. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: brochure design, sending e-newsletters, working closely with the School of Music Recruitment Committee and Advisory Board, other on-campus communication’s offices,off-campus news agencies, purchasing advertising, and overseeing all related public relations for the School of Music. Some attendance at evening and weekend events may be required.
Hello, everyone! It’s hard to believe the end of the work week is here already, but we certainly are not trying to complain about has fast the time has passed. We have been dealing with the loss of a close friend this week at HQ, and today we’d like to honor that person by sharing a track from one of their favorite bands. Justin, this one is for you:
Each and every Friday we like to take a brief break from our regularly scheduled programming to update and reflect on everything happening at Haulix HQ. We are far more than a music blog, as many of you already know, and posts like this give us an opportunity to share more our efforts with all of you.
I hate to the be the one to say this, but after several weeks of constant development updates things were a little bit quiet this week. We have some big roll outs planned for the months ahead, but in order to reach a point where those efforts can be discussed our dev team needs to move a bit closer to completion. After all, what’s the point of announcing something you cannot immediately enjoy? We don’t want to keep you waiting for things promised. We want to deliver, and if you stick around another week or two I am confident we will have another big development update ready to reveal.
On the blog end of things, I’ll be the first to admit things were a little slow this week. We thought we had more time to spend with our dear friend, Justin, but when we learned he would soon be passing our minds ran far from the world of music education. Fortunately for us, and in a roundabout way you as well, a slew of talented industry vets stepped up to contribute content while we mourned. We missed one day, but the rest of the week was packed with great content. Here’s a list of everything you may have missed:
Hello, everyone! We have been making a conscious effort to increase the number of interviews and photo-related posts we feature on our blog, and today we’re given the rare opportunity to deliver on both fronts. We told you last week about a young man who has joined us in our efforts to better educate the future photographers of music, and today you will learn his story.
This blog exists to promote the future of the entertainment industry, and to do that we need input from people like you and your entertainment-loving friends. If you have any questions about the content in this article, or if you have an artist you would like to see featured on this blog, please contact james@haulix.com. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.
I have lost count of how many times we’ve said something like this in the past, but there is no one living today with the power to do more for your career in music than you. There may have been a time decades ago when someone with a lot of talent and passion would be given an opportunity to prove themselves in the business simply because they were looking to work and willing to complete tasks for very little pay, but those days are long gone. We’re well beyond the saturation point for music industry employment, and the demand for jobs, as well as unpaid roles like internships, is at an all time high. If you want to stand out from the thousands screaming for attention around the globe, you need to take it upon yourself to get your name in work in front of people with the ability to help you along. Then and only then will you begin to climb the numerous rungs on the ladder to music industry success. You’ll probably fall down a time or two as well, but hey – that’s life.
Connor Feimster is one of countless young people currently trying to navigate the often tricky waters of professional music photography. He’s a frequent contributor to Mind Equals Blown and, as we teased in the introduction, he recently came on board to aide us in further educating others interested in music photography. I didn’t know who Connor was a few months back, but he took it upon himself to make an introduction, and then did so a second time for the sole purpose of potentially appearing on this blog. Drive like that may come across as annoying to some, but as a person who still feels they must fight for any semblance of acceptance/relevance in the music business today I completely understand where Connor is coming from. I’m there too. Some people know my name and sure, I’ve made strong connections with important people, but every day I wake and battle with an internal voice that tells me I am not where I need to be yet. There is still another article to create, another hand to shake, and another email to send. Connor isn’t where he wants to be yet either, but as you will soon learn he’s working incredibly hard to get ahead.
If you would like to learn more about Connor and his ongoing adventures in music, please be sure to follow him, as well as Mind Equals Blown, on Twitter. Additional questions and comments should be left at the end of this post.
H: Hey there, Connor. Thank you for finding time to speak with us about your work. How is the week treating you thus far?
C: Thanks for having me! I just got to shoot Anberlin for the first and last time last night, so my emotions are all over the place. Other than that, I’m working a lot this week and trying to maintain whatever cleanliness I’ve found in my apartment.
H: I’m not really sure what your professional situation is, but I know many people with your career also have jobs on the side for those times when work slows down or they simply need to cover bills. Does the same apply to you? If so, what do you do when not looking at the world through your camera lens?
C: Oh, absolutely. Aside from shooting, I’m also an editor over at Mind Equals Blown, I work in retail at one of the biggest malls in the country, and I’m an actor in Philadelphia. Aside from working, I like to collect and listen to vinyl records, see as many movies as possible, and above all else, I love to nap.
