Month: March 2020

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Industry News News

How To Support Your Favorite Artists During Coronavirus

Coronavirus

The music industry is taking some significant blows this week thanks to the Coronavirus. Artists and professionals alike are unsure what the future holds, but there are things consumers can do to ease their stress.

We live in scary times. As the Coronavirus continues to spread around the world, infecting thousands and killing many, the global economy is beginning to take a hit. People are being laid off, events are being canceled, and most believe worse announcements are right around the corner. 

The United States economy did not begin reacting to the outbreak until earlier this week, but the last five days have brought fear and stress the likes of which we have not seen in some time. The music industry, in particular, has been hard hit. As one industry professional said this week, “show me a tour that isn’t already canceled, and I’ll show you a tour that will be canceled tomorrow.”

And it’s not just big events. The loss of SXSW and postponement of Coachella no doubt hurt many music professionals, but the dozens, if not hundreds of tours forced into cancellation or postponement hurt many more. Artists who cannot tour will struggle to pay their bills, and the many professionals who rely on artists touring to keep their businesses operating smoothly will be forced to make hard decisions. 

As it stands, virtually every concert between now and the end of March is canceled or delayed. Additional cancellations and postponements may arise in the weeks ahead. That’s a lot of lost income for countless thousands of music professionals, all of whom are now needing consumer support more than ever.

If you are a fan of music, and we mean any music at all, please consider doing one or more of these things to ensure your favorite musicians and the professionals that make their careers possible keep their heads above water:

  • Stream their music.
  • Better yet. Buy music.
  • Please don’t take a refund unless it’s necessary. Most performances will be rescheduled for a future date.
  • Buy merchandise.
  • Donate directly to an artist through Vimeo or PayPal (our friends at Fly On The Call have a regularly updated list of artist accounts you can access for free).

Don’t have money to spare? It’s more important than ever to promote your favorite musicians. Share their music on social media, tell friends about why their music matters, and write/create videos/start podcasts celebrating the art that means the most to you. Everyone is going to be spending more time at home in the coming weeks, and that is a lot of time people can be discovering the next song or artist that changes their life. You have the power to influence positive change, both for the artists you love and the strangers online you consider a friend. Use it.

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Industry News News

Five Finger Death Punch conquer global charts with ‘F8’

With numerous top 10 chart appearances for their new album and over 1-million ticket sales in the last two years, Five Finger Death Punch is proving that rock is far from dead.

Record-breaking rock juggernaut FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH has a lot to celebrate as the band’s latest album F8 has earned top positions on the charts worldwide. 

The album has debuted at #1 on Rock charts worldwide with a Top 10 Mainstream chart in US, Austria, Australia, Canada, Finland, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and more.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH has amassed over 3 billion streams to date, over 2 billion video views and is the 3rd biggest artist in the hard rock space measured by total consumption (digital sales added to digital streams converted to sales) – surpassed only by Metallica and AC/DC.  

Over the last decade, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH has become one of the most recognizable names in music. The band has sold over 1 million concert tickets in the past two years and over $40 million in merchandise sales globally. 

Every record since the release of the band’s 2007 debut album The Way of the Fist, has been certified Gold or Platinum by the RIAA – 4 Platinum and 6 Gold Records. The band has earned numerous awards and honors and is one of the few recipients of the prestigious Soldier Appreciation Award from the Association of The United States Army. Recently, Five Finger Death Punch was nominated for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Artist at this year’s iHeartRadio Music Awards.

The new album, F8 includes the band’s #1 single “Inside Out”, as well as instant grat tracks “Full Circle” and “Living The Dream.” The standout track for press and fans alike since release has been “A Little Bit Off,” with charts in the US, Canada and Germany highlighting the song with #1 debuts.

F8 was produced by FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH with long time producer KEVIN CHURKO (Ozzy Osbourne, Disturbed, Slash, etc).  “F8, the group’s eighth, is their most mature offering to date,” Billboard states. “It features singer Ivan Moody chronicling his daunting path to sobriety over music that traverses a diverse range of styles, from sensitive ballads to balls-out barnstormers.”

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH will kick off the next leg of its U.S. Arena tour in April 2020 and will bring along special guests Papa Roach, I Prevail, as well as highly acclaimed newcomer Ice Nine Kills. For all dates, VIP and more info, please visit www.fivefingerdeathpunch.com.

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News

Better Noise and Bad Wolves Spread Hope for Recovery

With “Sober” climbing rock charts worldwide, Better Noise Records and Bad Wolves are asking fans to help spread hope for recovery with a new campaign.

 “Sober”, the current single from BAD WOLVES’critically acclaimed album, N.A.T.I.O.N. (available for streaming now) is also the lead track from the soundtrack to Better Noise Films’ Sno Babies. The video, released today, features footage from the film and portrays the devastating impact of addiction on families and relationships while remembering that recovery is possible for those who can stay the course.  

“This song was a unique opportunity to talk about addiction not only from the perspective of the addict but also from the perspective of their loved ones,” says lead singer Tommy Vext. “The message is very different from traditional songs that seem to always perpetuate a mentality of self-victimization which is exactly the kind of misguided thinking that perpetuates the mental obsessive side of alcoholism and addiction.  In the end the moral of the story is about holding on to not giving up on ourselves or the people who are trying – who are really, really trying to make and better themselves.”  

