Month: October 2021

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Industry News News

Every Artist Can Now Sell Merch On Spotify. Here’s How:

Spotify Royalty Rate 2020

Thanks to a partnership with Shopify, Spotify’s effort to become the one-stop shop for artists online is inching closer to completion.

Spotify just announced its integration with Shopify e-commerce stores. Anyone with a Shopify store can now display and sell merchandise on their Spotify profile page. Yes, everyone. Even you.

Selling merch isn’t just about commerce; it’s about connection, too. Shane Cody, drummer for the Indiana-bred alternative/indie band Houndmouth, recognizes it as an important part of the fan experience:

“Merch is a connection to the fans on a tangible level. Our music is the emotional connection, [so] sharing both on Spotify is essential.”

And when Houndmouth’s new album, Good For You, drops on Nov. 5, they’ll make the most of the release moment by featuring new merch on their artist profile.

Shopify makes it simple for artists and their teams to manage inventory and control which featured items on their profiles. (For example, out-of-stock items get automatically removed from your profile.) As soon as you’re ready to drop new merch, you’ll immediately be able to share it with fans and capitalize on your release moments so that they can browse your merch while they stream your new music.

“For many fans, Spotify is the primary way they interact with an artists’ music, and we are excited to give artists a new way to capitalize on that moment. We want to provide artists with as many resources as possible to help turn listeners into fans, fans into superfans and, ultimately, help artists earn more…”

Camille Hearst, Head of Spotify for Artists.

How to Connect Shopify with Spotify for Artists:

You need to connect your Shopify store to an artist before you can list merch on your artist profile. (Note: You’ll need your Shopify store login info for this.)

  • Log in to artists.spotify.com.
  • Go to Profile.
  • Click Merch.
  • Click LOG IN TO SHOPIFY.
  • Enter your Shopify store URL and click LINK SHOP. (Tip: This is the URL in the address bar when you’re on your Shopify store, e.g. “your-store-name.myshopify.com”.)
  • Log in to Shopify, then follow the steps to set up your accounts. (Note: You’ll get prompted to Add sales channel, accept the terms, and choose the artist you want to link your shop to.)

How to Publish Merch to Spotify for Artists:

Once your Shopify store’s connected, you can publish up to 250 merch items from Shopify to Spotify for Artists. You can then choose up to 3 of these items to show on your artist profile.

  • Log in to Shopify.
  • Go to Settings.
  • Click Products, then All products.
  • Choose a product. (Note: Check the product uses plain text and static images for the description and media.)
  • Click Manage next to SALES CHANNELS AND APPS.
  • Make sure Spotify is checked, then click Done.
  • Click Save at the top of the product page.

How to Add Merch:

If you add more merch to your Shopify store in the future, publish it to Spotify for Artists to list it on your artist profile. — Once your merch is published from Shopify, you can pick up to 3 items to list on your artist profile.

  • Log in to artists.spotify.com.
  • Go to Profile.
  • Click Merch.
  • Click ADD TO SHOP on the merch you want to show on your profile.
  • Your merch appears on your profile in the order you add it. To re-order merch, remove it all, then add it again in the order you want.
  • You can remove merch any time to add different merch to your artist profile. Out of stock items get automatically removed from your profile.

That’s it! You are a short amount of time away from making your merchandise available on the world’s biggest streaming platform. What are you waiting for?

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Artist Advice Editorials Industry News News

The WORST Music Marketing Mistakes (And How To Avoid Them)

Considering the amount of advice and guidance available, there is no excuse for making these common music marketing mistakes in 2021.

Considering the amount of advice and guidance available, there is no excuse for making these common music marketing mistakes in 2021.

There are hundreds of books about the music industry available worldwide. There are also college curriculums dedicated to the music business, countless blogs covering music industry tips and tricks, and dozens of YouTube channels like music biz doing their best to educate artists about the realities of building a career in entertainment. You can learn virtually anything about being a musician with a few keystrokes, and yet, each week, countless artists make easily avoidable mistakes because they don’t start to consider whether or not their promotional tactics are positioning them for success.

Mistakes happen. Nobody that successfully does anything with their life reaches their goals without a few setbacks. But there are several common mistakes that industry experts and working professionals alike have been shouting about for four decades that still get made every day. Something as simple as knowing who you’re talking to and what it is they do seems never to cross the mind of certain artists. That oversight ultimately results in the artist not receiving the exposure or opportunities they seek.

