Category: Writing Tips

Categories
Artist Advice Business Advice Editorials Haulix Industry News News Writing Tips

How to Succeed on Spotify in Two Steps

Spotify Success, Spotify Sound, Spotify Revenue

Streaming has made a significant impact on songwriting. So much so, that the entire music industry is trying to catch up to ‘The Spotify Sound.’

No one knew what Spotify would do to the music business. People were quick to assume the easy of access to the majority of all recorded music would lure people away from physical media, but no one thought to consider the ripple effect that seismic shift in consumer behavior would create.

Physical sales of music were on the decline before Spotify launched, but the now ten-year-old company and its competitors in the streaming market have also created a drop in download sales. A few niche formats found success in the early 2010s, specifically vinyl and cassette tapes, but those trends have also fizzled as streaming continues to gain momentum.

The latest evolution resulting from the age of streaming concerns songwriting. With most streaming platforms counting a play after consumers have listened to the track for thirty-seconds, more emphasis than ever is being placed on the way songs begin. There is also added emphasis on the runtime of tracks, as well as the volume of material being released.

On this episode of Music Biz 101, host James Shotwell explains the phenomenon know as ‘The Spotify Sound’ and offers a two-step solution to writing songs that generate a high volume of streams.

Categories
Editorials News Writing Tips

Writers: It’s okay to enjoy music without writing about it.

Creating great art of any kind requires inspiration, but when your life depends on producing art it can be hard to enjoy things without turning them into work.

Music writing can be a double-edged sword as far as fandom is concerned. The fact you’re in a position to influence a group of consumers makes it possible for you to get closer to your favorite artists than you probably would otherwise, but it also means you have to continue following those artists’ every move long after your initial interest in their work has begun to fade. This is honestly a best-case scenario because more often than not writing about music means you have to not only know but learn to appreciate the works of many artists whom you would otherwise not make time to experience. Establishing a career in writing requires that you be engaged with the wide world of music, and that entails keeping tabs on far more artists than those you personally enjoy. Over time this can make the joy of writing feel a lot more like work than most would care to admit. But that’s because writing is just that — work.

This is not a complaint, per say, but rather a matter of fact. You cannot make it in music writing simply by covering the artists you enjoy when you enjoy them. You need follow-through, and more importantly, you need to engage the fans of artists regularly to ensure people continue to care about your writing and/or publication exists.

When I began writing about music I did so because I felt there were artists I knew and enjoyed that most of the world had yet to recognize. If you could find my first hundred articles, I can almost guarantee every single one would be based on an artist or group I admired at the time, and if I’m completely honest, I would also wager most of those posts are fairly similar. They each praise a group I loved at the time, and they each argue others should feel the same. I built my initial following by covering bands like A Day To Remember, Chiodos, Secret Secret Dino Club, and The Wonder Years whenever possible, and I made it a point to interview someone from the band every time a new piece of news presented an opportunity for discussion. As word of my work grew, so did interest from others bands and labels about having their talent promoted through my channels. I was completely blown away by these requests, so of course, I agree to almost everyone that hit my inbox, and as I began to network with the industry at large my writing began to encompass more and more bands. Some acts I enjoyed, but most were perfectly average in my mind, and looking back now I know the only reason I covered them is that I felt that it is what my (arguably non-existent) audience wanted. Whether or not that was true is something I’ll never truly know, but I do know that covering a wide array of talent helped me navigate the industry and secure full-time work in the business I love the most. Was it worth it? Absolutely. Do I continue to cover any and everything that comes my way as a result? Hell no.

It’s incredibly difficult to land a job in music that allows you to share everything you love all the time. Most jobs are far more focused than that, be it covering solely alternative music or perhaps just hip-hop. Finding a paid position that covers everything is rarer than a Morrissey performance that goes off without a hitch, and they are becoming increasingly hard to come by as the demand for specific content curators continues to rise. I used to have a big problem with this because I felt, and still do believe, that everyone is able to enjoy a little bit of everything. I might not love country music, but there are several country artists I enjoy. The same goes for musicals, top 40 radio pop, and obscure shoegaze bands. None of these areas of music are where I spend the majority of my time, but they each are filled with wonderful talent that is deserving of exposure and praise. Just because this is true however does not mean I am the person to tell you these acts exist. I can tweet about it, sure, but I cannot dedicate every minute of my day to telling you about everything I love as I once did. That is not my job.

