Tag: 2015

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Job Board News

Music Industry Job Board (12/13/15)

A lot has been written about the supposed dire state of the music industry, but truth be told there are a number of successful and growing companies, including record labels, that are thriving in 2015. In this column we bring together every job opening we can find from the companies responsible for building the future of the business and present them to you, our reader, in hopes of aiding you on your journey to join the global music industry professional family.

Each week we scour the internet for the latest and greatest job postings throughout the music industry. You can help us better serve our community by sending any job openings you find or have to james@haulix.com. Be sure to include the name of the company hiring, a detailed description of the position being offered, a desired start date, contact information, and any additional supplemental information you feel may be needed.

New openings:

Account Executive (Shazam – Los Angeles) 

Job summary: We are looking for a new Account Executive to come and join our LA based Ad Sales team. A background in mobile Ad Sales is a must, as is a knowledge of the entertainment landscape and a creative mind when it comes to how we might be working with the brands we aren’t already working with – or how we might support the ones we already work with differently.

Marketing Strategist (Loove – NYC) 

Job summary: We’re looking for someone to spearhead our marketing strategy.
That someone is philosophical about messaging and analytical about results.
Cares deeply about music and the people who make it. Is passionate about technology, can keep up with the speed of innovation. Wants to be a part of something positive, and can infect others with their excitement about it.

Director Of Artist Content (LiveNation TV – Atlanta) 

Job summary: Seasoned professional with excellent relationships across artist managers, publicists, and record companies. Must have background in booking musical artists for performance and editorial video pieces. Should have a basic understanding of music publishing, music rights, video/editorial creative and production, and artist and management psychology.  Position will either be located in our New York, NY offices or Atlanta, GA offices.  

Director Of Marketing (LiveNation – Beverly Hills) 

Job summary: Live Nation is looking for an energetic, strategic thinker to join the national tour marketing team in Los Angeles. 

Marketing Coordinator (Rooster Teeth – Texas) 

Job summary: Rooster Teeth is seeking a Marketing Coordinator who will be responsible for collaborating with internal constituencies to bring to completion marketing and promotional projects. This role will also identify, socialize, and steward to completion new marketing strategies and aspects of distribution and content creation programs to ensure industry competitiveness and growth. This role requires an understanding of the dynamics of television, film, and long and short-form content marketing, including media strategies, publicity strategies, advertising best practices, talent engagement, creative visuals copywriting, and more in order to achieve success across digital distribution platforms and a content development studio. Key goals will include coordinating and tracking all consumer promotions executed through content marketing in support of driving digital distribution acquisition and retention, as well as Studio content releases. The ideal candidate would have a passion for and knowledge of YouTube, digital entertainment, and the world of Internet influencers.

Senior Publicist, Media Relations (NPR – Washington DC) 

Job summary: This is a hands-on media relations staff position with the primary responsibility to raise awareness and tell the story of NPR – with a focus on NPR News, NPR Music, programming and journalists – through creative and comprehensive media outreach and effective placement in national and regional outlets. The successful candidate will handle a portfolio of NPR news programs, desks and beats, staying in constant cmmunication with these editorial units, editors, producers and journalists to effectively identify opportunities for publicity. S/he will create and execute effective strategies to publicize show and desk-generated reports, series, breaking news and investigations, and work to grow the external profile for related journalists, hosts editors and producers. S/he will work extensively throughout NPR, NPR member stations and the public broadcasting system to help generate awareness of NPR in national, regional and local media. The position reports to the Director, Media Relations.

Unit Coordinator (Texas Tech Univ. – Lubbock) 

Job summary: Provides support in the coordination and supervision of programs in the area to which the job is assigned. May supervise subordinate staff, student employees and/or volunteers.

Director, Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra (Dartmouth College – New Hampshire)

Job summary: To provide artistic, musical and administrative leadership for the Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra. Recruits and trains performers. Plans and conducts rehearsals and performances. Responsible for associated administrative duties.

Marketing Manager (Grant Park Music Festival – Chicago)

Job summary: The Grant Park Orchestral Association in Chicago, Illinois seeks a Marketing Manager at the Grant Park Music Festival (the Festival). This position will report to the Director of Marketing and Media Relations. The Marketing Manager works in collaboration with the Marketing and Patron Services team to assist in the planning and management of the Festival’s membership campaign. Strong candidates will demonstrate a passion for the arts and the mission of the Festival.

Manager, Ad Sales Marketing (Sirius XM – NYC)

Job summary: The Manager, Ad Sales Marketing is a key member of Ad Sales Marketing team, supporting all aspects of the sales and marketing process. The Manager is responsible for the development and execution of select marketing proposals and programs. Additionally, the position is responsible for development of ad-based opportunities across programming and to identify key opportunities to the sales team. Other responsibilities include the writing and updating of all sales materials across all channels. This position handles on air executions as pertains to advertiser sponsored programs.

Assistant, Marketing (Warner Music Group – NYC)

Job summary: With its broad roster of new stars and legendary artists, Warner Music Group is home to a collection of the best-known record labels in the music industry including Asylum, Atlantic, Cordless, East West, Elektra, Nonesuch, Reprise, Rhino, Roadrunner, Rykodisc, Sire, Warner Bros. and Word, as well as Warner/Chappell Music, one of the world’s leading music publishers, with a catalog of more than one million copyrights worldwide.  The Marketing assistant will be responsible for developing comprehensive strategies for marketing our artists as well as coordinating all efforts (internally and with outside parties) on all projects.

Entry Level Marketing Assistant (East Side Promoter – Los Angeles)

Job summary: Seeking dynamic, self-motivated individual to help assist with our marketing and promotions for a group of live music / dance themed venues, festivals, and events. We need someone who is detail-oriented, focused, can work quickly and efficiently with distractions in an easy-going, fun workplace. This person should be passionate about new music and the Los Angeles/Southern California events scene. We are looking for someone who loves live music and will represent the company with pride and enthusiasm at our venues and other events around the city.

Warner Classic Coordinator (WMG – NYC)

Job summary: The Classics Coordinator is responsible for the administrative work required to ensure the execution of all sales, marketing, publicity and distribution functions, as well as elements of the planning and implementation of marketing and advertising initiatives.

Chief Marketing Officer (Barbershop Harmony Society)

Job summary: This senior executive position with the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, will oversee global and internal marketing initiatives, image development and partnerships for a vibrant, 78-year-old fraternal society of 22,000 organized and passionate singers in North America, who are part of 70,000 affiliated singers worldwide. This individual will lead the marketing efforts of a deeply-committed volunteer membership and an experienced marketing staff and executive team.

Coordinator, Artist Development/Touring (Warner Music Group – Burbank, CA)

Job summary: Coordinator is responsible for processing all department invoices, travel authorizations, and general administrative duties. Supports VP Artist Development & Tour Marketing and the Artist Development team.

