Month: March 2021

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Industry News News

Spotify Is Launching A Clubhouse Competitor

Spotify Clubhouse Acquisition

Spotify continues its quest to dominate the audio space by acquiring the company behind the fast-rising Locker Room app.

The day we predicted less than a week ago has already come to pass. The Verge reports that Spotify is acquiring Betty Labs, the company behind the live sports audio app Locker Room. Details of the purchase are not available at this time.

As a result of the acquisition, Locker Room will stay live in the App Store but will be rebranded with a different name in the future on iOS and, eventually, Android with a broader focus on music, culture, and sports content. It’s clear that Spotify sees real-time audio interactions as the future of conversation online. A tool like Locker Room is perfect for hosting album premieres, conversations with fans, and breaking entertainment news.

Gustav Söderström, chief R&D officer at Spotify, tells The Verge that Spotify will let anyone host conversations — not just approved creators — meaning its app will directly compete with all of the various live audio apps currently on the market, including Twitter Spaces, Clubhouse, and Discord. Although he says Spotify-employed creators won’t be required to go live only on Spotify’s app, he thinks it’ll be a “great compliment” to their existing Spotify audiences. Still, the two apps will remain separate.

“But who knows,” adds Söderström. “Maybe we’ll integrate some of these features or all of these features in the future.”

Our YouTube channel, Music Biz, recently covered how a Clubhouse-like feature could benefit Spotify’s long-term goals of total audio dominance. Check it out:

Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.

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Industry News News

Could Spotify and Clubhouse be a Perfect Match? [VIDEO]

Combining two of the biggest audio-focused apps on the planet seems like a no-brainer, but will it actually happen?

The competition for listener attention and money in the crowded audio space is fierce. With virtually all streaming platforms offering the same songs, the only thing that can separate each brand is in the features they offer. Podcasts alone are not enough. High-fidelity recordings are not enough. The companies that rise above in 2021 and beyond need to be thinking outside the box, and it looks like Spotify may be doing just that with its latest activity. 

Recently, Spotify Daniel Ek participated in a Clubhouse event with Mark Zuckerberg that seemed to reveal his interest in audio-driven social technology. He then confirmed this belief in an interview with The Verge where he stated:

“I think that there’s a number of different elements of what social audio or Clubhouse even is. So I think on the one end, you’re seeing the interaction between two or more people talking, and obviously, if you think about podcasts today, that’s typically the format that’s working pretty well there, too. So I’m not surprised that that’s working.

I’m also not surprised that social features, users to users interacting with each other, are working. So it is an interesting space, and it’s definitely something that we’re keeping an eye on. Long-term, though, I think the broader shift that has been true with the internet has been most of the hours of consumption, we believe, will be moving from linear to on-demand. Meaning consumers should be able to consume whatever content that they want on their terms and not necessarily be beholden to someone else’s schedule. So I think it’s a really interesting format from a creation perspective, but I suspect that from the consumption perspective, most of the time consumed will still be on-demand which is what Spotify is known for today.“

The interest Ek — and by extension, Spotify — has in Clubhouse doesn’t stop there. In the last week, the streaming service has asked users with ad-supported streaming subscriptions to offer their thoughts on Clubhouse. The survey ends with a notice that the company will likely have more questions about Clubhouse soon.

But what does this mean? Two ideas that come to mind:

  • Spotify is considering acquiring Clubhouse.
  • Spotify is preparing to launch a native version of Clubhouse.

In the latest Music Biz update, host James Shotwell explains the latest rumors and argues that combining these two wildly popular apps could mark the dawn of a new age in music consumption and conversation. Check it out:

Spotify — or any streaming service — offering a native version of Clubhouse could be a pivotal moment in digital music evolution. For the first time, artists would host interactive fan events in the same place where their music is available for consumption. Rather than pointing fans from IG live, Zoom, or Twitch to yet another platform, everything an artist needs to engage with fans would be in one place.

Only time will tell what happens between these apps, but given Ek’s interest it seems likely something will develop in the months and years ahead. Stay tuned.

Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.

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Haulix Industry News News Podcasts

Haulix And Season Of Mist Release New Season of High Notes Podcast

High Notes, the world’s first addiction and recovery podcast set in the music business, returns today with three new episodes.