H: You’re one of the first people to approach us about featuring your work on Haulix, and I don’t think you actually expected us to respond. What inspired you to reach out in the first place?
C: I honestly don’t really know! I’ve been using Haulix’s music promotion program ever since my start at MEB last year and only recently discovered the blog and how it showcases various aspects of the music industry and it really struck a chord with me. I initially tweeted as a quasi-joke because I’ve never been interviewed for anything before, but I mentally prepared myself for the possibility of actually interviewing and here we are!
H: The reason I asked that is because I think one of the most important lessons people can learn in music is that those who achieve their goals do so because of their own drive for success. No one is going to come along, pick your work out of the countless others hoping to have your dream job, and carry you off into a long-lasting career out of the blue. The only way to get noticed is to take it upon yourself to make people aware of your work. You did that for us, and now here you are. Kudos.
C: I completely agree, and that was honestly an idea in the back of my head while I was writing that tweet. I kept thinking “well, nobody but me can really do this for me, so why not?” The result is already pretty cool.
H: I’ve made it this far without mentioning what it is you do in music, but we have certainly hinted at it. Why don’t you go ahead and tell people what you do and who you do it for?
C: I’m a music and portrait photographer based out of Philadelphia. I’m currently a mainstay photographer for Mind Equals Blown, but am opening up to more freelance work whenever I get a chance.
H: We’ve featured a handful of photographers before, but not as many as I would admittedly like to have shared up to this point. I’m working on it though, and I’m glad you were willing to participate. Tell me, when do you think you first fell in love with photography?
C: Pinpointing a specific time is excruciating for me to even think about, because photography has always been integrated in my life since my childhood. My mother is a nature photographer and I’ve grown up shooting alongside her. It’s because of her that I shoot with Canon bodies and that I really love shooting landscapes on the side. This whole thing started with her. A given time isn’t quite an appropriate answer; it all stems back to my mom.
H: Before we dive into that a bit more, let’s talk about music. What are the earlier memories you have of music and the role it played in your life during that time?
C: Music has always played an incredibly valuable role in my life, whether I like to own up to it or not. The arts as a whole are what I’m truly about and what I love, but music has always umbrellaed over everything else as an overseer of sorts. I’ve loved to sing forever, I love going to shows, and I love how the production aspect plays out. As a whole, music is just so cool to me. When I was a kid, I was way into soundtracks, top 40 pop, and musical theatre even though I grew up listening to classic rock, Dave Matthews, and folk music. When I was 11, I attended my first concert, which was (I believe) the latest Simon & Garfunkel tour in December of 2003. The entire show was like a dream. I can’t really explain it much more beyond that. By the time I was in high school, I began hitting up smaller club shows, the first being Envy on the Coast’s Lucy Gray release tour with Kaddisfly, Danger Radio, and Powerspace (my then-all-time-favorite band). Since then, I tried to attend as many shows as possible. Nowadays, it’s something that’s purely second nature to me.
H: Let’s get back to photographer. Did someone in your life help nurture your interest from a young age? When did you first get a camera of your own?
C: As I said, my mother was my biggest influence to even pick up a camera. She grew up on a property that has acres and acres of natural, preserved woodlands so every time I would visit my grandparents, I’d see something new and memorable. As a kid, one of my favorite things to have was a disposable camera. It would almost be seen as a waste of money, given that I would fill it up in mere hours, taking photos of anything (and sometimes nothing) just to get it all developed as soon as possible. I got my first camera for Christmas in 2005 and have never looked back. Since my dinky little point-and-shoot days, I’ve upgraded to a Canon Rebel T5i DSLR and am saving to upgrade again.
H: Were you involved with music at all beyond enjoying it as a fan before foraying into the world of music photography? If so, how?
C: The most involvement I had was simply attending shows and doing street team work here and there, whenever I had the chance. I was on Fueled By Ramen’s team back in their neon heyday, that 2007-2008 style. That was the most I could do with whatever limitations I had and I certainly don’t take any of it for granted.
H: My research tells me you’ve attended college in the past. Did you study photography or anything else that aides you in your pursuit of a career today?
C: Indeed, I graduated from Arcadia University in May with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in acting. Photography and music, as I’ve said, have played extremely valuable roles in my life, but I’m a theatre artist through and through, which is something not many people know about me outside of my home and schooling life. I’ve taken photography courses throughout high school, but as far as a continued education goes, photography played absolutely no part in it.
H: Looking back, would you recommend that other aspiring music photographers attend college, or at the very least seek out additional education beyond high school? I know many of our younger readers have dreamed of making a living with their photos.