CRM & Social Media Coordinator (Sony – NYC)

Job summary: The social media coordinator is responsible for developing and administering Legacy artists’ official social media presence working closely with the digital marketing and marketing teams to create and implement the communication strategy.

Staff Writer/ Entertainment Reporter/ Junior Admin (TBPR – Atlanta)

Job summary: We are looking for an intern staff writer/ entertainment reporter/ junior admin with writing experience who we can offer a paid assignment position upon successful completion of the internship.

Music Merchandising Manager (Google – Mountain View, CA)

Job summary: As a Merchandising Manager, you will help build and maintain Google Play’s merchandising program on handsets, web and tablets. Based on your digital content retail experience, you will coordinate and launch effective online features and promotions. You bring to the table strong retail instincts, sharp analytical abilities, and impeccable oral and written communication skills. You are comfortable working cross-functionally with product, design, marketing, engineering, and other teams to develop an innovative user experience. It’s important that you be able to work both independently and collaboratively to develop new content features and scalable merchandising processes. You’ll also have a track record for successful prioritization, meeting critical deadlines, and enthusiastically tackling challenges with an eye toward problem solving.

Media Consultant (CMG Miami Radio – Miami)

Job summary: The Media Consultant position carries the responsibility for developing and selling radio/digital/event advertising campaigns to prospective businesses for CMG Miami Radio’s 4 super brands and our robust digital offerings. This individual must be independent, very organized and detail-oriented. We are looking for candidates that are competitive in nature, who have the ability to first seek to understand a problem, and then develop creative ideas and solutionThe ideal candidate will have a disciplined approach to maintaining day-to-day sales activity levels, the ability to prospect and acquire new business, strong presentation skills and a proven track record in building and sustaining client-based relationships. This role will also be educating our clients and agencies on our robust suite of digital products/services such as Display, SEO, SEM, mobile, social media and reach extension solutions.

Director, Content Development (NPR – Washington DC)

Job summary: NPR is seeking a Director of Content Development. The successful candidate will be charged with developing and executing new content that lives across radio and digital, including podcasts, that further defines the NPR brand as an essential destination for storytelling.

Project Manager / Personal Assistant (Tourean – Los Angeles)

Job summary: Serial Entrepreneur & International Pop Star seeks an experienced Project Manager/Personal Assistant to assist with the day-to-day responsibilities of their mobile app business, music and personal endeavors. The position will be based out of their home office in Beverly Hills.

Marketing Manager – Allen & Heath (American Music And Sound – Newbury Park, CA)

Job summary: Raise the brand profile in the US; develop Brand Activation plan based on the global Allen & Heath strategy and create demand for Allen & Heath products in the American market with a strong global image. Manage traditional and digital marketing agendas based on local insights in sync with the team at Allen & Heath HQ in the UK. Develop effective education channels to strengthen the position of Allen & Heath in the US and increase brand awareness. Plan effective use of resources such as budget, agents and personnel, developing KPIs to measure success.

Blog Writer (Mugatunes – Boston)

Job summary: You will spend quality time finding great music. (If that sounds like work to you, you’re in the wrong place).You will gain experience in creative writing, new-age journalism, digital marketing, and start-up entrepreneurship.You will have a shiny new trophy on your resume and a conversation starter at any interview.You will work alongside fellow millennials to create your campus’ exclusive brand while showing off your 6th-sense for finding #NoShittyMusic .You will create content on a regular basis that will be viewed and enjoyed by listeners in over 75 countries.

Staff Accountant (LiveNation – Chicago)

Job summary: We are seeking a Staff Accountant to oversee management of financial statements, across multiple locations, analyze & prepare key financial schedules/deliverables (for submittal to US Concerts) and assist in other special reporting projects as needed.

Project Coordinator, Radio (Townsquare Media – Trenton, NJ)

Job summary: Townsquare Media Trenton is looking for an outgoing, results oriented candidate to join New Jersey 101.5 FM in its Ewing, New Jersey office as a Project Manager. The Project Manager is responsible for supporting the Director of Sales and sales staff by providing administrative, marketing and clerical support.

Categories
Job Board News

Haulix Weekly Update #114: “Facts are meaningless.”

Hello, everyone. Thank you for stopping by our blog. Whether it’s your first visit or your hundredth, we’re happy to have your attention. This is our weekly recap post, which runs every Friday, and in it we talk all things Haulix. Before we get there however, we like to share a song that has been on repeat in our offices this week. With the weekend only a few short hours away, this track will help you celebrate your impending freedom like no other. Enjoy:

As I mentioned above, each and every weekend we like to take a brief break from our regularly scheduled programming to update and reflect on everything happening at Haulix HQ. We are far more than a music blog, as many of you already know, and posts like this give us an opportunity to share more our efforts with all of you.

Development News:

Our development continued to work on the new version of Haulix all week long, and we will tell you first that a great deal of progress has been made. We know we originally planned to have this massive update done in time for the new year, but right now we are looking at a release closer to March. If that feels like forever away, trust us, we feel the same. Every effort is being made to complete this project as fast as possible, but we refuse to cut corners. We pride ourselves on having a product of the highest quality, and we refuse to let that slip in order to be a bit more timely with our release. 

Here is a quick teaser of some of the updates you can expect from the new version of Haulix arriving in early 2016…

— Drag n Drop Editor for building custom Press Releases and Promo Invitations

— Choosing recipients will be much easier with a new way to include or exclude groups of contacts

— Save the email and finish later

— Save and re-use drafts like you do now

— The ability to send yourself and coworkers a test email before blasting to your contacts

— The ability to schedule campaigns to automatically send out on a future date and time

Blog News:

The biggest piece of news this week in regards to our blog was the premiere of our Podcast’s 50th episode. We are so thankful for your continued support of Inside Music, and we hope to continue providing great content for you to enjoy for many years to come.

If you missed any content we posted this week, please use the links below to get caught up before a new week begins…

Our Top 10 Albums Of 2015

It Is Time We Rethink The Value We Place In Facebook

Making The Most Of Your Support Slot

The 20 Most Reblogged Bands on Tumblr in 2015 (And What It Says About The Platform)

DECEMBER DAZE: A Conversation With Janet Devlin

Inside Music #50: Matthew Baird (Spoken)

A Complete List Of GRAMMY Nominees

Tunecore Has Been Hacked

Monday Motivation: Spoken

Music Industry Job Board

Should Artists Have To Pay For Access To Influencers

That is everything we have to share this week. Please check in over the weekend as we may throw up some additional content that could help your career in music.