Today – Tuesday, March 23, 2021 – Haulix.com, the music industry standard for promotional distribution, and leading metal label Season of Mist are thrilled to share a new season of HIGH NOTES, the critically-acclaimed podcast about addiction and recovery in the music business. The three-episode series is available now on all podcast platforms, including the Music Biz YouTube Channel.  https://linktr.ee/highnotes

“We at Season of Mist are extremely thankful for the meaningful work that [host] James Shotwell is doing with High Notes. We are so proud of our artists and friends of the label who came together to share their stories of addiction and recovery, a feat that requires much courage as there is still a dark stigma attached to this often misunderstood illness. We hope to help erase that stigma and, more importantly, that these stories will help those who are struggling to know they are not alone and that recovery is possible.”

Guests on the latest season of High Notes include Aðalbjörn “Addi” Tryggvason of Sólstafir, Roger LeBlanc of Numenorean, and influential artist manager Erin Lynch. Descriptions for each episode are as follows:

Episode 1: Aðalbjörn “Addi” Tryggvason of Sólstafir is a metal legend. For the better part of thirty years, he has brought Icelandic post-metal and black metal to the masses. His music is influencing up-and-coming artists worldwide, and hopefully, his journey in recovery will as well. Addi recounts how a wild night involving sex, drugs, alcohol, and a symphony orchestra changed his life forever. He also recounts tales of debauchery, including trashed hotel rooms, and how his sense of what it means to be a quote/unquote “rock star” has changed with time.

Episode 2: Roger LeBlanc is the vocalist and guitarist of Numenorean, a Canadian metal band that joined the Season of Mist roster in 2016. Roger led a typical life of touring and drinking until his partner said his behavior needed to change. That single interaction, coupled with a lifetime of watching people succumb to their demons, lead Roger to make major changes in his outlook on life. Roger tells us why it’s so important to destroy the stigma surrounding addiction and mental health struggles, especially in the world of heavy metal.

Episode 3: Artist Manager and live event extraordinaire Erin Lynch is the first non-musician to appear on High Notes. She has never topped the Billboard charts or rocked a crowd of thousands at a music festival, but Erin plays an integral role in helping countless artists achieve their dreams. Her presence on our shows shines a light on the reality of life for those who work behind-the-scenes to make rock and roll exist. She also offers guidance for those who want to change but are hesitant about confiding in those around them.

The first podcast of its kind, HIGH NOTES features exclusive, in-depth conversations with rock and alternative musicians in various stage of recovery. Guests from the first two seasons include Shannon Larkin of Godsmack, Brian “Head” Welch of KoRn, Craig Mabbitt of Escape The Fate, Eric Christopher of Hospital Bracelet, Clint Lowery of Sevendust, Amanda Lyberg of Eva Under Fire, Donovan Melero of Hail The Sun, Bert McCracken of The Used, Anthony Green of Circa Survive, and more. Each episode delves into a different guest’s journey to sobriety and the role the music business played in helping (or hurting) their recovery.

“At Haulix, in addition to taking care of our customers, we take pride in using our industry reach to educate and shine light on topics less heard about, like addiction and recovery,” says company founder and CEO Matt Brown. “Our High Notes series lets us tap into real world experiences spoken by the artists themselves.”

Seasons 1 and 2 of High Notes are available now on all streaming platforms. The show is produced with support from the amazing teams at heartsupport and the Global Recovery Initiatives Foundation. 

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Industry News News

87% Of Musicians Believe The Pandemic Has Hurt Their Mental Health

With no definitive end in sight, the devastating impact of COVID-19 on musicians’ mental health is becoming increasingly clear.

A new report from Health Musicians UK has found that 87% of professional musicians believe their mental health has deteriorated during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 100-year-old charitable organization released their findings of a survey conducted with 700 musicians earlier this month.

The report also found that nearly 70% of those surveyed said they weren’t confident that they would be “able to cope financially” over the next six months. Half of the respondents (51%) said they were currently earning nothing at all from music.