C: There are so many amazing photography programs around Philadelphia alone, so if it’s something you really want to hone in on and fine-tune, I absolutely recommend it. I’ve had friends go through programs and come out completely changed (for the better, of course). As a generality, a continued education after high school should be your decision alone. It’s a shame how frowned upon it is to not have a degree, but some of my closest friends are high-up managers at their respective workplaces and simply have a high school diploma. It’s up to you to decided what you want to do. I personally didn’t like college, but I don’t regret it one bit. My program kept me there because they believed in me. Surround yourself with positive vibes and you can get through anything.
H: You’re a part of the Mind Equals Blown news team, which is one of my favorite content creation groups in music today. When did you first learn of the site, and how much time passed from that point to the day you applied to be a contributor?
C: MEB has been around for a handful of years, but I didn’t really pay much attention to any site other than AbsolutePunk until very recently. I first paid closer attention to the site when I learned that my friends in A Lot Like Birds were really well-received by the team, so they had my respect right away. I connected with one of MEB’s writers through Instagram, of all places, in the summer of 2013 and he put a good word in for me to apply to the team. By September, I was enlisted as a photographer and a staff writer and got to review some great work. Throughout the rest of the year and the first few months of 2014, I was the site’s sole consistent photographer, which was a lot to take on, but the challenge of that has paid off tremendously. I was promoted to editor last month, so my writing is beginning to dwindle, but it’s quite an honor to be in this position. I like where I am on the team right now. It feels right.
H: What can you tell us about the application process?
C: It wasn’t anything too strenuous; I had to provide my age, favorite bands, any previous publications I wrote for (fact: there were none), and a few samples of my writing. I had actually reviewed my top ten albums released in 2012 on my personal blog, so I just sent them what I had and a couple weeks later, I was a member of the team.
H: Have you contributed to, or otherwise worked for any other sites since joining MEB?
C: I’ve submitted some of my photos to Alternative Press, but there sadly hasn’t been any biting. I also shot for the stars and emailed Rolling Stone, to which they promptly (probably) trashed it. Other than that, I’ve just worked for MEB but am willing to shoot as freelance if people will have me!
H: Do you think it’s important for photographers to find a site to call ‘home,’ or would you be perfectly fine existing as a fully independent photographer in the music world?
C: My ideal goal is to be independent, because it builds a nicer résumé and shows variety. Having a home or a niche is wonderful; it’s what I have now and I’m pretty content. But I’d like to get out there and build up the credits.
H: You wrote a blog for us about a week ago on the topic of your first concert experience as a photographer, so I won’t ask you to talk about that again. I will, however, inquire about the other articles you may write in the future. Any ideas yet?
C: The holidays are upon us at my retail job, so I haven’t quite mapped out much else just yet, but I’d love to touch on etiquette or something focussing on the show rather than the equipment. That’d be cool.
H: What was the last event you covered? Tell us a bit about the experience.
C: I said goodbye to Anberlin last night and I cried. Their lights were incredible and epic, just as I’d expect them to be. They mean a great deal to me and my craft, so I’m glad I didn’t miss out on the show. It was one for the books, for sure.
H: You’ve been in music for a little while now, and I would like to think you have a strong grasp on the state of the business. Do you aspire to be a full time music photographer? If so, how are you currently planning to make that happen in the years to come?
C: You know, it’s hard. It’s very hard to have any job in the arts, whether it be photography, music, or theatre. Doing all three sounds like a nightmare to most, but the challenge is what keeps me going. Upon leaving college, I was cast in my first professional theatre role and that one show took up my entire summer on top of shooting, so it absolutely kept the wick burning under my ass, which I loved. Right now, I’m focusing more on saving my funds to move, so theatre is kind of on the back burner while I put in more hours at the mall. Photography is the one steady thing I can keep consistently doing; I don’t work nights and can plan out shows well in advance. If I could have a solidified, money-making career in the arts, that would be amazing. I don’t want to work in retail forever. I just have to get over that hill and get better at what I do. There is always, always, always room for improvement and anyone who says otherwise is a big, fat liar.
H: What are the biggest hurdles between where you are now as a music professional and the place/role you would like to reach?
C: Getting my priorities in order, for one. Another big one is time. My biggest problem is that I want too much too quickly. My friends and family keep saying “you’re doing too much to not get paid for it” but the fact of the matter is that I love it too much to make that a priority. I feel like things could potentially move faster if I allowed that to happen, but then I would be limited to what I could actually do. Aside from a few promo shoots, I’ve over ever sold my wares once, and that was because I didn’t want a free microphone.