Best,

Haulix

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News

It’s Time To Rethink The Value We Place In Facebook

Still begging for likes on Facebook? The quote below is from Machine Head, a band that’s been around since 1992, sold a few hundred thousand albums, and has 1.3 million “Likes" on Facebook.

“I just read a story about Facebook and how the number of shares and interaction has plummeted. And that jives with what we have been seeing too. Yes, we can see you Facebookers! Yes, we can see that, of the 500,000 who were “reached” by last video journal, less than 90% of you watched even 3 SECONDS OF IT! That the average viewing time was 1:19 of a 20 minute video? 1 MINUTE of a twenty minute video! For whatever reason you couldn’t even give us 20 minutes of your time, but you know what? Fuck it, we’re STILL going to try and crack that shell…”

Those 500,000 people on Facebook were probably in the middle of four chats, and going through 13 friend requests while clicking play on that video. That video sat in between breaking news about another tragedy and racist family members parroting FOX News.

Everything on Facebook is engineered to be a distraction. Your time is on the site is a commodity for Zuckerberg and his near 12,000 employees. No one at Facebook cares about your new music video or tour announcements – they only care about the traffic you can send their way so they can monetize it.

They get paid every week, you don’t.

So put your videos on your own website. Put your tour dates on your website. Put your new album news on your website. Point your social media “fans” to your website. Look at the stats. How many people are actually coming to your site? Those people are your fans.

Now, make sure you have well placed links for people to buy your albums. And t-shirts. Or a nice image linking to your Kickstarter Campaign for that new EP you want to record.

Make sure you have a spot asking for email addresses, too. Always be building your email list – you never know when Facebook or Twitter will implode, leaving you with a bunch of “likes” and “followers” on a dead social media network.

Sure, the traffic to your site will be smaller than the number of social media “fans” you have, but like you see above, 1.3 million “Likes” doesn’t get you much. The people who do come to your site, the folks who do join your email list, and who contribute to your Kickstarter – those are your real fans.

Seth Werkheiser is the quiz master of metal trivia at Skulltoaster. He’s also the founder of some music sites you may have heard of, including Noise Creep (2009) + Buzzgrinder (2001). He’s anti-Facebook, anti-clickbait, and anti-growth hacking. You should most definitely follow him on Twitter. Yes, right now.

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News

DECEMBER DAZE: A Conversation with Janet Devlin

There is a common misconception among young artists in the digital age that seemingly anyone can become an overnight sensation by simply uploading their music to the internet. While cases of such success have been recorded, they are far from the norm. Most artists still have to build their audiences one fan at a time, and if they try to reach too many too fast they often end up disappointing more people than they win over. The smart play is, as it always has been, to start in your immediate area and build out. Win over your town, then the county you live, then the state you call home, and then set your sights on venues and fans further out. There is no rush to the top, and those who skyrocket to the heights of success often disappear just as fast as they arrived. You don’t want that kind of career. You want longevity, and longevity requires patience.

Janet Devlin, a singer/songwriter from the UK, has spent the last two years promoting one release in two countries. Her journey began in the UK, where her debut album was quickly embraced by fans and critics alike. As her star continued to rise, Devlin found a label owner from the states interested in bringing her music to the US. Devlin had just completed her second UK release, an EP titled Duvet Daze, but she hopped on a plane and made her way to America to start the promotional cycle for her debt album all over again. That was early 2015, and now Devlin is back in headlines with the release of her wonderful holiday EP, December Daze.

Unlike Devlin’s previous releases, December Daze was released on the same day, November 27, worldwide. We thought change of release plans marked the perfect opportunity to speak with Devlin about her career up to this point, the effort required to write an original holiday song, and her plans for her long-awaited second album. Her responses were fun and honest, with just enough teases regarding future releases to make any fan excited for the new year. You can read highlights from our conversation below.

After you read our interview with Janet Devlin, please head over to iTunes and support her career by picking up one or all of her releases. The song “Lifeboat” is a personal favorite of ours, but you honestly cannot go wrong with any of her material. You should also follow Janet on Twitter, which is where she will likely turn to share any news regarding future tour and album plans.

H: Hello, Janet. How are you today?

J: I’m well. Currently in New York for shows and promotion around my upcoming release.

H: That sounds like a great place to start. You have a new Christmas EP due out this holiday season, as well as another EP. The second has come out in the UK already though, correct?

J: Yes. The Christmas EP is a new release. I have a second EP, Duvet Daze, which was released in the UK last year. It’s a covers EP and it never came out here in the states, so I thought I would release them both around the same time.

H: That is what happened with your debt record as well, correct? You released in the UK first, followed by a US release several months later?

J: Yes, that is correct. I’m hoping we can get both sides of the Atlantic on the same page after these releases. [laughs]

H: Let’s back up a bit. Your debut album was released in the UK in 2014 and it saw a lot of success. When does the conversation about bringing that record to the US begin, and how does that process happen?

J: I was checking out international deals as they came in, choosing between international licensing agreements and signing with different labels in each country, and I was contacted by OK! Good Records. They were really passionate about the album and getting it out, so I met with them and things just kind of came together. The release was planned for February of this year, and that was the first time I traveled to the US. Kind of crazy to think back on it now, even though it was just earlier this year.

H: What was it like for you to record, promote, and release a record, only to turn around and repeat the last two steps all over again in a new country?

J: It was a bit different. Before I came over I had to make time to listen to the album again and revisit the material. I had been working on new music up until that point, so I needed some time to sink back into that role. The press side was a bit easier though, as most of the questions people asked over here were ones I had heard on the previous promotional cycle. The stateside writers tend to pick apart the record a bit more, which I appreciate.

H: I would assume most people here in the states have never heard of you outside of your states. You are a bit more recognizable in the UK, so it must be nice to encounter someone who only wants to discuss the music.

J: Yea, exactly. It was just amazing to encounter people who just genuinely wanted to know about the album and me as a musician.

H: How long after the UK release of Duvet Daze did the US release of your debut happen?

J: I released Duvet Daze around Christmas of last year. I had a big promotional push for the record, which took us into January, but right after that I had to come to the states for the other album release. That was weird because I couldn’t talk about the EP, which I had been promoting up until I left, but now it’s coming out here and I can talk about it.

H: Just to be clear, the Christmas EP will be released globally at the same time?

J: Yes, that is the plan. Same day release for everyone.

H: Do you feel, because this is a global release, that this is a sign of the next phase of your career?

J: I haven’t really thought of it like that just yet. This EP wasn’t overly thought out or planned, it just sort of happened. I was back in the UK, playing with material, and just thought to lay down some holiday themed songs. I didn’t think about making it the first global release, or whether or not it would be something people everywhere would enjoy. Some people have asked why I chose to make Christmas EP at this point, and I’ve told them, “Because I wanted to.”