At first, the need to separate the work I am paid to do the work I would like to do was incredibly frustrating. I felt as though my initial mission to help more people discover great music had been compromised by the need for a paycheck, but over time I came to realize that was not true. Having full-time employment gave me more freedom than I had ever had before as far as creative pursuits were concerned, and though I couldn’t argue the need to cover everything I could do more to help a specific set of artists and bands than ever before. Instead of writing about 40 or 50 acts a week I wrote about 10 at most, but I made sure to make each piece released as good as it could be. Having fewer artists to cover made it possible for me to dig deeper into my coverage and, ultimately, provide higher quality content to my readers.

But what about all that other stuff I loved? Did I turn my back on a world of talent just because they didn’t fit my 9-5 lifestyle?

Of course not.

I still love a wide array of bands as I always have, but these days I keep some things I love to myself if for no other reason than the ability to enjoy certain songs or records without turning that enjoyment into work. Before I had full-time work in music, I viewed everything I enjoyed as something I would eventually cover, which in turn made everything I enjoyed some form of work. Maybe it wasn’t hard work, but it was work nonetheless, and as a result, my relationship with music began to change. The idea of listening to music for the sake of simply enjoying it became an absurd concept, as I hadn’t purely enjoyed music for years on end. I liked it, and I wouldn’t know what to do without it, but at the end of the day I was trying to put food on my table based on what I was listening to, and that put a lot of undue pressure on myself, as well as the talent.

When I speak to aspiring writers and music professionals today, I encourage them to experience as much music as possible. As soon as I do this, I immediately tag my comments by adding that not every great song or record needs to become the sole focus of their work moving forward. It’s not only perfectly acceptable, but it’s also needed. If you lose your ability to simply enjoy music, you will be unable to accurately critique it. The reason anyone begins chasing after a career in music in the first place is based on their love of enjoying music in their youth, and when you lose the ability to appreciate music in that way you begin to lose track of why you work in music. It’s not about clicks, and it’s certainly not about being the first person to hear the next buzz-worthy release. It’s about celebrating art and the appreciation of art, as well as making others aware of undiscovered talent. You can only do this to the best of your abilities if you too are still able to be wowed by music. If you’ve lost that passion, or even if you believe it has begun to fade, take a step back from writing and unplug from everything except your stereo. Put on the records that first inspired your career aspirations and reconnect with the source of your drive to succeed. Never lose your passion.

Categories
Industry News News Podcasts Writing Tips

Kerrang! Is seeking an Editorial intern (US)

One of music’s biggest (and loudest) publications has an opportunity that could change the life of one dedicated creative.

The music publication battleground has seen its share of casualties in recent years. Magazines that were once available on newsstands everywhere have ceased publication altogether, and others that were on the rise folded before reaching the mainstream. Those that continue to thrive do so because they’re always planning ahead, and few (if any) brands in music are doing that better than Kerrang!

Right now, our friends at Kerrang! are seeking an Editorial intern to join their team in New York. For information on how to apply, as well as the desired skills of applicants, read on:

Kerrang! is the longest-standing rock and heavy metal publication in the UK, and part of the Wasted Talent Media publishing group. We’re looking for a proactive, highly-organized, enthusiastic Editorial Intern to join Kerrang!’s U.S. team based in Brooklyn, New York.

The role:

Our Editorial Intern will be assisting our U.S. editorial team with audience growth and the editorial direction of Kerrang.com. Hours are flexible, but a two-day-per-week in-office minimum commitment is required. This is an unpaid internship, but a stipend for travel and meals will be offered. Selected individual may be considered for a long-term paid position, but one is not guaranteed. What can be assured is a priceless education in music journalism, and the opportunity to meet dozens of rock musicians and industry leaders.

Responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

-Writing breaking news articles for Kerrang.com

-Maintaining Kerrang!’s presence on social media with daily posts / promo

-Transcribing interviews

-Generating editorial ideas and contributing feature articles when possible

-Gathering assets for news and feature articles (image / video / text, etc.)

-Actively participating in NYC’s rock and metal scene

-Staying in touch with the latest rock and metal news / releases, etc. and keeping our team abreast of trends and bands worth knowing

What are we looking for?

– Has a passion for hard rock and heavy metal

– Strong writing skills (good grammar / spelling a MUST!)

– Works effectively under pressure with a keen eye for detail

– Great communication skills, with an ability to build meaningful relationships

– Proactive self-starter with personal motivation to perform at the height of capabilities

– Highly skilled at social media, knowledge of all major platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram)

– Photo-editing skills (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.) are a BIG plus

– A great sense of humor (after all, it’s only rock music!)

Additional information:

  • College students are welcome (school credit may be possible!)
  • The office is located in East Williamsburg / Bushwick
  • Candidate must be based in the New York City area

Please send a resume and cover letter to cat@kerrang.com.

Categories
Artist Advice Business Advice Editorials Haulix Writing Tips

Learning how to fail is an essential part of succeeding in the music business

“I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.” - Thomas Edison

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” – Thomas Edison

As much as you may like to believe your career in music is infallible, or that you have a gift for songwriting no one will be able to deny, I can guarantee you there will always be days when your best efforts come up short. Failure is an unavoidable byproduct of any creative endeavor, and regardless of what level of fame you reach in this business there will always bad days. The point of continuing to create is not to work towards perfection, but to take into consideration everything that has happened, both good and evil, and apply it to whatever comes next. Art, like life, is a constant progression, and the best you can do is learn how to frame each failure as something other that is ultimately beneficial to your career.

The number of ways you can screw up in music is numerous, and they range from writing a bad single, to performing in such a way that disappoints your fans. We cannot begin to break down every single instance of failure and how it can be viewed as a positive, but we can offer tips to help you deal with any situation where things do not go as planned. The advice that follows may seem fairly obvious to some, but if applied to your next misstep we guarantee growth will occur. It might not be easy, but it will be beneficial to your creativity in the long run, and at the end of the day that is what matters most.

Start with the truth. Accept the situation for what it is, and be prepared to face it head-on.

Everyone has heard that line about how the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry, and the reason we’ve all heard it is that it’s entirely accurate. You might have written the best song you believe yourself possible of creating, but for one reason or another, it might not connect with listeners. Likewise, you may give what you feel is the performance of a lifetime, only to look at Twitter after the gig and read tweet after tweet complaining about the sound. In times like this it’s incredibly easy to take a defensive stance, but to do so would be an error. Accept that not everyone will experience things the way you do and try to see things from the outsider’s perspective. Be humbled by the fact you received any response at all, as most never do, and ask yourself how you could improve or change what you’re doing in the future.

The key to this step is honesty. It’s okay to say you love something that your fans do no, but do not blame them for not feeling the same. Art is subjective, but if you listen to your audience, you should be able to find a way to do what you want while still playing to their demands. You don’t have to, of course, but most great artists find a way to compromise that satisfies everyone.

Look for the positive, no matter how small it may be.

Let’s say your new album was expected to sell ten thousand copies its first week and only sold fifteen-hundred. That disappointment would be quite a sting, especially from a financial standpoint, but considering the fact that less than 1% of all the albums released in any given year sell more than a thousand copies then you’re still among the most famous musicians in the world. You may not have ten thousand people clamoring to purchase your new album, but fifteen-hundred consumers are indeed nothing to scoff at. There are towns and villages all over the world that have populations far below fifteen-hundred people, and even fewer people outside those communities know they exist. You may not be where you want to be, but you are farther along than most, and that is something you should never take for granted.

The point is, there is also an upside. Your new demo may have gone over worse than Jar Jar Binks, but at least by sharing it with fans, you learned something new about what they expect from you and what they hope to hear from any future material. This knowledge can and should inform future recordings which, in theory, will be received better than whatever came before.