H: If someone reading this is just starting to consider a career in music photography, what advice would you offer them?
C: If you like something, keep doing it. Nine times out of ten, what you want will never just fall into your lap; you have to work for it. For most of the time, it absolutely sucks and you’ll start off by getting little to no recognition, but if you keep at it, it’ll pay off. I’m almost there. Almost.
H: Where is Connor Feimster going to be five years from today, and what will he think of the way he spent his time in 2014?
C: Aside from joking that “next year will be the year of perfect vision”, I hope to have people know my work. The most egotistical thing I want, if you can even call it that, is to be appreciated. By 2019, I would like to eliminate the crutch of retail, complete with a roof over my head with the person I love by my side and maybe my own studio that can work both as an editing station and a practice space for whatever show I’m in. That’s the dream.
H: I think that is all I have for you right now. Before I let you go, are there any other thoughts/observations that you would like to share with our readers?
C: I’d just like to give an extended thanks to anyone who has taken the time to say a kind word about my work and took the time to read all of this. There’s no reason to shoot shows without fan input and appreciation, so for all that and more, I thank you. And thank you, James. This was a wonderful experience.
Hello, everyone! I know we took a little time off yesterday without warning, but a close friend of the Haulix family passed away and we needed some time to mourn. Fortunately, many of our close friends in the industry reached out to help us continue our content creation efforts while we reflect on our recently deceased friend. The piece you’re about to read was created by Seth Werkheiser, and it offers insight that could help bands and artists of all sizes improve their digital marketing efforts.
This blog exists to promote the future of the entertainment industry, and to do that we need input from people like you and your entertainment-loving friends. If you have any questions about the content in this article, or if you have an artist you would like to see featured on this blog, please contact james@haulix.com. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.
I’ve talked to a handful of musicians and bands lately about the subject of “social media.” I usually steer the conversation towards email marketing, and explain how it converts better than the “social media flavor of the week.”
“But I don’t want to just email out our tour dates,” they usually say, explaining that they don’t like those emails.
There’s a simple solution: don’t be like the lazy bands who do just that.
Copying and pasting your tour dates into an email is very boring. An unpaid intern could do it. In their sleep.
Instead, try this: out of the 34 photos you posted to Instagram and Facebook during the course of your last few shows, or tours, pick a handful that “clicked well.” What dose that mean? That means the photos that got the most "likes,” or shares. Take those, and put a few of them into your next email.
Now, here’s the part where an unpaid intern can’t do what you do.
You write the back story. The location. Explain what happened. You lived it, bled it, slept in it. You drove all those hours, got sick, met an amazing character in a small town, hung out with coolest people.
Everyone loves a good story, and as a traveling musician you’ve got stories to tell, so stop “blasting” your tour dates every five minutes like every other hack band out there.
As Betabrand founder Chris Lindland says, “the assumption is that not everybody wants to shop every single time they get a newsletter.”
Think about that for a second: not everyone is ready buy tickets to your next show or watch your new music video (they might be watching Netflix at the moment). But if you tell a story about how cops nearly shut down your video shoot, you might distract them from ‘Orange is the New Black’ long enough to at least get a click!
For example, there’ a new video out from the Cancer Bats, for their song ‘Satellites.’ In the video they shoot fireworks at their drummer in a field the whole time.
Wait, they what?
How did they not get arrested shooting that video? Did anyone get burned? How much did they spend on fireworks? Who came up with that idea of shooting fireworks at their drummer?
Their YouTube description field? "SATELLITES!! Hope you like it!” Snooze.
So don’t do that with your own email newsletter. Get creative. Just because every other band out there sends a list of tour dates and nothing more doesn’t mean you have to do the same.
Share some photos, stories from the road, and then paste your tour dates at the bottom of the email. Heck, list the mileage between stops, or the tourist destination you’re planning on visiting. Ask your fans for suggestions on places to check out, the best food stops in town. Invite a few out for pre-show pizza.
These are the people who might may to come see you, right? Maybe buy a CD or shirt?
Remind your fans what you’re about, not just where you’ll be two months from now.
Seth Werkheiser is the quiz master of metal trivia at Skulltoaster. He’s also the founder of some music sites you may have heard of, including Noise Creep (2009) + Buzzgrinder (2001). He’s anti-Facebook, anti-clickbait, and anti-growth hacking. You should most definitely follow him on Twitter. Yes, right now.