In this Music Biz update, host James Shotwell explores half a dozen common mistakes artists make when marketing their music. These are some of the worst and most abhorrent mistakes, all of which are covered again and again by industry experts of all sizes. Suppose artists can slow down and review their efforts before reaching out to professionals and fans alike. In that case, Shotwell explains, they will likely discover easy fixes that will lead to a bigger, more meaningful impact with their outreach. 

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

The Top 10 Cities For Musicians Right Now

As we slowly emerge from the global pandemic, these ten US cities are welcoming musicians with open arms and major opportunities.

As we slowly emerge from the global pandemic, these ten US cities are welcoming musicians with open arms and major opportunities.

Musicians no longer need to live in New York or Los Angeles when hoping to make it big. Today’s artists are writing, recording, and producing music from their bedrooms. The traditional music ecosystem remains in place for those who wish to use it, but for everyone else, an increasing amount of new ways to approach a career in entertainment exists. You can record and never tour, or you can tour two hundred days out of the year and release an album every four years. You can do whatever you want, but the location you call home still matters (to some extent).

Every great artist or group must begin somewhere. Your place of residence can play a role in determining not only the venues you can play but the other musicians you can meet, the potential audience for your art, and the availability of any supplies needed to make your career great. It would be best if you also had reasonable rent, a side hustle that helps pay the bills when the music falls short, and things to do that inspire creativity rather than block it.

A new report from Rent.com aims to help musicians find the perfect place to build their careers. With consideration given to cost of living, music businesses, music-related occupations, and more, the leading online platform found Glendale (CA), Boston (MA), Los Angeles (CA), Pittsburgh (PA), Atlanta (GA), New York (NY), Seattle (WA), Minneapolis (MN), Washington DC, and San Francisco (CA) to be among the best cities for musicians today.

Rent.com offers this reasoning for San Francisco’s number one position:

Janis Joplin. Jimi Hendrix. The Grateful Dead. Jefferson Airplane. The counterculture rock music of the 1960s and 1970s created the “San Francisco sound.” So many greats from this era cut their teeth and got their chops performing around the City by the Bay. From rock and punk to jazz, San Francisco’s music scene has been among the best in the country since the ’60s. That continues to this day, with San Francisco topping the charts to be the best city for musicians in America.

Obviously, as a city, San Francisco offers a lot to inspire musicians. From its iconic architecture to the scenic views of the bay, the city’s history, culture and atmosphere are sure to generate plenty of ideas for songs. Just walking around San Francisco will bring you face-to-face with famous spots from S.F. musical history, especially in the Haight district where many musicians lived.

Then it’s time to take your music to the stage at legendary venues like The Fillmore, The Chapel, The Saloon, The Bottom of the Hill and The Independent. Plenty of restaurants, bars and clubs offer live music nights, as well. San Francisco is also home to popular music festivals like Outside Lands and the San Francisco Jazz Festival. If you want to make music in a place where many other great musicians also played, San Francisco is a musician’s dream.

The high cost of living in San Francisco may be an impediment to some musicians who want to live and work here. The average price of a one-bedroom apartment is $3,557, making San Francisco one of the most expensive cities in our top 10 list of the best cities for musicians. But to live and make music in one of America’s most celebrated cities for the arts may be well worth the cost.

You can find the top 50 US cities for musicians below:

