Month: May 2017

News

Post author By James Shotwell
Post date May 16, 2017

On PWR BTTM, controversy, and the incredible power rights holders wield in 2017

It took less than a week for the career of PWR BTTM, a two-piece punk band from New York, to unravel. After months of digital hype and an outpouring of support from some of the industry’s biggest influencers, accusations of sexual abuse and predatory behavior brought against PWR BTTM member Ben Hopkins spread like wildfire just two days before the group’s Polyvinyl Records debut was due to be released. As word continued to spread, people and brand associated with the act began to distance themselves, including Polyvinyl Records and any label that had worked with the group prior to the alleged incidents. By Friday, the damage was done. Polyvinyl pulled all promotion for the record, as well as any options to purchase the record online, and all upcoming tour dates were cancelled. The hype train was dead, and so was the career of PWR BTTM.

The fallout from the accusations made against Hopkins happened much faster than has typically been the case in similar instance where allegations were brought against a member of the alternative music community. There reasons for this have already been discussed at length, but the fallout itself is pretty typical. First fans revolt, then any associated acts (tour support) and professionals (management, booking, etc.). From there, labels typically issue a statement and announce their plans to sever ties with the talent. Venues may or may not follow suit as well, depending on the band’s level of success and the aforementioned outcry from fans.

The one new twist in the fallout from such allegations being made did not come to pass until the beginning of this week, several days after the allegations were first made. Polyvinyl, having already pulled all physical copies of PWR BTTM’s debut album as quickly as they could, also scrubbed any digital downloads and streams of the record from the internet. Unless you were someone who received a preorder of the album prior to the events of last week, which likely includes anywhere from several hundred to a few thousand people, you have virtually no way to experience PWR BTTM’s album. More importantly, Polyvinyl has no way to recoup any investment they made in PWR BTTM.

The reason Polyvinyl is able to do this, and as a result make PWR BTTM’s catalog virtually unavailable, is because they own the rights to the music. Most labels own all or at least some of the rights to the music the artists on their roster creates, which gives them final authority on how or if that music is available to the public.

And this is the game-changer. Historically speaking, while many labels would pull an artist’s releases from their store and/or cut ties with talent accused of wrongdoing, most label chose to keep the accused musician’s catalog available on streaming services. This means those labels were quietly making money from any streaming royalties connected to that artist’s music while publicly stating they were distancing themselves from that artist. These actions contradict themselves by placing importance on money and recouping costs rather than doing the right thing by consumers and victims. How can you claim to not be associated with a sexual predator if you are cashing checks that resulted from their art? Everyone knows controversy tends to lead to a bump, so if anything these labels are making more money (at least in the short term) because of these incidents.

By expressing their power as rights holders over the music PWR BTTM made Polyvinyl has taken a stand against abusers and sent a strong message to all other artists worldwide. In a time where the vast majority of musicians are creating everything in the digital space it’s important to understand how handing over control also empowers someone else to delete, erase, or pull your work at their discretion. The alleged actions of Hopkins were unquestionably the lynchpin to PWR BTTM’s undoing, but by erasing their work from the internet Polyvinyl has made what would typically be a short, yet forced hiatus into something that feels much more permanent. Will more labels follow suit? I hope so.

Tags ben hopkins, controversy, editorial, Music Business, music industry, opinion, polyvinyl, pwr bttm

News

Post author By James Shotwell
Post date May 16, 2017

…But what does your audience want?

I’ve been emailing with a few up and coming artists about their summer and fall plans. In every exchange I make it a point to ask artists what they’d like to be doing in the 3 month, 6 months, and one year from the point of our conversation. I don’t expect a detailed answer, but whenever someone tells me their goals without mentioning their audience I get worried.

There are a limitless number of paths to success in life and music, but if you are thinking about the future without first considering the demands of your audience you are a blind captain steering a lost ship. We live in the age of on-demand entertainment for every taste, meaning there is always something to meet the needs of consumers. In order to build the kind of following you need to make a career out of music you need to be taking the demands of your audience into account.

Is there enough demand to support a tour through the midwest? What should our setlist be? Should we continue pursuing this new sound? What kind of merchandise should we be printing? If we were to sign with a label, what label rosters would be a good fit for us?

All of these questions are important decisions, and they should not be made without considering what you audiences wants/expects from you.

Social media has made this easier than ever before. On Twitter, for example, you can run custom polls asking your audience to weigh in on virtually anything.

You don’t have to do what your audience demands. At the end of the day your music is an expression of yourself and only you can determine what that means for your craft. If you need to make a bold change, do so with confidence. Your audience will believe in you as long as you believe in yourself.

That said, where business is concerned, the smart plays is always in listening to those always invested in your product. The people who love your music have heard it and talked about it as much – if not more – than you have, and they know a thing or two about it. Listen to them.

James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also the host of the Inside Music podcast. You should probably follow him on Twitter.`

Tags advice, Creativity, Marketing, Music Business

Job Board News

Post author By James Shotwell
Post date May 15, 2017

The ‘Give a Damn’ Factor

This morning when I woke up the last two things I wanted to do was exercise and work.

You know what I did today, in addition to the dozens of small tasks that consumed my time?