Hello, everyone! It’s a thrill to learn you’ve found time amidst your busy day to spend a few minutes on our blog. Everyone seems to be talking about Taylor Swift lately, so it only seems right that we chime in with our two cents as well. We are fans of her music, even if not everyone on our staff is willing to admit that fact publicly, but we cannot help being a little unhappy with the real reasoning behind her move against Spotify. Read on to find out why.
This blog exists to promote the future of the entertainment industry, and to do that we need input from people like you and your entertainment-loving friends. If you have any questions about the content in this article, or if you have an artist you would like to see featured on this blog, please contact james@haulix.com. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.
Taylor Swift has been the talk of the music industry for a little over two weeks at this point, and if her marketing team continues their efforts our obsession with her every move could easily stretch into December. This is certainly good for Taylor, who has a new album on shelves and a world tour in 2015 that needs to move tickets, but it’s also good for the music business. Why? Because the things Taylor Swift has us talking about are the same topics we have been needing to address as an industry for some time. Streaming payouts are low, but the general consensus is that more and more people are embracing them as their main source for new music. How do we fix this? Can it be fixed? I don’t know the answer to either, but over the weekend we learned a little bit more about the reason for Taylor’s sudden disappearance from Spotify earlier this month.
Speaking publicly for the first time since Swift pulled her catalog from Spotify, Scott Borchetta, the CEO of Taylor Swift’s record label Big Machine says that her music was pulled from Spotify because the streaming platform refused to restrict her new release to its premium paid service. “We never wanted to embarrass a fan,” Borchetta told Nikki Sixx during his Sixx Sense syndicated radio show Friday. “If this fan purchased the record, CD, iTunes, wherever, and then their friends go, ‘Why did you pay for it? It’s free on Spotify.’ we’re being completely disrespectful to that superfan who wants to invest.”
To clarify, Borchetta is referring specifically to Spotify’s free service, which allows non-paying users to enjoy the content offered on the platform without committing to pay a monthly fee for access. It’s not streaming itself he’s against, which is exactly why Taylor’s music can still be found on services like Rdio or Beats Music. Their catalogs are only available to users who have paid a fee for access. The payout to Swift per stream is still low, but it is above zero.
“We determined that her fan base is so in on her, let’s pull everything off of Spotify, and any other service that doesn’t offer a premium service,” said Borchetta. “Now if you are a premium subscriber to Beats or Rdio or any of the other services that don’t offer just a free-only, then you will find her catalogue.”
These statement differ from the reasons Taylor Swift initially offered for removing her music from the popular streaming service. When news originally broke of the removal, Swift told the press:
"If I had streamed the new album, it’s impossible to try to speculate what would have happened. But all I can say is that music is changing so quickly, and the landscape of the music industry itself is changing so quickly, that everything new, like Spotify, all feels to me a bit like a grand experiment. And I’m not wiling to contribute my life’s work to an experiment that I don’t feel fairly compensates the writers, producers, artists, and creators of this music. And I just don’t agree with perpetuating the perception that music has no value and should be free. I wrote an op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal this summer that basically portrayed my views on this. I try to stay really open-minded about things, because I do think it’s important to be a part of progress. But I think it’s really still up for debate whether this is actual progress, or whether this is taking the word “music” out of the music industry. Also, a lot of people were suggesting to me that I try putting new music on Spotify with “Shake It Off,” and so I was open-minded about it. I thought, “I will try this; I’ll see how it feels.” It didn’t feel right to me. I felt like I was saying to my fans, “If you create music someday, if you create a painting someday, someone can just walk into a museum, take it off the wall, rip off a corner off it, and it’s theirs now and they don’t have to pay for it.” I didn’t like the perception that it was putting forth. And so I decided to change the way I was doing things.”
The above is a beautiful and well-worded sentiment about the value of creative expression and the desire to have some control over how people access your work. That said, it does not address the financial aspect of things quite as much as Borchetta’s quotes to Nikki Sixx. This is surely due in part to Taylor’s desire to speak honestly with fans about her own feelings towards streaming, but it’s hard to feel like the initial comments did not also attempt to mislead industry insiders as to the real reason for the change. It was never about how the art was reaching fans, but rather whether or not a pay wall was put in place between fans and the art. Spotify tried to offer fans a direct link to the music that did not require money and they were stopped. Beats, Rhapsody, and Rdio charged people first and then gave them access. It may be a saying as old as time itself at this point, but ‘money talks’ feels relevant once again.