Do not be afraid to take time away from the internet.

We are convinced there are at least two negative comments for every positive one on pretty much every song, video, or think piece posted online. People are far quicker to complain than they are to compliment, especially in a public forum, which is why you should consider taking time away from the constant barrage of commentary social media provides when things take a turn for the worse. If you know the incoming messages are going to be riddled with negativity, there is no reason to wallow in the hurt feelings such commentary can cause. Absorb enough to understand why people are upset, then step away and take time to reflect on how you can improve your efforts in the future. You do not need the internet to do this, and in our opinion, you shouldn’t use it. Stay offline until you have something new to share, and if that doesn’t go over then feel free to take more time away. In fact, take as much time as you need. The internet will still be here when you return.

Whatever you do, keep creating.

No matter how you initially react to failure, you cannot let the ensuing negativity defeat you. Keep producing, always, and do not stop until you decide you are finished. There will still be someone in the world who thinks you are not good enough, but you cannot let the opinions of a select few stop you from expressing yourself through art. Creativity is a gift that is all too rare in this world, and it should be shared at every opportunity. Don’t let the haters win.

Categories
Artist Advice Business Advice Editorials Haulix News Writing Tips

A crash course in avoiding music industry burnout

Everyone in music works too much and has a million things they feel they must accomplish, but taking time to recover is just as important as getting ahead.

Movies and television based on the life of music professionals and the artists they support make the entertainment business seem like a nonstop party highlighted by epic highs and perilous lows. It’s true that there is a lot of fun to be had in this industry, as well as plenty of opportunities to cut loose, but work is work. Music professionals often put in 45-80 hour weeks, every week, for as long as they can convince their body to continue getting out of bed. It’s like the postal service motto about how no weather can stop the mail from being delivered, only without the exercise.

There are many professionals working in music today who are great at their jobs. These individuals are the movers and shakers of the industry. They pour every ounce of themselves into their daily tasks, exceed expectations, and quite often find themselves being praised for all they do on industry blogs. The entertainment business tells us to admire those professionals because they have the power to make dreams come true, but far too often celebrations of talent overlook one key to success that anyone who makes a lasting career out of music possesses: Avoiding Burnout.

If 100 people decided to pursue working in the music industry at the same time, how many would eventually have a career? Of those that make it, how many would last more than five years? Ten? Twenty?

These are questions I think about a lot. Having worked in music for a decade now, longer if you count unpaid work, I’ve lost count of how many friends and acquaintances have chosen to pursue other careers. Some feel they will never find stable employment, while others run themselves ragged trying to establish a presence in the industry.

Not long ago, a magazine Editor I had worked with for nearly six years abruptly exited his role. When I inquired as to  why he stepped down his response was simple, “I’m just tired.”

Anyone who chooses to pursue a career in music is told from the day they make their desires known that success is a rarity guaranteed to no one. We are trained to believe music is a battleground where the hardest working people trample one another to uplift the most creative minds we can uncover. We are told to network, but also keep our cards close to our chest, and because of all this the stress involved in pursuing a music career can be downright overwhelming.

When you pour everything you have into something you’re passionate about results will happen. The problem is that no one is able to pour themselves entirely into their passion for as long as they have air in their lungs. Human beings did not evolve to be creatures of habit, living to work and working to live. To borrow a phrase from the band Switchfoot, “We were meant to live for so much more.”

But the music industry doesn’t recognize that. No business or industry does because businesses and industries exist to profit above all else. From a business perspective, time off equals time spent not making money, and who doesn’t want to make money?

Money is great, but it’s not everything. Your happiness and peace of mind are worth more than any paycheck could afford, but the need to realize that falls on the professional and not the people who employ them. If you allow it, working in music or any other industry will drain you of your passion, work you ragged, and keep you away from those you love. In a business as fickle as music, it’s hard for those working to feel strong enough to express a need for a break or vacation, but it’s something that must be done to ensure longterm success in this business.