I worked and I went to the gym.

It wasn’t fun. In fact, I struggled frequently in both endeavors. But I still did what I needed to do.

Why?

Because I give a damn.

This may sound dumb to you, but it makes all the difference in the world when it comes to success in any form. You have to give a damn, plan and simple. It is the foundation of every bit of progress we make. It is an absolute essential.

You have been told this in various ways throughout your life, but any successful adult will tell you most people never listen. They want things, they might even have talent at them, but they never really give a damn. They expect passion to be enough, but it’s not.

Don’t get me wrong. Passion is important. It is the second building block of success immediately following giving a damn, but without a foundation it is still not enough.

There are thousands of people who want any position in life you seek to hold professionally, possibly millions, but when you get down to it there are a few hundred – at most – who are truly qualified for that position. If you are fortunate enough to be one of those capable of doing the job well you still have to stand out as a leader, and that begins with giving a damn.

Giving a damn may sound easy, but it is a daily struggle everyone faces. There are a million excuses we tell ourselves to get over the fact we aren’t doing the things we want to be doing, and the only way to make that stop is by making a conscious decision daily to live in a different manner. To do the things you don’t feel like doing because it is what needs to be done. To going the extra mile when others would rather go home. To make sacrifices, within reason, in pursuit of a better life for yourself and those around you.

If you have struggled with this before now, don’t fret. Everyone struggles every day. It is how we respond to that struggle that defines our path in life.

Life won’t wait for you or anyone else. Start today.

James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also the host of the Inside Music podcast.

Job Board News

Post author By James Shotwell
Post date May 14, 2017

New openings (5/14/17)

Special Events Coordinator (LA Philharmonic – Los Angeles)

This position is responsible for day-to-day administrative and clerical tasks to support the Special Events team in the implementation of 30+ cultivation and fundraising events. The coordinator will also support the Special Events team in the production of the winter and summer galas at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and Hollywood Bowl respectively.

Senior Music Curator (Amazon – Seattle)

Amazon is looking for an experienced professional to define and push forward our music curation strategy across multiple territories. The Senior Programming Manager for Amazon Digital Music will be responsible for driving customer engagement through the creation and maintenance of playlists and streaming radio stations. This leader will set a path towards iteration and improvement by learning about our customers and their behavior through the collection and analysis of data. This leader will work closely with the Content Acquisition, Marketing, and Site Merchandising teams on customer- and partner-facing initiatives. The Senior Content Programming Manager will also work with Product and Engineering teams to ensure that both internal and external experiences are best-in-class.

Promotions Assistant (KROQ – Los Angeles)

The World Famous KROQ Promotions department is looking to hire a few more promotions assistants. Our ideal candidate is outgoing, timely, responsible and proficient in all social media platforms, If you’re twenty-one or over, and well acquainted with our music & brand, please apply. The promo crew is the perfect opportunity to learn the ins and outs of radio, music, and events while working hard and having fun.

Jewish Arts & Culture Coordinator (JCC of the Greater St Paul Area – St. Paul)

The Jewish Arts & Culture Coordinator is responsible for managing all aspects of the Marvin J. Pertzik Jewish Cultural Arts Department. As a member of the St. Paul JCC’s programming team, this position is responsible for developing, planning and implementing quality programs and events that strengthen both traditional and contemporary Jewish cultural identity for our community. This is a full time, exempt position that reports to the Program Director.

Promotion Events Support (iHeartMedia – Nashville)

Assists the promotions or marketing departments with daily activities that promote the station(s), clients or events.

Responsibilities:

• Coordinates and attends client meetings with sellers and sales managers as needed to plan events and event logistics.

• Collaborates with multiple departments to create and execute promotions such as remotes, events, van hits and other street team activities from start to finish.

• Drives promotional vehicles.

• Performs basic office administrative functions and updates station web site.

• Conducts on-site promotions, and handles clients and listeners.

Talent Buyer (Live Nation – Denver)

Responsible for executing all aspects of Talent Booking for all levels of venues in the Denver Business Unit (including Clubs, Theatres, Ballrooms, Amphitheatres and Arenas). This includes but is not limited to identifying and pursuing artists, negotiating artist guarantees, developing ticket scaling in venues, managing expenses, collaborating with marketing department on show advertising plans, settlement of shows on night of performances, and traveling to performances throughout the region.

Music Account Executive (CBS Radio – Washington DC)

CBS Radio Washington, DC is looking for seasoned sales professionals to develop dynamic marketing campaigns for new and existing clients. The ideal candidate will be someone who can develop new client relationships through cold calling, networking and referrals from existing clients; have an innovative approach to client development and be a team player. This person will continually contact, develop and pursue direct advertising accounts for WPGC and WIAD (Music formats). These individuals are also held accountable for achieving sales budgets and collecting on the accounts. Candidates must have a positive attitude and a drive to win. Self-motivation is essential. If you’re interested in a position thriving in a highly energetic sales environment – this job is the opportunity for you!

Event Production Assistant (WMG – London)

The Events Production Assistant will support the SVP, UK Artist Relations & International Events with the design, planning and execution of all Warner hosted events both in the UK and Internationally.