What I find interesting about all this nonsense regarding streaming is the fact neither Taylor Swift nor anyone who works with her have made comments about YouTube. The video streaming platform, which does not require financial contribution of any kind for access to content, has music videos, as well as videos featuring song streams that are taken from phase of Taylor’s career. You can chart her entire existence in the public eye on YouTube, for free, from anywhere with an internet connection. Unlike Spotify however, there is never really an option to support the artist you’re listening to. There is no merch store tie-in, and the payouts for video streams is not exactly something to write home about. Spotify has at least tried to make it easier for artists to promote themselves and hustle merchandise through their platform. What makes YouTube better?
Considering the fact Taylor Swift has yet to pull her music from other streaming services, let on alone sites that offer ‘free’ access, it seems all this fuss over her so-called bold decision to leave Spotify is little more than another successful attempt at fueling the PR engine that keeps the young songwriter’s career in the headlines. Will she see a tiny loss of income as a result of not sharing music on Spotify? Maybe. Will it matter in the grand scheme of things? No. The attention to her music generated by this press blitz will more than cover any lost wages, and even if it doesn’t Taylor has millions at her disposal already. Money talks, but only when Taylor allows it to do so. She is controlling the conversation right now, and that is really what matters most. I just wish she would use to benefit more people than herself.
A lot has been written about the supposed dire state of the music industry, but truth be told there are a number of successful and growing companies, including record labels, that are thriving in 2014. In this column we bring together every job opening we can find from the companies responsible for building the future of the business and present them to you, our reader, in hopes of aiding you on your journey to join the global music industry professional family.
Each Sunday we scour the internet for the latest and greatest job postings throughout the music industry. You can help us better serve our community by sending any job openings you find or have to james@haulix.com. Be sure to include the name of the company hiring, a detailed description of the position being offered, a desired start date, contact information, and any additional supplemental information you feel may be needed.
Job Summary: Ticketmaster is looking for a Senior Interaction Designer to join our growing User Experience team. Reporting to the VP of User Experience, the designer will be responsible for creating best-in-class designs for the next generation of ticketing tools and live event applications. From complexity to clarity, we are seeking candidates who can translate business requirements into clean, intuitive experiences. The selected candidate will have a proven track record of understanding user needs and motivations, identifying underlying problems, and designing effective, highly functional solutions.
Job summary: This individual will be responsible for providing timely and accurate financial reporting and analysis to the Finance and Marketing Organizations. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: forecasting and budgeting, supporting the CMO and business areas VPs on their strategic plans, variance analysis, capital allocation and KPI monitoring.
Job summary: The Marketing Coordinator works closely with the Senior Manager, Sales & Marketing to implement direct marketing plans for all concerts presented by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association.
Job summary: As a Social Media Coordinator, you’ll be responsible for overseeing the social media profiles for a handful of music and/or entertainment clients. You will be charged with creating a social editorial calendar, bringing unique / creative ideas to the table, and executing a defined strategy. The position focuses on ensuring our social media campaigns are fully optimized, forward-thinking and possess consistent movement towards client goals (engagement, growth, awareness, etc.). The social media coordinator will also seamlessly integrate social campaigns with our internal marketing team. This position is a support position, but candidates should be comfortable expressing thoughts, marketing strategies, analytics and general campaign status to clients be it via phone, e-mail or in person.
Job summary: Reporting to the Senior Manager of Marketing Services, the Partner Marketing Manager is responsible for helping Ticketfly clients maximize their marketing potential. This role will serve as a strategic marketing consultant to Ticketfly’s top venue, promoter, and festival partners to help drive important goals like building brand awareness, acquiring new customers, and selling more tickets. The Partner Marketing Manager will act as Ticketfly’s in-house subject matter expert on digital marketing best practices, diving deep into client marketing activities to develop marketing plans, guide implementation, and measure results.
Job summary: This individual will be responsible for a broad range of digital marketing and event coordination activities. They will develop social media campaigns to managing customer leads through Hub Spot. The individual will couple the social media campaigns with industry/customer events designed to drive interest in electric vehicles. You will be part of a small team that manages all marketing, branding, public relations, digital activities and events. This position is responsible for all digital activities.
Job summary: UT School of Music seeks a Communications Coordinator to publicize all music concerts and events, and who is also talented in graphic design and copy editing. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: brochure design, sending e-newsletters, working closely with the School of Music Recruitment Committee and Advisory Board, other on-campus communication’s offices,off-campus news agencies, purchasing advertising, and overseeing all related public relations for the School of Music. Some attendance at evening and weekend events may be required.
Job summary: Responsible for all marketing, advertising, promotional activities, and participation in product development. The Marketing Manager is responsible for developing and maintaining market strategies to meet organizational objectives and reports to the Chief Operations Officer.