I normally despise Christmas, but after visiting New York during winter earlier this year I made a decision to try and not be a Grinch this year. I knew I loved music, so I thought if I worked on some holiday music I might be a bit more in the spirit.

H: Let’s talk about the Christmas original on the record. The covers are great, but artists attempting to write a new holiday song is a bit of a rarity. What’s the story behind that track?

J: I was walking around Central Park in the freezing cold and I had the thought to try and love Christmas this year. I turned to my guitar player, who was there at the time, and asked if we could sneak away between press obligations to write a Christmas song. He looked at me in disbelief, and then we headed back to the hotel to write “December Daze.” It was quick and simple, really, and within a few weeks the EP began to take shape.

H: Your cover of Joni Mitchell’s “River” is my favorite track on your Christmas EP. It’s always been a great song, but you bring something special to the mix. I also appreciate your song choice, as I often fear many young music fans may never learn to appreciate Joni’s work.

J: Yea, it’s not really a Christmas song,

H: No, but we can pretend.

J: They do mention Christmas, so that’s something. [laughs]

H: Let’s look to the future. These two EPs come out, the year ends, and then 2016 arrives. What do you have planned for the new year? I have a feeling your second album may be on the way.

J: Yea, I’ve been working on that one for a while. There is a good chunk ready for the studio. I want to have way more songs written, but it has been a bit crazy with the EP and everything happening around it. I had originally planned to shut down this time of year and focus on the record, but this EP has forced me to change things around a bit. Next year, early on, I might take a couple weeks off from the internet and whatnot to really focus on creating the best record possible.

And who knows? Maybe I’ll meet someone. There is a line on the Christmas EP about being single for four years. I never have time for anything outside of music, but maybe next year will be different.

H: I like that idea of stepping away from social media and the internet. Addiction to that stuff is real, and I’m very much a junkie. The best work I do happens when I’m able to put that stuff down and focus hard on the task at hand. That is far easier said than done.

J: Yes! You might not even feel any desire to use those sites, but then before you know you are impulsively reaching for your phone. It’s not so much that I want to take a massive hiatus, but I do want to focus solely on my craft. I want to be an artist, and I want to work on my art.

H: What do you hope people take away from these new EPs?

J: The album is a diary of a teenage girl, the covers EP is full of songs I’ve always wanted to sing, and the Christmas EP is me trying to not take myself too seriously. I think the next one will be super personal, but again it’s still taking shape.

H: I think personal is the way to go. I prefer when albums feel like talking to an old friend about everything that has happened to them since their last release.

J: There is a bit of that to this material. There is one song I keep playing for people back home, and everyone who has heard it has loved it, but every time I hear it I still get a little emotional. It’s all still so fresh for me, and refreshing. I like being vulnerable, but as a closed off person it doesn’t happen very often. Music makes it possible for me to be open.

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News

2016 Grammy Awards: A Complete List of Nominations

Today is probably the last major day for the music industry in 2015. As the holiday slowdown quick approaches, more and more people are going to be leaving their offices in hopes of taking a week off with those they love. Before that can happen however, we need to talk about the GRAMMYs, and earlier today a complete list of nominees for the 2016 ceremony were revealed.

The first batch of nominees for the 2016 GRAMMYs were announced by Alicia Keyes on CBS This Morning Monday earlier today. The complete list of nominees was then revealed a short time later in a press release, as well as on the official GRAMMYs website. The artist with the most nomination is Kendrick Lamar with 11 nods, while Taylor Swift and The Weeknd share a close second place position with 7 nominations each. You can view the full list of categories and contenders below.

The 58th Annual Grammy Awards will be held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California on February 15, 2016, and will be broadcast in high-definition and 5.1 surround sound on CBS from 8–11:30 p.m. ET. No host has been announced. Performers for the event have also yet to be revealed, but it seems safe to assume a few of the names mentioned in the categories below will make an appearance.

Album of the Year

Alabama Shakes, Sound and Color

Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp a Butterfly

Chris Stapleton, Traveller

Taylor Swift, 1989

The Weeknd, Beauty Behind the Madness


Song of the Year

Kendrick Lamar, “Alright”

Taylor Swift, “Blank Space”

Little Big Town, “Girl Crush”

Wiz Kahifa feat. Charlie Puth, “See You Again”

Ed Sheeran, “Thinking Out Loud”

Record of the Year

D’Angelo and the Vanguard, “Really Love”

Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars, “Uptown Funk”

Ed Sheeran, “Thinking Out Loud”

Taylor Swift, “Blank Space”

The Weeknd, “Can’t Feel my Face”

Best New Artist

Courtney Barnett

James Bay

Sam Hunt

Tori Kelly

Meghan Trainor


Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

Florence + The Machine, “ Ship to Wreck”

Maroon 5, “Sugar”

Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars, “Uptown Funk”

Taylor Swift feat. Kendrick Lamar, “Bad Blood”

Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth, “See You Again”


Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

Tony Bennett & Bill Charlap, The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern

Bob Dylan, Shadows in the Night

Josh Groban, Stages

Seth MacFarlane, No One Ever Tells You

Barry Manilow (& Various Artists), My Dream Duets

Best Pop Vocal Album

Kelly Clarkson, Piece by Piece

Florence + The Machine, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful

Mark Ronson, Uptown Special

Taylor Swift, 1989

James Taylor, Before This World


Best Dance Recording

Above & Beyond feat. Zoë Johnston, :We’re All We Need"

The Chemical Brothers, “Go:

Flying Lotus feat. Kendrick Lamar, "Never Catch Me”

Galantis, “Runaway (U & I)”

Skrillex and Diplo With Justin Bieber, “Where Are Ü Now”

Best Rock Performance

Alabama Shakes, “Don’t Wanna Fight”

Florence + The Machine,“What Kind Of Man”

Foo Fighters, “Something From Nothing”

Elle King, “Ex’s & Oh’s”

Wolf Alice, “Moaning Lisa Smile”

Best Alternative Music Album

Alabama Shakes, Sound & Color

Björk, Vulnicura

My Morning Jacket, The Waterfall

Tame Impala, Currents

Wilco, Star Wars


Best Urban Contemporary Album

The Internet, Ego Death

Kehlani, You Should Be Here

Lianne La Havas, Blood

Miguel, Wildheart

The Weeknd, Beauty Behind the Madness


Best Rap Album

J. Cole, 2014 Forest Hills Drive

Dr. Dre, Compton

Drake, If Youre Reading This Its Too Late

Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp a Butterfly

Nicki Minaj, The Pinkprint


Best Country Album

Sam Hunt, Montevallo

Little Big Town, Pain Killer

Ashley Monroe, The Blade

Kacey Musgraves, Pageant Material

Chris Stapleton, Traveller

Best Jazz Instrumental Album

Joey Alexander, My Favorite Things

Terence Blanchard feat. The E-Collective, Breathless

Robert Glasper & The Robert Glasper Trio, Covered: Recorded Live at Capitol Studios