RankCityPopulationMusic Businesses Per DensityProportion of Music-Related Occupations
1San Francisco, CA881,5492.774.92%
2Washington, DC705,7491.135.80%
3Minneapolis, MN429,6061.024.42%
4Seattle, WA753,6750.584.45%
5New York, NY8,336,8170.574.50%
6Atlanta, GA506,8110.574.12%
7Pittsburgh, PA300,2860.603.06%
7Los Angeles, CA3,979,5760.406.26%
9Boston, MA692,6000.942.81%
10Glendale, CA199,3030.336.33%
11Providence, RI179,8830.942.72%
12Chicago, IL2,693,9760.512.84%
12Portland, OR654,7410.394.30%
14Long Beach, CA462,6280.482.82%
15Oakland, CA433,0310.304.61%
16Fort Lauderdale, FL182,4370.802.63%
17Denver, CO727,2110.442.75%
18Saint Louis, MO300,5760.662.56%
18Cincinnati, OH303,9400.382.90%
20Orlando, FL287,4420.462.64%
21New Orleans, LA390,1440.382.77%
22Austin, TX978,9080.283.76%
23Miami, FL467,9631.502.08%
24Saint Paul, MN308,0960.312.79%
25Rochester, NY205,6950.502.16%
26Richmond, VA230,4360.282.79%
27Tampa, FL399,7000.422.15%
28Tempe, AZ195,8050.302.57%
29Baltimore, MD593,4900.362.39%
30Grand Rapids, MI201,0130.302.61%
31Philadelphia, PA1,584,0640.402.03%
32San Diego, CA1,423,8510.212.64%
33Las Vegas, NV651,3191.041.77%
34Eugene, OR172,6220.252.50%
35Nashville, TN670,8200.144.15%
35Salt Lake City, UT200,5670.153.00%
37Knoxville, TN187,6030.162.64%
38Sacramento, CA513,6240.421.85%
39Dallas, TX1,343,5730.251.99%
40Saint Petersburg, FL265,3510.242.00%
41Buffalo, NY255,2840.301.81%
41Milwaukee, WI590,1570.291.86%
41Huntington Beach, CA199,2230.152.50%
44Scottsdale, AZ258,0690.182.07%
45Durham, NC278,9930.152.35%
46Anaheim, CA350,3650.361.68%
47Boise, ID228,9590.152.18%
47Madison, WI259,6800.162.15%
49Salem, OR174,3650.191.97%
50Omaha, NE478,1920.301.74%

The worst cities for musicians

These cities just don’t have enough music in their souls to support thriving music scenes. Here are the worst cities for musicians. You could even say these cities fell flat.

RankCityPopulationMusic Businesses Per DensityProportion of Music-Related Occupations
1Moreno Valley, CA213,0550.020.88%
2Brownsville, TX182,7810.030.67%
3Chesapeake, VA244,8350.011.09%
4Peoria, AZ175,9610.011.15%
5Port Saint Lucie, FL201,8460.031.11%
6Fontana, CA214,5470.021.15%
7San Bernardino, CA215,7840.050.78%
8North Las Vegas, NV251,9740.021.24%
8Aurora, IL197,7570.041.00%
10Augusta, GA197,8880.041.10%
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Haulix Industry News News Podcasts

High Notes Season Three: Part 2 Debuts Online

The music industry’s first recovery-focused podcast, High Notes, returns with five new stories now available everywhere.

Haulix is proud to announce the release of High Notes season three: part 2. The critically-acclaimed music recovery podcast continues its successful run with five new episodes featuring guests from across the musical spectrum. Included in this latest season are Art Alexakis of Everclear, Andy Black of Black Veil Brides, Mike Hansen of Hotel Etiquette, singer-songwriter Morgan Wade, and Monarch frontman Ryan Williams (ex-Red Sun Rising). All episodes are available now everywhere you find podcasts.

Subscribe to High Notes on Spotify!

“We’re excited to be back,” says James Shotwell, host and Director of Customer Engagement at Haulix. “These five episodes are some of the best we’ve made. It took a little longer than expected to finish production than expected, but we used that time to make each episode special. Where we go from here is anyone’s guess, but I speak for our entire team when I say that making this series is a source of great pride. We hope it helps you or someone you know feel a little less alone, even if only for a moment.”

Episode guide for High Notes season three — part 2:

HN 3.6: Art Alexakis (Everclear)

Art Alexakis is a modern rock icon. For nearly three decades, Art and his bandmates in Everclear have been writing the great American songbook, greatly informed by Art’s personal experiences. His appearance on this episode details his life before Everclear, back when he was living in San Francisco with his first wife. Art recounts an event that changed his life trajectory and the temptations he continues to wrestle with today.

HN 3.7: Andy Biersack (Black Veil Brides)

Andy Biersack, sometimes known as Andy Black, is recognized worldwide as the face of modern alternative music. Black and his band, Black Veil Brides, have played everywhere and sold more records than many of their genre peers, all while learning harsh lessons about life in the fast lane. Black’s appearance on the show focuses largely on a tumultuous time for the band in the early 2010s and how industry pressures can lead young talent astray. It’s a story that Black expands on in his autobiography, They Don’t Need To Understand, which is available now wherever you purchase books.