24% of the musicians who took part in the study admitted that they are currently considering leaving the music profession for good due to the pandemic and Brexit’s effect. Other factors impacting musicians’ mental health over the past year include a lack of certainty about the future (91%), not being able to perform (81%), and having no purpose (66%).

Speaking about the findings of the study, Help Musicians’ Chief Executive James Ainscough said:

“We can’t sugarcoat these findings – we are facing a mental health crisis amongst musicians on an unprecedented scale.”

“Whilst there may be light at the end of the tunnel with a roadmap out of lockdown revealed, there is still substantial uncertainty around how quickly the music industry can recover, plus the catastrophic impact of the Brexit deal on musicians’ ability to tour. After a year of hardship, the ongoing uncertainty for musicians is taking a huge toll on mental health.”

“We have been offering ongoing financial support to thousands of musicians throughout the pandemic, but offering money is just one part of what musicians need – we have also had to completely revamp the mental health support we offer to address this rapidly unfolding crisis. Musicians who cannot work don’t just suffer financially; they grieve for the creativity and connections that their music usually brings.”

Haulix Daily has not found a similar survey focusing on musicians in the United States, but it’s easy to believe any such polling would return similar results. While many are rushing to find some semblance of “normalcy” between soft reopenings and vaccine appointments, musicians will be among the last to return to work.

If you know a musician, please take a moment to check on them. You never know what someone is going through until you take the time to ask.

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Industry News News

How Biden’s American Rescue Plan Helps #SaveOurStages

The American Rescue Plan, the latest COVID-19 relief package, includes an amendment that will help #SaveOurStages nationwide.

As we cross the first anniversary of COVID-19 shutting down the touring music industry, many venues and venue staff still see a cloud of uncertainty overhead. The provisions made to help venues back in 2020 to help #SaveOurStages have not proven as beneficial as many hoped. There are many reasons for this, but the biggest may be a law forbidding anyone who applied to the Payroll Protection Plan to apply for the Shuttered Venue Operations Grant.

Now, according to a press release from the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) regarding President Biden’s newly passed American Rescue Plan, change is in the air. NIVA members are grateful that it includes Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s Amendment to the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) provisions and supports its passage in the upcoming COVID Relief Bill.

The release continues:

The previous law forbade eligible entities to apply for both Payroll Protection Plan (PPP2) after Dec. 27, 2020 and the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG, f.k.a. Save Our Stages Act). The revised provision enables eligible entities to apply for PPP2 starting now until March 31, 2021, and also seek SVOG when the applications are made available by the Small Business Administration. The SBA has yet to set a date to accept SVOG applications. 

NIVA members, devastated by having no income and enormous overhead for a year, have been anxiously awaiting the SVOG application forms; many venues have gone under while waiting to access this program. “Now that independent venues and promoters can be eligible for both PPP2 and SVOG, we’re hoping Congress will extend the deadline for applying for PPP2, since it’s set to close March 31, or in just 14 business days,” say Adam Hartke, NIVA’s Advocay Cochair and owner of The Cotilian and WAVE in Wichita, Ks.

The PPP2 money can help eligible independent venues and promoters to hold on until SVOG funding starts being distributed. Any amount of PPP2 money taken by a recipient will be reduced from SVOG funds, i.e., if a venue is eligible for $100,000 SVOG and they have taken $25,000 in PPP2 funds, their SVOG cannot exceed $75,000.

Speaking about the American Rescue Plan’s impact on their efforts, Dayna Frank, NIVA Board President and CEO of First Avenue Productions in Minneapolis, said “This change can save countless venues from bankruptcy, as the immediate PPP2 money will help them hold on until the SVOG funds flow. This entire industry is grateful to President Biden for the relief the Majority Leader Senator Schumer for spearheading this provision and Senators Cornyn and Klobuchar for championing our cause with the #SaveOurStages Act.”

Frank Added, “The quicker the SBA can staff up and roll out this program, the better.  To say our members are frantic and anxious is an understatement. The eviction notices have been coming at an even faster pace as time goes by without this emergency relief.”

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Editorials Industry News News Writing Tips

How To Become A Music Influencer [VIDEO]

With Spotify adding over 60,000 songs every day, the world needs music influencers to make sense of it all. Maybe that’s you, and if so, we can help!