Jimmy Greene, Beautiful Life

John Scofield, Past Present


Best Gospel Album

Karen Clark Sheard, Destined to Win (Live)

Dorinda Clark-Cole, Living It

Tasha Cobbs, One Place Live

Israel & Newbreed, Covered: Alive Is Asia [Live] (Deluxe)

Jonathan McReynolds, Life Music: Stage Two

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album

Jason Crabb, Whatever the Road

Lauren Daigle, How Can It Be

Matt Maher, Saints and Sinners

Tobymac, This Is Not a Test

Chris Tomlin, Love Ran Red

Best Latin Pop Album

Pablo Alborán, Terral

Alex Cuba, Healer

Ricky Martin, A Quien Quiera Escuchar (Deluxe Edition)

Alejandro Sanz, Sirope

Julieta Venegas, Algo Sucede

Best Americana Album

Brandi Carlile, The Firewatcher’s Daughter

Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell, The Traveling Kind

Jason Isbell, Something More Than Free

The Mavericks, Mono

Punch Brothers, The Phosphorescent Blues


Best Dance/Electronic Album

Caribou, Our Love

The Chemical Brothers, Born in the Echoes

Disclosure, Caracal

Jamie XX, In Colour

Skrillex and Diplo, Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack Ü

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album

Bill Frisell, Guitar in the Space Age!

Wouter Kellerman, Love Language

Marcus Miller, Afrodeezia

Snarky Puppy & Metropole Orkest, Sylva

Kirk Whalum, The Gospel According to Jazz, Chapter IV


Best Metal Performance

August Burns Red, “Identity”

Cirice, “Ghost”

Lamb of God, “512”

Sevendust, “Thank You”

Slipknot, “Custer”

Best Rock Song

Alabama Shakes, “Don’t Wanna Fight”

Elle King, “Ex’s & Oh’s”

James Bay, “Hold Back the River”

Highly Suspect, “Lydia”

Florence + the Machine, “What Kind of Man”

Best Rock Album

James Bay, Chaos and the Calm

Death Cab for Cutie, Kintsugi

Highly Suspect, Mister Asylum

Muse, Drones

Slipknot, .5: The Gray Chapter

Best R&B Performance

Tamar Braxton, “If I Don’t Have You”

Andra Day, “Rise Up”

Hiatus Kaiyote, “Breathing Underwater”

Jeremih feat. J. Cole, “Planes”

The Weeknd, “Earned It (Fifty Shades of Grey)”

Best Traditional R&B Performance

Faith Evans, “He Is”

Lalah Hathaway, “Little Ghetto Boy”

Jazmine Sullivan, “Let It Burn”

Tyrese, “Shame”

Charlie Wilson, “My Favorite Part of You”

Best R&B Song

Miguel, “Coffee”

The Weeknd, “Earned It (Fifty Shades of Grey)”

Jazmine Sullivan, “Let It Burn”

D’Angelo and The Vanguard, “Really Love”

Tyrese, “Shame”

Best R&B Album

Leon Bridges, Coming Home

D’Angelo and the Vanguard, Black Messiah

Andra Day, Cheers to the Fall

Jazmine Sullivan, Reality Show

Charlie Wilson, Forever Charlie

Best Rap Performance

J. Cole, “Apparently”

Drake, “Back to Back”

Fetty Wap, “Trap Queen”

Kendrick Lamar, “Alright”

Nicki Minaj feat. Drake & Lil Wayne, “Truffle Butter”

Kanye West feat. Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom & Paul McCartney, “All Day”

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration

Big Sean feat. Kanye West & John Legend, “One Man Can Change the World”

Common & John Legend, “Glory”

Jidenna feat. Roman GianArthur, “Classic Man”

Kendrick Lamar feat. Bilal, Anna Wise & Thundercat, “These Walls”

Nicki Minaj feat. Drake, Lil Wayne & Chris Brown, “Only”

Best Rap Song

Kanye West feat. Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom & Paul McCartney, “All Day”

Kendrick Lamar, “Alright”

Drake, “Energy”

Common & John Legend, “Glory”

Fetty Wap, “Trap Queen”

Best Country Duo/Group Performance

Brothers Osborne, “Stay a Little Longer”

Joey + Rory, “If I Needed You”

Charles Kelley, Dierks Bentley & Eric Paslay, “The Driver”

Little Big Town, “Girl Crush”

Blake Shelton feat. Ashley Monroe, “Lonely Tonight”

Best Country Song

Lee Ann Womack, “Chances Are”

Tim McGraw, “Diamond Rings And Old Barstools”

Little Big Town, “Girl Crush”

Brandy Clark, “Hold My Hand”

Chris Stapleton, “Traveller”

Best Country Solo Performance

Cam, “Burning House”

Chris Stapleton, “Traveller”

Carrie Underwood, “Little Toy Guns”

Keith Urban, “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16”

Lee Ann Womack, “Chances Are”

Best Pop Solo Performance

Kelly Clarkson, “Heartbeat Song”

Ellie Goulding, “Love Me Like You Do”

Ed Sheeran, “Thinking Out Loud”

Taylor Swift, “Blank Space”

The Weeknd, “Can’t Feel My Face”

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media

Empire: Season 1

Fifty Shades of Grey

Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me

Pitch Perfect 2

Selma


Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media

The Weeknd, “Earned It (Fifty Shades Of Grey)”

Common & John Legend, “Glory”

Ellie Goulding, “Love Me Like You Do”

Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth, “See You Again”

Lady Gaga, “Til It Happens to You”

Score Soundtrack for Visual Media

Birdman

The Imitation Game

Interstellar

The Theory of Everything

Whiplash

Best Music Video

A$AP Rocky, “LSD”

The Dead Weather, “I Feel Love”

Kendrick Lamar, “Alright”

Taylor Swift feat. Kendrick Lamar, “Bad Blood”

Pharrell Williams, “Freedom”

Best Music Film

Foo Fighters, Sonic Highways

James Brown, Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown

Nina Simone, What Happened, Miss Simone

Roger Waters, The Wall

Amy Winehouse, Amy

Best New Age Album

Paul Avgerinos, Grace

Madi Das, Bhakti Without Borders

Catherine Duc, Voyager

Peter Kater, Love

Ron Korb, Asia Beauty

Best Improvised Jazz Solo

Joey Alexander, “Giant Steps”

Christian McBride, “Cherokee”

Donny McCaslin, “Arbiters of Evolution”

Joshua Redman, “Friend or Foe”

John Scofield, “Past Present”

Best Jazz Vocal Album

Karrin Allyson, Many a New Day: Karrin Allyson Sings Rodgers & Hammerstein

Denise Donatelli, Find a Heart

Lorraine Feather, Flirting With Disaster

Jamison Ross, Jamison

Cécile McLorin Salvant, For One to Love

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

Gil Evans Project, Lines of Color

Marshall Gilkes & WDR Big Band, Köln

Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Cuba: The Conversation Continues

Maria Schneider Orchestra, The Thompson Fields

Patrick Williams, Home Suite Home

Best Latin Jazz Album

Eliane Elias, Made in Brazil

The Rodriguez Brothers, Impromptu

Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Suite Caminos

Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet, Intercambio

Miguel Zenón, Identities Are Changeable

Best Gospel Performance/Song

Anthony Brown & Group Therapy, “Worth [Live]”

Kirk Franklin, “Wanna Be Happy?”