With all that in mind, here are a few tips to help ease the burden of the nonstop pace of the music industry. The advice outlined below should be viewed as a treatment and not a cure. You need to get away from it all in order to remember why you gave a damn in the first place. Don’t lose hope.

1. Put a priority on face-to-face social contact with supportive people

Social media is a fantastic innovation, but all too often we confuse the connections the digital world provides with being a replacement for legitimate human contact. Too much time alone can cause legitimate sickness, sometimes with life-altering consequences.

2. Set a time each day when you completely disconnect from technology

You are addicted to technology. We all are, in fact, and because of this, our brains are rarely given a chance to decompress. Set aside a part of each day, even just 30 minutes, where you exist without the aide of a screen or device.

3. Move your body frequently—don’t sit for more than an hour

You don’t have to go to the gym, but it certainly won’t hurt. Physical activity increases the endorphins in your body, which in turn alleviates stress. Try to never go more than two-hours without fitting in physical activity of some kind. Take a walk. Try yoga. Be active.

4. Reduce your intake of alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine

In other words, “control your high.” You may think you need these things to function or fit in, but too much of anything is not good for you. In some instances, as with cigarettes, any amount is not good for you. Try to limit mind/body altering substances so that your body does not have to work as hard to reset your system from day to day.

5. Get all the restful sleep that you need to feel your best

The average American adult currently gets just 6.7 hours of sleep per night. Medical studies have related a lack of sleep to health problems and cognitive impairment. With this in mind, try to get anywhere from 7-9 hours a night. If you cannot make that work, maybe carve out a cat nap in the afternoon.

Categories
Artist Advice Business Advice Editorials Industry News News Writing Tips

Take responsibility for your archives

Artists and professionals alike need to back up their data. They should also have backups of their backs, and maybe even backups of those backups.

News broke this week that MySpace, the once-thriving social network, lost a dozen years worth of media due to an error that occurred during a server migration. Though specific numbers are not available, many believe over 50 million songs were lost due to this error, as well as countless photographs and videos.

The news of MySpace losing this data serves as a powerful reminder of the need to maintain personal backups of all important information. As hard as it may be to believe at this time, the likelihood that something similar happens on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram is pretty high. There is also a good chance any blog post you’ve created will one day disappear. Hosting costs money, and even if you can afford your site there are countless ways your data could be lost.

If something is important, you need to take responsibility for preserving it.

Maybe you don’t care about remembering everything you did, but you should be concerned with your ability to prove your level of experience. That is why maintaining a personal archive of accomplishments and passion projects is so immensely important to your professional development. You have to be able to show your work, not to mention your talent, on a moment’s notice. Relying on someone or something else to track your activity is lazy and foolish. Others may benefit from your work, but at the end of the day your work is and always will be most valuable to you. Don’t take it for granted.

There is a market for this kind of thing. Over the last several years some companies have begun promoting tools and services designed to preserve digital content for future use/reference. These businesses may be tremendous and well-intentioned, but they are still an outsider to your personal journey. Use them if you like, but you should also keep offline archives as well. Save each story, song, video, photo, or accomplishment that matters to your own device, as well as an external storage device, just so that it exists regardless of what happens online. The internet is unpredictable, as is all technology, so you need to go to great lengths to ensure the continued existence of your creative output.

Categories
Editorials News Writing Tips

Do you know who reads your music blog?

Building and retaining your audience begins with understanding who is clicking on your site.

Search the name of virtually any artist or group on social media, and you are bound to find people discussing that act. Opinions on music are a dime a dozen, and when it comes to bands, everyone already knows their value is worth even less that. Young music writers around the globe cut corners on a daily basis to be among the first to cover the latest news about the biggest acts in their area of interest. It doesn’t matter if their site has few to no visitors or if much larger publications beat them to the punch, they want to ensure that their readers learn the latest breaking news directly from them.

But who is the audience for the average blog, and who visits websites for news before scrolling social media?

Music publications, especially those lacking funding, rarely build their audience through coverage of talent that is covered by every other zine, blog, or Twitter feed in the world. Music publications gain readers by delivering the stories no one else can. They earn trust through curating a profoundly entertaining and highly engaging conversation around music that they believe deserves recognition.