Part Time Content Specialist (Townsquare Media – Rochester, MN)

Townsquare Media Rochester, MN has an immediate opening for Part-Time Content Specialists on 103.9 The Doc. The ideal candidates have a strong background in creating relevant, topical content for on air, online, and video. You should have an understanding of the The Doc’s format and the audience and community that we serve. A connection with the 25-54 year old listener and online follower and their lifestyle is beneficial. You are willing to create videos, are a blogging and social media machine, and can carry on a meaningful conversation on the radio or are at least willing to give it a go. We’re moving quickly on this so submit your best material as soon as possible. Resume, references and samples of your writing, blogging, and social media are required. Any audio or video samples are a plus.

Marketing Assistant (WMG – Burbank)

With its broad roster of new stars and legendary artists, Warner Music Group is home to a collection of the best-known record labels in the music industry including Asylum, Atlantic, Big Beat, Canvasback, East West, Elektra, Erato, FFRR, Fueled by Ramen, Nonesuch, Parlophone, Reprise, Rhino, Roadrunner, Sire, Warner Bros., Warner Classics, and Warner Music Nashville, as well as Warner/Chappell Music, one of the world’s leading music publishers, with a catalog of more than one million copyrights worldwide.

Multimedia Producer (PRI – Minneapolis)

Working in consultation with the Executive Editor, the Multimedia Producer will be responsible for producing regular music segments and stories in a new collaboration between PRI’s The World and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. The collaboration will explore stories of communities around the world through the music they make. The Multimedia Producer will select stories, research, brief the host, produce studio interviews and mixes and edit audio for the radio broadcast. The Multimedia Producer may also be expected to report and voice their own radio pieces as well as create multi-media content for pri.org using the CMS, including writing posts, sourcing images, and creating slide shows when appropriate.

Older posts (7+ Days)

Director of Development (Mind Meets Music – Grand Rapids, MI)

The Director of Development reports directly to the Executive Director and provides support to the Team in one to one and group working relationships. S/he will have the ability to work independently on projects, from conception to completion, and handle a wide variety of activities and confidential matters with expertise and discretion. S/he must be creative, and enjoy working in an environment that is results-oriented and mission and children driven. The ideal candidate will have strong written and verbal communication, administrative and organizational skills, and the ability to maintain a balance among multiple priorities. The Director of Development possesses planning, project solving, goal setting, and time management skills, group dynamic and team building acumen, and an eye for detail and data analysis. S/he needs to be organized, efficient, and skilled at prioritizing.

Sponsorship Coordinator (Live Nation – Burgettstown, PA)

This position will provide support and sales assistance to Local Sponsorship Sales, overseeing the fulfillment of local, regional, and national accounts by ensuring the delivery of contractual elements and providing excellent customer service. Coordinators will also be responsible for managing all sponsorship inventories.

Campaign Specialist (Pandora – Atlanta)

The Campaign Specialist will partner directly with Sales Account Executives and will be responsible for working internally and externally to ensure that we execute strategically and flawlessly for our advertising partners. The right individual will be a key contributor in Pandora’s Client Services team and responsible for operational development, implementing, maintaining and enhancing these campaigns. This position involves sales and client support, project management, execution and reporting.

Marketing Assistant (Life – Saratoga Springs, NY)

The role of Marketing Assistant is a project based/temporary assignment and plays an important support role to the company by providing assistance with all marketing activities. This roles primary responsibility will be to support marketing, media and promotional efforts of the company across multiple projects. Additional responsibilities include assistance with execution of strategic promotions plans and programs, both short and long range, to achieve event goals and providing additional support as needed.

Community Manager (WMG – NYC)

Radar is a start-up division that sits within both the Warner Music and ADA teams. It is targeting a new exciting market segment for the company of unsigned artists for distribution. The Radar technology is aimed at being the first port of call for the music creator community, giving them the immediate solution for distribution via one of the largest music companies in the World, whilst simultaneously making them visible to the owned labels at Warner and the premium independent labels that are distributed by ADA.

If you enjoy being part of small teams trying to achieve big results, this is for you. As a member of the Radar team, you’ll be highly visible across the whole company, as this project enjoys the support from all corners of the leadership team.

Here you’ll get to:

You will help launch a new business for a leading global music company
You will create content to engage and inspire our artist community
You will manage Radar social media accounts
You will assist the marketing director in contests, launch initiatives, and customer acquisition
You will help users troubleshoot through customer service
You will help fine tune FAQ communications
You will identify and propose development priorities based on artist feedback

Artist Services Coordinator (Beverly Hills, CA)

The Artist Services Coordinator will support the building, execution & reporting of multi-channel marketing programs for Artist Services. This role is a key member of our team to help maximize awareness to support Live Nation Touring clients & Artist Nation managers with targeted marketing campaigns to help promote all aspects of our client’s careers, including new music, new videos / movies, charitable endeavors as well as ticketing selling initiatives. Knowledge and experience with software solutions to execute social media publishing, email marketing and online analytics solutions is preferred. The role requires someone who is a true team player, comfortable in fast pace entertainment environment, very detail oriented, driven by results and has a high standard for quality.