Travis Greene, “Intentional”

Israel & Newbreed feat. Yolanda Adams, “How Awesome Is Our God [Live]”

Brian Courtney Wilson, “Worth Fighting For [Live]”

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song

Francesca Battistelli, “Holy Spirit”

Crowder, “Lift Your Head Weary Sinner (Chains)”

Matt Maher, “Because He Lives (Amen)”

Third Day feat. All Sons & Daughters, “Soul on Fire”

Tobymac feat. Mr. Talkbox, “Feel It”

For the complete list of 2016 nominees, visit Grammy.com.

Categories
Job Board News

BLOGGER SPOTLIGHT: Jay Encina (Noise Barrage)

The Haulix blog was founded as a way to support the people who make it possible for us to do what we love. A service like ours only succeeds if both the clients and their customers/contacts are happy with the platform we provide. Word of mouth means everything in a buyer’s market, and we believe it is only fitting that we do our part to promote the dreams and releases of those who support our own ambitions. Establishing a career in music is hard enough as is, so we figure it’s best if we all stick together and help one another whenever possible. 

Jay Encina, founder of Noise Barrage, is someone who didn’t necessarily start writing about music with the intention of making such work his career. Jay knew of a friend from another hobby who needed some contributors to further develop his own music blog, and Jay reached out to help. One things lead to another, and before he knew it Jay had fallen in love, but finding a reliable outlet for his writing proved to be harder than initially thought. The first site he joined eventually fell apart, as did the one he joined after that. Frustrated, but still wanting to make a name for himself in music, Jay ultimately settled on doing his own thing, which came with the added bonus of becoming his own boss. Now Jay could control the flow of content, as well as the longevity of the site itself, and that is what he continues to do to this day.

I first encounter Jay’s writing on a whim. Every now and then, whenever we have time to seek out new talent to highlight, I scour the music blogosphere using various Google phrases to seek out sites and writers whose work I’ve never read. On one such occasion several months back it was Jay’s name that came up, and I immediately made a mental note of the clear love for music that radiates from every post he makes. I believe Jay is still very much developing his own voice, but he has a clear passion for writing that will carry him until he hammers out any professional refinement his craft may need. As far as the future of music bloggers go, Jay is one of the brightest minds I’ve come across, and I feel in time his ability to connect with readers will become better still.

Recently, Jay accepted an offer from us to appear here on the Haulix blog. You can read highlights from the conversation that followed below. Afterward, visit Noise Barrage and add the site to your bookmarks.

H: Hello, Jay. Please introduce yourself, the site you call home, and your role at that publication to our readers…

J: My name is Jay Encina and I run Noise Barrage. I pretty much do everything on Noise Barrage. News posting, interviews, writing reviews, running the social media accounts… you name it, I do it.

H: We are thrilled to have you on the blog. I’ve been following your work for a few months now and I like the content your outlet is creating. When did you originally take an interest in music writing, and how long was it before you stepped out with a site of your own?

J: You know I really wouldn’t be able to pin point when my interest in music writing began exactly. I love writing in general. I used to write poems, short stories, etc. That kind of stuff. Music has always been a part of my life and I used to play in bands when I was a teenager. I guess I could say my interest in music writing began when I started getting into music magazines like Alternative Press and Revolver Magazine. I remember, I have always been drawn to the music review sections of those two publications. Those sections inspired me so much that one day, I just started writing my personal views on whatever albums or artists I was listening at that time. It started off as just some sort of private thing I do and I have never intended to post it online. I started doing it “professionally” when a friend of mine from another online hobby started his own music blog. It was called Butcher’s Block Entertainment and he needed some help in doing music reviews so I volunteered to do it. BBE closed a few months after I joined so I looked around for sites that was needing some sort of help. I was still so green so I never went after big publication jobs so I jumped in on another smaller one named What Counts Media. From my time there is when I met my good friend and New Jersey-based photographer Steph Malfatto. As I did in BBE, I was a music reviewer on What Counts Media. Just like BBE, What Counts closed down after a couple of months of me jumping on board. Frustrated, I just started doing my own thing. By then, my life was getting a bit hectic so I’ve had a series of starting up and closing down before I settled on Noise Barrage.

H: There are a ton of music blogs in existence right now, so why not join an already established site instead?

J: This might come out as something negative, but I’m a control freak. I’ve always wanted to be in charge and I figured, if I want to be able to cover and write whatever I want without any site owners or editors vetoing it, I need to put up and run my own site so I can have complete creative freedom with it.

H: What do you feel separates your site and its content from other blogs and zines covering the same areas of music?

J: It’s based on my own musical taste. This may sound harsh but I listen to every single music that is e-mailed to me by publicists or labels and if I don’t like it, you will not see it up on Noise Barrage. I do Noise Barrage for my own happiness and not for anyone else. Noise Barrage is 100% me and it also shows in the style and quality of music I feature on the site.

H: If you had to pitch Noise Barrage to someone who had never seen or heard of the site before, how would you describe it?

J: It’s the best of both worlds. Noise Barrage features your favorite mainstream bands alongside some of the best, obscure, up-and-coming bands out there. It is also a work of passion and dedication from a music fan who chose to give back to the industry that has pulled him out of some the darkest moments in his life without asking anything, not even monetarily, in return.

H: What are your goals for Noise Barrage? Please feel free to tell us those that are both short and long term in nature.

J: I really don’t have any long term plan for Noise Barrage. The site was conceived out of passion and, at the moment, I see the site as a hobby, an outlet to express my musical views and not really a career. I think I’m just blessed and lucky that my hard work on it are being recognized and that people in the industry are approaching me to have their artists on the site.

H: How big is your contributor pool? Are you looking to add to your ranks?

J: Right now, it’s just me, myself and I. I tried getting some help before but it didn’t worked out so I decided to just keep it as it is for the time being.