Sno Babies, which will hit screens June 2020, tells the story of two suburban teenage girls who fall into a brutal battle with opiate addiction. The film, starring Michael Lombardi [Last Knights, Rescue Me (FX)] and new-comer Katie Kelly [Game of Silence (NBC)] refutes the “not in my neighborhood” stigma of addiction and depicts the scale and pervasiveness of substance use disorders. 

In a mission to reduce the stigma and make an impact, BAD WOLVES has collaborated with The Global Recovery Initiatives (GRI) to use the video’s release as a platform to raise awareness of GRI’s efforts to provide access to recovery support services all around the US.  GRI is raising funds for the specific purpose of putting 1000 AmeriCorps recovery workers in the field.  Studies have shown that individuals who access these services after treatment such as recovery housing, recovery coaching, peer support groups, and job training resources, are more likely to stay in recovery.  A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Sno Babies Soundtrack will go to help fund this initiative. 

GRI’s Board Chair Pam Cytron explains “Tommy’s candor is a brave and powerful demonstration of what the successful road to recovery can look like.  We are excited to partner with Bad Wolves and spread that hope to others— because we know for the 21 million people in recovery in the U.S, the benefits are immeasurable.”

In addition to their work with Sno Babies and GRI, BAD WOLVES started an Indiegogo campaign to benefit Rock To Recovery. The various packages they will offer on their Indiegogo campaign will include signed items, limited-edition merchandise and exclusive access at an upcoming Bad Wolves show. Rock To Recovery aims to transform the lives of veterans, youth, and those working to overcome addiction, eating disorders and a variety of mental health issues via the powerful, healing, spiritual experience of creating and playing music. For more information on this campaign, click here.

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Editorials Haulix News Recommendations

Haulix Recommends: Body Count – Carnivore

Thirty years into a career defined by defiance, Body Count is back and better than ever on their new record Carnivore.

In a time of uncertainty, it’s good to know that some things never change. Body Count — comprised of Ice-T, Ernie C, Sean E Sean, Vincent Price, Ill Will, Juan of the Dead, and Little Ice — is the same relentless heavy, unabashed band they were in 1990. That isn’t to say they have not evolved because they’ve done that many times over, but the group has never conformed to expectations or industry pressure. They are a middle finger to those who claim the blueprint for music success requires people to look or sound a certain way, and they stand for everyone’s rights to be whoever they want to be (as long as you don’t wish harm on anyone else). 

Carnivore, the band’s seventh full-length record, continues Body Count’s reputation for speaking their minds on the state of the world. It’s an album about taking life by the reigns, taking responsibility for your actions, and working to create the world you want to see. Body Count has grown tired of people complaining, especially when they’re not doing anything to influence change, so they use this record to ignite our collective desire to fight for a better life. They believe nothing happens unless you work to make it happen, and they use this record to urge listeners to take action.

Carnivore also takes aim at those who hide from reality. Body Count rarely calls out a specific person or group, but there is an undeniable sense of frustration against anyone who uses their platform to assume false positions of power under the guise of sensitivity. The band knows the world is dangerous, and that anyone can be eaten alive at any moment. Death is inevitable, and since we have no idea what comes after, why shouldn’t we allow ourselves to lead the lives we want? Who is anyone to condemn the lifestyle or actions of others unless those people are causing harm? 

The aggression and unabashed honesty on display throughout Carnivore should give hope to artists around the world who dream of using music to speak their minds. There is power in speaking your truth, and Body Count is proof that power can be harnessed for decades. It also helps to have some strong songwriters and the brilliant production of Will Putney at your side, of course, but the point remains. Body Count is the type of band the world desperately needs right now, and we’re happy to see them thriving after all the time.

Carnivore is available everywhere starting today, March 6. Stream the album on Spotify below or click here to order the record on vinyl.

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Artist Advice Business Advice Editorials Haulix Industry News News

Understanding Success Through The Failure of Others

Want to get ahead in music? It’s better to learn from those who fall short of success than those who top the charts. Let us tell you why.

Human beings always want to be the best, so it makes sense that we would look to the most successful among us to learn how we can get ahead. Whether in life or art, people follow leaders because we believe they know something we do not (and in many cases, they do). However, only following the most successful artists and humans will give us an incomplete picture of success.

Consider Drake and Billie Eilish, for example. Both artists exist at the top of their game, both play to sold-out crowds everywhere they go, and both lead the kind of lives that artists on the rise often seek. There is a lot to learn from the things that work in their careers. Drake and Billie are both original voices who share their perspectives on the world with catchy songwriting back by superb production. You can emulate everything about them and find success to one extent or another, but you’ll never be as big as either is right now because you’d merely be a clone of someone else.

To really succeed in music we must look to the artists who never made it big. We have to look at the “would-a,” “could-a,” and “should-a” talent to learn what they missed so we don’t fall victim to the same mistakes. Why do some artists hit it big once and then disappear? Why do talented musicians grind their bones to dust living in vans only to burn out before their careers reach the heights their talent suggests they should? If you can answer questions like that, then you will be prepared to navigate the incredibly tricky terrain of the music business.

On today’s episode of Music Biz, host James Shotwell explains survivorship bias and how it applies to musicians. Check it out below or on our official YouTube channel.

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