Covering everything that is popular in music will satisfy people, but it won’t captivate them. If you want people to continue coming back, you need to seek out the stories no one is telling about the musicians that everyone will want to know six months from now. Your job is to hook people with music made by others. There is a finite amount of people who read music sites, and the vast majority are using the same hook to lure readers. Why do that when you can stand out? Why offer what everyone else offers when you can be the alternative?

When you align yourself with artists on the rise, you align yourself with dreamers, and that is – in many ways – your audience. You want people who listen to music and dream of lives not yet lead. You want to provide the soundtrack to their next great escape, and you want to tell them why it’s going to change their lives before they even realize what is happening to them. You want to be a source of discovery, not regurgitation, which continually introduces new sounds and ideas into someone’s life. If you can accomplish one or both of those things, you can make a reader for life. Better yet, you’ll create an ambassador for your work that helps carry word of your writing to places you’ve yet to reach.

So, who reads music blogs? People just like you. People who think the radio is dead and the music they hear everyone else enjoying is stupid, dull, or just plain awful. Be yourself and readers will find you. Do what everyone else is doing, and they will pass you by in search of a more authentic voice.

Categories
Editorials News Writing Tips

How writers can build better relationships with publicists

Networking is everything in music, but it can also be a waste of time if you don’t know what you’re doing.

Publicists are the gatekeepers to working with (the majority of) your favorite artists. New and emerging talent may post their personal emails online for people to contact them directly, but most established acts have representation. If you currently write about music you already know this to be true, but it bears repeating nonetheless.

A great publicist can completely change the trajectory of an artist’s career by helping curate an image and brand that positions talent for success through exposure and engagement. How that success can be achieved is different for every artist, but publicists worth their cost can uncover the most likely path to success for their clients.

With this in mind, it is important for writers to know a few things about publicists before attempting to establish contact:

  • No two publicists are the same.
  • Flattery will get you far in this life, but sending the same outreach to every person you hope to work with or want to notice your work won’t have the same effect.
  • Do you think you get a lot of emails? Publicists get more. Way more. Don’t waste their time.
  • People help people who help them first. Don’t ask for handouts if you haven’t done anything to support the talent the publicist promotes. 
  • Before you get upset or disappointed about an unreturned email, take a moment and consider how many press releases or album advances you receive. Do you reply to every email you receive, or do you prioritize the most important messages and do your best to address the rest? Do you only reply to what works for you and delete the rest? Publicists are no different.
  • Unless you’re running or working at one of the most influential publications/platforms in your genre, you will not always be a top priority.
  • Publicists talk to other publicists. Treat one poorly or drop the ball on things you agreed to cover and word will get out. Your reputation will dictate the access you receive. 

Getting close with publicists is an uphill battle. You are always going to be competing with your peers for attention, but you should never look at other writers as foes. Everyone is trying their best to help the artists they love get ahead, and that is a beautiful thing. Just because you are not provided an opportunity to interview someone or attend a specific tour does not mean you are not appreciated. It just means the demand was high, and you have room left to grow. Even those who DO get those opportunities have room to grow.

If you are reaching out to a publicist for the first time, or if you are trying to setup something with a publicist you’ve known for years, do your best to provide them with something beneficial in return. For example, write about the artists on a tour before you request tickets, and in your request mention what you plan to write in the future. Provide them with as much coverage as possible to make it clear you’re not using the access they can grant to have a good time. Let them know you are requesting access because you’re a professional hoping to work, then make good on that promise and do the work.

You should also keep an eye on publicity rosters for emerging talent who might not attract attention from major outlets. Covering those artists can show publicists that you are serious about the work you do as a writer. It tells them you recognize the fact that everyone is doing their best to get ahead, and that you are just as invested in their success as you are yours. 

The big things to avoid are lies and deception. Publicists can identify someone trying to game the system or earn undo favor from a mile away. You will not be able to fool them into thinking you are bigger than you are or that you can make things happen that are not in your control. Publicists are the kings and queens of spin, which means you cannot try to beat them at their own game. Be honest and deliver, it’s that simple.