Is music your world? Do you feel like you could spend forever talking about your favorite artists and albums? Are you open to hearing musicians from all walks of life? If you answered yes to all three, then maybe you should consider becoming a music influencer.

Music influencers is a blanket term covering many areas of music conversation. Whether you want to write about music news, review the latest releases, create video content, host a podcast, or try your hand at a little bit of everything, the goal is the same: You want to influence people to choose one artist over another.

Building a career as a music influencer is hard work. It’s a labor-intensive process that can take years to lead anywhere financially beneficial, but it’s the only way to live for many. It’s a calling heard by those who spend more time with music than friends, and it demands devotion. Those who excel do so thanks to a mix of obsession, ego, and drive that compels them to consume, digest, and discuss as much music as humanly possible.

Music Biz host James Shotwell began his career in music journalism. For the first time, he uses this video to lay out the four essential building blocks of music reporting, influencing, and criticism. It’s easy to start, and we encourage everyone who enjoys discussing music to give it a try. You never know where your life might lead.

Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.

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Industry News News Podcasts

Dead Poet Society Appears On The Latest Inside Music Podcast

Riding high on the success of his band’s debut album, Dead Poet Society’s Jack Underkofler talks all things promotion on Inside Music.

The music industry at large is trying incredibly hard to ignore the reality of the present day. The world is changing faster than ever, and the methods of promotion that worked as recently as early 2020 are no longer reliable. We live in a new world that demands creative thinking that, frankly, many seem too afraid or too insecure to attempt.

But the fact remains that people still want new music, and many are hoping to discover the next song or artist that can change their lives. The musicians and labels willing to try anything to reach those curious listeners are in a position for massive success, and Dead Poet Society is doing everything they can to seize the moment.

-!-, Dead Poet Society’s Spinefarm Records debut album, hit stores in February 2021. The alt-rock release serves as the culmination of nearly a decade spent writing, recording, touring, and grinding as hard as anyone can to make the band’s name known. Its existence is a testament to what happens when people fully commit to their craft, and it’s quickly turning heads throughout the rock community while other acts sit on the industry sidelines.

In this episode of Inside Music, Dead Poet Society member Jack Underkofler chats with James Shotwell about the journey behind -!-. He recounts how a fan in Mexico gave the band an international stage and how a move from Boston to Los Angeles put the group in a position to reach mainstream success. Jack also shares what he’s learned about promoting music in a post-COVID world. Check it out:

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Artist Advice Editorials Industry News News

How To Make High Quality, Low-Risk Merch For FREE

Investing hundreds of dollars into merch that may or may not sell is a thing of the past!

Every musician dreams of seeing someone wearing their merch in public. For many, spotting their merchandise in the wild is as close to ‘making it’ as they will ever get. But making merch is traditionally a risky investment. Musicians typically spend hundreds, even thousands, to print merch that they hope fans buy. Recouping those production costs can take time, and that potential wait has forced many to shelve their merch dreams until they feel more established in the music community.

But that is a remnant of the old way of music entrepreneurship from the days before everyone was doing business online. Investing money in merch is still part of most artists’ financial plans, but other options exist. Believe it or not, musicians who are still establishing themselves and those more concerned about raising awareness than making money can now make merch without spending a dime.

Allow us to introduce you to print on demand merchandising.

Print on demand is a process where you work with a supplier to customize white-label products (like baseball hats or tote bags) with your designs to sell them on a per-order basis under your brand. Nothing is printed until someone orders a product, so you (the artist) only pay to produce what people buy.

There are several reasons that print on demand services are popular with musicians:

  • You don’t have to spend any money to get started
  • You can upload as many designs as you want
  • You don’t have to handle production
  • You don’t have to handle shipping
  • You can offer merch on high-end fabric
  • You can offer more unique merch items than any artist would otherwise be able to produce

There are drawbacks as well:

  • Print-on-demand services cost more per unit, which means your total revenue may be lower than if you purchase merch in bulk.
  • You do not control shipping, so there is no way to include “thank you” notes or bonus merch items.
  • You do not control production, so the product is made and shipped when the company handling your orders can fulfill the request.