Manager, Artist Marketing (NYC – Spotify)

The Creator Services team is responsible for developing and maintaining the connective tissue between Spotify and the creator community. We are looking for an excellent candidate with experience building out global music marketing campaigns to join our Artist Marketing team.This role sits within the Artist Marketing team, a new team within the Creator Services vertical of Content. This team will collaborate heavily with Spotify’s Core Marketing teams which includes brand managers, communications designers, experiential marketing experts, film producers, copywriters, and social marketing managers.

Director of Production / Associate Producer (Feld Entertainment – Palmetto, FL)

The Director of Production / Associate Producer works with Producers, Sr. Director of Production, and Sr. Executive(s) to identify / develop new show concepts, and oversees all phases of new show production. He/She will also have management responsibility for Feld Entertainment Inc.’s (FEI) internal Music Production and Dubbing personnel.

Marketing Specialist – Frost Music (University of Miami – Miami)

The Marketing Specialist will develop and manage marketing strategies, digital campaigns, events and communication activities designed to effectively promote the programs, faculty, and services of the Frost School of Music. The individual will work with the communications and events team, students, staff, faculty, vendors and contractors as needed. The Marketing Specialist will assess the success of all marketing efforts, will serve as a writer/producer for internal and external communications, and will also manage the development and production of external publications and collateral materials. Under the guidance of the Communications Director, the incumbent will be responsible for developing and implementing integrated marketing, promotional and advertising campaigns to support the recruitment, promotion and development of the School’s initiatives, as well as managing other campaigns to support the School’s marketing strategies. The Marketing Specialist will work with the Director of Events on all aspects of event production (from concerts to conferences and more). This position reports to the Director of Communications.

Sponsorship Coordinator, Sponsorships (Live Nation – Syracuse, NY)

To maximize sales, this position will support Local Sponsorship Sales Director, overseeing the fulfillment of local, regional, and national accounts by ensuring the delivery and tracking of contractual elements and providing excellent customer service. Coordinators will also be responsible for managing all sponsorship inventories and finances and helping to develop new sponsorship programs.

Digital Marketing Specialist ( SoundExchange – Washington DC)

The Digital Marketing Specialist will oversee social media properties and perform strategy development, analytics/insights, and the execution of digital marketing campaigns. This person will serve as the primary point-of-contact and project manager for the creation of digital assets in support of all online marketing and branding initiatives (i.e. website content, mass e-mails, newsletters, banners, video, audio, and other digital content internally and externally).

Listener Advocate (Pandora – Oakland)

Pandora is looking for a Listener Advocate to join our growing team. This is a full-time hourly position located in our Oakland, CA office. Weekly schedule will include weekends and maybe overtime.

Responsibilities:

Provide first-line assistance in response to Pandora listener email. Assist with troubleshooting the set-up and functionality of :
Pandora on a computer (Windows/OS-X,Firefox/IE/Chrome/Safari, Flash)
Pandora on mobile devices (iOS, Android, Blackberry)
Pandora on CE devices (Blu-ray, TV, set-top boxes)
Pandora One Desktop application
Pandora in vehicles
Provide account support for Pandora listeners:
Use of Pandora features and user-interface assistance
Help with registration, lost username and password issues
Transaction troubleshooting
Other duties as assigned

Festival Salesperson (Southern Atlantic – Louisville, KY)

Seeking a trustworthy people person that enjoys music and fresh air. Earn money for traveling to festivals and working our kiosk. Show and sell our fun, cool jewelry to festival goers while earning an hourly pay plus sales bonus. Work in an entertaining, laidback environment with low stress, while maintaining a responsible, professional demeanor.

News

Post author By James Shotwell
Post date May 12, 2017

PRO TIP: Control your high

There is a lot of bad things said in regards to the music business and how it can sometimes appear to be an endless party where adults are able to act like perpetual children as long as actual young people continue to support their craft. There may be some truths to that, but as a whole the industry is filled with people who know how to focus when it counts. This doesn’t mean the temptation to indulge does not exist, nor does it mean that professionals always refrain. If anyone knows how to have a good time it’s music professionals, but it’s how people handle those moments that determines their career trajectory.

Here are some words to live by: Control your high.

What is a high? A high is anything you do to cut loose. This can be drinking, smoking marijuana, eating fast food, combining all three, or doing something else entirely that makes you feel good and helps you unwind. Whatever that thing is that you think of when work is at its worst, that is your high.

A high can be good. Everyone deserves to relax and have a little fun after working hard. As long as no one gets hurt, including the individual, people should be able to do whatever they please in order to enjoy life a bit.

The problem is, not everyone can control their high, and some find themselves in a losing battle with the thing they thought was an aide. Addiction is a beast like no other. It has claimed countless industry lives, both on the artist and professional side. Attached to the monster, but also a beast in its own right is depression, which many attempt to ignore through a dependence on their high. There are more killers out there, but these two are in a league of their own, and many see the opportunities working in the music industry presents as a means to ignore the pain in their lives.

Let’s be clear: You should have a good time. There are perks to working in entertainment, and one of them is the opportunity to experiment with a variety of lifestyles and behavior.

If you want to drink, you should drink.

If you want to smoke, you should smoke.