Categories
Editorials News Writing Tips

How to write compelling concert reviews

Reviews are a dime a dozen these days, but a great live review by an engaging author can still make the difference between a tour’s success or failure.

Ah, the concert review. It has been a staple of entertainment journalism longer than almost any other feature, appearing long before recorded music was even thought possible, and it will most likely outlast us all. Why? For starters, the financial risk in seeing virtually any show is much higher than consuming a single song, album, or movie. Most people will risk $10 on a new release, but far fewer people are willing to spend $30 (or in many cases, much more) to see a performance whose quality is uncertain.

Then there’s the YouTube problem. Just last week, I saw Kelly Clarkson tell a crowd of thousands at Van Andel Arena how much she appreciated their attendance by admitting, “I don’t know if I like anyone enough to leave my house. You could have watched this whole thing on YouTube from your couch, but you’re here, and that means something.”

There are thousands of hours of concert videos on YouTube. In the time it takes to read this article there will likely be hundreds, if not thousands more than when you started. A lot of the clips feature muddy sound and poor video quality, but there remains more than enough decent uploads to sustain those unwilling or unable to purchase tickets for themselves. Just look at this video from the latest Panic! At The Disco tour, which is currently making its way across North America:

The clip above may not duplicate the live experience, but for many, it’s good enough.

These reasons, as well as many others, explain why creating quality live reviews is so important in entertainment today. A compelling live review can determine whether or not a ticket is bought, which plays a role in whether or not artists can support themselves and continue to create.

The importance of criticism in regards to concerts is as much about the performers on stage as it is the production, the crowd, and the overall vibe of the event. Journalists can speak to all these elements on a technical level, but what really grabs today’s easily distracted reader is the critic’s own journey. The consumer of your material may never make it to the show in question themselves, and the reasons for that are numerous (schedule, cost, etc.). What they can do, however, is live vicariously through you.

In today’s entertainment writing culture, the key to crafting a great live review lies in learning how to tell a good story — your story. You should consider yourself, your feelings, and everything that goes into a night out on assignment as a vessel for others. Capture as many moments as possible, especially the tiny moments that others in the crowd might miss, and use them to make your story more engaging for the reader. Here are some questions to get you started:

  • What is the weather like?
  • Is it hot or cold inside the venue?
  • Do people look happy to be there?
  • When did the venue staff notice people lining up? (Don’t be afraid to ask!)
  • What are people in the crowd talking about?
  • What are people in the crowd wearing?
  • How much time between sets?
  • Did the performers engage the audience? If so, how?
  • What moments from this show will you remember in six months?
  • What would you change, if anything, to improve the night?
  • How did you feel during the show?
  • Were your expectations met?
  • Where were your expectations?

2019 is shaping up to be a banner year for live entertainment. Legendary acts are returning to the stage for a final run, new artists are trying to fill large venues, and there appear to be more festivals than ever before. Everyone who is anyone is trying to get a piece of consumers’ live entertainment budget. The reality is, only a few will succeed, and critics can play an active role in determining who comes out on top.

Categories
Artist Advice News Writing Tips

How to make the most of a song or album premiere

With competition fiercer than ever, you need to be sure your next premiere has a meaningful impact.

How did you discover the last band that changed your life? Did a friend or family member introduce you? Did you catch them at a gig? Did an algorithm determine the artist or group was something you might like based on its knowledge of the last thousand songs you’ve played?

The music industry has changed. Consumers no longer rely solely on genre gatekeepers to determine the next big thing in music. Robots can do more to predict someone’s next favorite artist than even the most talented writer, and those machines are growing smarter with each passing day.

The days of blogs regurgitating press releases with copy and paste tactics to garner massive followings based on a falsely earned association with speed or authority are history. Today’s music fan learns about their favorite artist’s latest happenings from the artist’s official channel on any one of the numerous popular social media platforms. If not there, they can get the same news regarding tours or videos or studio time or really anything from the band members’ accounts or their label’s accounts or their publicist’s accounts or the venues where they’re playing or…you get the idea.