H: What type of coverage brings the most traffic to your site? I imagine anything that gets shared by artists probably goes over well, but in terms of features, reviews, news, editorials, etc – what brings in readers?

J: Since I’ve started Noise Barrage, I have noticed that the articles that features smaller bands gets viewed more than those articles that features “bigger” bands. I’m not really surprise with this trend as these bands are the most aggressive when it comes to sharing any press they get. Not saying the bigger bands aren’t but these smaller bands are hungrier to get wherever they get and every press coverage matters so much.

H: There are no ads on Noise Barrage right now. Do you have any monetization plans?

J: I’ve thought of it but I went against it. I mean it would be nice to make money out of this but at the same time, I don’t want to lose the integrity of why I started the site in the first place. It’s a work of passion and a way for me to contribute to the music industry. I’ll probably explore the option down the road but for now, it’s not really something I am aiming to do.

H: How can we expect to see your site evolve over the next year?

J: As I’ve said above, I really don’t have any long term plans for the site. I think if there is one thing I want to do with the site is expand it to cover more than music. I have always wanted to cover some aspects of the nerd/geek culture like comic books, movies, video games and maybe pro wrestling but right now I am very satisfied of how the site is and will just continue on what I’m doing with it.

H: I see you cover a lot of unsigned artists. If someone reading this now wants to pitch you new music, how should they go about it?

J: I am very easy to approach. They can tweet the site’s Twitter account, message the site’s Facebook page, email me on the site’s email account or even get ahold of me on my personal social media account. As long as you’re cordial and not being rude, I will do my best to accommodate you.

H: Where do you see you, Jay, 5 years from now?

J: This is something that I haven’t figured out yet. I’m currently in college so hopefully by that point, I’ve already graduated. I’ve been with my girlfriend for almost 6 years now so I foresee, by that point, we are on our way in starting our family. That’s where I see myself personally. Professionally, what I really want to do is to be an A&R for a record label. I want to be able to help up-and-coming bands and help shape up the future of the music industry. I think that goes in hand-and-hand with my ideals of giving back to the industry that has given me a lot.

H: If you could offer one piece of advice to aspiring industry professionals, what would it be?

J: Just do it. No ifs and buts. If people shuts you down and say you can’t do this or that on their publication, start your own. Just throw yourself out there and don’t hesitate. Also, be nice and respectful. When I first started, people told me that the industry is so cut throat and so I have to be ruthless and cut throat too. I went against their advice. I was nice and cheerful and cordial in dealing with people and I think it helped me get to where I’m at right now. Also patience. A lot of them. It’s a busy industry and sometimes an answer to inquiry can take days, weeks, even months to get a reply. Don’t bombard people with emails about your requests or inquiries. That is a surefire way of getting into an industry professional’s bad side.

H: I think that covers everything. Before I let you go, is there anything you would like to add?

J: Nothing to add but I just wanted to thank you guys for giving me this huge opportunity. When I first started Noise Barrage, I have never ever imagined being featured by another outlet for my work on the site but it’s just really nice to be recognized for the hours of hard work and dedication you put into giving the best content for your readers. It’s something more valuable to me than any monetary compensation.

Categories
News

Here Are The 10 Biggest Music Streaming Apps, Worldwide

The jury may still be out on the debate of whether or not streaming makes a direct impact on someone’s decision to buy an album, but regardless the age of streaming appears to be here to stay. There are new streaming services popping up every few weeks, and at the same time the current competitors are scrambling for exclusives and other offerings to help them stand out from the pack. You may not believe in using these services yourself, but its clear from the data made public that a good portion of consumers feel they are the new normal, and in business public opinion carries a lot of weight.

App Annie, a company that specializes analytics services and market intelligence as it relates to the world of apps, has released a new report on the popularity of streaming services around the globe. The 31-page document, which is available for free download to anyone interested, aims to help identify music streaming opportunities in active users, downloads and revenue.

A few takeaways from the report include:

  • The top streaming apps worldwide saw data consumption per active Android phone user grow by 25% year-on-year while downloads increased by around 15% and revenue from in-app purchases doubled.
  • New opportunities are growing and being served by players in Asian markets where local content puts regional players ahead of global giants.
  • Traditional FM radio networks are finding some traction with apps, potentially providing a model that networks in other markets can replicate.
  • Mixtape streaming apps are on the rise, highlighting the value users place in new music discovery. 

The report also outlines the top performing streaming services around the globe as of October 2015, both for iPhone users and those who prefer Android devices. 

The success of Spotify probably won’t come as a surprise to most, but there are numerous competitors on both charts that have received little to no press stateside. Still, by sheer luck or some kind of marketing genius completely oblivious to us, there are new users signing up to take advantage of those lesser known services every single day. Could TuneIn Radio be the next big thing in music streaming? It sure seems like it.

The one thing missing from these charts, or at least the iPhone chart, is Apple Music. The streaming service, which launched at the end of June, had only just ended its initial round of free user trials when the data for these charts was pulled. If we could see the November data I am confident Apple Music would be a top 5 competitor, but right now it’s unclear how their userbase stacks up to the competition.

Categories
News

My Time In The Finnish Music Scene

Haulix is a company based out of Minnesota, USA. We have clients all over the world, but none of our core staffers have spent much, if any time abroad. We like to think we know a lot about the way the music business work, but truth be told all our knowledge is based on our experiences here in the United States. We wanted to expand our understanding of music as a global industry, so we turned to Finnish native Peppina to shed some light on her personal journey through music. You can read her response below.

Not familiar with Peppina? No worries. We’ve embedded here fantastic EP, Follow Your Gravity, at the end of this post. Consider this your last chance to hop on her bandwagon because we have a feeling 2016 is going to be a very big year for Peppina. Enjoy!

In Finland, just like in most countries, while the superstars in the world are superstars there as well, the charts are very much filled with Finnish artists – all of them singing in Finnish. That’s a big thing – there are barely any big Finnish artists in the pop field who perform in English, and it feels like some kind of a cultural thing where the idea of a Finnish artist singing in English seems weird.

I think it stems from the fact that i’s not that common in the Finnish culture to think or dream big, to believe in or seriously reach for international success – simply because it has happened so rarely in the past! I guess that’s why many choose to be a big fish in a small pond instead. To me that’s the biggest difference between the music scene in the two countries: In the US, you think big and reach high – and you have all the reason to do so since so many others have made it here already!

I think this cultural difference also translates to the musical side of it all. Pop music, for example, is produced big in the US. The singers bend high and lyrics are often anthemic, with subjects about things that are “larger than life.” While the top pop hits in Finland are of course also produced big and epic in their own way, they’re often not as ambitious as the ones in the States; the subjects are often negative and singers don’t show off with their vocal abilities as much. I couldn’t really say who would be “the Beyonce of Finland,” for example. I’m hoping to portray the best of both cultures through my music – and it’s been quite an experience being in the midst of each one at different times in my career.