If you want to do anything that does not harm yourself or others, that is your decision.

AND – If you want to success in business and live a long life, you must learn to do all these things in moderation.

You have to control your high because you cannot afford to have it control you, and that is what will happen. If you are lucky there will be people along the way who help keep you on track, but you could just as easily meet people who encourage behavior detrimental to your well being. At the end of the day, you have to look out for you. Your life depends on it.

Tags advice, Career Advice, Control Your High, Drinking, High, Music Business, Smoking

News

Post author By James Shotwell
Post date May 11, 2017

Spotify has resurrected QR Codes, but will anyone care?

Spotify has a pretty strong record so far in the music business. Apple Music may be able to claim exclusive content, but Spotify is by and large the leader of the subscription streaming revolution. Nearly every single change and improvement the platform has made has been heralded as a smart decision, but their latest tool for sharing may fall short.

Spotify Codes, which the company has also called Spotify Scannables, are an updated take on QR Codes. The classic square appearance has been replaced by a soundwave-like bar code, but the functionality is the same. To use the code, go to your Spotify app, click the search button, and you’ll see a camera icon in the search bar. Hover the camera over the code and the linked music should appear automatically.

The question is not if this tool works, as it most certainly does, but whether or not consumers will embrace them. As we have written in the past, the only notable QR Code driven campaigns to date have come from major brands who were able to mass produce the codes and market their availability. Small campaigns, like those run by independent artists promoting music or gigs, have for more mixed results.

After all, this tool may be useful, but still involves switching to your camera app, which is what people didn’t like about QR codes in the first place. It adds an extra step to discovery that is just as long – if not longer – than typing something into a search box.

The good news here is that Spotify appears to be recognizing the value of the numerous independent artists around the globe who rely on their service to make money off their music. Tools like Spotify Codes show a desire to empower people to share music, which in turn helps artists.

Spotify Codes are now available to all users.

Editor’s note: If you or someone you know has found success in QR code marketing, please email james@haulix.com and share your story.

Tags Marketing, QR Codes, spotify, Spotify Codes

News

Why music festivals should rethink their relationship with the media

Post author By James Shotwell
Post date May 10, 2017

Festival season is upon us, which means there are bloggers and journalists all over the world impatiently waiting to learn what – if any – events they will be covering this summer.

For those who have never attempted to cover a festival before, here’s a quick rundown of how the application process typically works, from beginning to your arrival on site:

Press applications open 2-3 months prior to the event and require your name, publication, traffic size, description of all planned coverage, publishing dates for planned coverage, and (sometimes) a letter of assignment

2-3 weeks before the event, at most, approved members of the press receive letters of acceptance. These letters also include any artist specific coverage restrictions, as well as a photo release (when applicable) that must be signed in advance of the event.

Once approved, press must make good on any promise of preview content ahead of the event. This generally means a ‘must-see’ list of talent or similarly simple promotional content.

In the week before the event the PR and labels for the artists performing are given your contact information. Requests for coverage consideration begin to pour in

Prior to arriving on site most festivals request a list of all desired interviews with talent. Submitting a list does not guarantee approval, but it does mean your publication will be considered. Some approvals may arrive in advance of the event, but decisions on other requests may not be made until you are on site.

Once at the event, you need to check in with the media tent and learn when the interviews you were approved for are scheduled to happen. This schedule is usually determined by the artist, meaning you have to cancel any conflicting coverage that might arise as the last minute in order to conduct your requested interview.

To be fair, a lot of this has to be last minute. It’s the nature of the beast, so to say. Artists come to festivals from all corners of the Earth for a single day and then go back to their tour, studio, personal lives, etc. Knowing when a particular artists will arrive and be available/willing to do press is something that can be hard to confirm in advance.

Coverage on site is another story altogether. Fourteen hour days spent running from stage to stage, trying to take in as much as possible while still being on time to grab photos from the first three songs of the next must-see artist’s performance. When you do have time to relax, you usually need to eat and find somewhere to charge your gear.

Once the festival is complete, all coverage is expected to be live by a certain date or a penalty may be incurred. These penalties range from not being accredited in the future (slap on the wrist), to a fine of $500 (or more).

Suffice to say, covering music festivals is a lot of work, and with each passing year it seems the demands from festivals of accredited press are growing as their interest in making coverage easy seems to wane.

This makes little sense because festivals need media, influencers, and conversation around their event more now than ever. The so-called ‘music festival bubble’ has ballooned to the point there are numerous major events happening every week all summer long across the United States. Aside from genre-specific events, most lineups are largely the same, with a handful of select headliners being relied on to secure the largest chunk of ticket sales.

The competition for consumer dollars in the festival market has never been as fierce as it is right now, and sooner or later many events are going to fold. The ones that survive will do so because of their marketing efforts, community development, and funding, all of which can be aided by great receiving – and enabling – great press.

A great way to do this, or at least to begin, would be for more festivals to consider granting publications more than a single press pass. Festivals are inviting publications to cover an event featuring dozens of artists spread across multiple stages and days on a patch of land several acres in size. Do organizers really believe it is possible for one person to adequately cover even one-fourth of this madness? One-eighth? The more publications can cover, the better, and with the right photo policy (where you credit photographers and only use images with their permission) you can capture countless moments that you would otherwise miss.