Job summary: In this role, you’ll be part of a team responsible for growing a vast world of events—from large conferences to weekly meet-ups, from tech to healthcare to nonprofit to education sectors. You will develop strategies and execute key activities designed to grow our market share in target segments and convert more organizers into Eventbrite advocates. You’ll work cross-functionally across our Marketing, Sales, Product and Design teams to drive initiatives forward, and ultimately help accelerate Eventbrite’s growth across these core markets.
Job summary: Pandora is looking for a Digital Marketing Manager to join the growing Marketing team in Oakland, CA. The Digital Marketing Manager will be responsible for creating, managing and analyzing direct response mobile and web marketing campaigns as well as continuously identifying new opportunities for Pandora to acquire and reengage users.
Job summary: ReverbNation is currently hiring for an articulate, motivated, and skilled marketing professional to become our Content Marketing and Community Manager. This hands-on position will report to the Director of Corporate Marketing and manage the company’s core content marketing efforts, social media and Artist-facing communications.
Job summary: As a Marketing manager, you are a fully dedicated business leader, shaping the future of one of our many Google products. Whether you’re on a consumer product (like Gmail, Search, Maps, Chrome, Android) or a business product (AdWords, AdSense, DoubleClick, Analytics), you take part in a complete marketing experience as you lead every facet of the product’s journey. From determining positioning, naming, competitive analysis, feature prioritization and external communications, you help shape the voice of the product and help it grow a loyal consumer base. This means you work with a cross-functional team across sales, corporate communications, legal, webmasters, product development, engineering and more. The role enables you to shape the product development process, organize product launches from beginning to end and form future marketing strategy.
Job summary: As part of the US Latin Marketing team, the Marketing Content Coordinator is responsible for creating and keeping current a “holistic view” database / portfolio of artist-specific marketing assets that will support multichannel marketing programs, business development / licensing presentations, digital sales initiatives, physical sales initiatives and other programs as might be required.
Job summary: The Marketing Operations Coordinator will lead the daily implementation and coordination of marketing activities, requests and communication across internal and external project teams. The individual will respond to requests from internal (principally Marketing Services Specialists) and external clients by using system tools to implement marketing tasks. He or she will assist in managing and scheduling regular updates for clients and assist the MSS team as required in day-to-day delivery of tactical marketing activities.
Job summary: Bose Corporation was founded in 1964 by Dr. Amar G. Bose. Today, the company is one of the largest and best-known audio technology developers and product manufacturers in the United States and throughout the world. Bose is known for home entertainment systems and speakers, the Wave® products, premium automotive music systems, noise reducing headsets for consumers and pilots and sound for public spaces and musicians. We are seeking a new Sr. Product Marketing Manager to further these efforts.
Job summary: This position is LA-based. Reporting to the VP of Sales & Marketing, the Director of Digital Sales & Marketing will be responsible for developing and fostering key relationships with the sales & marketing teams of worldwide digital and cable retailers. He/she will champion the Orchard’s growing slate of theatrical and digital releases, driving incremental revenue, merchandising and marketing opportunities and overall category management of the portfolio.
Job summary: Pandora is looking for a Digital Marketing Manager to join the growing Marketing team in Oakland, CA. The Digital Marketing Manager will be responsible for creating, managing and analyzing direct response mobile and web marketing campaigns as well as continuously identifying new opportunities for Pandora to acquire and reengage users.
Job summary: This successful sponsorship sales professional will be responsible for creating and selling branded, high-impact music marketing programs across our music properties. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Create, package and sell solution-based music marketing programs for Live Nation amphitheater, club, promotional and digital properties and assets, as well as meeting or exceeding revenue and key account goals.
Job summary: This position is responsible for marketing the Warner Music Group catalog across the online spectrum. The individual in this role will work with the Sales and Marketing Department, collaborating to bring creativity, strategic direction, and best practices in all online marketing efforts across company websites, social media properties and streaming partners. This role is also responsible for outreach to potential online partners to further expose the Warner Music Group catalog to new fans. This position is also responsible for staying in tune with the latest online marketing trends, constantly searching for new partnerships and opportunities to expose the WMG catalog across all online platforms and digital distribution channels, including internal and external partner websites, social media, streaming partners, and apps.
Job summary: The Sales Representative secures high-quality licenses in accordance with the licensing sales process by performing the following duties: Manages all assigned opportunities. Assist in the marketing function, and develops territory plans for approval by team management. Performs traditional sales calls as dictated by the sales process. Makes collections calls as specifically assigned.