The days of blog exclusives are also mostly extinct. There are still countless blogs running so-called exclusives from the myriad of bands from all corners of the Earth every day of the week, but anything of value is almost instantly reblogged by everyone else, often without crediting the source. That change has lead many to accept far more pitches for premieres than in years prior. Sites that used to be highly selective are now forced to take on more premieres in order to reach the same traffic goals.

The only content that matters anymore is original content. In the case of premieres, that responsibility extends to both the artist and the author. The greatest song ever written can vanish into the depths of the Soundcloud and Bandcamp abyss if it debuts on a site that doesn’t care about the material. The artist’s fans will still care, of course, but they were going to care anyway. The fans are visiting for the song, and they will never visit again unless the site has something to offer beyond the material.

Unknown artists have an even greater need for talented writers. Exclusive content premiered through the right site can go a long way toward helping local acts gain national or even international attention. Excellent writing can make people click content they otherwise would scroll past, and it can get readers thinking about the music presented in a way they might not have previously considered.

James Rhodes of FiXT shared the following thoughts on premieres for this article.

“I think the premiere culture is a 2-way street. Both parties (artists/labels on one side, press outlet on the other) are looking for a value exchange. The artist/label wants some amount of exposure to a new audience along with receiving the credibility/recognition for being covered by the press outlet. The press outlet wants to cover content that will bring them engagement from current followers/readers as well as a new audience from the artist/label they are covering. But merely posting a song as a premiere doesn’t really move the needle anymore, at least for most young or developing artists (heck, even some established artists). Sometimes a press outlet doesn’t add any opinion to the piece, they just copy/paste what is given to them. As a label, I want the press outlet to provide some credibility and acknowledgment to the artist/music by having something positive to say about it, that would excite their readers to care about the content.

To do it right takes time/planning and time is merely the least available resource for all parties as well. Frequently, the reality is, a premiere is done just for the sake of having a premiere to satisfy the artist and we’d better just releasing the song direct to fans on Spotify and posting on our own socials. Sometimes we do a premiere with a ‘big’ outlet and literally gets tens of plays in the first 24 hours on a YouTube Video when we could have had thousands or tens of thousands if we just made the video public on YouTube. Other times, the press premiere is overwhelmingly positive and a win/win.”

Rhodes has an excellent point. As simple as it may seem, sites and artists often get what they give when it comes to premieres. Rushed content produces underwhelming results, as does writing void of passion. You cannot expect anyone to care about the content you don’t care about yourself.

There are also many intangible hurdles. Just because you share content on social networks does not guarantee reach. Having a plan in place to promote content beyond the initial posting can help, but there are still limits. The chances a single feature makes or breaks an artist are low, but that is all the more reason to care about making each element as impactful as possible.

Additional ideas to encourage engagement include:

  • Sharing new updates with your mailing list.
  • Teasing new content with audio or video clips shared on social media.
  • Paid promotion on social platforms.

Logan White, a contributor to Substream Magazine, suggests artists consider pairing premieres with other essential releases.

“I love tying in the premiere to another piece of big news. Sometimes that’s an option, and sometimes it not. It doesn’t dictate whether I do a premiere or not, but it’s great to be able to give fans something else to look forward to. Especially for new listeners who are checking the song out, and the band for the first time, if they dig it then they immediately have something to look forward to.”

Molly Hudelson, another music journalist, emphasized the importance of artists aligning themselves with sites that care about their music.

“Where you premiere a song is huge. If an outlet is selective about what they premiere and is a voice that your audience values, this matters more than a premiere from a site that isn’t selective or doesn’t have a voice that connects with your fans. Premieres “just because,” with an outlet that doesn’t hold significance, won’t help.”

Whatever you choose to do moving forward, do it with purpose. Select the where, when, and how of your future premieres just as carefully as you select the music you share. The work is worth the reward, and that goes for everyone involved. If anyone says otherwise, run the other way.

Exit mobile version