Everyone wins when festival media is empowered to do their jobs well. Solid wifi in the press area allows for on-site updates that can encourage walk up ticket sales, as well as amplified conversation over social media. A designated area to conduct interviews away from noisy stages allows for higher quality content to be produced, which in turn encourages greater engagement.

The truth is that every piece of media created because of a festival is an advertisement for that festival. It does not matter who creates the content, only what impression that content makes on consumers. A lot of this is out of the festival’s control, but there is plenty that can be done to aide members of the media in properly covering their events. To not do so would be to hinder future promotion, and that is the kind of mistake events of any size cannot afford in today’s marketplace.

James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also the host of the Inside Music podcast and a ten-year veteran of music journalism. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

Tags 2017, advice, festival press, Journalism, music, Music Business, Music festivals, music industry, Music Journalism

News

Can someone create a successful, sustainable music blog in 2017?

Post author By James Shotwell
Post date May 8, 2017

Not long ago the idea of launching a music blog was thought to be a smart way for aspiring music professionals to network and get their foot in the door of an otherwise hard to access industry. Anyone living anywhere who could string together sentences and navigate a ‘create your own site’ type blogging platform (WordPress, Tumblr, Blogspot, etc.) was suddenly able to be a part of the entertainment business, and many signed up to do just that. Sites of all sizes were creating original content, building communities, and – in some cases – catching the attention of the business world at large. Some site owners sold their creations for thousands of dollars, while others built writing teams largely funded through click-driven ad revenue.

Over the last few years however, things have gone downhill. Sites have been folding by the dozens, and any newcomers who dare try to launch a new project without some kind of celebrity backing or association often struggle to develop an audience. Patreon has helped in some cases by making it easy for consumers to support content creators, but when the majority of a site’s content (news) is easily available for free on a hundred other sites convincing people a single blog deserves even a dollar a month can be an uphill battle. This is especially with younger audiences, who have likely never paid to read news or opinions in their life. That demographic has only ever known the news to be something that was available on demand, for free, 24/7. To make them think otherwise requires original thinking, innovative content, smart marketing, and relatable voices with in-depth knowledge of the subject matter.

But there’s a problem: All of those things require money, and anyone who is actually getting paid to write about music right now will tell you there is little of that to be found. Advertising revenue has been falling for years, which has no doubt killed many publications and forced others to drastically downscale their operations. In turn, the rate(s) freelance writers receive for their work has continue to fall year over year. Some have found success by selling music related content to brands and social platform as a form of marketing, but even those jobs are increasingly hard to find.

With all of this in mind one has to wonder:

Can we create a successful, sustainable music blog in 2017?

From my experience, the responses to this questions can best be described as coming from either optimists or realists. The optimists will tell you that people will support something they believe if it is done well. Realists will tell you there is a lot of great content from great writers available for free all the time, so why do you think anyone’s work deserves more than theirs?

It really comes down to money and content. If you ask former music bloggers why they quit the first response they are most likely to offer will relate in some way to money. Maybe they needed more of it, or maybe they never made any at all. Maybe they made it work for a minute, but in order to have any kind of life as a functional adult they needed to seek additional employment. That secondary job inevitably paid more than writing so, over time, writing faded into the background.

Seriously, you would not believe the amount of great music writers who would love to continue writing about music, but due to the simple fact they have lives they cannot reason the time needed when no payment is involved. It’s not a matter of whether or not they are writing for the right reasons, but that our society is not one where credits can sustain one’s continued existence. Clicks don’t put food in writer’s stomachs or pay for their kids to have school clothes. People need money to live and asking for it in exchange for their time and creativity should not be something they hesitate to do. They deserve it.

The other factor, as mentioned above, is content. What kind of content can a publication offer today that cannot be found elsewhere for free? The answer is two-fold: The voices of the writers involved, and the type of content they are able to create because they have funding. The possibilities are endless as long as their is support for the creative endeavors of those involved.

If it mainly comes down to money, how much do we need?

This is a good question. Perhaps, the only question. There is no exact answer, but reliable monthly income is a good place to start. The amount a writer feels their work is worth and the amount they’re willing to accept to create said work is often two different numbers. Those with a passion to develop a sustainable brand and home for their work will be willing to take less to begin if they believe in what is being created. With the backing of an audience that reenforces the necessity of their work through financial support writers can be positioned to do great things on even modest budgets.

The thing is, most career writers will not jump into a non-paid project for an unknown site if there is no guarantee of money down the line. They may be willing to contribute an article or two, but they are likely too busy with paying work to take on something for credit.

How do we get around this?

It is possible that there are consumers who want quality content related to alternative music/entertainment enough to financially support a site at launch. With the right team of influencers, each bringing their own audience to the site, a community of passionate readers could theoretically support a new site from launch.

Right now, the best way to approach this appears to be through a funding site like Patreon, which allows consumers to give creators a few dollars a month, every month, in exchange for continued content creation. One could create a Patreon page promoting the launch of a new music site from a group of writers who have agreed to write as long as the page maintains X amount of money per month. Readers wishing to see the site launch agree to contribute a few dollars a month, and once a certain threshold is reached the site goes live. From that point, the amount of money generated per month directly correlates to the amount of content created.