Categories
News

GOOD READ: The End Of Music Blogs As We Know Them

We pride ourselves on creating some of the best content on the web regarding the state of music blogs, where they are headed, and how those interested can participate in their proliferation, but to be honest there are dozens of other outlets producing quality material on these same topics. One of them, Pigeons & Planes, is a favorite among our staff. We read a post from their founder last month regarding the state of music blogs in 2015, and we knew right away that we had to share his thoughts here on our site. Out of respect to the site and author, we decided to wait a full month before sharing some of his insight here.

Below you can find a large excerpt from the original P&P article. If you like what you read and you want to know the rest, please follow THIS LINK to the original post. Enjoy:

When I started Pigeons & Planes in 2008, I didn’t even know what the word “blog” meant. I only started the site because Eskay, from my favorite website Nah Right, stopped responding to my requests for a job. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. My marketing plan involved going to the most popular music videos on YouTube and commenting: “PIGEONS AND PLANES. GOOGLE IT!”

I have no idea if anyone found the blog that way. I still think it was a decent idea. Back then, things were different. This was before social media was the lifeblood of any online publication. Back then, a spot on a blogroll (remember those?) was more important than a social media presence. Back then, there was an actual community of music blogs. If I needed help setting up some new plug-in, I’d just email Modi from DC to BC, or Legend from OnSmash, or Will from We All Want Someone To Shout For, or Luis from Pretty Much Amazing. We all shared ideas, strategies, and, of course, music. Back then, if you wanted to keep up with hip-hop, you needed to follow Nah Right, 2DopeBoyz, XclusivesZone, and OnSmash.

In 2008, the small start-up blogs were the ones keeping up with music in real time. They were posting 20+ times a day, engaging with the latest social media communities, and covering new music with an urgency that the internet demands. The major publications still hadn’t caught up. They were focused on bigger projects with longer turnaround times. They had not yet learned to move at the speed of the internet. In 2008, I started Pigeons & Planes with no intentions or master plans. I had no resources, budget, or know-how, but I also didn’t have any old practices to unlearn.

That same year, Brendan Frederick, who was Deputy Editor of Complex at the time, called the entire Complex edit staff together and announced something that would immediately change the company forever: “You’re all bloggers now.”

For years, blogs dominated the music space on the internet. Among the larger media outlets, Complex was early to realize that they needed to change their ways if they wanted to keep up. It took a few years, but the entire business model changed.

“The reason Complex was able to succeed in the digital space when so many others failed,” Frederick explains, “is because Complex was smart enough to develop a real business model for making money off of the web—the media network. This allowed Complex to fund additional heads dedicated to the web, and made it less risky for them to divert editors’ attention away from the magazine. Other magazines didn’t change their business model—they stayed focused on selling print ads and doing events—so they didn’t have the cash to hire additional web staff, and couldn’t risk diverting attention from the print magazine. So, for these companies, the best they could do is have one or two separate ‘web editors’ focused on the website, but because they didn’t have the underlying revenue model, they could never fully make the shift.”

Read the rest right here.

Categories
News

CHRISTMAS IS COMING: Holiday Cover Songs Currently In The Public Domain

The topic of cover songs can be a tricky one. Not everyone loves them, but every year a number of artists new and old rise to the top of their respective music scenes by adding their own take to an already well-known song. The problem with covers as far as young artists and groups are concerned usually involves royalties and whether or not they can afford to market their recording beyond streams and videos. Today we’re going to look at holiday covers, and how you can leverage royalty-free songs to reach new listeners who otherwise may have never discovered your music.

You may or may not be aware of the term ‘public domain,’ but it refers to works whose intellectual property rights have expired, have been forfeited, or are inapplicable. In other words, works that are unavailable for private ownership or are otherwise available for public use. You do not need mechanical licenses to sell your version of these works, but certain arrangements me be copyrighted (do your own research). Below is a list of holiday songs currently in the public domain:

  • “Angels We Have Heard On High”
  • “Auld Lang Syne”
  • “Away In The Manger”
  • “Deck The Halls”
  • “The First Noel”
  • “Go Tell It On The Mountain”
  • “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”
  • “Hark, The Herald Angels Sing”
  • “I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day”
  • “I Saw Three Ships”
  • “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear”
  • “Jingle Bells”
  • “Joy To The World”
  • “Come All Ye Faithful”
  • “O Holy Night”
  • “O Little Town Of Bethlehem”
  • “Silent Night”
  • “There’s a Song In The Air”
  • “Toyland"
  • “The Twelve Days of Christmas”
  • “Up On The Housetop”
  • “We Three Kings"
  • “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”
  • “What Child Is This?“

Many classic Christmas songs that are presumed to be in the public domain are in fact copyrighted, so make sure to double-check your sources before deciding a track is public domain.  PDInfo Online (www.pdinfo.com) is a good starting point if the liner notes and copyright information are unavailable. Here are just a few notable songs that would require a mechanical license: Christmas Songs NOT in the public domain

(Writer/Composer)

  • “Winter Wonderland” (Written by: Felix Bernard, Richard B. Smith)
  • “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)” (Mel Tormé, Robert Wells)
  • “Sleigh Ride” (Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish)
  • “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” (Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin)
  • “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” (Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie)
  • “White Christmas” (Irving Berlin)
  • “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” (Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne)
  • “Jingle Bell Rock” (Joseph Carleton Beal, James Ross Boothe)
  • “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer” (Johnny Marks)
  • “Little Drummer Boy” (Katherine K. Davis, Henry V. Onorati, Harry Simeone)
  • “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year” (Edward Pola, George Wyle)
  • “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” (Walter Kent, Kim Gannon, Buck Ram)
  • “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” (Johnny Marks)
  • “Silver Bells” (Jay Livingston, Ray Evans)
  • “Feliz Navidad” (Jose Feliciano)
  • “Frosty The Snowman” (Steve Nelson, Walter E. Rollins)
  • “A Holly Jolly Christmas” (Johnny Marks)
  • “Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)” (Gene Autry, Oakley Haldeman)
  • “Carol Of The Bells” (Peter J. Wilhousky, Mykola Leontovich)

There is no question that some of the songs mentioned above have been reinterpreted by so many artists that putting an original spin on proceedings seems impossible, but it’s often the most challenging of endeavors that prove to be the most fruitful. By taking a holiday classic like the ones above and making it your own you’re further engaging already devoted followers while simultaneously creating an amazing opportunity to reach new fans. The holiday season generates a large amount of sales and internet searches for seasonal music, and with proper tagging your efforts will reach countless new listeners who could very quickly be converted into fans.

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