Job summary: The role of the Segment Retention Manager – New Customers is to drive customer and competitive insights into the strategic market planning for new customers. The Segment Retention manager will initiate the segment analysis and on boarding journey to lead the transition to segment market plan and metrics. The manager works in tandem with the segment team to weave Planning and Insights seamlessly into customer marketing efforts to drive discovery and engagement. Create customer touch points in support of renewal & retention strategies and leverage digital media and other mediums to achieve strategic goals.
Job summary: The Engineer selected should possess the technical expertise to support all facets of a medium sized Cable Network Post department. The selected candidate should be capable of the following duties: o Perform diagnostics, troubleshooting, routine and preventive maintenance of all equipment in post-production department including tape decks, routers, servers, encoders, graphic and editing system including Avid Interplay/Isis, etc.
Job summary: This individual will direct Cafe sales and marketing efforts ensuring that the business is financially successful and that it represents our brand identity in its entirety, therefore positively impacting our global operation.
Job summary: Responsible for daily management of the digital marketing team and genre-specific oversight of digital marketing strategy. Director also manages a roster of high-profile artists online, including content development and management, grassroots community building and marketing, the Atlantic “artist.com network,” tastemaker sites, and genre-related digital marketing lifestyle outlets. The Director of Digital Marketing is focused on the creation and building of Atlantic’s artist communities as they serve as the core of the direct-to-consumer initiatives and future product development, and guiding their direct reports in executing the digital strategy for the label.
Job summary: The mission of The Juilliard School is to provide the highest caliber of artistic education for gifted musicians, dancers, and actors from around the world, so that they may achieve their fullest potential as artists, leaders, and global citizens.
Job summary: Responsible for providing premier administrative, project, and research support for VP of Alternative/Rock Formats, Director AAA/Adult Promotion, VP of Rhythm/Pop and VP of Adult/Pop Promotion. This should be done in addition to working independently and following through on all assignments.
Job summary: Pay Grade 38/Full-time/Non-Exempt Position. UT School of Music seeks a Communications Coordinator to publicize all music concerts and events, and who is also talented in graphic design and copy editing. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: brochure design, sending e-newsletters, working closely with the School of Music Recruitment Committee and Advisory Board, other on-campus communication’s offices,off-campus news agencies, purchasing advertising, and overseeing all related public relations for the School of Music. Some attendance at evening and weekend events may be required.
Job summary: Boston University College of Fine Arts seeks a music educator at the rank of assistant professor who will be part of the department and is familiar with innovative approaches to music learning and pedagogy; special consideration will be given to candidates who bring expertise related to curricular design, non-traditional music students, advocacy, technology integration, and community engagement. This is a non-tenure track position.
Job summary: We are seeking an outstanding data mining scientist who is interested in designing, developing, and fielding data mining solutions that have direct and measurable impact to Apple. This person will work within and across teams to help identify viable data mining opportunities and then implement end to end analytical solutions. The role requires both a broad knowledge of existing data mining algorithms and creativity to invent and customize when necessary. We are seeking an outstanding data mining scientist who is interested in designing, developing, and fielding data mining solutions that have direct and measurable impact to Apple. This person will work within and across teams to help identify viable data mining opportunities and then implement end to end analytical solutions. The role requires both a broad knowledge of existing data mining algorithms and creativity to invent and customize when necessary.
Job summary: As a member of Business Development, you will be responsible for researching, generating, and contacting potential clients that may benefit from CrowdSurge’s ticketing technology and services. You will cultivate in-depth knowledge of CrowdSurge’s current product and product roadmap to compliment your expert knowledge of the applied markets, allowing you to understand prospective clients’ needs and to convey our services in compelling manner, which underscores how they might enhance the client’s business. You will be responsible for converting prospective clients to incoming clients, and will handover the client relationship seamlessly to the Client Services team. When experiencing difficulty converting prospective clients, you will provide useful insights internally regarding the hurdles faced, in order to grow the company and its products. You will keep abreast of trends in the ticketing space and continually revise your approach to prospective clients based on the current landscape.
Job summary: Successful candidates are individuals who thrive on collaborative teams where everyone works on everything, and everyone is encouraged to contribute ideas across all levels of the organization. You should desire to work in a fast moving and adaptive start-up environment but with the stability, compensation and benefits of a successful company.
Job summary: As a Data Analyst, you will help TuneIn analyze, learn, gain insights, and report on the data underlying our products. With the success and wide adoption of our listening service, our challenges involve very large scale and complex datasets. The collection, analysis and gained insights from these data are crucial for the continued success of Tunein. The Data Analyst will work alongside our product, engineering, and business teams to help ensure we stay informed about the performance of our popular service and its features.