For example: Let’s say MUSIC BLOG X starts a Patreon Page promising to launch once the site is receiving $250 a month in contributions. Prior to reaching this goal, all subscribers who sign up to donate early will receive a weekly newsletter with headlines and short reviews. Once the page is bringing in $250 a month, the site goes live. At this point all money donated to MUSIC BLOG X is split into three groups: Site costs, operational fees (taxes), and paying contributors. The first two groups could be covered with $100 a month. If the site continues to generation $250 a month, this leaves $150 to pay contributors. If the site pays writers $15 per feature (a low rate), the site can run 10 features that month. As more contributions come in, more content can be afforded. Writers get paid, readers get quality content. Everyone wins.

But we still come back to the first problem: Finding consumers who ‘give a damn’ enough to pay for a new publication.

It’s one thing to find subscribers to established brands, even if you have to lowball yourself to do so (Example: Alternative Press selling $5 subscriptions), but starting something new is an entirely different story. Many people equate something new with presenting risk, and no one likes to think they are risking their money. It may take a ‘proof of concept’ beta site to win over consumers, and even then it will be an uphill battle to gain followers.

This does not mean we should not try.

If you look around the digital space you will find there are small revolutions happening all the time. Every week there is a new idea or site or trend that grabs a corner of the internet by the collar and hooks them into whatever is being sold. It is unclear how large the market for a music blog is in 2017, but suffice to say there will always be an audience for quality music journalism. We as creators have to believe there are consumers who understand that the content we provide is not created out of thin air, and that every keystroke comes at a cost of time and money to the content creator. Just because consumers cannot hold our creations does not mean they do not have value, but convincing a generation of consumers raised to believe otherwise is a problem plaguing much of the digital space. The answer appears to reside in people and the community that can be created around their voices, as well as through empowering those who support them. When everyone feels like they are not only being heard, but respected, then we can move forward a global music community.

We need a revolution. Who will lead us into the future?

James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also the host of the Inside Music podcast and a ten-year veteran of music journalism. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

Tags advice, Blog revolution, Blogging, music blogs, Music Business, music industry, Music Journalism, New Blog, writing

Job Board News

Post author By James Shotwell
Post date May 8, 2017

New openings (5/8/17)

Director of Development (Mind Meets Music – Grand Rapids, MI)

Sponsorship Coordinator (Live Nation – Burgettstown, PA)

Campaign Specialist (Pandora – Atlanta)

Marketing Assistant (Life – Saratoga Springs, NY)

Community Manager (WMG – NYC)

Here you’ll get to:

You will help launch a new business for a leading global music company
You will create content to engage and inspire our artist community
You will manage Radar social media accounts
You will assist the marketing director in contests, launch initiatives, and customer acquisition
You will help users troubleshoot through customer service
You will help fine tune FAQ communications
You will identify and propose development priorities based on artist feedback

Artist Services Coordinator (Beverly Hills, CA)

Manager, Artist Marketing (NYC – Spotify)

Director of Production / Associate Producer (Feld Entertainment – Palmetto, FL)

Marketing Specialist – Frost Music (University of Miami – Miami)

Sponsorship Coordinator, Sponsorships (Live Nation – Syracuse, NY)

Digital Marketing Specialist ( SoundExchange – Washington DC)

Listener Advocate (Pandora – Oakland)

Pandora is looking for a Listener Advocate to join our growing team. This is a full-time hourly position located in our Oakland, CA office. Weekly schedule will include weekends and maybe overtime.

Responsibilities:

Provide first-line assistance in response to Pandora listener email. Assist with troubleshooting the set-up and functionality of :
Pandora on a computer (Windows/OS-X,Firefox/IE/Chrome/Safari, Flash)
Pandora on mobile devices (iOS, Android, Blackberry)
Pandora on CE devices (Blu-ray, TV, set-top boxes)
Pandora One Desktop application
Pandora in vehicles
Provide account support for Pandora listeners:
Use of Pandora features and user-interface assistance
Help with registration, lost username and password issues
Transaction troubleshooting
Other duties as assigned

Festival Salesperson (Southern Atlantic – Louisville, KY)

Older listings (7+ Days)

Junior Publicist/Digital Media Strategist (Music City Media – Nashville, TN)

Are you a young professional who geek’s out over artist development, public relations, social media and the land of the worldwide web? Do you enjoy building artist careers? Creating banners and art for social/digital posts? Helping artists create their brand on paper and online? Music City Media, a boutique-style PR, marketing and branding company (in the music and entertainment sector) is seeking a junior publicist to join our team.

Digital Marketing & Strategy Manager (NYC – Live Nation)

One of Live Nation joint ventures is seeking a Digital Marketing and Strategy Manager. This position reports to the Director of Digital Marketing and Strategy and serves as a key member of the Digital Team. The role will support continued development and growth for a diverse roster of artists. Responsibilities will include executing promotional campaigns, designing and implementing creative marketing plans, securing digital retail merchandising, facilitating requests between partners, managers and artists & maintaining artist web and social platforms. This Manager will be responsible for shaping both digital strategy and the execution of plans, including social media publishing, on a daily basis.