HN 3.8: Mike Hansen (Hotel Etiquette)

Michael Hansen, known to friends as Mike, began his life in and around music as a member of the straight edge community. Through a litany of experiences and personal revelations, Mike decided to break edge and experiment with various substances, each offering a different lesson on life. It was fun until it wasn’t, and that’s when Mike turned to his wife for support. Together, the two found a new lifestyle that fits their needs, which Mike details in this episode.

HN 3.9: Morgan Wade

Morgan Wade is the future of country music. A singer/songwriter who has lived more life than most can fit into her years, Wade brings a mature perspective to life in the modern age. Her appearance on the show takes listeners back to a blurry New York night that found Wade waking up face down in a parking lot. That night, coupled with several contributing factors, served as a much-needed wake-up call for the songwriter who was still barely in her twenties. Wade recounts her decision to make a change and everything she gained with her new lifestyle.

HN 3.10: Ryan Williams (Monarch)

Ryan Williams rose to international attention with his band Red Sun Rising, but the group’s success came at a cost that went unpaid for far too long. Now, Williams is beginning again with Monarch, an exciting new project built from the ground up with a sober mind and a lifetime of experiences. Williams’ appearance on the show details the dizzying times that led him to get sober, as well as how recovery impacts creativity.

High Notes is produced in partnership with heartsupport the Global Recovery Initiatives Foundation. The show is hosted by James Shotwell and produced by Laura Haggard, who also serves as a programming consultant for the series. Liam Dellamonica handles marketing.

Every season of High Notes and the podcast’s recent Season of Mist-themed miniseries are available now wherever you listen to Podcasts. You can search for the show on your favorite platform or click here to find direct links. Previous guests include Brian “Head” Welch of KoRn, Phil Labonte of All That Remains, Justin Furstenfeld of Blue October, Anthony Green of Circa Survive, and Heidi Shepherd of Butcher Babies.

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Artist Advice Editorials Industry News News

Why You Need More Merch (And How You Can Afford It)

The value of music diminishes further with each passing year, but merchandising lasts forever. Let’s look at why merch matters more than ever.

The value of recorded music is at an all-time low. Anyone making livable wages from music alone in 2021 is doing so through a combination of luck, talent, and utilizing every distribution method available to them. Artists are no longer looking for one paycheck for their music every month, but several. Musicians may make a little from physical sales, then a little more from streaming. There are also digital sales and revenue generated from music videos and other album components that exist on various platforms around the globe. The number of revenue streams varies from artist to artist, but the low payout rarely does.

It’s no great secret that most musicians making a living in music today do so largely through merchandise sales. You can include ticket sales if you want, but generally speaking, merchandise is where artists make the bulk of their income. A single shirt sold for $20 at a concert can generate more revenue for an artist than 10,000 streams of any single song on any of the leading streaming platforms. The sale of a sweatshirt can do even more.

While most musicians do a fair job of creating and making merchandise available to their fans, many are thinking too small when it comes to the possibilities of their brand. The digital age provides many opportunities for artists at every level of success to have robust merchandise options at little-to-no cost upfront. Some companies even offer print-on-demand merchandise. Those same businesses will also manage your online store, ship the merchandise, and allow you to set the price based on what you believe fans are willing to pay.

In the Music Biz update, host James Shotwell explains the growing importance of merch and identifies areas where many could do more to boost their bottom line. He also explores the growing online marketplace and provides examples of musicians who are already making big sales through various creative merch endeavors. 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

Facebook Tests Cross-Posting To Multiple Groups

The world’s most popular social media platform, Facebook, is testing a new update that will simplify the content promotion process.

Facebook is at a crucial point in its evolution. While critics are crying foul over the platform’s lack of content oversight, others are upset that content shared on the world’s most popular social media platform doesn’t reach enough eyes. Figuring out how to make everyone happy is a job we’re so glad not to have, but someone has to do it.

Recently, one Facebook user noticed a new sharing feature. It appears that Facebook is currently testing a new tool that would allow users to share content to multiple groups at once. That is a major change from the current UI, which requires users to create unique posts for each group where they wish to share their content. You can view a screenshot of the new feature below:

Simplifying sharing is typically a welcomed change, but is that true in light of Facebook’s trouble with misinformation?