In his latest Music Biz update, host James Shotwell walks through the print-on-demand business model. He argues why using such services may be a better alternative for certain artists than the traditional merch approach. He also recommends one printing company that we at Haulix Daily use regularly. Check it out:

Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.

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Industry News News

Vinyl Sales Officially Surpass CD Sales for the first time in 34 years

A new report from the RIAA on music sales in 2020 proves that the vinyl revival is far from over.

As the first anniversary of America’s COVID-19 shutdown looms overhead, new data provides a better understanding of changing consumer habits. The RIAA’s 2020 year-end revenue statistics report finds that the industry is continuing to grow despite everything. It may not look like it did in the ‘before times,’ but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

According to the report, United States recorded music revenues grew 9.2% in 2020 to $12.2 billion at estimated retail value. This is the fifth consecutive year of growth for the industry, as paid subscription services continued to be the primary driver of revenue increases and reached a record number of subscriptions. Covid-19 affected the industry significantly through tour cancellations, retail store closures, and other disruptions. Revenues from recorded music measured at wholesale value grew 8.9% to $8.0 billion.

The report also reveals a somewhat surprising statistic regarding physical media. For the first time since 1986, revenues from vinyl records were larger than from CDs. Total revenues from physical products were virtually flat at $1.1 billion (down 0.5%). Despite the challenges to retail sales from Covid-19 restrictions, vinyl grew 28.7% by value year-over-year to $626 million, though still only account for 5.2% of total revenues by value. Revenues from CDs declined 23% to $483 million, continuing a long-term decline.

The top selling vinyl record of 2020 was Billie Eilish’s debut album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?

Outside of CD sales, the hardest hit sector of music consumption was digital singles, which saw sales slip more than 20% compared to the year prior. Digital album sales were down 13%. With streaming services continuing to grow, it seems likely that digital sales will continue to fall in the years ahead.

You can read the full report here.

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Artist Advice Editorials Industry News News

The One Marketing Mistake Every Musician Makes [Video]

Every musician wants fans to hear their latest single or watch their latest video, but almost every one of them is sharing the wrong link.

Here’s a hypothetical situation we can all relate to:

With a new single now available everywhere, an artist wants to promote their new music to fans and people who have yet to discover them. They sign up for a service that pulls links from all the streaming services into a single landing page and then links to that page with their social media posts.

Here’s another hypothetical:

With a new single available everywhere, an artist chooses to push a single streaming service through every post they make. They tell everyone to stream their song on Spotify, and every post they make points people to Spotify.

Both of the promotional approaches outlined above are common practices in music today. Both are also the wrong way to promote new music.

Let’s stop and think about what happens in these scenarios.

For starters, the artist is engaging fans on platforms they do not own or control (social media) and pointing them to other services and sites that they do not own (streaming platforms).

Additionally, the artist in the first example promotes a third company they do not own (the promo links service).

While these promotional approaches may appear to streamline the process of getting people to hear your music, they do very little to support the business that matters most: Your music career.

In this Music Biz update, host James Shotwell explains why the most common music promotion methods may not be the most beneficial for artists.

Every marketing plan aims to forge a lasting bond with people who choose to engage with the promotional materials. A song stream or video view may give you a short-term boost of serotonin, but unless you’re converting consumers into fans, your campaigns are falling short of their potential.

Let’s rethink the promotional efforts described earlier:

With a new single available everywhere, an artist wants to promote their new music to fans and people who have yet to discover them. They create a landing page on their website to announce the release, and they include links to all the streaming services where the single is available. They also embed the song as a streaming track or video.

That approach is already doing more to make people who engage with the artist’s posts more aware of their craft, place online, and brand.

But we still need to go one step further:

In addition to building a page that makes it easy to find their music online, the artist includes an option to join their mailing lists. Fans who enjoy the new single can sign up to receive messages from the artist regarding the latest music and tour information and access to their new merch.

Mailing lists have been around for decades, and despite all the new ways of connecting with our audience, they remain the most effective. When someone joins your mailing list, they are telling you they want to develop their relationship with your music. They are asking to know about music, live appearances, and more. They don’t want to hopefully see something online when you choose to post. These individuals want to know everything. They want to be true fans, and those people are the ones you need to take your career to the next level.

Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.

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