Music Metadata Specialist (UCLA 0 Los Angeles)

Reporting to the Team Leader, Subject Specialists; Music Cataloger, the Music Metadata Specialist (MMS) performs cataloging, which includes utilizing derived copy, enhancing and replacing OCLC catalog records at the network level, and creating original catalog records in OCLC when no copy is available. The MMS works primarily with music monographic resources in various manifestations (scores, sound recordings, books, videos, CD-ROMs, etc.), and in other areas as needed. The MMS creates and enhances standard metadata as needed for digital library projects in all disciplines.

Digital Marketing Manager, Audience Development (Complex – NYC)

Based in New York, NY, Complex (http://www.complex.com) is seeking a talented Digital Marketing Manager to join our Audience Development team and develop highly creative marketing plans impacting an enormous global audience. The Digital Marketing Manager’s work will help promote a wide range of Complex Media’s programming content. The ideal candidate should demonstrate fresh thinking and creative, cutting-edge work that stands out from the clutter.

Label Copy Coordinator (Sony – NYC)

The Coordinator will be responsible for researching release information for releases spanning several genres (rock, pop, jazz, classical) and the entry and maintenance of the information in the Sony Music proprietary label copy system (GRAS).

Marketing Specialist, Digital Media (Beats By Dre – Culver City, CA)

Beats by Dr. Dre is seeking a Marketing Specialist, Digital Media to create and deliver engaging, high performance digital media plans for a culture/lifestyle brand. This role is responsible for strategy, development, implementation, measurement, and optimization of all digital media, including high impact media, content driven strategies, performance media and e-commerce initiatives across all digital channels. Candidate should have demonstrated ability to drive the business through data driven digital media planning in an innovative and demanding environment. The ideal candidate will have strong analytical background, a rock solid understanding of the evolving digital landscape, and experience in both high impact, content driven campaigns as well as programmatic initiatives. The team culture is fast-paced, creative, results-driven, and focused on delivering best in class work.

Senior Director, Artist Marketing (Spotify – NY or LA)

The Creator Services team is responsible for developing and maintaining the connective tissue between Spotify and the creator community. For the position of Senior Director, Artist Marketing, we seek an outstanding candidate with experience building out global music marketing campaigns to join our Artist Marketing team. This role sits within the Artist Marketing team, a team within the Creator Services vertical of Content. This team will collaborate heavily with Spotify’s Core Marketing teams which includes brand managers, communications designers, experiential marketing experts, film producers, copywriters, and social marketing managers. This role will be based in either New York or Los Angeles and will report into the Global Head of Artist Marketing.

On-Air Promotions/Programming Assistant (20th Century Fox – Minneapolis, MN)

FOX Sports North is searching for a On-Air Promotions/Programming Coordinator to join their team in Minneapolis. The position is responsible for the execution of on-air presentation and promotional plans. Duties include coordinating and managing placement of promotional material. This position is also responsible for providing support for the Director of Programming in gathering, coordinating and disseminating programming information – both internally and externally. This position has a dual reporting structure: to the Director of Marketing/On-Air Presentation and the Director of Programming at FOX Sports North/Wisconsin and is located in Minneapolis, MN.

Music Coordinator (Milwaukee School of Engineering – Milwaukee, WI)

The Music Coordinator will administer and produce all aspects of University music programming. This would include recruitment, training, and facilitating the various music-centered student organizations.

Major Respnsibilities:

Provide music directing and leadership for the Student Music Organization (SMO) and the Sound Engineers (pep band).
Encourage the growth and coordination of other music programs, including but not limited to, acapella groups, student bands, etc.
Work with musicians at all levels of musicianship and experience.
Coordinate with Student Life and Athletics in planning events and programs.
Lead and coordinate with other members of the MSOE and WMSE music community.
Provide support and resources for the established and emerging music ensembles and organizations.

Account Executive (Soundcloud – TBD)

SoundCloud is seeking an Account Executive with a passion for thinking of innovative ways to connect brands and audiences on channels such as Audio, Display, Video, Native and Custom across Web and Mobile! A successful candidate will have very strong communication and interpersonal skills, be resourceful, customer focused, team oriented, and will have an ability to work independently to meet revenue and business objectives. You will have a proven track record of meeting or exceeding revenue targets and developing new agency and direct relationships.

Temporary Label Operations Coordinator (Sony – Nashville)

This is a long-term temporary position. The Label Operations Coordinator will coordinate day to day mailroom operations; deliver all incoming and interoffice mail; process all outgoing parcels; assist A&R department with fulfillment of audio/video distribution requests and support general business unit operational activities.

Festival Salesperson (Southern Atlantic – Nashville, TN)

Artist Royalty Clerk (UMG – Woodland Hills, CA)

UMG is currently seeking to fill the role of Artist Royalty Clerk. In this role, you will be assisting the Domestic Artist Royalty Group. The clerk will be responsible for processing daily, weekly & monthly Excel files. They will also handle department emails and statement mailings and will use several intranet sites for various job functions.