On the one hand, Facebook’s latest development will allow musicians to quickly share their latest content with many different groups at one time, thus shortening the time required for marketing on the platform.

However, nothing is stopping someone from promoting a fake story about zombies from outer space living in the basements of public schools using the same tool.

Many online have pointed out that Facebook-owned WhatsApp launched a similar feature in 2019. After many complaints, however, the company changed course. In January 2020, WhatsApp limited forwarded posts to 5 times per message, and the results showed that the idea was very effective. According to WhatsApp:

“Since putting into place the new limit, globally, there has been a 70% reduction in the number of highly forwarded messages sent on WhatsApp. This change is helping keep WhatsApp a place for personal and private conversations.”  

How Facebook attempts to prevent the spread of misinformation while simplifying sharing remains to be seen. Since the cross-posting feature in this story is still in testing, the company may implement new review efforts before launching the update. Stay tuned.

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Editorials Industry News News Recommendations

Haulix Recommends: The Best New Music of October 8, 2021

From Trivium to We Are Scientists, there is something for everyone among this week’s new music releases.

We love our clients. Over the last decade in business, Haulix has played a small part in helping thousands of records reach tastemakers worldwide. Watching artists reach and even surpass their dreams is immensely humbling. We take no credit for anyone’s success, but we do want to highlight a few clients whose recent new music releases are currently on repeat in our offices. Check it out:

Trivium – In The Court Of The Dragon (Roadrunner)

Metal masters Trivium return to the spotlight with another incredible collection of riffs and soaring anthems on In The Court Of The Dragon. The impressive creative run the band has been on over the last decade continues with this release, furthering their efforts to blend technical prowess with commercial accessibility. The result is a record packed with massive stories conveyed as only Matt Heafy and his bandmates can deliver. It’s a fascinating and deeply enjoyable release that further argues for Trivium to be crowned the kings of modern metal.

POORSTACY – Party At The Cemetery (10K Projects)

POORSTACY is the quasi-punk artist to emerge from Los Angeles with a Travis Barker cosign and a horde of teen fans. Party In The Cemetery delivers fourteen rock-influenced tracks that rally against oppression, heartache, and regret. It’s as if every line of every song POORSTACY pens is written with the sole intent of making the listener feel more alive, if only for a few minutes. Each track consists of bombastic energy wrapped around a frantic yet concise vocal performance that immediately hooks you. POORSTACY is not the only person making music like his or writing songs about these subjects, but nobody can duplicate the undeniable heart behind each note. POORSTACY wants to succeed, of course, but you get the sense that goal comes in a distant second behind making his fans feel less alone. 

We Are Scientists – Huffy (Masterswan Records)

Indie pop is not a genre known for producing artists with careers that a decade or more. We Are Scientists is an exception to this rule. To be more specific, they set the standard that other artists should follow. Like other releases in the band’s catalog, Huffy continues the band’s efforts to refine further an already top-notch sound while remaining open to experimentation. In other words, it’s an incredible fun release that packs a lot of heart and technical artistry into a catchy work of art that listeners will find easy to enjoy. 

New Music Friday recommendations feature a collection of new releases from Haulix clients chosen by the company staff. Join Haulix today and gain immediate access to the industry’s leading digital promotional distribution platform: http://haulix.com/signup.

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Artist Advice Editorials Industry News News

How To Get On The TikTok ‘For You’ Page

TikTok is breaking new artists every week from every corner of music, and it’s all thanks to the platform’s incredible ‘For You’ page.

With more than one billion monthly active users, TikTok is the hottest social media platform on the planet. Artists worldwide use the video-sharing app to find new fans and engage their audience, often without leaving their homes, and thousands more join each week hoping to do the same.

But how do you stand out? When everyone is making content, what is the point of adding to the noise if nobody can see what you’re making?

TikTok’s For You Page is the answer. Unlike any other explore page, TikTok’s For You section delivers unique content to users based on their individual preferences. As users continue interacting with the app, TikTok uses that engagement to predict what content will keep people on the platform longer. It’s an incredible feat of programming, and it’s the one place in social media where it seems, at least for now, that everyone has an equal chance of going viral.

In this Music Biz update, host James Shotwell shares a series of tips that will increase the likelihood of going viral on TikTok. He explains how the company’s algorithm feeds content to users and what steps creators can take to position themselves for success on the platform.

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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